Lotsa Finished Projects!

I've had a very productive few days! I put a self-imposed limit on my internet time and made great progress on my list of UFO's (UnFinished Objects). Here are the things I've completed:

A small cross-stitch piece of a hummingbird and flowers. I put it in its frame for this photo, but it's not "properly" framed quite yet. I need to stretch it on the backing so that the faint crease down the middle is gone. Still, it's SO close to being finished that I'm counting it!

This is a coffee cup cozy, for use with those cardboard cups you get from Starbuck's and other coffee houses. This was only an hour-long project, including cutting out the fabric and hand-sewing the button on. I followed Erin's tutorial as posted on her blog, House on Hill Road, and which you can find here. I made this as a gift for my friend, Chris, in Napa.

(By the way, I photographed my coffee cup cozy in the macro photo studio that Mike and I built using a 12x12x12 cardboard box, some tissue paper, and a sheet of posterboard. Want to make one of your own? Check out this tutorial at Strobist!)

Next, I finally finished my Bargello quilt!!! This pattern is from the book, "No-Sweat Flannel Quilts," by Beth Garretson and is called "A Bit of Bargello."

I am especially happy about getting this done because I actually put together the quilt top 2 or maybe even 3 years ago, got it machine-quilted by Paula Gallagher of Quilt-in-Time in Benicia (as far as I know she doesn't have a website or I would list it), and then, for various reasons the quilt got put away and just remained stored in a closet, nearly forgotten.

When I took it out recently to finish it, I had to search all over for the fabric strips I was sure I had cut to make the binding. Two days later I finally found the strips at the bottom of a container of scraps. I stitched them together, then onto the quilt, and then did the hand-stitching while watching a movie. DONE!

By the way, for the BEST instructions EVER on how to bind a quilt, check out this tutorial at the Gratz Industries blog. Easy to follow, gorgeous results!

My bargello quilt is lap size and now I really regret not making it at least a twin-size. Bargello strip piecing goes really fast and looks great. Plus I just LOVE the colors. And look how cute it is on my white iron daybed!

Not to mention how pretty it looks next to the eyelet bedskirt on that same bed. ARGH, should have made it twin-size, and should have made two of them! I'll know better next time.

I spent much of today in the sewing room again, with Scout as company, as usual. She loves the sewing maching, she loves fabric, and she loves the warm ironing board. Now if I could just teach her to thread a needle!

My project today was this purse, the pattern is called "La Borsetta" by Meredith Burns. I bought the pattern and fabric at the Patchwork Cat quilt shop in Benicia. Sadly, the Cat is no more, as it's owner, Bonnie, closed it a couple of months ago. I still miss it! She had The Best fabric, and a lot that were cat-related, of course.

So the first photo shows the purse when it is laying down flat. This photo shows how it expands and can sit up by itself. It turned out really cute, I think. There are pockets on both the front and back, a ribbon and button closure, and two shoulder straps. Don't you love the cats 'n coffee themed fabric?

It's fully lined inside with another, coordinating fabric, and is a perfect size for an on-the-go knitting project, or just as a fun weekend bag. I do believe I'll be using it when I go off to Pacific Grove for a scrapbookers getaway this weekend, dahhh-ling!