fabric baskets for teachers

I wanted to make Logan's preschool teachers a gift for Christmas. Do non-family members appreciate handmade items? I should probably research that before I continue to make personalized items for people who are not required to like what I make.

Anyway, I decided to make them baskets. I just love baskets! They are versitile and beautiful and they can be carried (note the handles) and placed anywhere. And I think these are just the right size. They came out around 8 inches long by 4 inches wide and 4.5 inches tall.

The best part about the construction of these baskets is that the lining is pulled over the outside of the basket to create the top trim. This means that I don't have to leave a hole in the lining and then handstitch the hole closed later. This pleases me. I just think my way is less complicated and involves fewer steps.

I made 3 bags. Logan, apparently, has only 2 teachers. He insisted he had 3. But of course it all works out because now I have an excuse to keep one!

new fabric from my pa quilt shop

I arrived in western PA four months ago and have been searching for a live quilt shop ever since.  There are no quilt shops in the area which is strange because it's not like we live in the middle of nowhere. Finally I decided to drive 45 minutes to the closest shop.

I don't know how people can buy fabric online.  I guess if you know that you want the latest Tula Pink or Michael Miller, you could really buy it anywhere, including online.  But if you don't know what you are looking for, how can you be sure that the fabric will look the same in person as it does online or will match the coordinating prints you've chosen?  Maybe if you've played this fabric game for a long time, you're just that good.  But I like to feel the fabrics, hold them against one another, look at them in the light.  I enjoy the process of wandering through the shop and wondering what I would make with nearly every piece.  Needless to say, my trips to the quilt shop are hours-long excursions.  But it's part of my process and I enjoy every minute of it.

 Anyhoo, after about 2 hours, I came out with 2 things (pathetic, I know, but I have to consider the budget).  I got this pack of 8-1/2 inch square precuts for $12.50.  There are 33 of them.  I think that's one heck of deal.  The fabric is Arcadia by Sanae for Moda.  I don't think it's an old print, so that may be why it's so cheap.  And if this quilt shop is in the habit of aggressively marking down old prints, it's my new favorite weekend hang-out.  I have no shame when it comes to fabric deals.

Here is a sample of some of the prints.  For the first time, this fabric will be for me.  I have a quilt in mind for my upcoming birthday!

This fabric is Porcelina by Michele D Amore for Marcus Fabrics.  I really like the colors in this print and the dots and the lines and the dots and the colors and the . . . everything.

This will be for a Christmas gift for someone special.  I have an idea in my head that will work it's way out in December.

There is one other quilt shop that I'd like to visit that is 45 minutes in the opposite direction.  I was hoping that I could find one closer to take some classes and meet some fellow quilters.  But for now I will settle for the occasional holiday to these shops.  And since we will move to a more permanent location next summer, I still have plenty of time to strategically plan out that location.

fabric for donation quilts

I just wanted to post briefly about the fabric I picked up for two of the Project Night Night quilts that I will be making this month.  I decided to assemble four bags instead of two, each containing a blanket, an age-appropriate book, and a stuffed animal.  These bags are destined for a local homeless shelter to offer comfort to the children staying there.

I am pretty disappointed that I missed this section at JoAnn's when I was picking out fabric for Logan's quilt.  It's a small section labeled "Juvenile Prints" and there isn't much to it, but I found the two lovely prints in the middle along with a few robot and dinosaur prints.  Logan would have gone nuts over the dinosaur prints!  Oh well, I guess I will just have to make him a bed size quilt or pillow or something else with those.

I haven't quite nailed down the technique I will be using to put the quilts together.  But since these two will each contain two layers of cotton fabric with batting sandwiched in the middle, I think it's safe to call them quilts.  I will look for something a little quicker for the next two, but I have time to quilt these.

craft supply score in michigan

When we went to Michigan last week to visit family for the holidays, I didn't take any crafting materials with me.  I don't get to see my family or my inlaws that often so I decided to concentrate on spending time with them.  But as I mentioned in my previous post, I did teach my self to knit--I can't stand being "unproductive" for too long.

But another thing that I thought would help satisfy my craft addiction was to visit a few fabric stores.  I found a quilting store online just down the road from my inlaws.  This was my first trip to a quilting store, so it was a bit overwhelming (not to mention more expensive than I'm used to paying at JoAnn's but I expected that).

After about 40 minutes, here is what I came out with . . .

The green fabric was cut from the bolt, but I can't remember the designer.  The others are fat quarters.  I bought the green and blue fabrics with the intention of making a carrier for the Wii, but now I think they will make a much better knitting bag for me.  The brown and pink I bought to make myself a purse.

I also found this fabric.  Again it's a fat quarter, so I don't know the designer.

My sister, Laura, loves stuff like this.  I'll figure out something.

Our trip to see my family also paid off quite well.  Instead of hitting a quilting store there, I decided just to visit Hobby Lobby.  There would be something for everyone there. 

This is the loot . . .

The large cuts of fabric are for my dad's Stars & Stripes quilt.  I the remnants are for a bib for a friend having a baby soon and the ribbon is just for fun--it was 50% off.

My mom then asked me to go through her bins of fabric and take what I wanted to reduce her stash.  Man, that's the ultimate request.

I did find a few large cuts that she bought for a purpose and never used.  The others were scraps, many at least half a yard.  In addition to these fabrics shown, I also scored some solids including lots of versitile black.

My great (and perhaps great-great) grandma gave my mom some fabric many, many years ago that she never did anything with.  I took most of that, too.  Some of it I would never have picked out myself, but it might look nice in small chunks, like in a quilt or something.  I am also not one to pass up free fabric because I can always use it to practice new designs.

And these were my great grandmothers which will come in handy someday . . .

She also gave me all of this to support my newest medium . . .

and these, which will save me a ton of money . . .

Now I really need a knitting bag!  So a special Thank You goes out to my mother who gave me the supplies to keep me interested in sewing, knitting, and crocheting for long time--at least until our next trip to Michigan.