Happy Independence Day!

 Hope you're celebrating the Fourth with family and friends.

And remembering how truly blessed we are.

A Different Zipper Pouch

 I was having some issues getting my zipper pouches right. Don't worry. I'm still on the search for an easy, not persnickety one with a zipper on top.

However, this was a fun and different one.  My new favorite sewing video maker suggested that these might make good pass-it-outs. 

That's right. It is pyramid shaped. 

They're called triangle pouches. Perfect for a lip balm and some cash. Or any little thing you want to take along.

And they have a handy little tab that can connect to a carabiner or clip of some sort so it's easy to carry.

Mostly, they are just really cute and different. I could even see making them into an ornament for the tree to put a little gift in.

I used this video to make these although a simple search will give you tons of options to use if you don't like this one.

Let me know if you try it out.

On to the Next Scrap Buster

 One thing I've been interested in doing with my scraps is zipper pouches. I tried this one already 

(embarrassed because I thought I had already posted this project-- you can find directions here )

but I think I'd rather have a zipper on top. 

We use zipper pouches for everything. Rugrat alone has quite a collection. She loves pens and markers and highlighters of all types so she has pouches for all of those things -- not to mention other things like jewelry, etc. that she keeps in them.

Every time we pack to go somewhere, I feel like I'm searching for a zipper pouch to organize this or that. And I use them to hold and organize lots of things. So you can see why I might be interested in making them.

I decided to give this one a try next.

While it turned out quite cute, I am not a fan of the pattern. The boxed bottom did not come out even and my lining ended up having a pleat on the bottom because my pieces (that were cut from the same pattern piece) did not come out right. 

I have no problem taking the fault for that but I think the patten might be a little too persnickety for me.

If you'd like to try it out, you can find it here. And props to her for making it free. 

Let me know if it works for you.

More Hot Pads

I still have some larger pieces in my scrap bin (although I picked up this bumblebee fat quarter specifically for this) so I decided to make a couple more of these. 

These are headed for Arkansas.

I liked my oversized hot pad so much I decided to make some for my mom and sister-in-law.

I downloaded a free tag template and put it into my word processing program then added some fancy writing and a floral tag (also free online). 

I think they turned out pretty cute!

My original post about these is here. 

And here is the video that has the instructions. 

I'm enjoying several of her ideas. Check her out. 

A Little Bigger Scrap This Time

 I mentioned that the lady whose video I used for my travel tissues sounded like my kind of people. 

After finding her videos, I went a little down a rabbit hole watching several of them. One of the projects I really liked the idea of was this Oversized Hot Pad. I typically have to carry two of the cork trivets I have to the table so I can set my large casserole dish on it. 

Not that we have a lot of casseroles. But I use that dish so much because it's large and holds a lot so it's pretty handy. 

I found this pretty little fabric and it looked like there was just about enough. 

I had just picked up a light tan print on the clearance aisle a couple of days before that went with it pretty well.

One of the tips she gave was to use masking tape to mark your quilting lines so I gave it a try.

Great tip, I think. Because they turned out pretty well.

After trimming the excess, all I had left to do was put on the binding.

I used her tip for doing that as well.  And, boom, all done.

I love it and we've already used it.

Pass-it-outs Rugrat Style

 Rugrat's schedule has been thrown into a blender and whirled around a few times this summer.

One of the things her youth minister started last summer though and has attempted this summer was providing a couple of weekly outings. The problem is that the first month of summer is when every camp and mission trip and other event wants to schedule their thing. 

As a result, for the month of June, the only normal week for these outings has been the very first one. On Tuesdays, they have a devotional and then go out for lunch together. Rugrat can't participate in the devo because of her lessons but she can usually manage to join for the lunch since we moved her afternoon appointment back an hour for the summer. On Thursdays, they try to have an afternoon Bible study for the girls and one for the boys, then they all hang out together in the afternoon. Rugrat can do Thursdays with no problem. 

They have had other weeks than the first one where they managed to do one all day thing on Tuesday (Rugrat's appointments kept her from participating) and one week where they managed just their Thursday Bible study but nothing else. For the most part though, it's been hit and miss.

I'm thinking that things will settle some once we hit July though. 

I mentioned that Rugrat promptly snatched up the butterfly notebook pen holder I made.

After her girls' Bible study, she hinted around that the other girls might enjoy having one as well.  So I handed her my scrap bin and told her to see what fabrics she might like to use if I made some.

It looks like scrapbusting and batch sewing may both become my theme this summer.

We kind of stuck with mostly flower prints. I finished them up before what would have been her next Bible study with the girls but there have been delays enough that she still hasn't gotten to pass them out. Hopefully that will change next week though.

I'm just hoping the girls like them. She's pretty sure they will though. 

Christmas Pass-it-outs: Check!

 Remember that I talked about making "pass-it-outs" for Christmas. You know, the little things that you like to hand out to people to let them know you're thinking of them but not a big enough or expensive enough thing that they feel the need to reciprocate.

 Just some little something to say "Merry Christmas" but not anything that would cause any guilt over not having something to give back.

The few times I've had enough time and forethought to make these, I've really enjoyed it. But one of those things is usually missing so it's rare that I do.

   

Well, thanks to the sewing ministry, I have managed to have time to make my pass-it-outs and finish them up. 

And, lots of scrapbusting is done too. It's a win-win.

Score one for me having a start on Christmas in June -- didn't even have to wait for July.