Monday, July 02, 2018

Squirrels and July plans

Even though I have tons of projects on the go, I can't help but be sidetracked by new shiny colourful things!

Squirrel project

My Squirrel project this month is a lovely pouch called "Selvage Love" that was designed by Kristy Lea of Make Modern Magazine.
Selvage Love pattern from Make Modern Magazine
I've been wanting to make something with selvage strips for a while now. This seemed like the perfect little project. I added a pocket to the inside lining so it should be useful. 

If you're wondering why I called it a "Squirrel" project, it's because it's one of those unplanned projects - Drop Everything And Make it! just like someone distracted by a squirrel :-) I'll be posting it on mmm! Quilts' Dreami! linking party.

One Monthly Goal (OMG)

My OMG for July is to finish my latest (third) batik lap quilt. I ran out of thread in April and I finally got around to order more and received it last week. It's orange and teal blue Kimono Silk Thread. I'm using the orange for the back, and teal for the front of the quilt. 
Batik lap quilt to finish  FM quilting












This is the first larger quilt that I use an all-over design. Since I fell in love with the Feather Meander during Angela Walters' FMQ Challenge Quilt-Along.

Since it's been a couple of months, I'll have to practice the design a little, but I'm confident that it won't take long before I'm back into a groove 😊


What I learned
  • I'm glad that I took some time to create the pouch. When I work on longer projects like the EPP Hexie flowers, I need a little quick project to distract me. This was a good one, and I will probably end up using it to carry my hexies supplies.
  • I had a little trouble with the pattern since I had never added zipper tabs to a pouch before. I turned them the wrong side but it wasn't a huge problem. Now I know that zipper tabs keep your zipper from opening or closing all the way so that it doesn't get undone.
Related links
Linking Parties



22 comments:

  1. Pretty quilt. Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and good luck on your project.

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    1. Thanks Patty for hosting the OMG. I started FMQ yesterday and am almost finished! I didn't think that it would be quilted so quickly. See you at the end of the month :-)

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    1. Thanks Lisa - I'm back at it and almost finished :-)

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  3. Go squirrels! You did a good job on the bag. I like your quilt too.

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    1. Thanks Pamela. As time goes by and I'm using it, I think I may make another one - and learn from my challenges.

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  4. I saw this pouch and thought it was adorable! I rarely keep selvages, but might have enough for one little pouch!

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    1. Hi Jayne, I just kept my selvages for a friend who uses them to tie her tomatoes :-) This was a great little project but your selvages need to be at least one inch wide. That disqualified many of the ones I had. I guess they will go to tie up tomato plants!

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  5. Oh gosh - a squirrel project! Those that just strike your fancy and have to be made immediately are usually the most fun. And yours is no exception - love the little bag!

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    1. Thanks Susan. I must be a squirrel at heart cause I get distracted fairly easily :-)

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  6. Great squirrel project! I’m a bit late but I’ve just linked my DrEAMi too.
    I have a pile of selvages, might have to add this one to my “to do” list.
    Your quilt is gorgeous!
    Barbara x

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    1. Thanks Barbara, I'll go have a look at your squirrel project. Aren't they fun. The selvages are great as long as they are at least one inch wide.

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  7. You're so right about the quicker little projects to distract oneself when those longer bigger projects demand so much time. Love the all-over feather meander! and love that batik quilt - you may have thrown me a shiny squirrel to chase...so many leftovers from the first half of the Island Batik year that that would be a perfect use for them. ;-) Thanks for linking up.

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    1. Hi Sandra, thanks for hosting :-) Now I have another excuse for making squirrels! This is my third batik lap quilt and I love them. No fussy piecing and lots of quilting. I'm almost done so it'll be good for the OMG.

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  8. Your selvedge pouch drew me in. Very cute! We call those projects pallet cleansers, but I like squirrel projects as well, fits me! I collect selvedges from my quilt group and sell them on etsy. Pockets are a must, my adult dtrs call them snack holes. lol. Your fmq is amazing. and yes, sigh, practice really helps, but I'll bet it won't take much to be back in your groove. nice work.

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    1. Thanks Jane. Pallet cleaners sounds good too. I'll have to look you up on etsy. It would be great to have different selvages from my own fabric. And yes, I never make anything without pockets. I'm thinking of making another pouch but this one would have two pockets, one being deeper with a velcro or something.
      It didn't take long to get back into the groove. One page of drawing and one feather meander for the tension and off I was. I'm almost finished :-)

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  9. What a darling zipper pouch! I just love squirrels! The critters AND the distractions! I love seeing selvedge projects...I am working on one myself right now, an ongoing color block project :) Also, Jeni Baker has some great tutorials for pouches and other fun projects @ In Color Order, fwiw!

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    1. Thanks for the suggestion Sarah, I will look into it. I'm not a purse maker since it's just too fiddly, but pouches are cool!

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  10. Your selvedge pouch is a perfect little distraction. Learning the zipper terminology was key in opening up bag-making for me too!

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    1. Hi Joanne, yes it was perfect except that I'm really tempted to make more :-) Learning from my original challenges would make it stick.

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