Halloween Purse

Halloween Purse

Finally! I do decorate my house seasonally and I've been wanting a decoration that I can carry with me all of October. 
I more or less designed the bag as I went, sorry, no pattern!
 

I started by getting out all of my Halloween fabrics (some old some new) and picked out some to make the strata for the hexagon/web on the front. The rest of the bag fabrics were chosen to go with those.

The back has an open pocket. I've had the rat and pumpkin fabric for a while and it's the only fabric here that is truly a Halloween one.

The hexagon/web is a backed pocket with one open side (top side left). Thought I could stick something in there. There is a zipper pocket on the outside. I appliqued little hexagons on the ends of the zipper to hide those bits. Made it really easy to install the zipper that way. I used another hexagon to attach a magnetic closure.

The inside has another zipper pocket for super secret things. Also there is a small elastic topped pocket for a cell phone and a small loop for a pen. Every time I make a purse I think of one more thing I need to put in it. One day I'll make the perfect purse!

Side view. The strap is just folded over and stitched fabric.

One more shot of the front of the bag. 
I'm looking forward to October 1st to start carrying my new purse!

Stripe-Hexi Quilt

Finished another one

 After a mere seven months of hand quilting, it's done. (I kept track of how many days, 158 quilting and four binding. I didn't keep a count of how long it took to piece it.) Back in April 2013 I posted an article on hexagons. I was thinking about this one then. I found stripe fabrics whenever I shopped at quilt shops, mainly looking for 'softer' colors, not brights.

All spread out

 I used a Kona grey for the sashing. The borders on the top and bottom are a continuation of the hexagon designs and the sides are just narrow straight pieces.

Close up

Quilting was easy, I just followed the stripe pattern on the fabrics in each hexagon and quilted on either side and down the middle of the sashing (just eyed the middle, no marking). The only place I marked was in the outside borders.

On the bed

Extra long for a pillow tuck

Back and binding

 I like to use a narrow binding, cut 1.75".

Back, a cheery yellow

 

 

Self-Bordered Receiving Blanket

Cozy Flannel

 

Start by buying the best flannel you can find!  Buy 3/4 yard for the center square and a square of the back/border. So, if the flannel is 42" wide, then buy 42" (or 43" so you can square it up properly).

I used two coordinating flannels, the cute elephant one is 'Fanfare' by rae hoekstra from Cloud 9 Fabrics, a yummy 100% organic cotton. The yellow, 100% cotton is 'Dimples' by Gail Kessler from Andover Fabrics.  I pre-washed the fabrics.

Cut both fabrics into squares. The measurements aren't super important, just that each is square.

 Fold diagonally and cut for a square

 

 

Cut both squares

Mark the middles of each square and pin right sides together. Pin from the middle out to each end.

Sew a 1/4" seam starting and stopping 1/4" from the ends of the smaller, center square. Back stitch at your stops and starts.

Mark the middles of the next side (just one rotation, not across), pin from the middle, then stitch, starting and stopping 1/4" from the ends of the smaller square. Be sure to keep the floppy corners out of the way of your stitching. The closer you can get to the previous side's stitches the better. Nice right angle seams are good!

Rotate and sew the next side in the same way. Sew the fourth side by leaving about six inches open in the middle for turning, be sure and back stitch on the open ends.
Lay the sewn piece on your ironing board. Gently flatten the fabric out and move it until the center square is perfectly in the center. You'll know it's right when the border sides all lay flat. When it's good, then iron with your seams out towards the border.

Iron the corner 'wings' flat

Iron the corners so that there is a nice crease at a 45 degree angle from the corner of the center square out (on the border fabric). Put a couple of pins parallel to the crease. Open out the fabric so only two layers are together, then pin across the crease.

Pin over the mitered crease

 Start at the upper side (in the picture) which is next to the center square and sew out to the end along the ironed fold. If you can't see it, use a fabric marker (that comes out) or a pencil to draw the line in darker. Be sure all the rest of the fabric is out of the way of your seam. 

Trim to 1/4" seam allowance

Sew all four corners. Turn right side out and press. Find a pretty top stitch on your machine and use a coordinating (or matching, or contrasting, or variegated...) thread to top stitch over the seam. No need to close the opening before top-stitching, so no hand work.

A wavy stitch in yellow over the seam

Finished at 34 inches square

I bought extra fabric and plan to make matching burp cloths (with a terry cloth back) and a small drawstring bag to put it all in. Great gift of course.

Find my entry for June 2013, Easy Bordered Napkins. I did this same thing, only smaller.