Rosie is Done and Saturday Project for Hubby

I finished Rosie!  I actually finished her last week on Wednesday but I spent the next two days at the hospital with two different family members. I am thinking of endowing a parking spot.

I decided Rosie was a skill builder.  So, I tried a lot of new things or practiced things I am not very good at.

She didn't turn out too bad.  She now has a hard bottom.  I was going to use cardboard by my husband had some 5mm plywood I ended up using.

This is the back.  I used some of the decorative stitches on my MC6600 for quilting. 

I started out with the bigger stitch because it reminded me of rivets.  I got bored with that.  I was on night shift and lacking sleep.  I switched to the smaller pattern and liked how it looked and that it went so much faster.  The thread is a Coats and Clark embroidery thread.  My embroidery machine does not like it for embroidering but handled it just fine for this application.

I lined it.  I wanted pockets but did not want to add weight with the lining.  To keep the pockets from pulling through I sewed the dividing seams from the back and used the selvages I had trimmed off, doubled over to reinforce.   I used three more decorative stitches - back on the Janome - this time and used Halo glitter thread in the bobbin.  I have never done "bobbin" work.  I plan to try more.

It is a little hard to see but there it is.  I did the seam on the right first.  My tension was not correct.  I adjusted some and the next two looked better.

Finally, the bag got straps and a key fob so I am not digging for them.

It was completely self lined. I pulled it through a hole in the bottom of the bag and then stitched it closed.  I top stitched around the opening to give it more form.  I wish I had top stitched my side seams but did not see that until it was together.

I like it.  It will hold my "journal", my blocks and my show 'n' tell when I go to my BOM meeting.

Last Saturday my husband was on a cleaning frenzy in the basement.  He asked me to make something to go on top of his gun safe.  I had a jelly roll from Connecting Threads I did not care for.  I made this.

He decided it needed to be wider after I pieced it.  Thus, the weird borders.  I also screwed up the binding on one side but I wasn't feeling like seam ripping.  So, this is as good as it gets.  I did try out another new set of groovy boards.  These are leaves.  You can't see them in this picture but I like them.  I would take another pic but he now has most of it hidden with all the crap treasures he keeps on there.

Hopefully I will link this up with Amanda Jean tomorrow for Finish it up Friday.  I am cheating a little but the connection here is so much faster!

BOM meeting is Monday.  Wish me luck....I have to learn to play better with others.

Keep stitchin'!

Mary