Hometown Place mats

I've had the tops of these place mats sitting in a dresser drawer for about a year and never got around to completing them. I decided I was tired of looking at my same old place mats that we use so I got these out and they are now ready to use for dinner.

These have the backs flipped over. Here they are by themselves.

I think I'll have a cup of tea.

Sugar & Spice Bag

Not surprisingly, I did not finish my Sugar & Spice Bag in time for the Sew-along, but, regardless, it is finished! I really like how it turned out. It will be my new Spring purse.  

This is Amy Butler "Hopscotch" which, of course I have had in my "Fabric Room" for quite sometime. I used Kona light blue for the lining. I made one of the pockets with the white that I used for the piping. The white fabric has roses imprinted on it, so the piping is kind of textured. 

I didn't much enjoy making the piping. So then, I put off adding the piping to the bag pieces and finishing the bag. But once I decided to pick it up again, I just kept on going and it came together nicely. I just loved my new bag when I was done.

Now if Spring gets here soon, I can start using it!

Serendipity Hip Bag

Here's a cute little bag I just finished. 

The Serendipity Hip Bag.

I wanted to make a small purse to sling across my shoulder because we are flying in an airplane on Thursday. You have no room walking in the aisles. Plus, going to the airport is a treat. So it's easier to just have the necessary items and have my hands free.

It was a fairly easy pattern. I didn't really have a problem and I finished it pretty fast. I did not use the adjustable strap. I just made the strap long enough to put across my body. I think next time I would just attach the strap to the "D" rings instead of even using the hooks. One of my hooks seems to unhook at times. I don't want it unhooking while I'm walking.

Outer pocket and Inside of Bag. It does give me enough room to put my sunglasses inside, plus some other items. Spaces for my license, and most used cards. Plus, in the zipper pocket I can put my lipstick and money. 

This is Amy Butler cotton, plus I used a green linen blend for the bottom and handle. Trying to use up some of the fabric I've had in my spare room. This purse pattern really doesn't take a whole lot of fabric. 

Oh Spit! Diaper Bag

I completed another bag from Sara Lawson's book Big-City Bags. My girlfriend's daughter, Aimee, is having a baby in January so I sewed the Oh Spit! Diaper Bag for the baby shower that was held on December 14. Here is the front, along with the changing pad.

 I think it turned out cute. I used Tula Pink's Bumble fabric. The shower theme was ba-"bee". My girlfriend had let me know that in late November. So I hurried up and picked out this fabric and ordered it and started sewing so that I could get it done for the shower. The pattern came together nicely. I really like the side pockets that have elastic at the top so that she can put a baby bottle in them. The binding is bias tape which works really well for the pockets and the changing pad. But on the top of the bag, I did not trust myself sewing it by machine. I basted it around the top and then hand-sewed both sides down.  For the lining I used the bumble dots.

 

There are slip pockets on both sides. 

In the book, the changing pad says to use PUL fabric on one side, which I did. But that fabric stretches so I really didn't think that it would work by just laying the Bumble fabric and the PUL fabric wrong sides together and then binding it. So I quilted it by hand. I enjoy quilting some things by hand while watching tv.

I just followed between the gray crosses outlining the bees. 

I think Aimee liked her new Oh Spit! Diaper Bag and Changing Pad. At the shower, she said it was "so cute". I hope she enjoys using it. Here's the back and top.