A few more gifts

I know I'm not alone in great gift ambitions. There were a few things left in my pile this time around, so I'll be finishing a few late Christmas gifts in the upcoming weeks.

But let's talk about what did get finished, shall we?

First, my friend Sara, wove this beautiful scarf for my mom. And now I want a loom...
I purchased this yarn back in 2010 with hopes of knitting a pair of socks for my mom. The yarn celebrates her deep love for Texas A&M, but alas, it sat in a drawer until I realized I could send it to Sara for some instant gratification gifting. Sara did an amazing job, and my mother loves it. And now I have a little less stash guilt. Win, win, win.

Other scarves were made by me, out of a pile of pretty voile fabrics. I used AMH's notes with a length of 72" per scarf. These were a big hit with my family, and I enjoyed pairing the fabrics for each recipient.

I made a second Super tote (right down to the wire) for Rhonda. Not sure how it's possible, but I love it even more than the first. I used a variety of red-orange and teal prints, along with a natural linen for the exterior.

I'm especially proud of my quilting on this one.

That's all for now!
I've been thinking a lot about my hopes for the new year. I'll be back soon to share my goals, unfinished and new!

An FO, hot off the machine

I literally just finished this, about ten minutes ago. After seeing all of the awesome Super totes around, I decided last week that I wanted to make one now. It was already on my list, but you know that feeling of 'gotta have it/need it/gimme'.

So, I started pulling some scraps together and came up with a lovely stack of gray, yellow, black and white. I quilted (in a quilt-as-you-go fashion) the back exterior and the front pocket.

This was my first try at piping, and I have to say, I am a big fan. It is easy to install, and it looks so good. This red was from my grandmother's stash (we help her clean out a few boxes every time we visit).

This was also my first time to use elastic pockets. I'm not sure how much I will use them, but they are lovely to look at!
Also, the recessed zipper is genius!

I am thrilled with the resulting bag, and between this and my Snap Tote (which carry all the time), I'd say I'm set for awhile.

This bag is very labor intensive, but your time is worth it. Go slow, and take breaks. I like to do all of my cutting and then break before sewing a single stitch.

Anna is so very talented, and her patterns are always well-written. And the resulting projects are satisfying!