Posted on by agilejack

An Odd Sound and Some Time to Plan

I finished up the panels for the octopus bag last night. I like how they turned out, but I don’t love them.

For now, this is the front.

And this is the back.

I’m anticipating I will love them more once I see them sewn into bag form. That is usually quite a transformation for me.

This next picture shows the turquoise jumble that I’ll use for the lining.

I really like the cool feeling this turquoise brings to these panels. I had originally thought I’d line this bag with purple, but I really like the turquoise idea better.

Here’s some close ups of the quilting, just because it makes me happy. Click on each photo to see it larger.

I was just finishing up the quilting on the second panel last night when my sewing machine started making a funny noise. I decided to not risk doing any major damage and stopped sewing. So the panels are done, but the outer bag still needs to be constructed, then I’ll need to make the lining and pockets, make the zipper placket, and put it all together.

I will take my machine in for servicing later this week when I have a lighter afternoon. So I’ll be without my machine for 10 days or so. I’ve been giving a little bit of thought to what I can do while I’m not able to sew. It will be a good opportunity to get organized to finish some projects.

The first thing I want to do do it get my blocks for the Sunburst quarter log cabin quilt up on the design wall, get the setting triangles cut, and bundle it all up in labeled rows so I’ll be ready to sew it all together when I get my machine back.

This will be a large quilt. It is to be used on my brother and sister-in-laws bed. So it will take some time to put together.

I’m thinking I’ll also spend some time working on the strip tube sets I’ve made for my scrappy Aboriginal trip quilt.

I have four strip tube sets that are all sewn and haven’t been cut. So I will get those cut into strips, slice each tube, and then get them all pinned for sewing. I also have five or so strips sets already cut that need to be sliced and then sewn into blocks. So more pinning. Once I have my machine back I’ll be ready to just sew, sew and sew!

I’m also thinking I might do a little painting. I have a horizontal canvas that I want to paint for the bulkhead in my kitchen. I have an idea for the design, just need to take some time to do it. it’s been a long time since I did any painting and it sounds like a nice diversion. My plan is to do something like this…but in an extreme horizontal format.

I’m also thinking I might actually fire up the old Singer machine that I bought at an estate sale several years ago and have never taken a stitch with. It’s a beautiful machine and I got a screaming good deal on it. It came with the cabinet and a bench that are in beautiful condition. It had just been refurbished when I bought it.

It’s really a lovely little machine. I don’t know whey I’ve never actually fired it up. I just like looking at it. Look how pretty this is.

It came with all the original attachments and manual.

It will be fun to dig in and get some projects organized and ready to finish.

I received some Frankenbag photos to share with you today. This bag was made by K.B. Barden. I love the greens and turquoises in this bag! It feels so cool and fresh. KB intentionally left the lining showing at the top of the bag… it sort of serves as a binding. She also used aquarium tubing to add stability to her handles. I just love it when people add their own features to a Frankenbag.

A few more days of work this week, and then we get a long weekend for the MLK holiday. I know I will appreciate the day off. I’m hoping for good weather to get the boys out on a trail somewhere. We all need it.

30 Replies to “An Odd Sound and Some Time to Plan”

      2. I agree. it’s really chaotic. Could have done with something that reads more solid in place of the onion rings. The octopi are completely lost in all that chaos. We’ll see how it looks when it’s all put together.

        Anne

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  2. I’m out of my mind with love for your Frankenbags. I want this semester that just started yesterday to be over already so I can play with this concept all summer long. Keep the pictures coming!!

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    1. It takes me around six hours to make a bag, depending on what features I put in and how complicated the panels are. You can work on that a little every night! No need to wait!
      anne

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  3. Yes! Please fire up your old gorgeous Singer! I can imagine some lovely lady looking down from heaven smiling and happy you – a very talented woman sewing something fabulous on it! Your Octopus bag is wonderful. You are used to working with bright colors, it’s hard to make the transition.

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    1. I’m not afraid of color and pattern! It’s really what excites me about my projects. I know it’s good when it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!!!

      you should see the walls in my house!

      Anne

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  4. I usually love your bags because the colors are so bright. The octopus fabric is wonderful but the panel is lacking your usual punch! Maybe too much black and white. It will be interesting to see how the bag turns out. We will probably love it.

    I loved your work and couldn’t believe that we had another hobby in common. I too train dogs! I train in obedience and rally. A better place for an old lady to interact with her dogs and less likely to get hurt.

    Keep the puppy pictures coming!

    Marelie.

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    1. I think the problem with these bag panels is that they are just chaotic. I think the onion rings may have been too much for this one. Might have been better with somehthing that reads more black, or more of a solid color. But, it may look ok when put together. I can always make another one… and I will.

      Haha! Yes on the chance of getting hurt with dogs. I feel pretty safe with Rico herding, but some of the sheep can be a little scary. Most of them will come close but won’t run into you. Some will just keep coming and you better get out of the way! He used to really scare me when doing agility, but with more experience under his belt I’m not as afraid that he’s going to take me out.

      Anne

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  5. I love reading about all you plan to do while not having your machine. I did the same, prepared lots of projects for sewing. They are still sitting there because I was anxious to start something new when my machine returned!!!

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    1. I have all kinds of things I can do. For one, the sewing table where my machine was is a mess. So I can start with cleaning that. I also want to box some stuff up to take to Good Will. I also purchased a new bed recently. I need to go out and buy a new matress and box springs, then get my old bed broken down and do a good cleaining of htat room before the new bed arrives.

      So, I don’t have a lack of things to do!!! Just a lack of will.

      Anne

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  7. I just found your blog and am LOVING your work! May I ask where you got the octopus fabric ? Would love to make a bag for my sister with it! Bravo keep creating!!

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    1. I saw the octopus fabric earlier this week at gloriouscolor.com. There are probably other places that have it. Maybe Hancocks of Paducah or Tennessee Quilts, for a start.

      Thanks for reading!
      Anne

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  8. I thought I loved the purple polka dot with the bag but then you put the turquoise jumble… oh I love that one too. Choices. Bummer about your machine. As I sew practically every day I had to have a back up. Of course sewing is my actual job so there’s that. But still I feel lost without sewing when I can’t.

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    1. I wish I’d used the turquoise instead of the purple. It’s a cooler and calmer feeling. I’m also wishing I had used something calmer than the onion rings. Maybe something that reads more black. It’s all very chaotic.
      but you never know until it’s all sewn together.

      I dropped my machine off for servicing today. So probably three weeks without it. I can do a lot of planning.

      Anne

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  9. My grandmother had a very similar machine that sat in her dining room in Chicago. But I never saw her use it. I think and hope that one of my cousins has the machine, but now I’ll have to find out. You’ve peeked my curiosity.
    I also wanted to say that I love your idea and sample for painting the bulkhead in your kitchen!! And the dots on dots pattern looks very Kaffe. Keep us posted.

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    1. It would be wonderful to find your grandmother’s machine! What a wonderful thing to have!

      I’ve painted dots on a lot of rocks over the last few years. If you check me out on Instagram you can scroll through my photos and see some of them. I’m agilejack on Pinterest too.

      Anne

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  12. That Octopus fabric is working beautifully! Pity you came to a stop thanks to the machine, might be nice to go back for a few days to a good old Singer, Your Sunburst blocks are stunning, I spent a little while cutting a lot of my Sunburst fabric up into squares a couple of weeks ago.

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    1. I was thinking this afternoon that I might try using my Singer to finish up the seven more sunburst blocks I need for that quilt. Seems like that should work well since they don’t have to be terribly precise — I square them up to 8 inches at the end and no seams have to match.
      Anne

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  13. Well this is my 3rd Frankenbag & I have 2 more on the go. I just love using up all my bits & pieces. For this bag, I used some blocks which were originally made for me by other members of my old quilting group. I cut them up & stitched them back together & added lace & buttons. This shabby chic look is not really my style, but I’m very pleased with the result. I’ve put tabs with gold D rings on the sides so I can add an adjustable shoulder strap. I’ve also made a tassel out of scraps of cotton lace & ribbon to clip to the side. I painstakingly put in a zipper placket – took me 4 goes as I didn’t use your pattern – I wanted no raw edges- but it was difficult & I had to have perfection. I thought the soft colours of the outside of the bag needed a bright lining. (I interface all my linings). Yes I’m anal! Sharon Hancock,

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

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  14. I love your old Singer! Yours was made in 1956. When I first left home my mother gave me her old Singer, a class 15, that she bought the year I was born, 1955. Although I have 2 other machines and 2 sergers, I wouldn’t trade that old Singer for all the rest. For straight sewing you can’t beat it. It will sew through anything! It makes the most beautiful buttonholes ever. Back in the 80s I made yards of ruffles with the ruffler until one day it just burst into pieces everywhere. Thankfully I ran across another at an antique show one time. I use my other machines, especially when quilting, but sitting down to that old Singer is like sewing with an old friend.

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    1. Wow! You make it sound so wonderful! I will definitely get it hooked up this weekend, figure out how to thread it and wind a bobbin and give it a try. At least another week before I get my machine back, and I’m guessing it will be longer. It’s a good time to fire up that Singer.

      And you’re right about 1956. I did a search on the model number when I first bought it and it came up as 1956. that’s a few year before I was born.

      thanks for the enthusiastic recommendation!

      Anne

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