A Weekend of Socializing and Not Much Sewing

After fifteen months of pandemic isolation, I finally hit a wall on Friday and started feeling like if I didn’t spend some time around people I was going to lose it! It sort of made me laugh because I’m a raging introvert. It’s pretty impressive that I went well more than a year before the isolation actually got to me!

So I spent my weekend hanging out with friends and having lots of conversations. And it was fantastic!

On Saturday Rico and I had our regular sheep herding lesson, then I met a couple of friends at a dog agility trial that was being held nearby. Then I met them one of their homes and we did some agility with our dogs, then had some cocktails and dinner.

Lavender martinis! These were so crazy good! And so beautiful!

It was so good to just have fun with our dogs and hang out and talk. You might not realize that people who live alone during a pandemic don’t get a lot of face to face conversation! Go figure! It’s been so long since I was able to just hang out with friends. It felt so normal. I left my house at 11 am and didn’t get home until after 9pm!

I also stopped at the same fabric store I went to last weekend to pick up some fabric for friends…

… and a few more pieces for me…

On Sunday I met a friend and brought Thai food for lunch. Then we had another sheep herding lesson in a downpour! Rico and I were both soaked by the time we were done. I think we’ve gotten nearly two inches of rain since Saturday! And we really needed it. Coming up? Ten days of sun and heat.

I did get into my sewing room tonight and started my next Frankenbag. I needed to get moving on this one because I’ve already sold it! Sight unseen! That’s a little bit of pressure.

This one is made all from fabrics that a friend gave me. I really like the earthy look of the fabrics.

I’ve continued to receive photos of Frankenbags from blog readers.

Here’s one from Reidun Evjan Vefald. I really love all the black and white she’s used in her crumb piecing. And that pieced pocket on the interior is very cool! I also like the way she used the green fabric to finish the top edge. It’s a nice detail.

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This next one is from Margot Pritchard. I just love those great big stars! I also like the way she attached the single handle. I’ve been thinking about doing a bag with a single shoulder strap. Now I’m thinking I have to do it soon!

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That star on the left is made from cloisonne. It’s no longer in production. If you scroll up and look at the fabric I purchased for myself this weekend, you’ll see a piece of this fabric in the group!

This next bag was made by Betty Simms. She made this for a friend from her fabrics. And the fabrics are really cute. That yellow block in the first photo just makes me smile! Betty wrote in her email, “I’m having so much fun making these!! These bags have become habit-forming and it’s all your fault!!” I know how you feel Betty!

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The last bag tonight is from Susan Cook. This is such a fun bag! I love the way Susan used the different low volume fabrics with the curved piecing. And that black and white fabric at the top is very cool. And that spot fabric in green on the first photo sort of gives me chills — it’s so good!

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Big thanks to Reidun, Margot, Betty and Susan for sending photos or tagging me on social media. Can’t wait to see what readers send in next.

Stopped and picked these blooms during a field run on Sunday. I could smell it from 50 yards away. Friends on social media tell me it’s probably a mock orange. All I know if that the smell is so incredible! I brought these blooms home with me and keep smelling them! So gorgeous.

And here are some photos of Bender and Rico just because they’re such good boys. There’s sort of a theme.

They really do!