So Much to Catch Up On

 I find it very hard to sit down and write a post sometimes, but I am going to try once again to get caught up here. So many projects.

I finished the quilt top for the Perfect Pineapple quilt along. It has had all of the papers removed and the blocks sewn together. I need to get the backing put together and get it basted, but I am recovering from basting and quilting a very large quilt, so I am taking a break from that for a bit., But soon it will happen.

I made a second Sandhill Sling for myself this time. I love the color of this one. Pink is one of my faves.

And I finally finished stitching this beauty. Pattern is by Lolli and Grace, you can find it on Etsy. Her patterns are so beautiful.

Got myself a big bunch of Dahlias at the market on Saturday. We're supposed to get a frost this week so probably my last chance and boy are they gorgeous!

Started this project last year, but never got very far with it. It is another pattern by Lolli and Grace. I changed out the beads for some that I had on hand that I also happen to like a lot.

I mad one for each of the grandkids. And yay! Look at me ahead of the game for once. That's all for today. I hope you're all well and enjoying the fall.

I Made a Sandhill Sling!

 I have long been a fan of Anna at Noodlehead. I found her blog many years ago, and since then she has become a wonderful pattern designer. Most of her patterns are for bags, pouches, backpacks and the like. She does a lot of testing to make sure it's right before she releases new patterns. Her directions are spot on every time. 

The Sandhill Sling pattern came out a couple of years ago I think. I loved it then, but I knew I wouldn't use it, so I just admired it from afar. I also have a bit of a reticence to trying bag patterns, as I sometimes struggle with the bulkiness of them under my needle. 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when my daughter saw a post on Instagram about the Sandhill Sling. She fell in love with it. She had purchased some canvas awhile back with the idea that she wanted me to make her a tote bag of some type. I told her that when she found a pattern she liked, to let me know. She purchased the pattern and the hardware kit on line and as I waited for that to arrive, along with some interior lining fabric, I read and reread the pattern.

Then, I discovered that there had been a sew along for the Sling and so there were videos of the steps to make it. I went ahead and watched all the videos before I started. As I am a visual learner, this was so valuable to me. Once I started sewing, I could do a step, and then stop the video and do the next step. It made the whole thing come together so easily.

This is the interior of the sling with the gathered pocket. The elastic gather really helps to hold things in.

My daughter chose the zipper colors to compliment the fabric. She chose to not have the zipper cover on the exterior pocket so you could see the two zippers that matched. The fabric is a Charley Harper print.

The strap and hardware also came from Anna's shop. She has exactly what you need to make this bag, which makes it so easy to get ready to sew.

When I finished, I could hardly wait to go and give it to my daughter. She loves it! And I have had a couple of other family members express an interest in having me make one for them. Also, my grandson wants me to make him a backpack from one of Anna's patterns. I hope I'm up to that!

I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this make, especially having the videos to help me through the process. I know there will be more Noodlehead patterns in my future.