Finished Season 4 Challenge 2 My Favorite Color

For our 2nd challenge the theme was My favorite color and white. So I choose my favorite color, green. I have been using these challenges to complete projects that have been on my to-do list. I had a request for a make-up bag with several pockets. So I thought this would be a great opportunity to do this for my project. I knew once I got thinking about it, I was gonna have a problem putting the separator piece in with the boxed corners so the bag would be roomy and boy was I right. I had laid in bed at night thinking of how I would pull that one off and still have the bag fully lined with boxed corners and no seams. Knowing that boxing the corners would not only raise the bottom of the bag but also shorten the width on the bottom. I knew the bottom of the piece couldn't be stitch across the bottom until the corners were boxed. Because I would have to wait until the bottom of the bag was raised up to meet the middle piece. Hope that makes sense. So I had marked and cut my corners with a 1 3/4' square and placed my piece where it was about 1/4" below that line for when I stitched the bottom. Now, I've boxed corners before but never before sewing the bottom of the bag closed. That was tricky but went pretty well. I thought I had it all figured out, how I would get that in and still leave an opening for the turning. All was going well and then sure enough it happened. That's when I realized my piece that was to separate the bag was still too wide. I had figured for that but  I forgot to double it for both corners.  I had to rip it all out and do some trimming, another 3" off for the other side. I finally finagled that thing in there some how. I don't give up easily. If I do decide to make another one I have a new plan of execution. It wouldn't have been a problem but the boxed corners and that piece just didn't mix for me, because I just couldn't wrap my brain around it. I probably should have gooled it and could have found many ways of doing it. But it got done and that all that matters now.I made my first ever welted pocket (single bound and loved it). I put it on the outside of the bag for her lipstick, because that's something that gets used more often through out the day. I liked it so much, I decided I wanted to do another one, only with out any flap on the inside. Making welted pockets are my new favorite thing :) Then I did the simplest of pockets on the other side because I could make 2 pockets in one by stitching down the middle of one long pocket. Now I have 6 separate areas for make-up. I think that should be enough since she doesn't really wear that much make-up. I did make one major mistake, at least it's major for me and no one else would probably even notice if I didn't mention it. But, I really does bother me so I asked several people if they could see anything wrong with the back of the bag. Other the the pencil lines I drew on it to put the pocket in. I write on my stuff with pencil all the time. That didn't bother me because I always run my things through the wash any how so that will come right out. This mistake I'm afraid won't wash out. They never did spot the problem even after I had told them where it was. And to tell the truth it doesn't really show except in the pics. Why do pics always show you every little thing, even the smallest of threads you didn't clip close enough?? I know that others that sew and quilt will definitely notice that I put my pocket in on the wrong end of the back exterior fabric, causing the children on the toile to be standing on their heads. Yep, I was careful to cut my pieces all the right way then totally blew it when I put that pocket in. I think we've all done this at one time or another when working with directional fabric. I was disappointed but, I have found, that when you make something for someone they are so pleased to get it they never even notice or care about those things. They are usually just thrilled that you thought of them. Hey, I can say I'm happy with the way the zipper turned out. I've never done one in that method. I have always had both ends enclosed in the seams, but I wanted the bag to have a big mouth and it does. Over all I am very pleased with the way it turned out. I always learn from ever thing I try that's  new to me, besides, that and the smile it puts on someone face make it all worth the while. Since we have to give our project a name mines is called My Favorite Color Big Mouthed Make-up Bag, LOL!!                           

Making progress

Last night I got my fabrics pressed and some of the pieces cut. I'll have to cut the rest as I go along  because I'm not following a pattern. So, I'll just figure as I go. But I did get the front panel quilted and the monogrammed fused and stitched in place. Now, I working on the ric-rac trim, which seems to be giving me a bit of a fit. My first thought was to tuck it under but I didn't like the way it raised the edges of the white strip. Had I have known that, I would have placed a piece of pellon or interfacing behind the white and raised it forward and that would have solved that issue but since I already had it fused and stitched down, there was no going back. Next I went to stitch the ric-rac in place and seen very quickly that it was shifting on me and I wasn't happy with the way it was looking. So I ripped that out. My second thought was to used the ole glue stick trick but couldn't find mine anywhere. Must be one of the many things I left in Ga. I really need to make another trip down to get the rest of my things but I just keep putting that off. I prefer to travel when the weather is more predictable.That left me with only one other option that I could think of. That would be to pin it. It's terribly tiny and difficult to do but I managed to get it held tight. I just hope that when I remove the pins as I sew it doesn't shift under the foot. I don't sew over pins but might if I have too. If anyone can tell me a better way, please do. I tried other presser feet that had grooves on the underside to see if that might help but I didn't have much luck with that either. I'm thinking if all else fails I might try under wonder on it. Any suggestion are welcome. I'm also thing I might need to do a zig zag around the monogram, provided that the I can find a thread here in this small town that matches the green!

Still Green but not any green

The chartreuse I originally wanted to use. I finally found a piece that will work perfectly with it and I know exactly what I'll be making with it. Now, I just need to find a zipper!! I'm super excited because this was the fabric I so wanted to make this project with. Isn't it beautiful? I do love toile and in my favorite color. Yeah!!! Happy dance.

GREEN for me!!!

I could hardly wait to hear what our challenge was for this week. I was impatiently waiting and then it was written. This weeks challenge is "My favorite color". Ha, I had to think about that one. I have so many favorite colors. Can we just say I love color, all colors. But I do have a few favorites, so I had to narrow it down and think about what my favorite color really is. I know I love purple, but I really like the deep rich purples, not all purples. Then there is red, who doesn't love red. I know I do, especially mixed with other color. But there is a catch here, we can use only one other color in our project and that is white! So that made it easier for me because there is only one color that I have always loved no matter the shade, hue, tone, or what it is mixed with. And looking at my stash it easy to see it's GREEN for me. I love every possible shade of green there is. I almost went with a piece I've had for a long time that has a yellow under tone, one of my favorites but I have absolutely nothing that goes with it that doesn't have other colors in it and white just wouldn't do.I decided to go with ones that are fun and fresh and remind me of Spring.

Couple of finishes

 2 of my favorite fabric designers... Tula Pink and Kaffee Fassett
 

Scrappy 4-patches

 For those of you who don't know, I have this love affair with scrappy quilts and the more I make, the more I love them. It doesn't matter to me if they are darks, brights, muted, or even monochromatic in color, seems they are always my favorites. There's really not much thinking involved in choosing the fabrics, just pick the ones that make you feel good. I probably have more ugly fabrics in my stash then most people, not because they are my favorite but because I got them at a great price, more then likely, but they work. If they are really really ugly I just use smaller pieces and the ugly goes away. I have always had a hard time paying full price for fabric. Especially now that the price has risen so much. I mean 11-15$ a yrd. are you kidding me, and you though gas was high. Not saying I never have paid full price but it's rare, real rare. I have to really really love it.  Like when I fell in love with Tula Pinks Flutterby, yes I paid full price and bought the whole bundle, but I found it hard to even cut up. I do most of my fabric shopping online. I buy good quality quilting fabric, but I almost always shop the sale section. I have also bought a few of the flat fold bundles mainly because they are great stash builders at a good price but also I like the surprise of seeing what I'll get and many times I have received fabrics I would not have picked by looking at them on a computer screen but turned out to be my favorites and then there's the ones that make you say "what ever will I do with this! So far it's not only working for me, it also challenges me. Which isn't a bad thing. I think it is helping me get better at putting different fabrics together, while keeping my obsession of making quilt more affordable. Here's what I'm currently working on, between quilting other tops and binding the one I just finished. It's gonna be a simple 4 patch but simple is just as pretty too.