SOME "DIFFERENT" TYPE SEWING PROJECTS

Well I have a little bit of time before we have to leave for our Sunday afternoon bible study, so I decided to try and put a quick post up...though truthfully it is going to be a challenge, as everyday I add a little bit to the list as to why this computer  belongs in the trash can.  I am doing the best I can, but some of this is being done "blind" is the quick and easy way to describe it, so if something is off, spelled wrong, or not quite right, know that I had NO WAY to fix it, lol.

I really did not do much of anything last week.  It seemed like a slow and restful week, which is fine, but goes against my nature too I guess, as I felt like I should have "done" more, lol.  But let me tell you about the little things I did do.

First of all,  my 9 year old grandson JD had asked me if I might make him a "Kirby the robot" stuffed figure.  I guess he is a video game figure.  Well, having NEVER heard of such a robot, and having NO idea if it would be even remotely possible, I told him I would "goggle" it and do the best I could. Well, it didn't take me long at all to find out what this Kirby looked like, and not a whole lot longer to find a free pattern to do so.  I downloaded and printed out the pattern and instructions, gathered the necessary materials and finally last Wed. sat down to ATTEMPT doing so, lol.  Let me just say a few things...  First, I really, REALLY hate doing things like this.  I would have considered something like this WAY more of a craft then a sewing project, and definitely what I consider "fiddly" as well.  And I hate "fiddly" too, lol.  But honestly there is not much a grandkid can ask me to do that I won't do, even if it is on my most hated list.  And then second, I have noticed that FREE patterns, instructions, and downloads are generally NOT of the highest quality.  Thus why they are no doubt free. The instructions on this project were VERY VERY poor to say the least, and honestly I considered them almost worthless, but then considering they charged me nothing for them, not much more to say then that.  So having said that, this was NOT  a fun project in any way shape or form, and my final result looks hysterical, lol.  No matter what I did, something was off.  And I was trying to do it with "on hand" supplies, which did add to my dilemmas.  All I can say is.....this is as good as it is getting.  One foot is WAY WAY bigger then the other, and I've no idea how it happened, and he will no doubt fall apart the first time he plays with it, but all I can say is, I did try, lol.  Let me show you Kirby!

HERE HE IS....ONE FOOT BIGGER THEN THE OTHER....A BODY THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ROUND AND REALLY ISN'T....A MOUTH THAT IS CROOKED....EYES THAT ARE UNEVEN...AND ARMS AND LEGS THAT ARE PRECARIOUSLY SEWN ON, BUT DEFINITELY MADE WITH LOVE!

Then!!  [since that was soo fun, lol] I decided that I was going to go ahead and make myself a cover for my Bible.  My bible is old and the cover [though leather] is falling apart, but honestly there is NO WAY I wanted to replace my Bible.  I don't know about any of you, but mine is marked up, highlighted, and written in etc. in ways that REALLY help me, and there is no way I want to start all over with that.  Soo I searched around online for tips and patterns and ideas and put together my own pattern to get it done.  I had enough fabric left over from the make up bag I made for my DIL that I really liked, so I decided I would just use that.  I wish I could say that this project went perfectly, but there is NO WAY that it did.  It was WAY WAY better then the Kirby project though so I am really not complaining, AND it ended up finishing up REALLY well.  I am quite pleased with it.  I even added on little handles so that I could carry it around like a purse.  I think if I were ever to make another for any reason, it would go much quicker and better as I discovered many little things along the way that would have it easier.  Anyway, let me show you that...

HERE IT IS!

INSIDE PANELS AND THE INSIDE OF IT I DID IN ANOTHER FABRIC, AS IT DOES COORDINATE, AND I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THE OUTSIDE FABRIC

I USED MY GOLD METALLIC THREAD TO QUILT THIS, AND USED A 2 INCH GRID LINE PATTERN.  THOUGHT MY BUTTON HAPPENED TO MATCH PRETTY WELL, AND HAD YET ANOTHER FABRIC FOR THE BUTTON TIE THAT COORDINATED TOO I THOUGHT

ADDED EXTRA DECORATIVE STITCHES TO THE HANDLES

THEN! feeling like I was on a roll with different type "projects", I decided to finish off the week by making the overnight tote bag that my 15 year old granddaughter Lindsey asked if I might make for her.  The only problem I knew I was going to have with that was going to be in the deciding of the fabrics to use, and the pattern or style and size of the bag,   Soooo many choices....Sooo many decisions.  I am not sure why I always deliberate so on these things, but I just do.  I don't want to have her get too specific either in what she might like, because then I think it stresses me even in trying to find what she has pictured, lol.  Dumb I know, but this is just the way I am. Truthfully, she is really pretty easy to please, and I know I way WAY over thought this as usual.  I looked around online at tutorials, pintrest, etsy, and few other places looking for inspiration and ideas. I had some ideas in my head and headed for Joannes where I ended up going with some outdoor fabric so that it would be a little sturdier, plus it was on sale.  I finally settled on some fabrics and headed home.  I knew that I wanted to keep it simple [after my other "projects" this week], but on the other hand I wanted there to be both a big open pocket, and a zippered pocket on the inside of the lining.  So considering I had never added a zippered pocket to an inside lining before, I began to look around online for tutorials on how to do so.  Believe it or not I couldn't find a thing!  And I can usually find ANYTHING I type in online, lol.  And this seems like such a basic thing, I just couldn't believe I could not find anything.  But I decided to start putting the bag together and just see what I could come up with on my own.   I did use a fusible fleece to make it even sturdier, and because I did I decided to go ahead and quilt the top portion of the outside to just to add some more detail to it.  That part went together quickly.  Then, I got to the lining and actually deliberated putting NO pockets at all in it, as I really didn't feel like messing around with something on my own in fear of ruining and therefore wasting fabric.  But then I figured a big open pocket was a no brainer, so I quickly added one of those.  It was a non event.  Feeling bolder now I took my scraps and just kind of sort of started messing around with it, and the next thing I knew I had fashioned a zipper pockets of sorts and put it in.  I was downright giddy, lol.  This is just not me.  I am pretty good about following patterns and other peoples ways of doing things, but making it up on my own? Yeah, not so much!  lol.  I even thought, Hey, maybe I should make a tutorial on this and put it online, lol.  The problem with that would be though, that I am not sure what I even to did to arrive where I did.  Anyway, let me show you this....

AND HERE IT IS...I BOXED THE BOTTOM OF IT SO IT WOULD STAND UP ON IT'S OWN

THE LINING.  THIS IS A SOFT QUILTERS COTTON NOT THE HEAVY OUTDOOR FABRIC, BUT IT MATCHES IT ALMOST IDENTICALLY

CLOSE UP LOOK AT THE QUILTING, THOUGH THE COLOR IS KIND OF OFF IN THIS PICTURE.  I USED YELLOW THREAD FOR IT TOO

THE BIG POCKET

AND THE ZIPPERED POCKET!

JUST ANOTHER VIEW

Well that's about it from my creative table this week.  Today, we will bring my grandson JD home with us for a couple of days.  The first of this group to come for a little summertime sleep over and I am really looking forward to it.  We have a few fun things planned, and I have a hair appointment somewhere in there next week too, so I will be pretty busy no doubt.  Hope all of you are enjoying your week-end.  Blessings to you all, Debbie.  Enjoy the following grandchild pics as always, lol

GRANDSONS LUKE AND SAM CHECKING THE CORN FIELDS WITH DADDY RIGHT BEFORE ANOTHER DOWNPOUR...LOOKS LIKE WIZZARD OF OZ TO ME, LOL.  KIND OF SCARY

AND ALMOST 3 YEAR OLD VINNY PUT TO WORK MAKING HIS OWN PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH.  IS HE ADORABLE OR WHAT?