Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Finished projects

I finished the tiny little notebook cover. I left it laying on my cutting mat so you can count squares and see how little it is. It didn't come out perfect so I'll either have to keep it or give it to someone who knows I am not perfect and is OK with that.I got the last seams sewn and thought I would lay the pillowcases out full length so you can click on the picture and see the fabrics better. This is my first attempt at these so I hope my fabric combinations will make the kids happy.
It really felt like November today. It was in the high 40's and damp. It was a good day to stay inside and play with fabric.
Oh, yes, and a bit of advice about fabric: Use your favorite and most precious pieces of fabric. Don't leave it for your estate sale.

30 comments:

hetty said...

Cute little cover. It looks perfect to me. I am sure the kids will love your pillowcases!

Diane said...

Wanda, Very nice pillowcases, and every reason the kids should love them. I'm thinking maybe they would make nice Christmas presents for my brood of eight. Such good advice about using those precious pieces of fabric we collect. I hadn't thought about it from that perspective. You are right! So after work I am going to actually CUT into that blue and white I have been collecting for the past 3 years! Thanks.

Unknown said...

I love the little cat notebook cover. Very sweet, the fabrics are perfect!! The kids will adore the pillowcases!! You did a great job picking the fabric and the combinations are wonderful!!

Cathi said...

Oh, how I love that journal cover! That is such good advice about the fabric. Makes me glad I cut into the Asian fabrics earlier this month as I had been collecting them for ages.

Mary said...

The pillowcases are adorable! Yes, I sometimes agonize about cutting fabric that I love too much :) I just finished a quilt made from 40 Moda Roman Holiday quarter yard (full WOF) cuts that I bought at Quilting by the Sea in Whidbey Island while on vacation. I agonized over cutting it for almost 3 years! You are right - no sense in not using it and enjoying the result.

Sarah Vanderburgh said...

The pillowcases are great. My kids love the pillowcases my sister made as Christmas gift bags last year. Thanks for the reminder about using the fabrics you love. I'm also trying to make quilts for me and not give everything away:)

Sherrill said...

Such nice, pretty, COLORFUL pillowcases! I'm sure the kids will LOVE them. One of the groups I'm involved in does neck pillows for the USO that they hand out to soldiers at the airport as they're being deployed and pillowcases for the group http://www.pillows-of-love.com/.

Brenda said...

great pillowcases. I used up the oldies but goodies in my stash that way two years ago when I made about three dozen pillowcases. I like your advice about using the fabrics. My mother has a similar saying: you'll never need it as much as you do now. I try to remember that when something seems "too good" to use.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

that a cute cover, you do great work like always!
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/

Mary P said...

You're totally right--life is too short to "hold on" to that fabric you've been saving.

jovaliquilts said...

I give myself that little "use it now" fabric lecture a lot, though it's still sometimes hard to take the advice. We have a wonderful quilter in our guild who knows she has just a few months left to live, and she is sorting all her fabric and giving it to the people who she thinks will like it the most. I wish she could use it all herself.

Amy said...

Such cute pillowcases, I'm sure they're going to be loved. That advice about the fabric must have been aimed straight at me! BTW, belated happy birthday...

Needled Mom said...

I love your fabric advice!!! My friend's mother passed away this year and you could not imagine how many boxes of fabrics - some her favorites- went to Linus Project.

Deborah said...

beautiful colors and great advice

Anonymous said...

Excellent advice on using favorite stuff.

My mom gave her heavier everyday china to my niece and started using her "good" china. Sha also decided to use the things she liked.

Liz

Lucie said...

you are right about using the good stuff.

Quiltdivajulie said...

With three kitties running about the house, I'd be honored to have that little "not perfect" journal cover ...

AMEN to using what we love and not hoarding it...

Your pillowcases are WONDERFUL!

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

I don't know anyone who wouldn't like that cute little cat journal.
And thanks for the great fabric advice....I need to remember that.

Anonymous said...

What do you mean not perfect ? That little note book cover looks perfect to me. I love it. You are your own worst critic.

The pillow cases are wonderful, and I know they will put smiles on the faces of those special children. Jacki has taken on a wonderful project.

J~MT

imquilternity said...

Great little journal cover!! I love your words of wisdom, even though I still find it difficult to cut into my favorite fabrics!

Elsie Montgomery said...

Good advice on the fabric... it applies to lots of things too.

Anonymous said...

i'm sure the pillowcases will be much appreciated. You used my most favourite fabric ever (4th from the right) as the edge of the pillow. Alexander Henry multi culti from 1996 I think. I have two fat quarters -- one in that colourway and one in a pink easter colourway and I eek them out (I put one small square in every child's quilt I make)

Banaghaisge said...

That is a lovely little notebook kitty!
I have the same site meter you do - maybe ask them if you are able to identify older visitors. Maybe only if you upgrade to the magic smarter one? (Tho it does so much - apart from track no more than 100 previous ones - that I cna't imagine what the upgrade would do!
I just saw your weather forecast - 43*F. Here it is 43* C. Which is about 110*F. I want to come and llive with you andbe your best friend until summer is over. It doesn't help that I am surrounded by already tinder dry state forest...
Sigh.
Hugs,
Jasmine

julia said...

Your pillowcases are wonderful. They are so colorful. How could they not make the kids happy? What is the group you are making them for?

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

Julia, I have no way of reaching you to answer your question. There were links in yesterday's post to lead you to info about the charity.

Vicky F said...

Hi Wanda,
That small kitty journal cover gets a big "aww" from me! So cute!
I think your choices for kid pillowcases is just fine. Both boy and girl selections.
I try to use the fabric I love; I am stingy with my hand-dyed fabrics, though. Better start cutting and using!
Vicky F

Sharon said...

I think your journal cover is just right! Cute kitty!

And the pillowcases are so cute, I know the kids will love them.

Your advice is right on the mark. I used to tell my Mom, "If you're saving it for your old age, it's time!" Now I need to follow my own advice, and yours, and start using my favorite fabrics! (It's still hard to do though)

QuiltSue said...

Love the notebook cover, and your advice is so good. I think we all hoard our favourite fabrics and find it hard to cut into. Trouble is, in my case, when I look at the same fabric a couple of years later, I have changed my mind, and wonder why I ever bought it, let alone kept it!

Jean said...

Love the little notebook cover...it is adorable. Anyone who got it would be very lucky!

Great advice too....though I had to laugh!