W.i.P. Wednesday

W.i.P. Wednesday is such a sneak! It consistently seems to appear without warning. Agreed? 

Just a head's up that I'm participating in the Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop. This Thursday is my day to post, so please come back and visit, as I'll be sharing a tutorial for my own Logo Card Holder. It was an interesting little journey getting an idea in my head out and made up into fabric, and I'm anxious to share it with you.

Completed projects
Always Bee Learning June Tokoyo subway blocks and June Modern Blocks Bee block - They got their own post here.

Zakka Style Sew-Along project #10: Zip Organizer - There's a complete post with more pictures right here. This darling little zip was a bit of a challenge, but I'm pretty pleased with it overall, and looove the main fabric.

Ongoing projects
Solstice Stars - There's a bit of a history about these blocks here. The quilt top is pieced and now basted, with a DS Meadow Lark backing. I've got some ideas about quilting and am excited to get going on it . . .

Zakka Style Sew-Along project #11: Orchard Path Tweed Pouch - After some finagling getting the pouch pattern printed to the correct scale, I've at least got it cut out, along with the linen corners and a variety of hexies. I cut more than I need so I can decide later which ones to use. Still need to choose some lining.

Upcoming projects
* more Zakka
* Quilt using my 4x5 blocks from rounds 1, 2, & 3
* Tutorial for pieced binding
* QWERTY variation
* a quilt to coordinate with my Christmas tree skirt - On a Whim ??
* scrappy Metrolink
* Plus quilt for my sister-in-law - waiting to see her palette

Sure hope to see you again on Thursday! 

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday. 

Zakka Along Week 10 :: Zip Organizer

"This just might be the cutest thing I ever made." Yup, that's what I told hubby last night just after I basted the front of the zip organizer to the back. That would be just before I tackled the 20" zip. Which is when I sat down in front of my computer screen with the post by Krista pulled up. I believe my next words were, "This is downright scary." I'm pretty sure I said, "Oh my gosh" at least a dozen times in the next half hour.

Trust me. Don't attempt this project without stopping by Spotted Stones and reading Krista's post a couple of times. And when she says, "You'll want [the zipper teeth] to be out of the way when you stitch on your binding. Otherwise they can get caught and you'll have to redo the corners." believe her. Believe me.

All in all this was pretty fun, and easy enough until the second zipper. Then things got a little frustrating. For me, the trickiest part was actually hand-stitching the binding down, especially in the corners. And I forgot to heed Krista's suggestion to sew a line of stitching above the first zip so things don't travel around to the front. But I did add tabs to the 7" zipper ends, which gives it a more finished look, and I bought some of the Wonder Clips she showed, and I'm definitely a fan. They certainly made it easier to sew all the layers together, and it was when I finally thought to use them again while hand-stitching the binding that things got easier.

The pattern for the zip organizer is by Masko Jefferson of Stitchin Sista, who has a couple of helpful pictures on flickr. There's great opportunity to use a fun combo of fabrics and colors. But do pay close attention to the errata Krista mentions. Even with the corrections marked in my book, I still had to recut and sew one set of pockets. This is definitely a pattern, for me anyway, where steps need to be followed slowly and carefully.

But all turned out just fine in the end! Proud - and relieved - once again. Seems to be the zakka way!

Linking up with LRstitched, show off friday, and {sew} modern monday.

W.i.P. Wednesday

Here we are at W.i.P. Wednesday again already! Lots of lovely color in the sewing room this week!

Completed projects
Zakka Style Sew-Along project #9: Stem Messenger Bag - complete post here. Despite a minor (to me) omission on my part, this bag came together nice and neat.

Two more potholders, which are just a part of the month-end prize at Tuesday at the {summer} Table, which began yesterday! (Check it out and link up here!)

Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop - just a little sneak peek, since the tutorial for this project will be part of my  post next Thursday.

Ongoing projects
Always Bee Learning June Tokoyo subway blocks - one of two done. I guess I hadn't realized these were such big blocks - 16 1/2"! Hope to have the second one done and the set in the mail this week.

Zakka Style Sew-Along project #10: Zip Organizer - I swear it takes as long to cut out some of these projects as it does to sew them up! But cut out it is, and interfacing pressed on, so some stitching shouldn't be far off!

Solstice Stars - dug these blocks out of the stash, am redoing one block to coordinate colors better, and hope to keep making progress on this one. Purchased backing, and am contemplating solids to bring the blocks together.

Upcoming projects
* more Zakka
* June Modern Blocks Bee block NEW
* Quilt using my 4x5 blocks from rounds 1, 2, & 3
* Tutorial for pieced binding
* QWERTY variation
* a quilt to coordinate with my Christmas tree skirt - On a Whim ??
* scrappy Metrolink
* Plus quilt for my sister-in-law - waiting to see her palette


Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.