FO: Sew Portable Tote

There are loads of projects that I finish but never photograph.

I'm not sure why this happens (although I am the worst with garments), but I am trying to catch up on sharing some older projects. A few years ago, Elliott and my mother-in-law conspired to buy me a featherweight for my birthday/Christmas gift. It was really fun, as we went together to a little shop that repairs vintage machines.
Soon after, I knew I needed to make Jeni's Sew Portable Tote, since (hello) it is designed to hold the machine.

I would say this bag has been finished for more than a year, and I still love the bright and happy combination of fabrics I chose. The Melody Miller transistor print is a favorite!

I haven't used my featherweight lately, but I think I need to give it a cleaning and use it very soon (and share photos, as well!).

FOs: Jane Market Bags

For the past few Christmases, I have tried to make a small handmade something for a group of family members. Last year, I made these potholders, which, honestly, feels hard to follow!

This year, I decided to make a small pile of Jane Market Bags.

It is one of my go-to patterns, when I need a fail-safe gift. I have a kept a few, which I use for groceries. It is always fun to come up with fabric combinations, and I used webbing for most of the bags, rather than making my own handles.

I think a good, sturdy tote is always a good gift idea (or wrapping for a gift, in some cases!).

FO: Poolside Tote (and some Grenada photos)

Isn't it strange to come home from vacation? I feel like our Grenada trip was a long time ago, even though it's only been a week. I guess it's easy to re-immerse yourself in everyday life. We stayed a week with Elliott's sister and family in their new home. We saw some beautiful sights and a different way of life. I was surprised by the variety of terrain on such a (relatively) small island. Grenada is about 130 square miles, but elevation reaches 2,700 feet at the highest point. Here's a handful of landscapes we experienced on our trip:

Morne Rouge Beach

Hiking to St. Margaret's waterfall

St. Margaret's

Atlantic, near Fort Jeudy

The garden

From the glass bottom boat, which was my favorite thing. Check out the underwater sculpture garden, which we were able to see from the boat!

I made Anna's Poolside Tote for the trip, and it was such a great choice. It served as my carry-on bag, and I toted it along each day, with my camera, a towel, and other essentials. I am planning to make a few more as gifts in the next few months. Honestly, I think it's my favorite of Anna's patterns. The size is nice, and I love the durability of those straps.

Next time, I have a few more pictures to share of the trip, including Oliver and Adelaide!

Sickly

Hello, friends. It seems I've caught some sort of head cold, and I've been taking it easy the past couple of days. I feel worse today, but hopefully, I"ll kick this before too long.

I do have a couple of things to share. The do.Good Stitches Love circle did a little swap, and I drew Blue Crab, Elizabeth as my partner. She was very specific in asking for potholders, which I really appreciated. And she loves Innocent Crush!

I made her two potholders. The left, in log cabin style, and the right, using Elizabeth Hartman's Mod Mosaic technique. They were fun to make, and I made them without binding.
Do you prefer to make/use potholders with or without binding? Just curious.
I like both methods of making and using.

I included some Innocent Crush scraps for Elizabeth as well.

I also just finished this Echino tote bag. I just love the stag prints they printed.

It holds lots of yarn, too!

I have other things to share, including my received Love circle swap items (!!!!), and a semi-fail skirt.

I'm also playing in the scrap bin, a la C.

Oh, one last thing! Amanda shared the cutest pouch tutorial on Sew Mama Sew! Check it out!

A quick note

I hope you don't have a case of the Mondays, like I do. Thanks for all your sweet comments on my table runner tutorial!

This week will be a doozy, but I wanted to pop in to share a little tote I finished over the weekend.

I used a little Melody Miller cut, along with two polka dots (It's a Hoot and Amy Butler Full Moon), Moda Measuring Tape canvas for the exterior. It's lined with a print from Leah Duncan's Maya. Lots of happy colors and fabrics! It's available (along with a couple of destash items) in case you're interested.

I have a baby quilt to share, but no pictures yet. Soon!