Selvage tote bag is completed in time for Lancaster!

One side:

Second side:

 

Bottom:

(Hoping the black bottom will help keep it clean)

How I did it:

I sewed up the two sides, and then sewed

 three inches in to create the bottom-

sorry, I missed getting a photo!

Tote sewn together:

Lining sewn and in place:

Zigzag to join strap together

"ruler" trim:

Adding "ruler" to cover raw edges:

One side sewn:

Straps pinned on:

Black edging sewn on:

Underside of strap:

I love it!

Selvage tote straps pinned

I really had a busy day, but

managed to find the time to pin

the straps for my selvage tote bag.

Tomorrow is another busy day, but I hope

to get the tote bag sewn together!

Disco Dots!

I was lucky enough to snatch a half yard cut

of this OOP fabric on ebay for almost nothing!!

Love it, and excited to see the selvage possibilities!

Let the Sun Shine....

On this beautiful, sunshine filled day,

I am heading to NYC with

my daughter and her bff Lauren

to see Hair on Broadway!

"Spirograph" fabric

(Sorry the photo is blurry- I took it with my phone)

My local WalMart still sells fabric,

and every now and then

they have something great!

This fabric has a great "hand" to it, 

is really a great quality,

and was an amazing bargain at $2 a yard!

Just look at the great selvages!

Yet another selvage project begins!

I am heading to Lancaster, PA next

week for the AQS Quilt Show.

I decided today that I need a

selvage tote bag for the trip.

close up:

I'm happy with this side

the other side:

I am not happy with how "beige"

the middle section of this side is,

so I will play with it more tomorrow.

I still have to pin the straps.

lining fabric:

Featured on the Selvage Blog today!

with my selvage chair!

It was truly a labor of love to re-do

this chair. and give it a new life!

I am going to giveaway some of my more

"sedate" selvages in honor of finishing the chair,

to help others discover or continue selvage quilting!
Many wonderful people have sent me
selvages- now I'll pay it forward!

I have quite a bit saved up, so I will send out 5 packages,

since this is the 5th time I have been
 featured on the Selvage Blog!!

Take a look back thru my blog
to see how I made the chair cover.
It was quite a sight to see!

There are a few rules, of course, but they are simple.

Leave me a comment here for 1 entry.

Become a follower of my blog, or if you

already are a follower, say that in comment # 2.

Blog about it and then come back and leave

me a third comment telling me about it!

Remember that if you don't have an email attached
 to your profile, please update it today.
 I can't reply to no reply emails.

I will accept entries of comments about
this post until March 25th,
then randomly draw the winners!

Good luck! I hope you have the luck of the Irish today!

Exciting news!

Last night, I received an email telling me about a special podcast

Jackies Quilting Chronicles Episode 11

Here is what it said:

I just wanted to let you know that

my next podcast is about ready for iTunes and my blog.

Karen Griska, the selvage lady, was my guest interview.

We talked all about selvages and the projects

that are made with them.

Your blog and projects were mentioned!!

Jackie follows my blog, and leaves me

 wonderful, encouraging comments.

Karen has featured me on her blog several

times, and truly "invented" selvage quilting!

Both their blogs talk about the podcast today,

http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/2010/03/selvage-quilts-giveaway.html

http://selvageblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/c-v-quiltworks-podcast-and-book.html

and Karen has generously autographed

2 copies of her book for a giveaway!

Head over to their blogs!

 You will be amazed and inspired like I am!

Listen to this wonderful podcast

and "meet" these wonderful ladies!

No time for sewing today..,

but I did get a major "decrapifying" project done!

I sorted thru all of the computer CD-ROM's, and

DH went thru the bin of keyboards, mice, cables, etc.

that we have collected over the years!

We ended up with 3 trash bags full

of stuff we no longer needed.

I feel so accomplished :)

Selvages......from Nikki in Australia!

Last month, Nikki was

featured on the selvage blog

http://selvageblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/meet-nikki-from-melbourne-australia.html

since she was gioving away her selvage stash.

I was lucky enough to have

her send some to me!

Aren't they fantastic?

Thanks Nikki!!

The Big Reveal!!

The selvage chair is completed

and is upstairs in the playroom!

I love how it came out,

and am so happy that it will be used again !

If you want to see how I did it,

look back at blog posts from February 11th until today!

Here are a few photos of the finishing process.

Before:

I turned it inside out to pin the final seam up the arms:

All sewn, but not trimmed and stapled on:

Starting to staple and trim:

Side view of finished chair:

Happy Birthday, Matthew and Marisa!

Seventeen years ago today, you arrived!

You bring my life so much joy, pride, love and laughter!

Congratulations to 2 of NJ's newest licensed drivers!

Happy, happy birthday!

Assembly...finally!

I began by trimming the various pieces

Then I started sewing the pieces together

One arm on!

I am almost finished, just a little more to go.

I hope to have the chair ready

tomorrow for a big reveal!

Tablecloth fix!

I wanted to join 2 102" tablecoths

together for the upcoming Passover seder table.

I mulled over several options, but saw something on

Sewing with Nancy this week that I knew

would work well and be easy to do!

First I cut 2 strips of fabric 3 inches wide by 70 inches long.

I used the batik fabric from my star

quilt which hangs in my dining/sewing room.

I put them wrong sides together, and

 then I pressed a seam down the center as a guide.

I did a wide zigzag seam thru the center.

Then I pressed each side to the center, making a "channel" for the each of the tablecloth edges.

Then I pinned the edge of the tablecloth into the "channel"

and did a zigzag stitch to secure.

Repeat for the second tablecloth.

Needs to be pressed, but I am very happy with the result!

Hoping to have time to sew tomorrow, but at least........

mail call was exciting!

A blog reader saw my post last week about

winning a back issue of Quilt Sampler,

and emailed me to see if I was interested in

some issues she was looking to sell.

They arrived today!

I got 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002,

2003, Fall/winter 2005, and Spring/summer 2006!!

Now to find the time to read and enjoy them!

No time for sewing today :(

Took care of lots of "stuff" today.

But, the mailman brought me some selvages!!!!!

Quilter's Home back issues

I won 5 more issues on ebay!

Unfortunately, only got part of the

selvage chair back sewn today.

No time to sew today and good mail!

My daughter and I went to the bridal

shower of a friend getting married later this month.

This was waiting for me in the mail today :)

Heading to read it now!

Side sewn!

I only have the back piece left to stitch down,

 and then I can begin putting it together!

2 more pieces sewn!

Today, I finished sewing the center and one side panel!

I have one more side and the back to sew.

Then, assembly begins!

Re: Cool find yesterday

Sally in Walnut Creek, CA left a

comment asking where I bought it.

It was a no reply email, so I hope she visits here again.

I bought it at my local TJMaxx.

I have several similar items, all purchased at

TJMaxx and Marshalls over the last few months.

Happy hunting! I hope you find them!

Cool find!

It will be used either for my

growing quilting magazine collection

or some of my fabric supplies- interfacing, etc.

Selvages everywhere!

seat and 2 arm pieces are sewn!

How cool is this selvage!- click to enlarge!

In progress- side piece

oops- showing a boo boo- I missed trimming

the red piece (on the left) and it got sewn down.

back, center back, and side waiting patiently to be sewn!

I also picked up an awesome tip on:

exuberantcolor

whose blog  follow and read daily.

She is talking about sewing triangles and having a support.

She says:" "My suggestion is that if you are serious

about the accuracy of your piecing, invest in an acrylic

extension table or one of the tables or

cabinets that your machine

fits into, flush with the surface. Another

option is to pile hard cover books in front and

behind your machine to create a flat surface."

I used a stack of books, and it made a

TREMENDOUS difference.

Thanks Wanda!!

Quilt Sampler 1999

I have been gathering back issues

of Quilt Sampler Magazine for some time now.

Today's mail brought me the

1999 issue which I won on ebay.

Can anyone tell me when

the first issue was published?

When did it start being

published twice a year?