Frugal Friday With Marsha 12/5/14 Crafts as Gifts

Christmas is literally right around the corner now.   I have tons of things that I would have like to have made for gifts.  Maybe 2015 will be the year that I actually start working on gifts in January?
I have enough past gifts that I have made to take me until Christmas so that I can share the ones from this year, AFTER Christmas.

Corduroy Teddy Bear Blanket that I made for Killian at his birth.   It's actually not finished in this picture, but I don't seem to have a picture in my computer of it after it was finished!

In 2010 I gave Ariel, Willo, and Araya bags for their birthdays.  The intention was to fill them with things to keep them busy and hopefully quiet during church.  I made each bag from a pillowcase I had bought at a yard sale for .25 each.   The items inside each bag I won with points on Listia.

A quilt for Zelda.  She wasn't born yet when I made quilts for the grandkids.  Just as the quilt above for Killian. (I do still have one grandson that I've not made a quilt for so need to work on that for his birthday in 2015!)

I am having trouble accessing pictures from my disc so that's going to be it for this week.  Please wish me luck on getting my disc to read....it has lots of pictures on it that I don't want to lose! 

I look forward to the frugal posts that you link up this week.

An InLinkz Link-up

WIP Wednesday 8/6/14

Even this post has been a WIP this morning around watching 5 grandchildren, having to run and get gas and then a trip to the grocery store, and then fixing the kids lunch before I could finally sit down  and type it.

I spent the majority of my time this last week working on cutting fabric for lined bags.
I started out seeing if the size I had in mind for my Christmas bags would work out:

It looked good, so I used what other Christmas fabric I had the right size and kitted up 25 more bags:

I then went on with the fabrics I had out to make as many kits for the regular sized lined bags as I could.   I made up 11 kits:

I got the cute kitty cat print bag made-----and then found out that it was spoken for already as well as the blue bag with flowers:

I found out that the soscrappy rainbow challenge color this month is green--brights and lights especially---so I did take a little bag break to get out my green hexagons.  I was able to work on them just a bit last night too.
I have 100 papers pinned on....can I get close to making all 100 of these by the end of the month?  I sure will give it a good shot around other things!
You will find the button to the soscrappy blog at the bottom of this post.

Here is my current UFO list: (not including the hexies)
Rectangle quilt
challenge wall hanging
GoodNight Irene quilt/wall hanging
Yo-Yo Table runner
Hexagon table topper
Emerald Island Fusique table runner
Sunflower table runner and matching placemats
Five and Dime quilt
34 Hot Pads
Christmas bags (total of at least 25)

I am linking up with these blogs:

WIP Wednesday--Pillowcases and More

If I can stay on task and just keep working on my crafts and sewing every spare moment, I think I can really start to get somewhere!

Here are pillowcases that I am working on.  I am making one for each of my 9 grandchildren as well as my 16 yr old, for their birthday's this year.  I am appliquing their names on each one as well.   I did get some more fabric this past week and I worked on getting the names ready.  I do have 2 of the names cut and ready.  I should have gotten them out of the envelope, but hopefully those 2 pillowcases will be completely done by this time next week.

 I've worked here and there on some sets of folded hot pads.

I don't know what I was thinking, but I started working on a quilt top.

I don't have a photo of progress on the quilt top for sewing club at church.  I did work on it a bit yesterday, but not enough to warrant taking a photo.  We will be meeting again next week so I will get a progress photo at that time.  I spent some of yesterday getting help to finish this t-shirt dress.  It's for a blog tour/book review I am doing for Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses.

I completed 2 fabric bags this past week.  I hope to get those listed in my etsy shop today.   I've also been working like crazy on plastic canvas coasters.  I'm on a mission to make as many as I can out of this huge ball of yarn I had.  I think I might run out of plastic canvas sheets though before I run out of the yarn!   I'm going to keep working away.  I already have some of the coasters in my etsy store in sets of 4, 6 or 8.   I intend to take a picture of ALL of them once I am done.

I can't think of any other projects right now, so I will close for this week.  I am linking up with the following blogs:
 

WIP Wednesday--Christmas is Still In the Works

I managed to get my orders made and mailed that others needed for Christmas.  Phew!

I'm now finally working on finishing up what I am making for gifts this year to give out myself.  This is my fault.....I've had the materials all year, just procrastinated on getting started.
I think I can do it.  I did want to make 2 for each person, but it may end up one.

I have lots of wrapping to get done.  Christmas pretty much snuck up on me this year!  I didn't even get my Christmas cards out in the mail until yesterday.

Here are the towels so far:

I do have an order for fabric bags that I am working on.  It's come to a stand still until after Christmas, but I do have 2 of the 12 complete.  The others are well on their way to being finished.

We had sewing club last week at church.  Once again I didn't find, or take, the time to work on this quilt at home.  It's slowly moving along.  Hopefully after Christmas I can make myself up a sewing schedule and stick to it!

I think that's it for my report this week.  I don't plan on posting next week since it will be just the day after Christmas.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas!!

 

WIP Wednesday--Let's Keep Busy!

This week I said to myself---"self, you need to complete all the projects you have started before starting something else! You also need to get things listed in the etsy store."

Well.....now, I did start that prayer shawl of granny squares for church. I had to do that to get some more colors of yarn, and more yarn to make the granny squares for my blanket.  This is how far I got on it, and now my yarn basket for the blanket is full again.  I just hope it's enough to finish the blanket....and the matching pillow.

I didn't get much more done as far as organizing my craft room.  I did empty 2 totes, one full box, and a partial box onto this shelf.  I also picked up some of the grandkids' toys.  I do believe they are going to the garage!

I also did get the squares cut and materials out for a quilt of my own.   I do need to always be working on a quilt for myself as well as the one I am working on for charity.

I debated on whether to work on the quilt for church.  In order to really get any work done on it, it needs to all be laid out so I can see what I am doing.  I chose not to.  I will wait until sewing day next week at church to work on it again.  Then, hopefully, I will lay it out to work on it again over the month until we meet again.

I also bought some cute Halloween fabrics at the quilt shop.  I have sit n' sew this Friday evening so I plan on making the bags there.  That is a new project, but I should be able to finish them all in that evening, and get them listed for sale in my etsy shop.

Now that I am done typing this post I need to get back to my WIP at hand, which is cutting and sorting this huge pile of coupons!  Must be ready for that shopping trip on Friday.

I am linking up with the following blogs:

WIP's This Week

I've still been staying very busy on my crafts.
I am working on the last of the crocheted washcloths that are part of my gifts.

I spent one day--10 hours to be exact, ironing, cutting etc, at the kitchen table (with my laptop beside me of course)  As you can see below, at one point I was taking most of the table with my cut outs for the folded hot pads:

 I now have 42 of these blocks ironed and cut for my next quilt.  Just 14 more to get made.  I will probably go ahead and start sewing these together this week.

 Here are my 2 charity blocks completed.  The top one is going to Val for the Heroes Helping Heroes Quilt.   The star block is going to quilt guild for a patriotic quilt that is being put together for donation.  I didn't have a clue how to make a star block.  I'm so sorry that I don't remember who directed me to this tutorial, but this is what I used: Summer Sampler Series: Star of Virginia

 I even finally got some more work done on this quilt top for sewing club at church:

I still have other projects on the back burner like 2 table runners, and 3 fabric bags that I have the material cut for.


I am linking up with these 3 blogs (Freshly Pieced is on Christmas break until after the first of the year)

Shop Hop Saturday--A Sewing Frenzy

Yes, I have been in a sewing frenzy this past week. And, I want to just keep sewing and sewing!!

If you recall my mountain climbing goals are:
1.  Build a new squidoo lens each week as well as update at least 2 others.
2.  Post at least 3 things a week to redgage.
3.  Post 2 things a week into my etsy store and continue to move other things to my zibbet store.
4.  Keep up with the reviews and regular postings to my blog.
5.  Sew at least a little bit each day. (this goes with accomplishing goal 3)


1.  I did indeed build a new squidoo lens and update at least 2.
2.  Just today I hopped over to redgage and shared 3 photos.  I'm not done working in there yet, want to get some views done for some that I am following.  I also need to move the photos to the Petting Zoo album too.
3.  I finished up 2 fabric bags and have them listed in my etsy store.

Wild Pink Fabric Bag 

 

Puppy/Kitten Fabric Bag 

 

Last week I also moved 3 of the expired items that are Christmas back in to my store.  I need to get busy and more some of the other expired items in to my zibbet store.

 

4.  I have kept up with my regular blog posts but still am way behind in getting reviews done.  I have several and two of them right now include giveaways.  I hope to get to one of those this evening.

 

5.  You already know I've been in a sewing frenzy  LOL   However, I am just about out of thread to sew with.  Money isn't good right now for buying more.  I'm trying to win some on listia but so far keep getting outbid.  If nothing else though, I can still do sewing related things each day like cutting material etc.

 

That's it for my report this week.  I am linking up with abitosunshine:

 

 

WIP Wednesday--I've Been Working Away

I sure do feel like I accomplished a lot this past week!
I completed 2 fabric bags that will soon be listed in my etsy store.


I spent 8 plus hours one day just cutting strips for 2 or 3 quilt tops.  I'm wondering if there is enough of the plain colored material for a complete top.

Then I had some thread left on my bobbin so I decided to go ahead and start sewing together the plain material strips. Little did I know I had enough left on the bobbin to sew together 14 of them!

This is how far I've gotten on my flannel toothbrush rug. I only worked on it one day. I don't have many strips left so not sure just what to do. I found a little more flannel to cut up this morning, and it's on my lap right now. I'm working on it while working on the computer. In fact, I know I have a pair of pj pants in my drawer that the elastic is out of. I'm going to go grab those and cut me some more strips. That just might be what I need to at least make the rug a fairly decent size.

Finally, yesterday was sewing club at church. One lady said she is going to teach me something new each month and wanted to start with a scrappy quilt. It wasn't what I expected it to be at all. We didn't do more than cut out 88 of the 2 1/2 inch squares for the pattern. I worked on the 54 squares I had made. I ironed and cut them down and started sewing them together. I got 5 rows of the 9 sewed together.

Until next week I am linking up with the following blogs....and off to see what others are working on right now.

Shop Hop Saturday--On The Right Track

As you recall, here are my goals:
1.  Build a new squidoo lens each week as well as update at least 2 others.
2.  Post at least 3 things a week to redgage.
3.  Post 2 things a week into my etsy store and continue to move other things to my zibbet store.
4.  Keep up with the reviews and regular postings to my blog.
5.  Sew at least a little bit each day. (this goes with accomplishing goal 3)

I made goal #1 building a new lens and updating at least 2 others.
I did nothing with redgage---thought about it, never got around to it.
I just posted my 2 new things on etsy to make that goal for the week.  Actually 3 things since I have 2 of the fabric bags.

Quilt--Twin Size 

Christmas Fabric Bag 

I kept up pretty well with my reviews and regular posting to my blog.  I still have several book reviews that need to be written though.

I didn't sew every day of the week, but pretty close!  I was able to finish the fabric bags as well as the quilt.  I'm working now on getting 2 more quilts started.  I have 2 more fabric bags to sew.  I have a baby size quilt and pillow set in mind.

I also listed 6 more books over on half.com.

Don't forget about the Christmas Celebration coming up!  Early bird entry ends Tuesday Nov. 8 if you are interested in presenting as a vendor.  You can sign up through Nov. 22 as well for the full price.  I have to get in and get my times set.

I'm happy with what I accomplished this past week  :)

Please click the button and follow along with us each week.

 

WIP Wednesday 11/2/11--November Already!

November already, which means Christmas is right around the corner.  I'm not sure I will really get much made for gifts.  I want to, maybe need to, but at the same time I want more items up for sale to help me earn money.

Speaking of up for sale.  I did complete 2 fabric bags this past week that will be listed in my etsy store.  I also finish the quilt for my grandsons birthday gift as well.  You can find my blog post about it if you are interested. 

Finished it Friday--Quilt for My Grandson's Birthday

I didn't get any more work done on the rug I started....no more work done on the quilt top for church.

However, I did work some on my quilt top. I put the edging on.  Now I have to figure out what I'm doing for the back.  I'm in hopes of finishing it by Friday.

  Sewing club at church is next Tuesday, so as long as it doesn't get cancelled there will be progress on other quilts I am working on.

I am linking up with the following blogs: