Look at All Those Bags!

Last night at guild, most of the participants of the workshop on Saturday brought their finished bags for Show 'n Tell. Several members went home from the workshop and made another one and there were 26 bags at guild last night.






It was the first night to turn in Nickel Squares for the swap and 42 participants brought their squares for January. 3 people brought their squares for the entire year, one for the first six months, and about a dozen brought them for February also. I am amazed at the turnout for the Nickel Swap. I didn't get pictures of them yet, but will do that later today.

Mini-Charmer Workshop #2

Today's workshop was WONDERFUL! 30+ guild members gathered together today to make Mini-Charmer and Charm Party bags. The facility was spacious, the food was delicious, and the company was terrific! Almost everyone finished a bag and those who didn't have promised to finish theirs by the guild meeting on Wednesday. People left at all different times, so I didn't get a group photo today. I thoroughly enjoyed myself today....and it looks like some other people did also.







Look at this nice big room:


More photos HERE.
Do you have a guild close by that would like to have a workshop? After these two under my belt, I think I have this one down pat.....boy, that sure looks funny in print, but it just seems to flow off my tongue. Of course, I had to google it and here is what I found:

Thesaurus
Adj. 1. down pat - understood perfectly; "had his algebra problems down"
mastered, down
perfect - being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish; "a perfect circle"; "a perfect reproduction"; "perfect happiness"; "perfect manners"; "a perfect specimen"; "a perfect day"

I have to go use some fabric now, cause I'm afraid to do a stashbusting report this week!!!!

Mini-Charmer Workshop Photos

Well, the camera still won't work when connected to the computer, but I was able to get the photos off of the card. Oh, I hope I don't have to buy a new camera, because I just love that one.

Here is a photo of the group with their finished bags:



And more photos are here.

Mini-Charmer Workshop #1

Today I taught a Mini-Charmer guild workshop with Janet's help. There were only seven of us there because of the nasty weather we had overnight. It was pretty icy this morning and it snowed off and on all day long. But we were toasty warm inside making Mini-Charmer and Charm Party bags and enjoying Hot Mommas in the morning, White Chili for lunch and lots of snacks throughout the day. Cathy made a Diet Coke run and that put her a bit behind, but everyone went home with a mostly completed bag. Cathy, Cheryl, and Janet L. took their bags home to do the topstitching on the top edge of their bags on their other machines at home. Marty was, of course, the first to finish and even started a second bag. Her sister, Fran, wasn't too far behind her and did a wonderful job considering she is a new quilter. Cheryl left for a volunteer meeting for a couple hours this morning, but still finished her bag except for that top edge.

I would post photos for you, but my camera is drying out in front of a fan. Oh, boy, I hope it drys out! When we were leaving, I dropped a half-empty bottle of water into my purse that must not have been closed all the way. I didn't realize it until I went to plug in my camera and it was dripping.

I didn't use charm squares for my bag today because I had this really cute long-arm novelty fabric that I thought would make a cute bag. The lining I used is cheater fabric with bright squares.

This was a test-run of sorts for me because we're teaching this workshop next weekend to 30+ guild members. It's always good to have a test run because now I know what to stress and make many reminders about, like topstitching the pocket flap and leaving a 7" opening in the bottom of the lining.

Mini-Charmers and an Oven Mitt UFO

Last night at guild, Janet and I did a demo on these cute bags. After the meeting and a stop for some ice cream, I went home and finished up my two bags. I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but I'll figure that out later.



I also finished a long-overdue UFO, an oven mitt. I stitched the first edge of the binding on by machine and the other side by hand while watching the election returns.I'm not sure of the pattern, but it's either a simplicity or McCalls pattern and I'm not sure if I will make a mate for it. The lining is cotton batting and a layer of Insul-Bright.



Halloween night at Rossville Quilts, Sue G (AKA, Lucy Ricardo) took my picture, well, the picture of Sister Ruth actually, praying that she will use the fabric she just purchased.

Marty's Guild Mystery Quilt and Mini-Charmer Bags

Marty came over yesterday and quilted her guild mystery quilt. She did a great job and it only took her three and a half hours. She used the Popcorn pantograph and liked the flow of it much better than the last one she used, which I can't remember the name of right now.



While she was quilting, I was working on my bags for our guild meeting on Tuesday. Janet and I are giving the program on making Mini-Charmer Bags. I spent Saturday afternoon at Janet's house and we made multiple bags and have them at all different steps of the pattern for the demo. I made 2 black and white ones and she made 2 out of a Judy Rothermel charm pack. Maybe she'll chime in here at tell us the name of the line. On Sunday morning I started yet another bag using a Benartex Mrs B's sample pack of Paris Cats. Our plan is to give one of the bags and a pattern as a Door Prize at the end of the meeting tomorrow.

Here's one that is almost finished: