Little Penguin Quilts Through the Year

Little Penguin Quilts Through the Year

Sunday, May 10, 2015

QAYG and a Giveaway!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there!  Here was the view out my backdoor this morning:


Yes, that is snow!  And if you look closely, you can see a sheen of ice on the fountain, too... I guess I won't be planting flowers in my yard, which is my usual tradition on Mother's Day! It does make for a good sewing day, however!

Inspired by posts I read this week from Svetlana at s.o.t.a.k. handmade and Amy at Diary of a Quilter, I decided to play around with some quilt as you go techniques and out of it came this pouch:


Front and back views. It is made out of a panel from my Charley Harper bird fabric.  I made a slab from pieces of the panel and some strips of navy and white Gleeful that I've had in my stash.  Then I cut the slab apart to make the front and back.


The inside comes from a fat quarter of Comma.


This was the first time I've tried making a pouch without any directions.  Since I've made a few in the last year or so, I thought it would be a cinch!  (Ha!)  After sewing the zipper in backwards, and then sewing the whole thing closed without a way to turn everything right side out, I decided I will not be so self-assured next time!

While looking for an idea for an end of the year gift for one of my teaching partners, I found a tutorial for an easy quilt as you go table runner on Amy's blog, and decided to give it a try.  I am using the rest of my fat quarter bundle of Gleeful for this project for a fresh, happy, and spring-y look.  So far, here is how it looks:


The top is made from 2 1/2 inch strips, and the back is pieced from some larger pieces.  I am hoping it will kind of be reversible!  I have plenty of the 2 1/2 inch strips left for the binding, too.


And finally, to celebrate my 101st post of last week, an inspiration from a comment left by Lara at BuzzinBumble!  I'm going to have my first giveaway, a small bundle of 6 fat quarter dot fabrics, an homage to the 101 Dalmatians, and my most recent fabric obsession!


If you would enjoy having this little bundle, leave me a comment, and I will choose a winner this coming Thursday, May 14th! 

Have a great week, everyone!



14 comments:

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

Sewing a pouch closed with no way to open sounds like something I would do. Hence my fear! I love the gleeful line and think your project is going to be wonderful! Thanks for sharing these with Oh Scrap!

I love dots too! You picked some great ones. Congratulations on so many great posts!

Material Girl said...

Isn't it funny that no matter how many times we make something, the pattern is still necessary? I love dots, thanks for the giveaway!

Tanya Quilts in CO said...

I heard you all got some snow--we have had rain and sleet over here on the Western Slope. No planting for me either--but sewing instead! I love dots, so thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

gayle said...

Oooooo - dots! Always happy to see dots! (Wait a minute. That doesn't sound right. Is that like seeing stars?)
I've put zippers in backwards more than once. Sometimes more than once on the same project...

Catrin Lewis said...

I have to refer to noodleheads open wide pouch pattern everytime I make one!

Crafty Tokyo Mama said...

I'm visiting from Oh Scrap! and just love your pouch. That Charley Harper fabric is one of my faves that I am longing to get someday. You chose the perfect project to showcase it!

Susan L. said...

Love your zipper pouch, & I'm sure your runner will look fantastic, when it's done!

Suegodfrey said...

Love your blog and your work. Can empathise with the pouch issue, I can get carried away and then oops need to unpick!! Thanks for the giveaway sue x

Suegodfrey said...

Love your blog and your work. Can empathise with the pouch issue, I can get carried away and then oops need to unpick!! Thanks for the giveaway sue x

Jasmine said...

Your table runner is looking great! I'm so new with zippers. That I have to look at directions. Thanks for the giveaway.

Jinger said...

I just recently discovered Charley Harper fabrics and one day I'm going to get some! Love the dots, thanks for the giveaway and congrats on 101 posts!

mpv61 said...

I don't think I've done a zipper since home economics in 7th grade -- that would have been in the 70s! I don't think I'd be very good at them, so I don't try (How's that for an attitude? Not good, right?) I've done the old mistake of trying to make pajama pants but sewing it like a skirt instead and having to redo it! This is why I stick to quilts -- the sewing is more forgiving.

I would love to win some dotty fabrics. I don't have very many dots yet, but I love them.

Lara B. said...

Just love your Charlie Harper zippy pouch Diann! Well there you made me laugh because I've done the same thing when sewing zippered bags from out of my head. Your's turned out super though!
Gosh ...snow on Mother's Day... ugh.
The QAYG table runner is turning out really cute!
Now I'm really laughing... polka dot fabrics for your 101 post giveaway - Love it!

Sandra Walker said...

Crap that I missed the giveaway, but I was busy with my mum's visit, so all good. That Lara doesn't miss a thing; it was she who noticed my own landmark 100th post a few months back! And funny, but not, but a "leedle bit" north of you in Alberta, there was snow just a few days before May 10 a lot more than what you show, but still--! Mum was glad she was down east with us where it was 82 for that day! And I so love that Charlie Harper fabric; have seen it floating around the 'net. Sewed it closed...I giggled. Think we've all been there done that...probably more than once!