Thursday Thoughts Part 2: Comic Con Sewing

I have been sewing madly the last few weeks trying to get things finished off for the convention. I had finally decided that I was done and posted on Facebook the following post

Did my comic con stall stock take 6 laptop bags, 17 iPad bags, 44 cosmetics purses, 37 pencil cases, 44 earbud/round pouches, 29 zipper coin purses, 29 tissue packet covers, 4 hanging towels, 14 pot holders, 9 hair scrunchies, 5 bandana bibs. All made from geeky type fabrics (Pokémon, doctor who, StarbWars, batman, Wonder Woman etc) I am done now. It's 2 weeks till I leave for overseas and the convention is a week after we get back. I have to tidy my sewing room before I go so need to stop

I was basically having a little boast about what I had done. What I didn't expect was for my friends to start asking about stuff and wanting to buy from me. It started with one friend asking about the iPad bags so I posted her photos of all of the different ones 

Pokemon iPad messenger style bags

and a couple of people asked if they could buy them. Someone asked about the cosmetics bags so I photographed them and posted the pictures 

 Doctor Who Cosmetics bags

and sold 4. Then someone asked about the scrunchies... 

 I didn't mae any more of these - these are leftovers from our Christmas market

and someone about the coin purses... 

Batman and Star Trek teeny tiny zipper coin purses

 I ended up photographing everything and putting them into an album on Facebook 

Ear bud pouches, these ones with periodic table and formulas

Betty Boop pencil cases

Bandana bibs for babies

Space Invaders tissue packet covers

I have been selling things from there. (still have to photograph the laptop bags, the hanging towels and the pot holders but you get the general idea)

The album is actually public if you want to have a look. Comic Con Sewing Album 

I have a page on this blog that I put items I had made onto (so the Comic Con selection committee people could have a look and see what sorts of things I have made/could make) I will load the photos onto that too... eventually.

WIP Wednesday

Its a wild and wet Wednesday in in Central Queensland. Yesterday at lunchtime a category 4 cyclone named "Debbie" crossed the coast a little south of Bowen. It was a not only a powerful cyclone but had a large "eye" and was slow moving so caused damage over a large area for a prolonged period.





Since then it has weakened and become a rain depression as it has moved over the inland. Where we live we have been experiencing rain since last night. Its been raining pretty constantly but we haven't had much wind at all. 

Fixit Guy and I prepared just in case - putting away loose stuff from around the yard, tieing down the the trampoline and basically staying put inside. Our regular sewing day at the Club Rooms was a non starter as we all decided to stay home, out of the wet and off the roads

I got to sew at home all day - not as much fun and fellowship as sewing with my quilting friends - its always great to share ideas, get suggestions and see what others are working on - but it was very productive. I got 11 ear bud pouches made for the Comic Con Stall I am going to have in September.

I had so much fun making them, using up scraps of fabric.

I'm working with little bits of fabric but still had enough to fussy cut a little for cute effects.

I used up the last of some "Mighty Mouse" fabric that I was given really early on in my quilting life.

I managed to get Mike and Sully both the right way up but Meowth and Squirtle had to work it both ways.

I love the science geek fabric I bought. Formula and the periodic table. Not sure if the formulas make sense... should ask my science orientated family (3 of the 4 kids plus my husband all did chemistry and several did physics too... not me though. )

My favourite ones though were the Betty Boop pouches. I loved the way they turned out. I was especially delighted with the top left hand one. Isn't it special!

And the backs were just as gorgeous. I am not sure I am going to be able to part with all of them.

Its been a pretty busy week... not just with the threatening cyclone and ensuing wet weather but it was also my birthday on Monday. I had a lovely day with phone calls from all 4 of my kids and lots of loving attention from my husband. I got to spend the morning sewing away downstairs and finished off 4 Easy Cosmetics bags - all for the Comic Con stall. 

I'm reliably informed that I got the

We went out to dinner with friends on the night of my birthday and when we got home I sewed another small messenger bag... got to use up all the birthday productively. This one featured a combination of the two science fabrics - the formula and the period table. I haven't got a photo of it yet.

I am still waiting for the opportunity to load two quilts onto the long arm and get them quilted. I really want to get them done before I go away at the end of next week but it might not happen. With the current weather no one is going to want to go out

I have sorted through some scraps that I have been given - pressed them and trimmed them into useful units. I have anothe pile pressed but not yet trimmed and the basket I keep my scraps in is not yet empty sigh. Its an ongoing job.

So its been a busy productive week even though I have really advanced any of my works in progress!

Linking up with 

Sunday Stash Report

I didn't get around to writing my Sunday stash report last week... and to be honest it was because I had some input and no output so I avoided having to confess my sins by not writing. Simples.

So now 2 weeks later and I confess to some more input BUT I have had a couple of finishes too so all is not lost.

Firstly lets do the finishes.

Actually I did have a few finishes that first week I avoided writing my stash report (week 11)- some little things.

Whilst in Brisbane I had finished off 2 easy cosmetics bags, a dodgey small boxy bag and then when I got home I made a large messenger bag, the size to take a lap top. Apart from the dodgey boxy bag which will probably be given to some small unsuspecting child, the other items I made are all for the Comic Con stall I am going to be having for Handmade With Love in September.

This past week (week 12) I have had 2 big finishes. I managed to finish off my En Provence quilt. I had quilted it on the long arm at our club, using a pantograph. It was my first go at doing a pantograph and I was quite pleased with how it turned out. I chose a pink checked fabric to bind it in and think that it has turned out really well. I still haven't come up with a special name for the quilt so its going to just be En Provence and I'll be done with it! 10.15m

My second finish for the week is a t'shirt quilt that I have made for my daughter aka Fangirl. Its been a long time in the coming... she's been giving me t'shirts to go in it for about 10 years. She has nothing to complain about though.... her brother aka The Beast has only ever received 2 quilts from me where as she has already been given 3. His is coming... eventually. 5.93m 
There will be no photos because whilst she knows its coming I still want it to be a surprise for her

And now to my purchases. 

Whilst in Brisbane I bought on metre of some cute spider web fabric. It was 150cm wide so was 1.5m

At home a local  shop had a big big sale on. The sad reason is that they are probably going to go out of selling fabric. Anyway, they had a 40% off sale and I succumbed... 

My first forray into the shop was quite legitimate. I needed some fabric to finish off the backing for my A to Z quilt. I found some suitable stuff (but didn't get enough and ended up having to spend ages piecing the back with lots of little bits). No photos of this yet though as it is part of the A to Z challenge which starts in 5 days (eek)


 but whilst I was there also bought some stuff that will be good for the Comic Con stall - some cute ghosty type characters plus some co-ordinating red and greys that will be great for linings. 7.57m

Then... that 40% kept ringing in my ears. I had seen some red and grey Star Wars fabric - brilliant for the stall... and also I have the Labrynth pattern. I bought it a few years ago but then forgot about it and only found it again in January. It is one that I really couldn't make from scraps at all. It has to be made from the 4 fabrics - tones of a colour in order for the illusion to work. I really want to make it ... and so ... off I went and purchased all the fabric for it in one hit. (apart from the backing). Because I had to do the conversion from yards to metres I wasn't sure that I had bought enough. The sale was ending the next day so I came home and cut it all out so as to be able to go back and get any extra the next day if I didn't have enough whilst they still had it and whilst it was still on sale (I think I told my dear readers all of this in my WIP Wednesday post... sorry) 13.88M

Anyway

Weeks 11 and 12
Fabric used          17.44
Fabric added        21.45
Net usage            -4.01m

Year to Date     
Fabric used       78.47
Fabric Added     43.05
Net Usage        35.42m

linking up with Patchwork Times

Smunday Stash Report - late again this week

My week can be divided into 2 distinct parts - productive and not so much. LOL. At the beginning of the week I was able to get stuck into a variety of projects, all for Handmade With Love, particularly for the Comic Con stall we will have. Its not till September but since I will be out of the country from the end of July and have some other travel before then I am trying to get as much as I can made before I then.

This month I have set myself a challenge to make 20 things for the stall (I managed 12 last month) but had done nothing in the first week or so.

This week I got my act into gear and I made 8 Teeny Tiny Zipper Purses, using this pattern by So Sew Easy. .41m

 I made one ear bud pouch - Tardis fabric is so cool .07m

  and I tried out this new messenger bag pattern by Crazy Little Projects. 1.87m

Its big enough to carry a full size laptop (mine pictured is 15" and there is heaps of room for a bigger one) I talked about the hassles I had with it (all stemming from me assuming I knew what to do.. hint. I didn't ) on my Wip Wednesday blog post 

No purchases this week so all profit!

Week 10
Fabric used          2.35
Fabric added        0.00
Net usage            2.35m

Year to Date     
Fabric used       61.03
Fabric Added     21.60
Net Usage        39.43m

linking up with Patchwork Times

Sunday Stash Report - a couple of finishes!

Its been a fabulous week for finishes. I managed to get the 2 quilts I had pinned quilted over a couple of days.

Sparkle Baby quilt, based on the Sparkle design from Missouri Star I did a swirl and loop pattern on all over. It has become my go to design these days. Its not all the same as I change direction periodically and its not all even. The loops change size but whatever - I like doing it and it worked.

For the backing I used a really big bright and cheerful jungle print with some strips down the side to make it bigger. As is my want it wasn't centred in the end but whatever. Its cool

The baby quilt is destined for either a niece having a baby soon or a friend. Not sure who will get this one and then who will get the next one I make.  3.27m


The second one I finished off I have finally named Chillingworth Mystery since it was the club mystery quilt from last year and the fat quarter pack that made up most of the fabric in it was Chillingworth Bicycle (or something like that) 

The backing for this one was pieced. First of all I used up the excess blocks I had made that didn't fit with the pattern on the front, plus some of the leftover fabrics from the fat quarter bundle and then lots of other strips from my scrap stash that kind of toned in with the front... sort of.

When I was putting on the binding I found I was about 18" short. I had used up all the orange tones in my scrap stash so I used a strip from the batik jelly roll I had busted open to use in it. The piece I chose was the orangiest I had but it was a bit pinky... you can see it at the bottom of the picture. But I don't sweat the small stuff and it doesn't really worry me. It might annoy you from now on looking at the photo but you get that. 4.01m

There were 4 smaller finishes earlier in the week - 4 zipper pouches in pop culture fabric, items for the Comic Con stall I am having later in the year. These ones were in TARDIS, My Little Pony and Ninja Turtle fabric. I have more cut out ready to go but am awaiting either zippers or stiffening fabric. .61m

No fabric purchases this week... so its all straight profit.

Week 8
Fabric used          9.34
Fabric added        0.00
Net usage            9.34m

Year to Date     
Fabric used       45.99
Fabric Added     11.74
Net Usage        34.25m

linking up with Patchwork Times

Sunday Stash Report

This week my son from Melbourne has been visiting and as a result I haven't done much sewing or much blogging. He doesn't get home very often and he wasn't home for long so I tried to spend as much time with him as I could. 

I did do some sewing as I had a project I needed to finish in order to be able to send it back with him. I can't show you pictures just yet as it is a present for someone. I don't think they read my blog but they do read my Facebook and since I usually put a link up for my blog posts on Facebook and Facebook randomly selects which photo it is going to put up with the post... I won't. But this is the pattern I used.

It was a new pattern and took a little bit of figuring out plus my machine decided to play up a little bit as well... so the project took a little longer than usual.

I also made Fangirl a little zipper bag from some fabric she had sent me using a new pattern again. I don't think it was any better than other boxy bag patterns I've used, but also no worse. I used the tutorial pattern from Make it Modern. Fangirl was impressed by it. (it has the seams exposed so not quite as professional a finish - but that also made it quicker so.....)

Then I decided to make another one, same pattern but a bit bigger. I also added a couple of tabs and it worked really well EXCEPT - I had the fabric the wrong way around and so the characters are upside down. I also missed a little bit of a seam and I tried to fix it but it went awry... and so I can safely say it is NOT one of my great projects. My daughter will be able to use it anyway but I need to try to make a better one.

I have had some input this week. The metre of Rugrats fabric that my daughter gave me for a start. It was the patchwork group's Christmas lunch this week. I ended up bringing home 4 fat quarters from the lucky draw to which I contributed 2 so that was a half metre gain overall.

Instead of finishing any big projects off I have started the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt En Provence. I have spent most of this afternoon working on my 4 patches. I was hoping to have a big finish by the end of the year but not so sure I will now... I think En Provence is going to suck up a lot of time. I am actually going to try to keep up with the clues but we shall see what happens.

My stats for week 47 are

Fabric used                2.20m        
Fabric added              2.06  
Net                             0.33m

Year to Date
Fabric used               153.58m
Fabric added               81.19
Net                              72.39m

Linking up with Patchwork Times

WIP Wednesday

This week I have continued to work on little things because we are still not home so I can’t make any progress on the bigger projects I have underway.

I did a full report on all my completed projects on Sunday. I have slowed down a lot since then. Its only been a couple of days but we are leaving for home tomorrow so I’ve lost a bit of motivation. 

I’m also running out of some supplies. I ran out of batting before we arrived here at my brother in law’s but my sister in law gave me some fabric I could use as wadding in the pot holders. I’ve just about used it up too. And the vlisofix I bought with me is all gone too.

I have now used up all my iron on stiffening so that means no more easy cosmetic bags. I have some zippers left but the colours I have are now limited.

I have some bicycle fabric in yellow and orange with a co-ordinating house fabric. I cut out 5 pot holders, 2 hanging towels, and 2 easy cosmetic bags from the yellow bike and house fabrics. I used up most of the stiffening I had on the bags. In the end I only made one of the bags as I didn’t have a zip in black or white which I felt I needed for it. 

If I had cut out the orange fabric there was a great orange zip that would have gone well with it but it wasn’t to be.  I used white binding on the pot holders. I was a bit disappointed with how they turned out. I think black would have been better but I didn’t have any black and I was keen to get them done. They are finished and will be fine but it put me off doing too much more as compromising can mean less than great results.

I made 3 more ear bud pouches using up some Alice in Wonderland fabric. I had fun matching up the two sides on the zip but even so… it wasn’t as great a result as I was aiming for. I used up the very last of the iron on stiffening… patching little bits together to cover the area.

My friend Lyndi shared a link to a website craftingarainbow that showed how to make fabric stars. Last night I had a go at them and managed to make 3 of them and think I will make a few more.

Sunday I was home alone as everyone else was off for the day doing station work or in town. When I was getting the washing in for my in laws I noticed that some of the jeans and shirts were a bit torn so I decided to mend them. I hunted through the pile of washing to be put away and found some more that needed mending as well. I know a lot of patchworkers get almost offended if asked to mend things for other people and loathe mending their own things. However I don’t mind doing it. I get quite a bit of satisfaction returning torn and damaged clothing to a useful state. 

Sunday I mended 5 pairs of jeans (including one my SIL was planning on throwing out.) and several shirts. Today (Tuesday) I asked my Sister in Law if there was any more she wanted done and she found another 6 shirts so that was my sewing for the day.

We will be driving home tomorrow (Wednesday) so there won’t be anymore sewing done this week. I will pre post this before I leave so it will go up anyway. I might be able to do the link up whilst we are travelling or perhaps not till I get back home.

My other WIP - our trip is almost at an end. We have been at my brother in laws place for 10 days now. Fixit Guy has been busy helping his brothers including spending the last 3 days mustering but we need to start heading home tomorrow as we have commitments on Thursday. Mind you he still isn't home so not sure when we will get away!!

Some photos from our time here on the property