Leather Bag!!! I did it!

 This may be the most awesome thing I've ever made (It doesn't take much to get me excited).  I made so many round denim bags, I got my confidence up enough to cut into the big, beautiful piece of leather I bought last fall. It was on sale at the leather shop, and I had a "wild hair" thinking I would one day make a leather purse. I made it yesterday.  Cut it out a week or so ago.  I normally use a plate for the template, but my small plates were too small, and the large plates were too big. I found a paper plate to use that seemed right.  I made several mistakes -- put the zipper piece in crooked, then ripped the facing of it when trying to remove it, also cut the gusset too small, twice!  Thank goodness the leather piece was huge.  Well, here are the results.

Next are some process pics.  I patterned it after the round leather bags from Portland Leather I've seen online.

And why not put a denim pocket inside?? 

Not sure I'll ever made another one, because it did seem to be hard on my Bernina Bernette 08 machine, but no needles were broken. That machine is a workhorse!

 

Memorial Day 2025

 Remembering those who gave all......

Catching up since last post.  We had the grandkids for a week on their Easter Break.  Lots of fun was had!

The kids taught Puzzle to swim.  She was so excited with herself!

Made several more denim bags.  One from my sister-in-law's paint splattered jeans. 

A few more smaller ones.

My son turned 40!!  Hard to believe....

And I should add my granddaughter is really growing up!

I started, and finally finished another scrap quilt, my fav.  I wasn't really sure what it would turn out like when I started making the blocks, but it seemed too busy, so I added 6" low volume plain blocks.  It was a booger to quilt though, I believe, due to the backing being a batik fabric.  Took me three days, should have only taken a day, but I had anywhere from 2 to 5 thread breaks on each row.  So frustrating, but I finally finished it today.

Not sure what my next project is going to be.  I have some beautiful bible verse blocks I want to make a throw quilt from, but I haven't yet figured out the design.  I also want to make a round leather bag.  I started it today.  I don't really know what I'm doing but that's never stopped me before.  😊

Spring is here 2025

 Already spring and I realized there are some quilts I've not shown here, plus a few other things.....

Here's two little llama quilts.  Pattern by Elizabeth Hartman.  I adjusted the second one to make it a little bigger.

Still making sourdough bread......  :)

A made a couple of round purses from jeans.  I watched a video (no english) but it actually seemed a little easier to get the gusset right. I didn't like the way the top zipper was so I made another, and put some stiff stabilizer in the zipper portion.  I am much happier with the way it turned out.

I also got much better at the inserted zipper.  I gifted my first, prototype to a childhood friend. She acted like she loved it.  It looks kind of like a saddle bag and she is a horse lover/rider.

Speaking of that friend, she visited me recently.  We had a wonderful visit. The time between the two pictures are about 52 years!!!  Our cameras sure have improved.

I was asked to show some quilts and speak about how to get a quilt published recently.  It was a fun experience.  I enjoyed getting to share quilts and talk to other quilters whoa are interested in trying to get one of their own published.

And the last thing I want to show is something that makes me so happy!  A portable clothes line......I've been wanting one ever since we moved in this house but my husband didn't really want one in the yard (neither did I). This one is expandable to about 90" and I can use it on our deck or inside the screened porch.  It makes me so happy to have wind dried clothes.

Snowy Day, February 19, 2025

 We had a little more snow today.  Maybe 2".

Thankfully, it wasn't a work day for me but I have kept busy.  Finished this little baby boy quilt for a co-worker.  Hope she likes it.

...and I started two loaves of sourdough this morning.  The pics below are from some of my other loaves I've made.  It's my new obsession.  It is such a SCIENCE project - ha! I've been working at this for a few months now, but have finally learned a few things to help the starter mature and grow.  Just look at this lovely loaf (oops, I had already cut it before I snapped the pic)....

I'm having such a good time, trying to figure this out.  I think I've got it, but I must say I've really made some sumptuous things from the discard the last few months - tortillas, pancakes, waffles, rolls, sandwich bread, brownies, cookies, homemade pop-tarts. So many things you can add sourdough starter to for an extra depth of flavor and some good probiotics.

The baggie, was something I read to help the starter have air, rather than a lid. It seemed to help.  Also doing a 1:4:4 ratio (starter:water:flour), that really boosted my starter.  Anyway, I'm having fun with it, and lots of people really love sourdough so It's a great gift to others.

My next project is to make waxed cloth bread bags.  I'm awaiting on my organic beeswax pellets to arrive.  Then I'll have a nice little package to store the bread in.  Supposedly, the beeswax has antibacterial properties and the cloth bags allow the bread to breathe a little, and it doesn't mold or go bad as quickly as in a plastic bag.  We shall see.

 January 28, 2025

We've had some really cold weather, and the snow even made its way to New Orleans.  The grandkids were ecstatic! They got 10 1/2" of snow and matched a record from 1895.  We had about 3-4 inches the week before.  My beautiful DIL and handsome son.....

You can tell the wind was really blowing!

Time to get out the valentine's quilt.  Puzzle loves it.

I did the Bonnie Hunter mystery "Old Town" this year.  Just finished it this evening and hope to get it quilted in the next few days.  She has the best instructions on her mystery quilts. I've done a few of hers and even though they seem so complicated, she makes them doable, one step at a time.

I've decided 88" square is a good size for a king bed.  It makes like a coverlet, over my white duvet coverlet. It can also be used on all the other beds in the house, even the twins. I think this will be one I'll put in my rotation.

I learned to make the best, easiest pizza.  All you do is put a little oil in the skillet, and spread sourdough discard around to form a crust.  Cook on one side, flip, and while the other side is booking add your toppings.  So yummy and so incredibly easy.  Took maybe 5-8 minutes to make.

I'm still trying to make all the things with my sourdough starter.

New Year's Eve

 2024 is on it's way out, and in rides 2025. Long post, no pics.

Let's do a recap of 2024, first quilting, sewing, crafting:

    - 6 baby quilts

    - 1 quilt published (OBW in fall colors)

    - 1 bed size quilt (Bonnie Hunter paper pieced pattern)

    - 1 wall hanging

    - 1 Memory quilt made

    - 1 Christmas throw quilt made

    - 5 quilted bible bags (large size)

    - 15 quilted crossbody bags

    - 5 denim bags

    - Two leather belts

    - multiple rope baskets

    - built a bench from a live cedar board

    - Painted 5 bird pictures in Acrylics (copied another artists work)

    - Made 3 bowties

    - Sewed a new skirt and pants

Next other happenings:

    - Jesse Neutron, our 15 year old cat, passed away :(

    - Saw the Northern Lights twice from our home

    - Quick trip to Paducah for the Quilt Show

    - Updated master bedroom (new bed, night stands, lamps)

    - Puzzle lost an eye in a fishing accident :(

    - Did the "Hello Garage" epoxy-like finish on our car garage and screened porch (still love it!)

    - Had a visit from the kids for two weeks in July and a week at Thanksgiving

Books Read (all were 'read' as audible books):

    -  Killing of the Witches by Bill O'Riley

    - The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel

    - Secrets We Left Behind by Susan Elliott Wright

    - Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers

    - Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

    - Masters of the Air by Donald Miller

    - Homefront by Kristen Hannah

    - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson

    - Band of Brothers by Stephen E Ambrose

    - Once We Were Brothers by Ronald Balson

    - I was Anastasia by Ariel Lawson

    - A Woman of Words by Angela Hunt

    - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

    - The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

    - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawson

    - The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jake

I am so, so, so thankful for all the experiences I've had in 2024...the crafts, sewing, learning, reading.  All of these wonderful hobbies that enrich my life so much.  I'm constantly in awe of all there is to learn in this big beautiful world God has given us.  2025 is expected to be my last year of working.  I've worked about 20 hours a week for several years, after my 'official' retirement in 2015. One more year to go, but then I have days like today where the 10 hours passed so fast and I was doing something I really enjoy.  Jim thinks I might want to just cut my hours back to maybe 8 a week in 2026.  That is an idea.  I have to stay busy and I don't rest well, and don't enjoy watching TV.  Always active doing something.  Although I have watched two movies with the hubby since Christmas.  That's probably one more than I've watched all year, ha!  We watched Six Triple Eight (good movie about the black female soldiers in WW2), and Carry On (thriller about terrorist in an airport).

Resolutions for 2025? I have a few thoughts.

    - Read the bible through (I've done this the last several years using the Grace to You website. It's great!)

    - Run a few races.  Would love to do another Half Marathon, but don't know if I have it in me at, soon to be, 66.

    - Continue running 3x a week and try to get outside on some of those

    - Have more people over to share a meal at our home - at least one a quarter.

    - Submit a quilt or two for publication in one of the quilting magazines.

    - Read a book a month

    - Make a large denim, leather trimmed back pack

    - Make a leather purse

    - Make a scrap quilt from my stash

    - Purge my craft closet

    - Organize the pantry

    - Do some more painting

    - Finish the board and batting on the remaining two Dining Room walls

    - Spread love, kindness, joy, compassion to others. (this isn't always easy with my introverted self)

    - Practice thankfulness every. single. day.

I love lists.  Lists help me accomplish things, and keep me on the path I want to go.

Again, so very thankful for this, another year, in the books.

Smile, do great things, spread kindness!

  

December 2024

 I've continued to make bags.  I gave ten away, then sold another 9 or 10 with the proceeds going to our local food pantry, Hands of Mercy.  

I love the little backpack purse in the above picture.  I kept it and use it a lot.

After getting my fill of bags, I found a free stocking pattern online by Fancy That Design House.  I loved it when I saw it and decided to make a couple.  Well, two turned to three, then to five, and I stopped at six!  

The kids got to come for a visit the week of Thanksgiving.  We took them to the Comedy Barn, and they loved it!

While they were here we all did a Turkey Trot 5k.  The kids' first one and they did great!

Lots of playing with Puzzle. She adores those children.

                                    Emma and I had matching hairdo's one day.  :)

Lots of playing outside.....every......single.......day.  Very thankful we had good weather the whole week they were here.

Time to get out all the Christmas quilts.

                                                Puzzle with her new toy, and her daddy.......

                                                        Pose for a treat, Puzzle!!

I recently learned how to make cranberry juice. Easy, peasy, and tastes so good with sparkling water.

Today was a busy day, making bread, Christmas Jam, chex mix, and potato soup.

......And I did finish a quilt recently.  This was a memory quilt made for a widow friend, out of her husband's shirts.  He passed in August, and I wanted her to have it before Christmas.  A great, quick pattern for a lap size quilt.  Tried a new quilting pattern and I really like it.

                                                    Merry Christmas from Rachel and Jim