Thirteen Little Makes

As I mentioned in a previous post, July saw me doing more outdoor things and less sewing which is appropriate for a beautiful summer month. I did make quite a few smaller projects so here’s a roundup of them.

These four are the Strippy Pouch pattern formerly on Moda Bakeshop. After I made the navy and cream one for the florist and gift shop in town, I made a second one for my shop. The soft aqua one has a beach vibe and I even photographed it at Seacliff Beach. 😎 The other two are made with Pat Sloan’s Bird Song fabric. Those have been fairly popular; think I’ve sold three or four. 

When one of my friends got the good news that she was cancer-free, I decided to make her a little mug cozy, using a lake fabric that I have had for a few years with the intention of making a bed sized lake-themed quilt. That quilt is another of my USOs—UnStarted Objects but we won’t talk about that here! Once I got hers done, I decided I needed one for myself, since the one I use on a daily basis is a Christmas-themed one. I use these year-round because they keep my drink hot and when I’m having tea or coffee outside they keep bugs out as well. I also made one for my shop (all three are slightly different with different linings as well) and also the butterfly one which is really pretty fabric by Studio e.

The group below is all in my shop except for the green one which has already sold. I ship these free in Canada so they seem to be pretty popular here. 

I have another green one as well as a Canada-themed one ready to quilt. I love making these, and have some ideas for other styles. 

Another friend and neighbour lost her 15-year-old cat a few months ago now. She was telling me how he would sit on the table on a placemat at her every meal and how she missed that so much. Well, I knew I had to make her a cat placemat in honour of Elliott. This was back in June. 

The cat block is part of Patti Carey's "Kool Kats Kwilt" pattern with entwined tails. I made two quilts using her design (there are one or two other quilters out there who have passed it off as their own design, but it is not; it dates back to the late 1990s in a Quilter's World magazine if my memory serves me correct from what Patti herself told me). I made two quilts using this design, a baby or wall quilt for a Project Quilting challenge, Mr. Whiskers, and a large throw quilt which is here. There is lots of purple in that commissioned quilt! Purple is Marybeth's favourite colour so of course I incorporated lots of it in her placemat. The cat is a purple batik and the back is by Laurel Burch.

I did not know when I made the placemat that Marybeth had been unable to eat her meals at the table at that time because his absence was so palpable.  She told me later that the placemat was the catalyst for getting her back there. Quilts do amazing things don’t they, even when the maker doesn’t originally intend it.

Speaking of amazing things, my friend Susan in Australia of Granny Smith's Quilting sent me this photo. She bought the magazine that Tinker Toys was in exactly one year ago this month and made my design in similar colours to the original. I love it!

I have made a throw size in blues and purples, can’t wait to show everyone, and written up the pattern which includes both sizes, baby and throw. I have my Postcard From Sweden quilt on the frame right now, and planned to quilt the new Tinker Toys next, though I have been given another quilt commission, so it might get bumped. I am hoping that I will be given permission to release the pattern earlier than my contract (which is two years, poo). Fingers crossed.