WIP (Works In Progress)

I guess we were really busy in November and December. Basically, we either worked on the advent calendars or UFOs. Trying to finish projects for Christmas and host the SAMs club and keep up on the blog is a lot of work so I guess something had to give and it was the "blog". I hope to be better about updating the blog. So look back more often to check out our progress. We will be making reusable grocery bags and slippers this month.

JOEY

Halloween Stars Progression

Our last meeting was hosted by Ronda (at the sewing machine on the left) She was a beautiful house and even more impressive sewing room. There are three of us working on the halloween stars and we are planning to have nine blocks finished by the 19th (our next meeting) so we can swap and begin to add the borders. We are having some slight problems with these blocks but it is fun and the wonky look of the whole quilt topper will hide many imperfections.

I am happy that Helen and Jodi came and that Helen is doing much better. Helen was working on a knitting a pair of socks (her first!!!) Wow! I need to join her knitting club hahaha.

Halloween stars

These are TrickyTricky! But I think the outcome is good. And it will be so much fun to share with each other. You actually make two blocks at once with the outcome being light on dark and dark on light. We are trying to get together nine blocks to make a tabletopper and/or wallhanging. We want them finished by Halloween . . . so hopefully. Also, did I mention that we will be "swapping"? Right now there are three of us making the blocks but it is not too late for you to start. Come on - it will be fun!!!

Our next meeting will be on the 12th and will be hosted on Rhonda's house. Look for an email with directions. Hope to see you all at the October 5th PWQ meeting.

JOEY

September 21st Meeting

I will be hosting the meeting here at my house. We will still be working on UFOs. And I will be working on my quilt. Thanks for being patient with me while I finish the quilt.

August 3rd Meeting

I have a post but no pic. At the next meeting we will be working on UFOs (aka unfinished objects). The first mondays of the month are dedicated to finishing up projects. So bring someting that you haven't finished from one of our meetings or some other project hidden away in the closet that you want to maybe finish.

I will be cancelling the meeting for the 10th. Lewis and I are taking a few days for VACAY. We might be here but I won't be sewing so if you come I will probably be hiding behind the blinds pretending not to be here so we can have some quality time together (something we rarely get anymore).

JOEY

Carpenter's Star Quilts

We are doing the Carpenters Star for three weeks in which next week is our last meeting for that project. They are coming along nicely. I am experiencing computer problems once again and do not have pictures to post. The summer seems to busy for all of us but come if you have missed. Next month we are working on UFOs, Thread Catchers, Ironing Board covers and will be going to dinner on the 13th. contact me if you need any more details.

I have to sadly report that Danielle is moving to Denver. Very happy for her and her son but sad for all of us. I imagine she will have so many outlets for fabric, quilting and clubs - kinda makes me jealous. She says she will be back down often so I hope we will see her when she does.

JOEY

Hats

Helen and Jodi hosted our last meeting at their house. And let me just say . . . It's hard to drag all your quilting stuff out but I am so glad that all of you do to come to my house everyweek. The hats we made were super simple and most of us made two. Most of them will be donated to patients with Cancer. Makes me feel good.

Our next meeting will be at my house and actually the two meetings following that also and we will be making a carpenter's star quilt! If you don't have the pattern you will need to get one from me or Helen. The meeting for July 6th will be UFOs and the 13th we are planning a trip to the Melting Pot. We will NOT be quilting (shocker!) but eating! Let me know how this date works out for you. Also, upcoming: thread catcher for our sewing machines and ironing board covers!

the bears

I first made the Simiplicity 7552 bear with my son. He was giving a gift to a girlfriend and wanted to know if we could make something for her out of one of his shirts (that was her favorite shirt). It was adorable.





Our Monday night group made bears but all of us used material. Surprisingly it only takes 5/8 of yard of material. It's a nice sized bear.





We will not be meeting next week due to the memorial day holiday. But will meet on the 1st of June. JUNE!!!! June already. We will probably work on UFOs. Seems we all have alot of unfinished projects to catch up on.

FQ bags

FQ bags are so versatile. We had so much fun making pleats and pockets and curves into our bags. I love how fast they are too. If you weren't able to attend the meeting, just get out your fat quarter and start cutting - seriously, I think you can finish one in an hour and the second and third and fourth ones just go faster.

Next week: Sewing Machine Covers!! These are mainly just a dust cover. We will sandwich two pieces of fabric between batting and quilt that piece, then bind the edges and add four ties and it will be ready to throw over your machine.

JOEY

Embellished towels and UFOs

At our last meeting we embellished towels and worked on UFOs (isn't that what the title says?!) Anyways, it was a fun meeting in that we had a little more time to chat. Usually we are so busy sewing that you can't talk so that was nice. I like the UFO idea and I may incorporate it into our meetings once a month. I am working on the schedule for May/June. The next meeting we are making FQs purses. I made one but have a few more FQs to make a couple at the next meeting.

Potholders, potholders, potholders

We made many different variations of potholders. Who would have thought there could be so many different sizes of potholders that would be so useful. We made : itsy-bitsy ones that you use for getting hot plates/bowls out of the microwave, smallish ones for getting a baked potatoe out of the microwave, heart shaped ones, and casserole sized ones. Please excuse the pic - my camera battery was dead (excuses, excuses, excuses - I know!)

Next week: embellished towels and UFOs.

JOEY

Paper Piecing

Thanks to Danielle we were able to get about half way through a paperpiecing block. I like that you are able to get very precise, sharp points. Danielle has other paperpiecing blocks printed if anyone is interested. Please visit here to see pictures.

We will be making potholders on April 20th. Hope to see you there.

JOEY

Lounge Pants

We made lounge pants from Amy Butler's "In Stitches" book. They go together so quick and most of used thrifted sheets so they are super economical. The serger is great for constructing the pants. Some used a serger for the first time! We learned how to insert elastic at the waist with the use of the serger (see first three photos). I would buy a serger for that reason alone.

Charging Baskets Complete

April 6th Meeting

I am late in posting from our last meeting. We made the charging baskets. There were only three of us, but it was quiet and we got our charging basket completed and talked alot. I will post pictures later.

At the next meeting we will be making lounge pants from sheets. I am so excited to be able to get a few pair done to be ready for Christmas or upcoming birthdays. They are so quick and easy. I've found that you can get 2 pair out of a full or queen or king sheet. Seriously, I have purchased sheets for $3 at the thrift store and made two pair out of them which makes the lounge pants cost about $2 (with elastic cost too). Amazing! Can't beat that. I did make myself a pair out of owl fabric (which I will be wearing to our meeting) and I had purchased 3 yards. I won't give you the total on that pair because you can imagine it wasn't $2. The owl fabric was purchased about a year ago. I always get way too many projects going and some get pushed to the back burner.

Anyways, aren't you all glad you will be coming to make the pants on monday. YOU will finish yours in a night - not a year!

Pictures will follow later of the charging baskets.

Pleated Beauty Bags

This sewing get-together was so fun! And all of us made a bag to take home. We used the pattern from Bend-The-Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. All of our members are so creative with their appliques, embroidery, fabric choices , interfacing knowledge etc that they chose for this bag. I need to make another one because I thought I would give the one I made to my sister but have decided to keep it because I love how it turned out. All of the ladies loved their bags too. Our next project will be a charging basket. Members need to go to the website and download and print a copy of the pattern and bring it to the next meeting with the fabric requirements precut.

I apologize for the poor photos (I love to sew) and have learned nothing about taking photos. Some of the girls were not at the meeting because they were celebrating a birthday. Can't imagine why they didn't want to celebrate by sewing! Happy Birthday JODI!! We are taking next week off for Spring Break but will see everyone in 2 weeks.

Wallets!

We made wallets. You should come. We meet on every monday. There are about 8 -12 ladies that come and we get alot of sewing done. Next week we will be making the "Pleated Beauty" from Amy Karol's book "Bend the Rules Sewing". Leave me a message if you want to be added to my weekly email to attend the meetings.
Thanks to Dani for demo-ing the wallets, taking pictures and helping some of the other members.
And thanks to all of you who do attend. We are making some great friendships.

JOEY

SAMs Meeting 3/2 - Lunchboxes

In two hours! Yes, in two hours. I told the ladies that they could quilt their main piece and finish their lunchbox and they did. We used the tutorial from Oh Fransson. She is amazing. We are also going to be doing her charging basket at the end of the month.

Checkbook Covers

Four checkbook covers can be made out of four fat quarters or just use scraps. They take about 10 minutes to make each one. There are elastic pieces to hold a pen and look great in a mix/match of fabrics. I'm really hoping that I have some left at Christmas to give as stocking stuffers. I did decide to add an extra flap to hold your license/debit card. (This was not shown to the SAMs members :( - sorry ladies it was an afterthought) I had seen this checkbook cover idea on TV but made the cutting directions and Instructions up on my own. My apologies ladies, I realize my instructions were very sketchy. You all are so great to have been able to complete one cover with those instructions.

So next week, we will be making a lunchbox. Ya, there is actually a online tutorial - I won't be having to make it up.

1st Meeting

Our first meeting was officially held on February 16. There were 7 ladies in attendance and we made aprons. The aprons were made from 8 fat quarters (4 for each side). These are some of the finished aprons. Our next meeting was actually held tonight in which we made checkbook covers. You can get four checkbook covers out of 4 fat quarters OR just use scraps. We had 8 ladies tonight.