Making sets

When possible I like to make sets. Matching pillow case for quilt or pouch for a bag. Sometimes it takes time. I finally picked up leftovers from my Diamond Tread and made this pillow case. When I was cutting the HSTs for quilt I made some more just in case. I usually just use WoF and end up with having too much. For this pillow case I didn't have to make a single one. I had those already and they fit just right. None of them left. How lucky am I?

It look like I chopped off piece of quilt. 

No frying ends of HSTs inside the case.

Tada. Matching crib size pillow made out of leftovers.

Back side.

Some time ago I made a bag for my friend. I ended up the zipper with snap hook there for some key rings on pouch with vinyl front and tissue holder/cover.

Previously made bag.

Matching accessory.

Linking up with TGIFF over @ Pippa's Patch and finish it up Friday!

The Quilt Photography Workshop

As I enjoyed the previous linkies by Plum & June I wanted to get involved into The Quilt Photography Workshop. I wish there were more hours in the day but at least I tried.

I use pretty old camera Fuji FinePix. We got it 10 years ago as our first digital camera and we still use it. It was about time to try out the manual settings on it as I usually use AUTO. Well there are only few options to play with. There might me more but I found White balance. Something called EV. Macro and Flash. I'm pretty familiar with the last two as you can set those up during the automatic mode as well. I tried out the White balance option as I took the pictures during last two days on two different spots under different conditions. Cloudy versus sunny.
I thought that the EV option is ISO but when I opened the pictures in my photo editor it says ISO100 on all of the pictures I took. I use free program for editing called Zoner Photo Studio. It helped me to improve my pics and with the hop it might get even better.

No editing.

Playing with the White balance.

My spot for picture taking.

Edited picture. I usually use Crop and Sharpen option.

I realized I prefer to take pictures on the floor. That way I don't need to worry about the background. I need to work on that as well. This is my fav spot. Next to balcony door.

Fav spot.

Trying out the White balance.

My fav picture.

There is a lot to learn, read and try. BTW I hope to work with this pretty bundle soon.

Zakka Along - WK13

Prior our vacation I made this beach bag using the pattern of Piece-of-Cake Shopping Bag from Patchwork, Please! by Ayumi. Which means this post is once again part of Zakka Along 2.0. I made few little modifications to suit my needs.

To be honest with you this is not my favorite bag I have ever made but it works. The thing is this huge bag doesn't really hold shape which drives me crazy. I used some interfacing for the exterior plus extra piece for the bottom part but probably not enough. The pattern is pretty easy. There is just one thing to be aware of the exterior and lining are the same size but you need some addition for the double fold made on top of exterior piece. As Krista suggests in her post you can either decrease the interior height or increase the height of exterior.

Quilted interfacing on bottom part.

I wanted to try this pattern because I like the drawstring cover. I recently made some lunch bags by Ayumi which have the same feature. I added simple big zipper pockets inside the bag. I have simple pockets on both sides of the exterior. To define the shape somehow I added snap buttons to each side. I made my handles longer than the patterns calls for and at the end I sew them to the top of the bag. I have also decreased the size of front/back side. I'm not so fond of the folded side panels. Never say never but I will probably never use this feature again.

Zipper pocket.

Snap buttons.

I sewed the handles to the top of the bag once fully assembled.

When you don't arrange the shape for picture taking it looks like ..... no idea what word to use. See I don't even have a word for it, lol. It holds a lot of stuff but it's really not a pretty looking to me and I almost left it at home. I asked some lady to hold the bag for me. Well she wasn't very happy about it either, see. Just kidding.

Hippie rug

Today I decided to share my creating process with you. I hope that won't scare away my new followers. It might give you an idea who I really am. First of all I need to find my way. Something I would feel it's mine. Little adjustment, fabric choice, anything goes. I can't help it. It's in my blood system as Lady Gaga would sing I was born this way. Yeah people, just check the characteristics of Aries, it's all in there, lol.

I'm not very good at copying and enlarging that's for sure. My version is not exactly 143% enlarged but I'm fine with that. I'm also not a huge fan of paper piecing and my Aries sign might be the answer. It seems I found an answer for all the questions. It's the sign to blame!

Fabric choice is the key process. I was going for sophisticated sewing theme trivet. Am I the only one who heard the word trivet for the very fist time? Later on I wanted to create something cute. See those goats? Or maybe my usual Gnome combo? I couldn't decide so I just left the whole thing and went to bed early. Better sleep on it.

Well. It didn't help much. The browns were back in the game but not enough to combine. I got enough of B&W .... let's just make little drawing. All this resulted into Hippie rug. As usual the final stage is to doubt my creation. I'm not very keen on hippie. Why did I twist those colors and didn't keep it the way I made the sketch? I don't know! It's the Aries sign!

Moody as I am I like it one minute and hate it the next. Being an Aries is not easy but there are many of us. I believe there are even more than you think. Just check this borrowed line from the characteristics: Stroking their hair and rubbing their scalp will make them feel relaxed and heighten their sensations. Ehmm, not that one. This one: Aries are notorious for not finishing what they have begun.

This post is actually part of Zakka Along 2.0 - WK12 - Happy Hexagon Trivet. Plus I'm happily joining the Paper Piecing Party for once. You should definitely check out what others have created. Pink unicorn is something you don't want to miss! I'm sure Kristy is not an Aries as she's very talented paper pieced maniac. Check it out!

Be a Hexie Queen Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop of Be a Hexie Queen blog hop and be sure I want to be one of them!

I'm participating for the very first time in this kind of blog hop. Thank you Madame Sam & Debby for such opportunity. I'm excited and amazed by the wonderful projects I have already seen and I'm thrilled to be part of it. Here's mine.

Simple pouch with leather embellishment.

I've been playing around with leather scraps for a while (you can see some stuff in my blog header). I'm not an expert on leather by any mean. I'm just experimenting amateur. There are no frying ends and it has such a lovely texture. Plus I said it before and I say it again. Leather takes a project up to one level. I love it even though it's not perfect. I had smaller shape on mind but how do you attach leather to fabric? I don't know I just put it on and sew with scotch tape on my foot. That's why I went with decent size.

Isn't that just fascinating how you break the hexagon into three parts and all the sudden it looks like cube?

Little touch of color inside the pouch.

These are my very first hexagons made during the Zakka SAL last year.

Both pouches were made out of linen. The old and new are looking good together.

I also wanted to show you my first quilt. There are all kinds of hexagons and I made it during Festival of Hexagons last year as well. I have few more hexie projects on mind that's for sure.

Thank you for your visit and if you ready for more hop over the next one. Here's a list for you:

Thursday, August 22

    

Negligent Style (you are here)

    Sue Mac Seeds   

The Tilted Quilt

Julia Plunket

Just Let Me Quilt 

More Stars in Comanche 

Be a Quilter 

Sew Me Something Good 

Cherrys Prairie Primitives 

Words and Stitches

Back from vacation

Greetings to all. I'm back from our vacation. We are safe and healthy and happily back at home. It was a bit challenging as I expected. I don't think I have to explain anything about travelling with little kids. We went to Turkey. No particular reason. We wanted sun, sea and sand and Turkey is one of the destinations where Europeans goes. Before we left I finished beach bag based on the Piece-of-Cake Shopping Bag from the Patchwork, Please! book. More on that one once the bag is on SAL schedule.

I also made small travelling pillow. Really an easy last minute project. I like to use selvage edge which is featured on the envelope closure. 

We took the Hello Kitty bag and it got all dirty as MiniMe swing-swang it around airport floor. I also put some previously made pouches into good use. I borrowed my vinyl pouches to the girls for some drawing accessories.

My plan was to make some hexagons for upcoming event so I packed all the supplies into sewing kit made during the Zakka SAL last year but I didn't touch it. I also took some crochet supplies with me but I haven't touched that either. No creating what so ever.

Little snap bag came handy for my cell phone and headphones. 

Feels good to be back home. I'm yet to reply to some comments/emails and do a little catch up on bloglovin.

Hello Kitty

I finished second travel bag aka lunch bag. Oh yeah, my girls spotted the Hello Kitty fabric and there was no going back. I adjusted the size to fit that fussy cut. I'm sure there will some more Hello Kitty making. You know those girls. It's mine, it's mine .... I want one too!

I added extra interfacing to the bottom and quilted it.

Size comparison. On right side is the original size based on the tut.

Plus I made mesh bag for beach toys out of mosquito net leftover. Nothing special, just a drawstring bag.

I used selvage part of the fabric.

Both are intended for our vacation. Decision has been made. It'll be stay out of computer and enjoy yourself kind of thing. Hopefully. See you soon!

Linking up to TGIFF and finish it up Friday!