Trying New Things Thursday

This week I made my first pouch and inserted my first zipper.

It was so easy, that I thought I’d better practice putting in that zipper one more time to make sure I could really do it…and I could!  Introducing Pouch #2…

I think I like this one even more.  I only had one zipper long enough to make another, and it was red, so I used a pretty red DS Quilts fabric as the lining this time. 

So, two times is a charm…I can sew a zipper!!!! Yay!

Linking this up to Trying New Things Thursday where Melissa also has a new MBS tutorial.  She is so talented!!!

My First Pouch {and Zipper}

My sister-in-law is an avid knitter, so whenever I see cute sheep fabric, I can’t resist buying it.  Her birthday was earlier this month and I made this pouch that measures 5.5” x 4.5” and tucked a gift card inside.  I love this fabric!  It is Monaluna Bah Bah Black Sheep. 

I lined it with a pink wavy grid fabric that I picked up from Fabric.com on sale.  And I used some fusible interfacing to give it a little shape.

I had a real duh! moment when making this.  Last time Joanns had a big “Coupon Commotion” sale, I bought a bunch of zippers with the idea that I’d make pencil cases for my daughter and her friends at Christmas.  Well, that didn’t happen (maybe it will by Easter…) and when I pulled out the 6 or 7 zippers I bought, they were all only 4 inches long!!!  I guess I was more concerned picking the color than reading the label.  It said 10 centimeters, not 10 inches.  Ugggghhhh!  What I am going to do with those tiny tiny zippers?

Putting in the zipper wasn’t as complicated as I thought it would be, thanks to a great tutorial I found at So Sew Something.  Making this pouch was so easy, so maybe I will tackle those pencil cases before Easter after all.

Finished Quilt Top

My husband was on travel for work the past week.  It was quite an experience taking care of three kids ages 5, 2, and 7 months singlehandedly for a week.  On the last night, after returning from the pool, I gave the kids a bath and was mentally patting myself on the back for being the most  awesomest mom in the world—all three kids had had a bath every day since my husband left, when my eyes rested on the toothpaste sitting on the sink counter.  I couldn’t remember the last time they had brushed their teeth—2 days ago?  3?  Oh well, I did a pretty good job!
I didn’t get any sewing done last week (or much sleep for that matter—thanks, Esther), but last night I finished up my sister-in-law’s quilt top and I think it turned out quite nicely.  I can’t find my measuring tape anywhere since my kids spirit them away every time they see it to play doctor, but I estimate it finishes around 60” x 68”, the perfect size for a couch quilt.  I am going to piece the back and have 3 or 4 blocks left over to include in the back, but I can’t get started on that until I find those leftover blocks.  I guess I need to straighten up my sewing room!

I love the way the quilt came out, and what I love even more is that every single fabric came from my stash except the 4 fat quarters of knitting-themed fabric I bought as the focal point for the quilt.  I think I might use solid black for the binding. 
Up next:  I have 2 more UFOs to get out of the way that are close to completion and then I’m going to get started on Crazy Mom Quilt’s star quilt from the MBS new book Fun Fresh Treats.  I ordered that book and the Farmer’s Wife book 2 weeks ago and have been ogling them every time I nurse my baby (which is still a couple of times a day, so I get to look at them a lot)!).