New obsession - Purses!

I think I just woke up one day and figured out what I was doing wrong with my previous purse making efforts. I'm still not sure if I figured it out in a dream or if it just 'wasn't the right time' to figure it out, but either way, I've been consumed with purses. From clutches to sacks to regular ol' squares and rectangles. From buttons to snaps. From ribbons to leather.


I'm not going to bore you with too many pics at once, just these first couple of efforts created prior to my discovery of my invisible thread stash. Frankly, it was taking twice as long to complete an item because it was taking so long to find matching thread in my bins. I do want to say that I am having so much fun with them! At

night I sit in bed with my little side lamp on so as not to keep hubby awake and look at my swatches, match things up, draft some designs and when I get home from work the next day and after dinner with the fam I hit my studio with all pistons firing. It's so fulfilling and I've already had some oohs and aahs from coworkers and in-laws. And I have already had a denim request for purchase (yay!!!). After mucho research I've settled on my price points as well, so I'm on my way with this new line of items!

Celtic Series

I've been working on a series of 3 Celtic inspired faux chenille quilts since the summer and am almost finished with the final one. They are all lap sized at 36x48.

This one I call Celtic Ocean and it has a coordinating blue eyelet fabric backing.

This one I call Celtic Walnut and it has a tan microsuede back (super soft and snuggly!).

The one I'm almost finished with is green, so I'm thinking of keeping with the earthy-type names and going Celtic Moss or something similar. They all have the same Celtic design in the center, so I figured I'd capitalize on that aspect for the naming. I started off thinking it would be Celtic (color) Cross, but then when I realized my most obvious choice for the green one would be Moss, I didn't want the Celtic Moss Cross. So, I just dropped the Cross.

I love doing these faux chenille quilts, but if I spend too much time doing them it makes me miss hand stitching. And if I wait too long in between, the callouses on my fingertips begin to go away and then I have to start all over poking myself and building up the callouses again. But there's truth behind the old "blood, sweat, and tears" saying when it comes to quilting! They've each only been washed once so far just to get the fraying and bunching started, but I'll wash them at least twice more before selling them.

Happy quilting! Trina

Shipshewana, here I come...

Finally! I haven’t been home since Thanksgiving and the ‘powers that be’ have finally approved that darn vacation request. I’ve already started my list of Shipshewana and Nappanee stores I’ll be hitting. DH will either have to come grumbling along or it’ll just be my mom and me in search of fabrics and goodies galore. If you’ve never been or never heard of the Shipshewana Flea Market , all I can say is oh my goodness. Busloads of folks from all over the country trek to Shipshewana for their Flea Market, Auction house, antique stores, Amish Acres and their Round Barn Theater (where I saw their version of It's a Wonderful Life when I was there last!), etc. Their season starts around Memorial Day (if I remember correctly…it’s been an awful long time since I worked at the Flea Market during summers home from college). Just thinking about sitting in the auction barn watching folks bid on horses and such brings such fond memories. And don’t get me started on Yoder’s Department Store…that’s where I hit my last goldmine of Moda and Thimbleberries fabrics {sigh}. I know most every community in northern Indiana can use my retail therapy money since the RV industry isn’t doing so well up there and I’ll be more than happy to oblige. Working in the RV industry myself, I've got to help where I can! Well, time to get back to my list of items to search for...quilt stuff...purse stuff...bag stuff...table runner stuff...redwork embroidery stuff...forget the sugar plums, I'll have visions of quilting notions dancing in my head! Every trip to back home is for me like remodeling...plan on twice as much time and 3 times the money in the budget.

Quilts and purses and notions, oh my! Follow the Yellow Brick Road pattern, Dorothy!