Patchwork Carry All Tote Kit from Craftsy

Which one would you pick? 

Patchwork Carry All Tote Kit

Skill level: Advanced Beginner
Time to complete: One Weekend
On Sale NOW for just $21.78!

Occasionally a company will ask an affiliate blogger to make a product, and review the pattern and process. I've agreed to do this bag for Craftsy, but I will share with you, dear Reader, my honest opinion.  

Peek Show: The Surprise Inside! Mystery Boxes and Mini Swaps

Let me start this post by saying I am an affiliate for Craftsy. What that means is I advertise for them here on Pink Doxies. If you choose to click on their link, and then buy something after clicking through this site, I receive a small payment. That's what advertising is all about, but not this post.

I also buy through Craftsy myself. They are one of my favorite online stores, and often carry fabric sales of Mystery Boxes. Did you ever try to guess what the fabrics might be? I've always been curious, and couldn't stand it any longer so I bought one to see. Care to peek inside with me?

This was my bundle, shrink-wrapped in plastic and boxed. There were 14 bundles, each a full yard. Total price was $48.07 making each yard cost $3.43. Let's have a look.

This is a Free Spirit bundle, and I generally like Free Spirit fabrics--a point we should consider first. I think their fabrics are just a little bit different from the mainstream in a good way. They definitely appeal to my style.

 Riddles and Rhymes by Tina Givens

Anna Marie Horner, Denise Schmidt, and Parson Gray

Fox Playground by Dena

Garden by David Walker

Paw Prints by Kathy Davis

What I thought: I was glad to see some coordinating prints. They might not all have been exactly what I would have chosen in walking through a store, but if I saw them for under $3.50 a yard I would likely have picked many of them. The ones that are a little less my style will expand my stash. Not a single one disappointed me, and I will definitely try it again. This was a good surprise.

Here's another wonderful surprise! My Anna Marie Horner mini quilt swap package arrived last night. Isn't it beautiful? Thank you, Tracey in Florida! I'm so thrilled.

There was an entire goody bag inside! I didn't send extras to my own partner, and regretted it after I was so spoiled with all of this. Tea, a mug rug, wrist strap for my billfold, charm squares, and home made dog biscuits for the girls.

#annamariehornerminiquiltswap

My own cone flowers burst into bloom just days ago. It seems as if their timing was just perfectly matched with the special delivery. 

Doesn't this make you want to surprise someone with something fun? It does me. I have a surprise of my own I'm working on, and need to get done before this weekend. Can you get yours done to share on the Pet Project Show this Saturday? I hope so. You make the most beautiful things!

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go sew.

Linking up with~
SewFreshQuilts

Anna Marie Horner Mini Quilt Swap & Slow Stiching Sunday

Earlier this year, I signed up for the Anna Marie Horner Mini Quilt Swap on Instagram. Kate Basti is hostessing, and past members had such nice things to say about her swaps. I'd never been in one of any kind, but AMH! I had to! She was one of the first designers whose style attracted me back to quilting. The past minis from other swaps were gorgeous. Wow! These were some talented sewists, and I was worried I wouldn't measure up.

I ordered a fat quarter package of 'Folk Song',
and pulled out my high tech design tools--a pencil and some paper. This was the original drawing I started with, and I kept true to it. I integrated a few Missouri Star Quilt Co. templates I had purchased, but never used. I have to tell you these weren't made to be used together, and I had to do some tweaking at the corner diamonds.

I have one last line of hand quilting to stitch with my Aurifil 50#, and I feel like the teal corners need a bit of the coral and pink pearl cottons. Then it's time for binding, and I have a print in mind already.

#annamariehornerminiquiltswap 

#teamhonorroll 

#katebasti

#pinkdoxies

You might remember my cell phone and camera sling bag was made with the same fabric line, and another AMH I had in my stash.

I brought my mini home to work on thinking some slow stitching would be a nice change. It's been a busy week, and there's something theraputic about working with your project on your lap instead of zipping it through a machine. You see your work differently.

I've also wanted to link up to the Slow Sunday Stitching for some time. Kathy is a Canadian quilter after my own heart. She is also a scrapaholic, and is involved in quilting for Mennonite Central Committee. 

I haven't made any quilts for the auction like she has, but the women at First Mennonite Church in Sugarcreek do. They are an inspiring group. They meet every week to hand quilt on frames, while others ladies make utility quilts. These are gathered together in one location, packed, and sent to areas of the world where there is need. I machine bound two for them, and they will soon be on their way to a family in need. The scrappy ladies make sure they are colorful, cheery, and warm.

Thunderstorm pounded our area today, and I unplugged all my machines to make sure they weren't hit. We've lost small appliances before, and I've started unplugging my multi-strips when I leave for the day. It only takes a moment.

I spent the time cleaning up, and finishing some Moda Modern Building Blocks. You can see I filled the center of the largest block here, but I'm not satisfied with the inside grey. I think I'll replace it with the hanging print. 

By all rights, I should have thought through the whole project before starting blocks, but I was so excited to just make something! Now I'm hitting a wall, and have second thoughts about the palette. I'm not sure I like the colors I'm using, but I've been trying to follow the recommended solids as closely as possible. I may need to tweak it.

The last picture to share is the new/old stash on my floor. I went to a friend's house last week for a little fabric swap. Oo-la-la!

I know these don't look like my typical picks, but there are some projects in the Quilt Lovely book that beg for some vintage fabric. 

I'm interested obsessed in blending my vintage and modern stashes, and need to prove to myself it will work in projects. Jen Kingwell does it, and I am looking forward to learning how. 'Mrs. Bannister's Stars' pillow project starts today.

What's your plan for the month of June? Are you having a holiday weekend now, and enjoying some well earned family time? Do you have an idea for a project to be ready for July 4th? Are you working on your finishes for A Lovely Year of Finishes? Or, perhaps, Q2 Finish-Along for On the Windy Side?

Leave a comment to inspire your fellow sewists to get active in their creative space, and Be Makers this month! I applaud you all.

Link up with the Pink Doxies' Pet Project Show until Monday at midnight, and show off your latest make.

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go sew.

Linking up with~
Cooking Up Quilts
Hug-a-Bit Quilts
Show and Tell Monday
Molli Sparkles
Slow Stitching Sunday

Quilt Lovely 'She Loves You' Blocks

Cleaning up the studio is always my priority

after finishing a big project. I couldn't bear 

sorting such a mess, and I decided I needed a 

color fix instead. Out came Jen Kingwell's 

new book Quilt Lovely: 15 Vibrant Projects 

Using Piecing and Applique, and I turned to 

this heart block I had been playing with for a

few days. Perfect for your tiniest scraps,

pieces ranges from 1" squares to 1"x4".

Although I am inspired by her designs in the

book, I am most intrigued by Kingwell's wide 

use of fabric variety. Most of us have both

vintage and modern fabrics in our stash, and 

if you're like me, it's mostly an Either/Or Thing.

Let's face it, our old dark green, navy, and 

maroon, are not easily blended with our

aqua and orange. Surprisingly, she does 

this a lot in the book, and it looks good!

Part of my book lovin' here is in breaking

down and analyzing how she blended

them so well. I already see a 'Daisy Do' 

in my near future.

My first block was totally botched. My 

mind was wandering to 'How was our Lucy

dog doing having 2 teeth removed?' to

'Did the new baby arrive yet?' You have to

keep your head in the game here.

I didn't view it as a total loss, though, when I 

saw the outer piecing needed to have more

contrast. Taking pictures helps me more than

anything. 

Next try below: The low-volume background 

needs to be more uniform. The khaki strips are 

a bit too dark in the block, I think.

I switched from the Anna Marie Horner scraps

to some strips of Amy Butler's new Violette.

Both warm and cool tones in the palette, I

looked for a background fabric to unify it.

The paisley is very traditional while the 

Butler line steps toward the modern side.

Very subtle contrast, but I'll try framing

it out today. A zipper bag in the making.

Even though I left yet another mess to deal

with tomorrow, it was time for a walk in the 

garden with the dogs. 

Lucy was home and recovered when I snapped

this picture of my orris root in bloom. It looks

like a common iris. Something moved across

my feet, and it wasn't a Doxie girl.

It was this not-so-little guy. Two dogs stepped 

right over it on the way to see me so

I felt safe.

Every year I think it's the last for my tree peony,

and every year the gnarly thing blooms.

Gorgeous, short-lived, giant blooms.

Today I'll be a slave to the house and yard,

but I'll be back Friday for the big reveal of

the QST quilt. I've been dragging it around

to local quilt groups playing Show and Tell.

Thank you all for bearing with me.

I hope you make time for yourself during 

this busy season, and better yet if it

includes time to sew.

Congratulations on a new baby boy in the

family to all the anxious relatives that 

awaited his arrival! Welcome!

Come on, Doxie girls.

I'll make up a thermos of tea,

and then let's go sew for just a bit.

Linking up with~
My Quilt Infatuation
Quilting Jet Girl
Freshly Pieced
Sew Fresh Quilts

Cell Phone and Camera Sling Bag

Necessity is the Mother of Invention.

~unknown

I'm so excited to show you my new Make! 

I will tell you that I have lost my beloved cell

phone very few times. Once I came home 

from the barn without it, and on back-tracking 

found it laying in the middle of the road 

across town. It survived. The second was a 

bounce out of my pocket while mowing. My

daughter had the experience of bush hogging 

her own phone into tiny pieces years ago, so

I knew I needed a solution.

I have been working on my Anna Marie Horner

Swap this past week, and the mini-quilt is

nearly done. I don't want to show you the 

whole thing as to not ruin the surprise for

my partner out there, but here's a sneak peek.

I needed some hand sewing to do one day while

all the dogs were here for a play date. My studio

is not yet dog-proofed for 6 energetic dogs!

This is an original design, and I was excited to

try out some applique and embroidery with 

this new project. I love the Folk Song line, and it 

seemed to speak to the 70's child in me. When I 

saw the leftovers, I knew what I wanted to do.

I pieced improvisationally until I came up

with a slab of both the tumblers, and the 

strips. The darker chunk of fabric in the

back is also AMH, but from an earlier line.

I liked the little bit of contrast it provided, 

and it's the backing used in my swap.

The strips made up the back.

The tumblers made up the front, and 

the Innocent Crush became the lining.

I added large 3M One velcro strips for

security, but none of the problems you

have with typical hook and loop tape.

I love this stuff!

I used FMQ in a swirly, floral pattern, and 

my favorite pink Aurifil thread to give

it a touch of pizazz.

I put a strip of scrap binding over the inside lip,

then bound it as I would a regular quilt.

Now for the strap. I can't stand anything digging

into my shoulder, so no wimpy strap for me. I 

used leftover batting and fabric with the selvage,

and made a wonderfully padded strap to cross

over my body. There are 3 layers of batting 

inside, and one seam sewn down the middle 

to hold it all together. 

I've been wearing it since I made it, and it's passed

the test. I love it. I can stick my iPhone with its 

Mophie battery pack, and my little Canon Power

Shot inside, and have room left over for

money or emergency items. 

I can actually say it was a total scrap project

because I used all the leftovers from my 

swap project. Woohoo! I'm over the

moon with my little Make, and thankful to 
keep my valuables safe now.

Working away at my QST quilt, and hope to

show you the flimsy finish this weekend.

I'm close.

Come on, Doxie Girls.

We've got sewing at Joann's tonight.

Daylight's burning!

Let's go sew.

Sandra is the hostess of 
Creative Space Tag today at~
Musings of a Menopausal Melon


Linking up today with~
Quilt Shop Gal
Crazy Mom Quilts
TGIFF @ Quilt Matters
Richard and Tanya Quilts
Free Motion Mavericks

A Quilting Reader's Garden
My Quilt Infatuation
Freshly Pieced
Quilting Jet Girl
Sew Fresh Quilts