This week is half over. I have been very busy. The cooler weather we have experienced appears to have moved on. The temperature is more normal today. I like the warm sun!

I decided to make myself another bag. One that is not to large, but one that will hold everything I need to carry.  I finished it and then decided I should have taken step by step photos, so decided to do another. I decided to use black fabric on both the top and bottom of the quilt sandwich.  I marked off  different sections of the bag, marked a few guide lines for quilting and then went to it. Once I had the sections quilted I removed the fabric, trimming but leaving the front, sides, bottom and back intact. I decided to try making this bag a light as possible and am not lining it. After adding the pocket and dividers I wanted, I sewed the bottom to the sides and then the front to the back. I added the flap  and straps. The flap and inside back panel of the bag is lined. Around the top edge of the bag I put a casing so a piece of ribbon or draw string could be added. I by not adding a lot of making zippered pockets and lining this went together pretty quickly. I have used up all my strapping and will be adding quilted straps on the next bag.  You can add as many pockets, zippered or not as you would like. I usually sew the pockets to the lining. On this bag I just pinned the pockets and topstitched them down. That stitching really did not interfere with the finished look because I have quilted it so closely. 

I finished a wall hanging for a client. It was a buffalo head. I can't find the photo, so I won't be posting it on this blog.

Currently I am working on a large double irish change quilt for a client. It is coming right along. I should be working on it right now. But just can't motive myself. I also have been working on piecing a quilt that will be given to a friend's daughter for her wedding in September. I have all the blocks finished and now need to sew them together and decide how I will finish it. 

This pattern is in the current American Quilter magazine. It is called Slow Dance by Tracey Jacobsen.  The pieces are 4 1/2 inches so it goes together pretty quickly. Having the proper template tools. I could not find one at the shops I went to and just used the paper patterns in the magazine. I made a photo copy, pasted them to cardboard and then added sand paper to the back. It worked, but having the Tri-Rec tool set would have made it much, much easier. I will purchase them. Scrap Apple has them on order.
It is dinner time, I guess I should decide what I am going to fix (or run and pick up).