Hand Knit Baktus Scarf with Edging

I love knitting this scarf. It looks great and is easy to knit. Years ago I bought a skein of variegated purple wool yarn when I went to the annual Taos Wool Festival in Taos, New Mexico. I wanted to find the right project for this yarn, since it was just one skein and fingering weight. I finally decided this scarf was the right project to knit and since I had knit this scarf years ago and liked it, I knew it would turn out right.

The actual name of this scarf is called Crest of the Wave by Jan Henley. The pattern is free on Ravelry, just click on the link.

The colors are so much prettier in person as purple doesn't photograph true (at least not in my camera). The colors are really a deep eggplant that variegates to a red plum and has touches of lavender too. The photo looks more blue, but it is not at all.

I love the look of the edging too. This is all garter stitch knit, but having the edging adds a nicer look to the scarf.

Not having a model to photograph this scarf makes it kind of hard to see how it looks worn. I love how soft and warm it feels when I do wear it.

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Sew Powerful Purses #56-66 (for 2022)

Since our plans had to change with the weather, we couldn't leave early Thursday morning to head to Phoenix for QuiltCon. Icy road conditions along the way and we got over 3" of snow here at home. So it was a good day to sew and I ended up finishing eleven more purses to take with us to deliver to Sew Powerful at the show in person. Those purses were already cut out and ready to sew.

I photographed the first ones on the snow we got. These are all the intermediate style purse with the gusset sides/bottom and I used the beginner flap (it's more fun to create on the larger beginner flap). These were all quilt blocks I made that never became a quilt, so decided to make purse flaps and purses. I upcycled some denim jeans for the body of some of the purses.  I also topstitched on both sides of the gusset for extra stability and it looks nicer too.

The center of the flaps were from a Flower and Vegetable Seed packet printed fabric. I only used the flower seed packets because we are told not to use fabric with food on them as the girls who receive the purses often don't have enough to eat and we don't want to remind them of that.

Under the flap so you can see the front of the purse better and there is a large pocket on the front.

Triplets (not identical) though. All Sunflower Seed packets in the center.

I made this purse using some denim jeans. You can see the gusset and topstitching in gray thread on the gusset.

I had cut out some shorter pockets to add to the back of some of the purses, but I accidentally grabbed that back pocket and added it to the front pocket instead. Well I decided to leave it there and see what I thought of it on the front as a double pocket. I think it was a happy accident and I do like the extra pocket there. The flap covers it and keeps things maybe a bit more secure. I had decided the pocket I added to the back was too short and was going to cut taller pockets for the back of the bag next time I make a purse, so I added a couple of these shorter ones to the front instead. Do you have an opinion about this extra pocket?

Two purses with Hydrangea flower packets. They can sure look different with different fabrics and colors pieced around the flower seed packet.

This flap was made sewing scraps of batiks together. Then I added the pink flower appliqué on top. This purse was also made using upcycled denim jeans.

On the back side of the purse I used the front pocket from the jeans. I wanted to add the back pockets on the back of the purses, but those pockets were larger than the fabric I needed to cut, so the front pocket actually fit here and makes a fun looking back of the purse and a bit more useful too.

I added that short pocket on the back of this purse. I think I will cut the back pocket taller on the next purses I make. 

Now that these 11 and the other 55 purses have been delivered to Sew Powerful at their booth at QuiltCon, I will need to start cutting out some more purse kits to sew. But I think I have too many other ideas swimming in my head now after attending the show, that I want to have some fun first and play with quilt ideas first. 66 purses made and delivered before February is even over, is pretty, pretty, pretty darn good if you ask me, lol!

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Sew Powerful Purses #32-55 (for 2022)

I finished these bags and got them packed into a large bag to drop off at QuiltCon at the Sew Powerful booth at the show. Icy road conditions and then snow delayed us from going on Thursday, but we got there on Sunday. In the meanwhile, I had finished another 11 purses to take and drop off too, so 66 purses in total were delivered to the Sew Powerful booth at QuiltCon from me. (Will post the remaining 11 purses tomorrow).

More quilt blocks for the flaps from my UFO pile and the rest of the Fortune Cookie quilt blocks made into purse flaps too. I think that is the last of the Fortune Cookie Flaps. These are all the beginner style purses, except the last 2 purses are the beginner flap on the intermediate purse body. After making the intermediate style, I decided I like sewing it much better and it's actually a faster sew for me. But I love the beginner flap for the creative possibilities. So that will be the combination purse I will make from now on.

Pinwheel quilt block for the flap.

You couldn't see the cute fabric I used with the flap covering it up, so here it is. This is a Lorelai fabric of teachers. Maybe a girl who wants to be a teacher will choose this purse? Although with the flap down she might not see this fabric until later.

On the back of the purse more teachers.

I still had a bunch of these purple and green bear paw quilt blocks left to make several more purse flaps. 

The girls favorite colors are orange and purple. Nothing official as they love all colors, but when asked by someone a few years ago those 2 colors were mentioned most.

On the flap lining I used this pieced fabric I created by sewing pink fabrics together.

Close up of the Fortune Cookie quote on the flap.

The back of the purse I made piecing strips of blues together. I also made the front of the purse sewing strips too.

Close up of Fortune cookie quote.

Close up of Fortune Cookie quote.

This flap was made by using a flower stencil on a white on white printed fabric and fabric paint. Then I quilted it. I hesitated using this as a purse flap with all that white, but because of the other colors throughout the flap, if it did get a bit dirty or stained, it wouldn't be so noticeable.

This flap was a Seminole piece I made and never did anything with, so it became a purse flap. I rather like how this one turned out. The addition of the buttons really helped a lot.

Close up of Fortune Cookie quote on purse flap.

Close up of Fortune Cookie quote on flap.

This purse was also made by sewing strips of blue fabrics together for the front and the back of the purse.

Back of purse with blue strips sewn together.

Close up of Fortune cookie quote on flap.

Close up of Fortune Cookie quote on flap.

Another blue pieced front.

Blue pieced back.

Close up of Fortune Cookie quote on flap.

Blue pieced purse front.

Blue pieced purse back.

2 more Bear Paw quilt flaps in purple and green.

2 more Bear Paw purse flaps in purple and green.

1 Bear Paw purse flap and one purse flap with butterflies.

Purple pieced purse flap and the other purse flap is a Sawtooth Star on point in turquoise and coral colors.

This is the intermediate purse body with the beginner flap.

I used some denim from jeans and a print fabric for the gusset.

On the back I added the short pocket.

Another intermediate body using denim jeans.

I used the front jean pocket on the back of the purse for an added pocket. The back pockets of the jeans I used were larger than the fabric piece needed, so I will use those pockets on something else.

That's 66 purses delivered this year so far. Pretty darn good considering February isn't even over yet. Finished the last ones on 2-18-22, which I will post the last 11 tomorrow.

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