Asian-Inspired Log Cabin Zipper Bag

JoAnn's New Quilt Fabric Department!

If you haven't dropped into your local JoAnn store in the past few weeks, expect a most pleasant surprise. They are moving in quilting fabric by the truck load! The stores will be carrying 1091 quilt fabrics when the shelves are finally full, but the first wave of these gorgeous new fabrics already whet this quilter's appetite. I was looking for some special fabric for a gift project, and knew it when I saw it.

Sewing a Zipper Bag from Socks

Upcycled Footie Socks to Zipper Bag

It goes without saying that we are examples to family and friends when they see us making. Never underestimate the impact you have inspiring someone else, and I will add, even if they never show the smallest interest. 

A Short Story to This Interesting Project

My youngest daughter, the llama keeper, mentioned something off handed to me one morning about making a zipper bag from old socks. I snickered, and said I didn't think that was possible. I likely replied, "Umm...it won't work." And she tossed back, "Well, I did it." Now she had my full attention.

Christmas In My Heart Day #4 and A Trunk Show

Welcome to Day 5 of the 
Christmas in My Heart Blog Hop!

I know everyone has had fun blog hopping, and gotten some inspiring ideas for the holidays. I hope you've all entered for the $25 gift certificate each day sponsored by The Fat Quarter Shop, and many of the featured blogs have had giveaways of their own. It's been fun, and we have 2 more days to go!

Pencil Case Tutorial and Therapy Sewing

Life is a rollercoaster. Try to eat a light lunch.

--David A. Schmaltz

How Real Are Online Relationships? Pink Doxies Meets Musings of a Menopausal Melon

"Pink Doxies" Meets "Musings of a Menopausal Melon"

What happens when two quilting bloggers strike up a long running conversation online, and it blossoms into a warm friendship? They decide they must meet in person, of course.

Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 4 of 4

Continued from 
Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 1 
Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 2
Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 3

My edges lined up much nicer this time. Pin both layers together staying toward the center of the bag to prevent waviness in the edges.

Start by stitching at the top right hand corner. Sew about 1/2", backstitch the same amount, then continue stiching around the bag. Stop with your needle down in each corner and pivot the bag. Finish by back stitching the seam back and forward 1/2", reinforcing the as in the beginning. I use a regular machine foot and 2.5 cm stitch length in a straight stitch.

Continue to open the zipper the whole way, and turn the bag right side out. It's absolutely a Ta-Dah! moment for you.

Go to Part 1 of 4
Go to part 2 of 4
Go to Part 3 of 4

If you're looking for a sweet deal on nylon zippers, I found one today on Amazon.
*By clicking through this link on Pink Doxies, this site will receive a small compensation. Thank you.

54pcmix Nylon Coil Zippers Tailor Sewer Craft 9 Inch Crafter's Special

$9.05 + Free Shipping=$0.17 a piece !

Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew some zipper bags.


Linking up with~
Freshly Pieced
Sew Fresh Quilts
Freemotion by the River

Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 3 of 4

Continued from 

Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 1 and 

Part 2

Replace the sewn pieces on your workspace in the same position. Flip the backing section on top of the zipper section, and sew to the out facing only just as you did with the first piece.

Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 2 of 4

This is a continuation of Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 1 of 4

Press with a warm iron staying away from the nylon teeth. A hot iron may damage the zipper. (Feel relieved that the hardest part is over.)

Zipper Bags Simplified: Part 1 of 4

Zipper bags are one of my favorite things to make. I have tried to produce the simplest tutorial to help even a beginner make one successfully. Please let me know if you have any questions, or I can make something more understandable.

Perfecting the Pouch-Zipper Bags Revisited

"The essential conditions of everything we do must be choice, love, passion."

                                      ~Nadia Boulanger

Immediately after a quilt top finish, I like to stop for a breather and clean the studio. Organizing is the therapy I need before saying hello to the next new thing. I sorted the scrap pile I'd made creating the Moda Modern, and when I opened my bins to put them away, it was like the scene from Jumanji where Alan Parrish was sucked into the board game. 

The One Year Journey of a Quilting Blogger

Me, Julie, the Pink Doxie Mama

This post has been turning in my mind for a month. I joined the 2015 New Quilt Bloggers in June as a way to hone my blogging skills and meet others. We've covered the gamut of topics in our Facebook group, and I've enjoyed being introduced to both the new blogs, and the real voices behind them.  

Modern Heart Zip Bag

I thought my little orphan block would be 

helped by framing.There were some darker strips 

that I’d decided were a bit too dark, but that 

was after I’d sewn it together.  I think the deep 

purple helped the colors pop, and the low 

volume background recede.  

To give it a little edgier look, I offset the border. 

This gave me both a solid color, and larger space 

to add some SLQ as an accent, and I had fun. 

It’s just a little pattern of crossing lines that 

ensures the sandwich is secure.

The backing was a diagonal print to start with,

and I marked every 1/2" with a chalk pencil.

I chose not to quilt every line, though, and 

picked a few here and there to keep it random. 

I used Aurifil #2309, my go-to 

off-white quilting thread in 50 wt.

I used a little contrasting fabric on each end of my 

zipper to get a good fit. I always use nylon zippers 

with bags! Metal zippers look very cool and hip, 

but those teeth can destroy your manicure in 

a heartbeat when you’re trying to get in and 

out of a bag--not that I have a mani, you know.

I chose to sew down the zipper on the inside

instead of finishing all the edges. Just the 

tiniest bit showed out from underneath.

The backing is a diagonal print from the ‘Elementary’ 

line from ‘Moda’. I like how it helps the bag 

from looking ‘too cute’.

I sewed front and back pieces wrong sides together 

in a scant ¼" seam. Then I added a Anna Marie 

Horner floral binding. It created contrast on the 

back, and picked up the heart fabrics in the front.

Tah-dah!

I wonder what I should do with it now?

I'm thankful for the rains this spring,

and our beautiful show of blooms.

The azaleas are in full bloom now,

and I'm awaiting my pink poppies.

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go outside and enjoy the sunshine

until the mosquitoes eat us up!

Linking up with~
Crazy Mom Quilts
Fort Worth Studio
Quilt Shop Gal
Confessions of a Fabric Addicit
TGIFF
WIP Be Gone LAFF
Quilting Jet Girl
My Quilt Infatuation
Freshly Pieced
Sew Fresh Quilts

Quilt Story

GROW YOUR BLOG

This is me--Julie, and Minnie, one of the Doxie Girls.

Today is a very special blog post. 

I've joined with Grow Your Blog 2015 along with hundreds of other bloggers. 

Our host is Vicki at 2 Bags Full, and may I say thank you, first of all. 

There are some rules to abide by, so allow me to follow them to a "T",

and then we'll get on to our Linky Party and a Giveaway!

I'm Julie--a Modern Quilter.

I love modern fabric, intense pattern, and improvisational piecing.

I'm all about machine quilting, but occasionally quilt one by hand. 

I would pick a scrap quilt as my favorite 8 days of the week.

 I Dream in Color.

Flash In the Bag

The promised camera bag.

Have you noticed the little changes in Pink Doxies lately? One big one is the Bloglovin' button over there on the top right. See it? You can join Bloglovin' with just an email or your Facebook account. Then you can look for blogs you want to follow--like Pink Doxies, or other great blogs you've never even heard of yet. Bloglovin is searchable, and it's easy to find whatever you're interested in no matter who the blog's host is. They're there. Then each morning an email comes to your Inbox with a daily feed from Bloglovin. All the blogs you've chosen to follow that have posted that day are in it. It's a wonderful way to keep up, and eliminates the need for bookmarking or missing blogs you like.

Salvaged Selvage Bag

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Allow me to prepare you for a wee bit of rambling today, but there are pictures.

New Year's Day was quiet here inside, and very cold and windy out. There was a fire in the hearth, hockey on the t.v., and fast food for supper. I had almost the whole day to sew, and since the year was new, I wanted to try something I'd never done before. Selvages. Wouldn't they look cute on a little zipper bag?

Progress of My Zipper Bag Project

It's early this New Year's Eve morning. I've already been sewing, and put together this little bag. (Ummm. I like it.)This is probably the only end of the day I'll be awake to enjoy. It's never been a big draw for me to stay up until midnight to welcome in the new year. I'm definitely a morning person. But, for those of you who are prepared with your hats and party horns, make a lot of noise, and kiss someone for me.