3 H2O to Go Water Bottle Slings in Hot Air Balloon Fabrics

Hello hot air balloon lovers and water bottle sling users, this was a custom order I finished the beginning of June. My customer ordered 3 of these H20 to Go Water Bottle Slings (she ordered 3 last year too) for this year's Balloon Fiesta coming in October for her guests. Pattern is from Linds Handmade.

I decided to use 3 different hot air balloon fabrics and each has a different color waterproof canvas lining and a different color zipper on the pocket. I used the same blue webbing straps on all 3.

I had a add just a smidge of blue to make the front pocket large enough as this was the last of this fabric.

The waterproof lining keeps any bottle sweating from entering into the front zip pocket and easy to clean too.

Inside the pocket is a couple of pockets to hold a phone, a passport and the little wallet I included in each bag.

And I add a hot air balloon charm to all the zipper pulls too.

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Sew Powerful Purses #95-99 for 2022

Hello my lovelies. I finished making these 5 purses earlier this month before I got Covid, so I had zero energy to even post them until now. My energy is slowly returning I am happy to report. 

I was on a roll getting quite a few purses made and I sure hope I get all that energy back so I can sew a lot more.

3 in browns.

Colorful butterflies. I crazy pieced the flap using that colorful butterflies fabric in the flap and used the butterflies fabric for the body pieces too.

This is the back of the purse where I added a back pocket.

Crazy pieced flap in blues and red.

Getting rid of lots of scraps with each purse I make, but then adding back more new scraps after cutting fabrics too, so I feel like I will never use up all the scraps! I better start making more doll quilts or baby quilts so I can use up more scraps!

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Sparkle it Up USA with the Salty Sailor Mini Ditty Bag

Hello my Sparkly friends and followers, I have a project to share with you today over on the Therm-o-web Blog. This bag is the Salty Sailor Mini Ditty bag by Needle & Anchor. That is mouthful to say isn't it? Lol!

I made only one change to this bag and that is to make mine a couple of inches longer so that it would fit my little scanner and cord, and in doing so I added one additional magnetic snap, so okay I guess that makes 2 changes? LOL!

I used HeatnBond's EZ Tee Stabilizer for the interfacing when making this bag. I LOVE that interfacing for bag making! It's a woven fusible interfacing. I also used HeatnBond Pressing Paper, HeatnBond Fusible Fleece, StitchnSew Non-Woven Craft Sew-in Firm Interfacing

I used my Oliso iron to fuse the interfacing and fleece to the fabric pieces.

Here is my little scanner all happy and snug in it's new Sparkly home. That red fabric has metallic silver stars on it.

 So pop over to the Therm-o-web Blog to get the tutorial to make your own ditty bag.

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Handknit Socks in Variegated Blues

Hello lovely knitters, I finished these handknit socks a few weeks ago. 

My son came to visit on the 15th and brought an invisible friend with him that we'll call, Covid. So pretty much from my son's first day here, Covid demanded all of my son's attention and then wasn't satisfied with just that, so he also demanded my husband's attention as well. He tried and tried to get my attention too, but at first I was having none of it. Eventually Covid broke me down and all 3 of us were under the spell of Covid. My son finally broke free of Covid and then my husband did too. I got it last and so it would take more time before Covid would let me alone, but I finally feel like the worst is over. That Covid feeds off our energy and I have never felt so zapped in all of my life, nor slept so much.

I will be extra cautious again to avoid bringing home those invisible little friends and be wearing masks again while out in public. I haven't even gone anywhere in 2 weeks, but when I am up to going out, I will be masked. Believe me I never want to have a visit from Covid again! It's highly contagious and with summer here and people traveling and visiting, be extra careful my friends. Nothing ruins a vacation more than a visit from an invisible friend named Covid.

So here is the pair of socks I knit. 

Stay healthy & safe my friends.

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New Mexico State Flag: Zia Sun Symbol

Hello Sunshiny People! I have two projects for Here Comes the Sun Blog Hop.

My first project is the Zia Sun Symbol quilt, like our New Mexico state flag.

The History behind the State Flag of New Mexico is rather sad as the Zia Sun Symbol was stolen from the Zia people and placed on the flag without the Zia people's consent. You can read the history of New Mexico flag here.

I love the Zia Sun's look and the meaning behind what is does represent to the Zia people. The sun and the number 4 is sacred to the Zia. The Zia Symbol represents the Sun with 4 groups of 4 rays, that means:

• The four cardinal directions (North, South, East & West
• Each season of the year (Spring, Summer, Autumn & Winter
• Four periods of each day (Morning, Noon, Evening, & Night)
• Four seasons of life (Childhood, Youth, Middle Years & Old Age)
• These four elements are tied together by The Circle of Life that has no beginning and no end

While my project depicts the Zia Sun Symbol, I admire the Zia people and all indigenous people and would never disrespect any of them. Knowing what the Zia Sun Symbol means has given me more respect for the Zia and I created my projects out of love and compassion for them. While it is sad that the symbol was stolen from the Zia so many years ago without their consent to create our state flag, it is also a great looking flag (thanks to the Zia) that embraces the New Mexican people and the culture here in The Land of Enchantment. It has won awards for being the best state flag in the USA. It's simple, only has 2 colors (and is one of 4 state flags in the US without using the color blue) and represents the Zia and other indigenous people. The Zia is in the public domain and is used in many businesses' logos and on our license plates too here in New Mexico.

This next quilt was from a 2016 Row-by-Row Experience that I finally finished (thanks for this blog hop). I had the blocks each done years ago, but just needed to put it together. The pattern for this is still available for sale at Stitchology, a fabric shop located on Rio Grande Blvd in Albuquerque. It's called, Home Sweet Home.

The pattern called for making the dresses 3-D, but I didn't do that. The center block is the shape of the state of New Mexico with a slightly altered Zia Sun Symbol inside the state shape that was made into a heart and the colors were changed to dark pink with a turquoise state shape.

I didn't make the dresses on these 2 3-D like the pattern called for.

The state of New Mexico shape with the Zia Sun Symbol inside, but depicted as a heart instead of a circle.

I want to thank Carol of Just Let Me Quilt for hosting this blog hop.

I had this scheduled to post at 10PM on June 22 and it says it posted, but nothing is showing up! Waahh!!! Blogger is at it again and I will try my best for this to post now (I am up at 12:30 AM). My son came to visit from overseas and has been here just over a week. He got Covid, then my husband got it and for 8 days I tested negative until yesterday it was positive! I haven't had the flu in 35 years and probably 40 years since I had a cold! I feel like crap. So when Blogger starts messing around and not doing what it is supposed to do, well that just adds to the stress. Who knows when it will post? I don't see a way to publish it now as it is telling me I already did! My head hurts, my body hurts and maybe sometime next year my project might appear here? So I am sorry as there is no publish button to click on when it says it published, but I sure haven't seen anything.

The full schedule is here:

June 20

Creatin' in the Sticks

Becky’s Adventures in Quilting and Travel

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

For The Love Of Geese

That Fabric Feeling

 

June 21

MooseStashQuilting

Inflorescence

Ms P Designs USA

Quilting Gail

Vroomans Quilts

 

June 22

Samelia's Mum

Beaquilter

Karrin’s Crazy World

Selina Quilts

Scrapdash

 

June 23

Quilt Doodle Designs

Patchouli Moon Studio (yours truly)

Karen's Korner

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Days Filled With Joy

 

June 24

Just Let Me Quilt

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Quilted Delights

Quilt Schmilt

Lynn's Blog

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Here Comes the Sun Blog Hop Starts Monday!

Hello sunshine! Please hop along with us as we bring a little bit of sunshine into your lives with this Blog Hop. Carol from Just Let Me Quilt is hosting this blog hop. Thanks Carol! 

Here is the week long schedule:

June 20

Creatin' in the Sticks

Becky’s Adventures in Quilting and Travel

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

For The Love Of Geese

That Fabric Feeling

 

June 21

MooseStashQuilting

Inflorescence

Ms P Designs USA

Quilting Gail

Vroomans Quilts

 

June 22

Samelia's Mum

Beaquilter

Karrin’s Crazy World

Selina Quilts

Scrapdash

 

June 23

Quilt Doodle Designs

Patchouli Moon Studio

Karen's Korner

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Days Filled With Joy

 

June 24

Just Let Me Quilt

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Quilted Delights

Quilt Schmilt

Lynn's Blog

Kathy's Kwilts and More

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Sew Powerful Purses #85-94 (made for 2022)

Hello sweet people. I have now made 95 purses this year for Sew Powerful! Woohoo! The year isn't quite half over, so I can make a lot more before the end of year. Hmm, I wonder how many more I will get made? Your guess is as good as mine.

Here are the latest ten purses that I finished making:

This was an upholstery or home dec type fabric. Since it was very light colored and apt to get dirty, I sprayed it with Scotch Guard to help keep it clean. I love the delicate flowers on this print. It was just a scrap and I had enough to create these 2 purses. I rarely make a plain fabric flap, as I prefer to get creative and use up those never ending piles of scraps, but this fabric for the purse was too elegant looking and I wanted it to show. It would be so pretty to wear to a wedding.

The flap lining fabric I used is another floral print and I was able to line some of the pockets with this print too, but the main lining of the bag is a different print.

These two are scraps pieced flaps and both have the same plaid main body fabric.

Inside I used this fabric for the lining on both.

I had enough plaid to add a back pocket. Sometimes I don't have enough fabric, so I don't add the back pocket. But I love adding it as I can use up more fabric that way.

Another scrappy flap and blue plaid main body.

The body of this blue plaid is slightly different from the purse above. 

This scrappy flap was created using mostly scraps of denim that I upcycled from denim jeans. I also added decorative stitches using one of my sewing machines. The hearts, the triangles, and next to the butterfly is a spool of thread, the words, handmade and stitch and some straight stitching in yellow thread too.

I also used this stitch decorative stitch and added a crystal for the dot above the "i". I also stitched the straight line using the same yellow thread below.

I used this decorative stitch from one of my sewing machines that says handmade. I should use more of my decorative stitches, but they only show up on solid fabrics and I use so many prints. 

Scrappy flap with a gingham main body.

I added some crystals around the flower I stitched on. The flower is actually trim by the yard, but I cut the flowers apart and then stitch them by hand to flaps when I want to use them. I get more bang for the buck that way.

All denim scraps were used from denim jeans in different shades of blue. Then it need a pop of color, so a large appliqué flower was just the thing.

I had a scrap a this Hawaiian fabric that I used for the main body and then when I created the flap, I added scraps of fabrics that just went with the colors in the Hawaiian print. A few buttons add just the right amount of bling.

I used a light print for the flap lining and inside the pockets. The main lining is the tan print with the small black dots that I also sewed into the scrappy flap.

A pocket was added to the back.

I thought I had posted these last week, but apparently I didn't post here, but did on social media, in case you saw them there.

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