Graduation Day!!

I can't believe it - both of my little girls are out of high school. Where does the time go? Here are a few of my favorite photos of the day.

The happy graduate and proud parents


Sisterly love!
That's more like it!
BFFs!
I love the expression on her face! This is towards the end of the ceremony - she looks like she's thinking "Is this almost over?"

In the fall she is headed to the local community college for 2 years and then hopes to transfer to Oswego into the zoology program.

Some new bags

I have been working on some new bags. The first was a request from DD#1. I finally found a fabric I thought she would like. The pattern is McCalls 4118. I am terrible at adding bias tape over the seams, so I'm glad that is all on the inside! If I make another one of these I will make a few changes. There is a zipper in the back seam that seems unnecessary to me, so I will leave that out. I will also quilt the outer fabric and line it separately rather than quilting it all and having to fight with the bias binding.

Front pocket - I'm not happy with the drawstring cording I used and will have to find something different.
Here you can see the zipper in the back. It opens up into the main bag, it isn't a separate pocket. I just don't understand the point?


This bag is a fantastic pattern from artsy-crafty babe. She creates the most fabulous patterns! I will be making another of these for myself! The next one I will use a stiffer interfacing and possibly some batting to make it stiffer. This is what the pattern calls for but I was lazy and didn't do it.



Close up of the patchwork inset. The pattern can be done either with the patchwork or with a solid piece. Really, the possibilities are endless with this pattern.

Curious George

I finally finished the Curious George diaper bag. It turend out really cute - even though I'm not a fan of Curious George. Why do people insit that their diaper bags have to match the nursery? Or that they have to be made out of baby fabrics for that matter? They will most likely not be used in the nursery - and it's not the BABY who has to carry the thing around! *sigh* Maybe someday I'll get an order for a "cool" diaper bag.

Side pocket - once again I forgot to sew the velcro on before assembling the bag - once again had to hand sew it.

Side bottle pocket

Inside in all it's Curious George glory! I only broke 3 needles and only burned myself with the iron once - not too bad! :)

Frustration!

I have been trying (with no success) to find a new presser foot for my sewing machine. If anyone has a good source for Elna feet let me know! Apparantly the older machines that were made in Switzerland require a different type of foot than the newer, Japanese made models. I have purchased 4 feet (2 of them specifiaclly for Elna machines from Elna dealers) and the needle hits every one of them!

Sewing Machine Survey

Sew Mama Sew is celebrating Sewing Machine Month so I thought I'd play along and fill out the sewing machine survey.


What brand and model do you have?
I have an Elna Club 500. It's an older model from the early 90s (back when Elna's were still made in Switzerland)

How long have you had it?
About 6 months

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
I bought mine from E-bay for about $90

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
I mainly make purses and home dec projects. I also recently started quilting.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I don't get to sew as much as I would like - but on average I spend about 5-10 hours per week sewing

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I like my machine. I call her "Ellie". :)
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
I like the easy drop in bobbin, the speed control and the needle up/down feature. I also love that there is a true basting stitch - in bag making this is a great feature.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
sometimes I wish it would go a little faster, and I can't get the buttonhole to work right. I don't do much garment sewing, so that's not a huge issue for me.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
Nope. No great stories. Won her on Ebay (kind of accidentally) and I'm glad I did.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
I would recommend this machine - it sews beautifully and is very easy to operate.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
What kind of sewing will you be mainly doing, what "bells and whistles" are really necessary for you, the reputation of the manufacturer and reviews from users

Do you have a dream machine?
I am always looking at new machines - I don't have a particular make/model in mind but I would love a machine that has a longer arm for quilting, with a stitch regulator for free motion quilting.


Here is a picture of Ellie. :)