Sewing during Sickness

Well, it is sad that Nicole has been sick the past couple of days. Today she is doing much better with next to no fever. This surprised me since during the night she had about a 103 degree temperature. Hopefully no one else follows suit, but if they do maybe (please, Lord) this can be it till after Christmas. Our two major sources of sickness end by Sunday - Co-op and Nutcracker. Not to make it sound like these are germ infested places.

The good thing about having a sick child (and not a terribly sick one) is that we haven't had to go anywhere and we haven't done school yesterday or today. Thus, I have been able to get some sewing done. I guess I could have been doing lots of cleaning instead - nah!

I completed the Texas flag quilt I alluded to in my post yesterday. We have some sweet friends from Church that moved here a couple of years ago from the east. Next week they will be moving back. I had been thinking I would like to make them a little something to remember Texas and all the wonderful friends they made in our parish. The flag idea was my favorite and while I knew I could do it, I kept putting it off. It would require some serious thinking. So yesterday I began it and finished it - minus the star which I put on this morning.

Approximately 11' x 16 1/2"

Before I began, I got online and looked up the "regulations" for the size of the Texas flag so I could get my ratios right. That took some math on my part! I made it from a variety of 1 1/2" and 2" strips that came entirely from my scrap bucket and my stash. Actually, I didn't buy anything to make this quilt. I even had the bluebonnet fat quarter in my stash and it was perfect for the backing! I quilted it with straight lines in matching colors. I think that is some of the first straight line quilting I have done in a long time. This morning I used a cookie cutter to trace the star. I fused it on and then did two rows of stitching (very slowly) close to the outside edges of the star. Done! I am really proud of how it turned out and I hope they like it.

(oops - I forgot to blot out the blue tracing marks)

Then today, after finishing the star on the flag, I was feeling inspired to finish another project. Several weeks ago I had begun to construct a cute little bag called a "Sweet Treat Bag". I wasn't very far along with it, but it was such an easy little bag that I was able to pick it up today and finish it by lunchtime. I bought the little "Sweet Treat" box pictured below at the Quilt Show in October. I really didn't care so much about the tiny little 10 piece honey buns inside, I just wanted the pattern for the bag I saw next to it!!! So cute!!!

And here is the bag!

I found a bunch of these little boxes in another shop later in the day and I sifted through them to pick out the ones with my favorite fabrics - again, it really wasn't about the fabrics. I think this little honey bun was the Spring Magic line by April Cornell. It was so easy to make and of course now I have another little sweet treat to make with the other roll of fabric. I think this little bag will go to one of my sisters for Christmas (hope she's not reading). Won't it make a cute clutch or make-up bag? I am pleased with how it turned out too. And now that I have the pattern, just think of the possibilities!

So these are my little sewing adventures over our couple of sick days. What else can I do? OK. Maybe laundry. Nah!