My Quilting Adventure Begins!

As some of you know, I have recently gotten my dream job working at a huge quilt store in St. Cloud, MN... Gruber's quilt shop!  I love it and am beginning to learn the fine art of quilting.  

We are beginning a project using a book by Tula Pink... you make 100 different blocks, one a week, from fabrics in your stash... when you are done, you put them together for an amazing quilt!  Check out my friend and I's first attempts at making blocks!  

Here is the book we are following...

This is the first set of blocks we will be working on, all of them have some type of cross in them.

These are the first fabrics I picked for the very first block of this project!  I love being able to pick fun fabrics and colors.

My first piece, cut!  

all the pieces for the first 6 1/2 inch block

Me and my sewing buddy!  We are going to have a blast with this.  :)  

This is my FIRST block ever!!!!!!

And, my SECOND!  Yea!

Here are my friend, Pammy's first blocks!  I love the orange and brown one!  

Well, now that Christmas is over, I can post a few pictures of some of the things that I made for gifts!  

Here is the first gift, It is a messenger bag for my daughter.  I used a basic pattern from Jen Giddons and then added three zippered pockets, an adjustable strap, and hook inside for keys.  She love it!  

Here is the front of the bag... I found a really neat clasp to close it!  

Here is the inside with a look at the zipper pocket and hook.  

This is the back, with the exterior outside pocket for storing more things.  The fabric was bought at Grubers Quilt shop in St. Cloud, MN.  

This is the next gift that was made this holiday season... It was a darling little sun hat for my darling niece.  It turned out cute, but was definitely more challenging than I thought it would be.  Getting the round top part of the hat to line up with the round brim was difficult to say the least.  The pattern looked so simple!  

Here is the next Christmas gift, which I will be quilting this weekend.  This throw quilt is a gift for my mother that matches the table runner I made her a few months ago for her Birthday.  I can't wait to quilt it and see how it turns out.  I am a bit scared to begin the process, though, since it is my first attempt at quilting.  I will post the finished product once I complete it!  

This project is a pillowcase for my son out of minky and flannel.  He loves it and says he sleeps awesome on it!  I think I want a minky pillowcase!  

This is another gift I made for Christmas... a cute little toy bag for my nephew who is 1 year old.  He has been putting things in it and dragging it around the house!  Just what I hoped he would do.  

I am really far behind on posting pictures of things I have made...so, I am just going to throw up a few pictures of recent items...Here goes!  
  

One of my favorite patterns, in grey, white and turquoise!  

Love the inside zipper

This is a fun baby tote/gift for a friend... forgot to take a picture at home, so here it is ready to be delivered along with a meal for the new parents.  

This is a neat pattern for a tote or large purse.  I made this one for a raffle.  

Love the button!  

This table runners is my beginning attempt at quilting!  I had lots of fun with it  :)     It really is easier than I thought it was going to be.  

This is a neat little organizer that I designed for my daughters bunk bed at college.  She needed something to hold her phone and misc. things on the top bunk so she didn't need to jump up and down all the time.  It has velcro straps on the back so it can be attached to the bunk bed's side rails.  

There are two larger pockets in the back, and smaller ones in the front where a phone and glasses fit easily.  I pleated the two front pockets on the right to add a bit more room for items.  

This is my second attempt at quilting, a runner for my mom!  She loved it when it was all done.  It matched her house great!  

This is a baby gift that I made... a swaddling blanket and three little bean bag sensory things.  The blanket is plenty big to really wrap up the little one.  The little bean bags are fun to play with, but filled with dried peas.  I think that a person would just have to spot wash them due to the fact that if you got the dried peas wet, it could be trouble!  

One more baby thing... a fun monster bib!  Isn't it cute?!  

I made my own pattern!  

This bag was created as a prototype for a friend who was looking for a specific type of shoulder bag.  She had a few specifications and I didn't have a pattern that fit all of her ideas...so I made my own pattern!  I am so excited that it worked out!  

Here are some of the pictures!  I have been using this bag for about a week now.  I really like the way it hangs and how much it holds.  Once my friend picks her fabric, I will make hers!  

The pleats were the hardest part to design.  Getting the measurements right was a bit tricky!

I love the cheery lining!

I decided to tackle an inside zipper pocket... I seem to always miss the pocket if the bag doesn't have one.  

It actually worked very well, thanks to Lisa Lam's sewing book...

The adjustable strap makes it possible to wear the bag as a shoulder bag or cross body bag.  

This is a great book for anyone who likes to sew bags.  It has all sorts of good instructions for making straps, pockets and closures... plus a few actual bag patterns.