Long time, no see...

It's 2017. How the heck did that happen? I can't believe that it's been a solid two months and change since I last posted. I shan't go into all the gory details (yawn....so boring). Suffice it to say that a return to full-time teaching in addition to a fair amount of solo parenting doesn't leave much time or energy for sewing or blogging about it.

Here and there, I've managed some sewing and quilting. Much of it Christmas related and/or for Double Trouble. BT needed a little something to perk up his white oxford and jeans for the Christmas season and I managed to convince Himself that ties are super cute. A bow-tie would have been pushing it too far!

I used this quick little tutorial from Sharing the Wealth and added length as recommended by Kelsey @ Vanilla Joy. I see more ties in BT's future!

BT also needed some new Christmas comfy pants. No, GT isn't being left out. She's rockin' BT's ones from last year. I can't let that C+S Washi flannel go to waste. They're way cuter in person. Here's hoping we manage a family pic one of these days!

These pants mimic the ones I made for Himself last year (he said not to waste expensive flannel on him!) and used this tutorial from Sew Jereli. Now that BT has grown out of the biggest size of Big Butt Baby Pants ☹, I had to find a new go-to pattern. I'm pretty sure this is it!

For more than a decade, I've stored my classroom participation tokens in a Ziploc bag. Seriously. It's a case of the cobbler's children going barefoot! When I headed back to the classroom this year, I decided I needed something a little fancier. The In Color Order Drawstring Bag did the trick. I do so love this pattern and that print is just right for my classroom!

Miss K is practically an adult now, but I know she likes to colour occasionally. So I made her a little coloured pencil roll for Christmas. I also made a few to donate to the Halifax Shoebox Project. I wish I'd taken a pic or two first!

How right is that Cotton+Steel pencil print? I've got to make something for myself out of that one of these days! And a little Netorious and Kona Emerald rounded out the interior.

So there we are, dear readers. Proof that I've not dropped off the planet or given up sewing. I make no promises, but I'm hoping to be here more regularly in the coming months! Hope you'll be along for the ride!

J

Friday Finish - In the Bag!

Tumbleweeds. Crickets. It's been a little quiet here lately. With preparing to go back to work and transitioning DT to days without Mamma, there hasn't been a lot of blogging going on! But I have been squeezing in some sewing in the form of some drawstring bags to organize DT's toys.

It all started with this adorable Ann Kelle fox print. I bought it a while back with plans to make shorts for DT, but summer has come (and is almost gone) and they didn't really need more shorts. As much as I hated to use (up) any of my precious Mini Pearl Bracelet hoarde,  it was the perfect match for those green foxes.

For the lining, I decided to go with blue, but didn't have quite enough of any one Kona to get the job done. Then it occurred to me that I was making a bag to store toddler toys. They don't care if the lining is pieced or doesn't match PERFECTLY. In the name of using one's stash, I kept on truckin'!

 A little more Ann Kelle (Oval Remix) for the drawstring and that's that!
The best part about this bag is that it's big enough to store a bunch more Mega Bloks! It's the laundry size from Jeni Baker's fabulous Lined Drawstring Bag pattern.

For the second toy bag (to store their pompoms and accoutrements), I went back to the Ann Kelle stash. This time, alligators and more Oval Remix. Some chunks of Kona Papaya made up the lining. This one is the Project Bag size.

Once I got going, I just couldn't stop! Remember that C+S cat print that Ms. K liked on our South Shore getaway? Well, I grabbbed some C+S Netorious from the stash and got to sewing. A little Kona Emerald for the outside accent rounded out the pull.

Here it is all sewn up and ready to fill with some Back to School goodies. Ms K is so good to DT and I, I can't help but treat her once in a while.

If you'd like to make a bag or two of your own, you can pop over to In Color Order and check out the tutorial. I loved it so much I bought the pattern! 

I'm linking up today with TGIFF @ Quilt Matters as well as Finish Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts (I'm so happy she's back from her social media holiday!)

J

Friday Finish - Another one in the bag!

Don't you love a well-written tutorial? Well, I do. Jeni Baker from In Color Order knocked it out of the park on this one.

DT are going traveling soon and needed somewhere to store their blocks. They LOVE blocks. This bag fits the bill perfectly.

 

Jeni Baker's tutorial for a very practical little drawstring bag was so good that I went back and bought the pattern. Eight more sizes of fun! I especially like the double drawstring closure system and the way she explains how to leave the openings. Easy to do and tidy when complete!

 Turns out that DTs blocks actually came with a bag...

But it's not as nice as this one! It's so nice that Anja @ Anja Quilts couldn't resist sewing up a pile of them herself!

This bag was my OMG goal for January. But once I had it finished, the goal seemed a little... well, small. Who knew it was going to come together so quickly? So off I went to my Christmas print stash stack. And I whipped up three more!

I love having some pre-fab presents set aside when Christmas rolls around. Ain't nobody got time for last minute sewing. So much stress.

I'm linking up today with TGIFF @ Busy Hands Quilts, as well as Finish Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts. And let's not forget the monthly OMG It's Finished Party @ Red Letter Quilts. Now to get thinking about February's goal! 

J