A finish! Is that an FFO?

(Are ya looking for our giveaway? Click here and enter to win a layer cake from Green Fairy Quilts! Yum!)

 

I finished a project today! Yay! Does that make my UFO (un-finished object) an FFO (finally finished object)??

Back in January,  I loved Kiera Vanella's "About Town" pattern so much, and I had some of my beloved Mary Engelbreit fabrics handy, so I got started on it. I had created the middle section from some five inch charms, and then fused the outer sections to some fleece and meandered all over it. 

It's OK, I'm housebroken. I really mean that I free motion quilted, or stippled over the black background fabric. (Grin)

Here is what it looked like in January, when I attached the cherries to it, as part of the 3D Embellishment party that we were having . . .

Well, it had languished in UFO-land all this while. I could hear the sobs sometimes in the night, and the occasional sniffle when I moved something else on my sewing table.

But it's happy now! Lookie here!

Please excuse the fuzz . . . I'm still working with a toy inexpensive camera!

This was a challenging pattern -- there is a zipper in the top of the tote, that is sewn into the lining. I had never done one of those before, but when I had a question, Kiera was sweet and emailed me back quickly so that I could keep going!

Here is a linkie to the pattern if you would like to make one: click here for the About Town bag!

Here is a picture of the zipper portion of the lining:

Here it is opened up a little --- you can just barely see the little pocketies inside:

I'm kinda proud of having mastered a new technique! 

Now it's time to get to work on some pillowcases and maybe an e-reader cover for the Remember Service Men and Women Project!

Join me, won't you? The tutorials and tips at SewBittersweet and Hopeful Threads will make it easy --- and I know you have some fabric in your stash that will be perfect for these gifties!

We'll announce our winner tomorrow, for the layer cake!

Love,

To My Mentors.....Thank You!!

First, here is what I'm thinking of today......can you tell that I need a vacation?!

I'm linking up with Foto Finish today. Go see all the other pictures at Cat Patches. You'll be happy you did!

Now, I really do want to thank the wonderful Lilypadquilting community - I got some great ideas and tips for paper-piecing, and I truly appreciate your help!

Look! I did it! I did it! See?

The picture is a little dark, because I (yawn) finished it at midnight thirty! But I think you can see, this one turned out better than the first one! No pleats, no puckers, and best yet - no stress or gray hairs (at least additional ones).

I appreciate each of you that commented and gave me tips on how to be accurate,and  how to do it more easily.  I am especially grateful for the encouragement you gave me, to try again. I can't say that I love paper piecing, or that I want to do more, right this minute, but at least I have these hearts done, and I have some rudimentary skills in my tool belt. The next time a paper piecing project comes up, I won't start to sweat or make excuses: I'll dig right in and give it a try!

Thanks again,