A Little Bag, A Little Rain!

Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.

~Terri Guillemets

Today is Tuesday!  Another terrific day to get something accomplished.  I hope to complete at least one thing today - not yet sure what it will be but something.  We had RAIN yesterday.  I mean dripping off the eaves, everything wet, air cleaning rain!!!  It was also considerably cooler - woohoo!!  I worked with the windows open, smelling the fresh air, enjoying the coolness, and listening to the rain falling.  It was a wonderful Monday.

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Photo of the Day:

Red Berries on Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo) in my backyard

If you are looking for a shrub that has lacy foliage; colorful fall foliage color, interesting flowers, autumn berries and is evergreen, take a good look at Nandina domestica. Commonly called 'Heavenly Bamboo' this plant has just about everything a homeowner could ask for, all in one plant.  Probably the most outstanding characteristic of this plant is the attractive, lacy foliage, which resembles bamboo leaves. The new growth is often bronze to rose in color, becoming green with age. In the fall and winter, the growth takes on autumn leaf colors: red, orange, bronze and pink. The plant has added value in that it provides cut branches for use in floral arrangements all 12 months of the year. Unlike most plants we call 'bamboo' Nandina is not a nuisance plant. Actually, it's not even a bamboo at all, but a member of the barberry family. The stalks are not like bamboo, but the foliage is. One advantage of Nandina is that it does not send underground sprouts all over the garden like bamboo does. The stems emerge right from the base of the plants.

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How about something a little different from me today.  Today I will give you a little tutorial on making a darling little zipper bag.  It's so easy and quick to make that you can whip one up in less than two hours!

Materials

2 fat quarters or scraps measuring at least 14" X 8 1/2"
batting (cut 1 - 15" X 9 1/2")
14" zipper

Instructions

1.  Sandwich the batting between the two pieces of fabric as you would a quilt sandwich.  Quilt straight lines 1 1/2" to 2" apart or meander.  Cut to 13" X 7 1/2"

2.  Align the zipper with the 7 1/2" edge, right sides together as in picture A (Zipper pull will be face down).  Stitch a 1/4" seam through all layers.  Zig-zag along the edge to flatten the edge and prevent raveling.

A

3.  Fold the quilted panel away from the zipper and topstitch a scant 1/4" away from the fold.  Make sure to catch the edge of the zipper tape underneath. Picture B

B

4.  Fold the quilted panel in half, right sides together, and align the zipper with the opposite edge.  Stitch a 1/4" seam.  Zig-zag the edge.  Picture C.

C

5.  Unzip the zipper so that the panel is flat and it is easy to topstitch along the second half of the zipper (as you did in step 3.  Picture D

D

6.  Close the zipper to make a tube.  With the zipper centered, flatten the tube and stitch a 1/4" seam at the end - at the bottom of the zipper.  Picture E.

E

7.  Unzip the zipper and stitch seam at the opposite end with a 1/4" seam.  Before stitching, make sure the zipper pull is between the seams.  Trim the zipper ends even with the fabric.  Zig-zag both end seams.  Picture F

F

8.  Fold each corner as shown and stitch a line 1" from the point, perpendicular to the end seam. Picture G

G

9.  Turn bag inside out.  And there you have it.  One really cute bag.  This can used for traveling, storing sewing tools, or anything else you can think of.  Don't just stick to this size - you can make the bag any size you would like!  So what did you think of my tutorial?

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GIVEAWAYS

Jaybird Quilts is hosting a sponsored giveaway featuring Canton Village Quilt Works.  There are three separate things to win.  Check this one out!  It ends Wednesday, October 20 at 10 p.m. EST.

And, in case you missed it yesterday, don't forget about Leona's giveaway.  Pop on over to Leona's Quilting Adventure and check out the book, the pattern, the two cute pouches, and 5 yards of Christmas fabric she is giving away.

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Final Thought

Ummm.....can you believe my mind is going blank.  No words of wisdom, no thoughts on ways to live or outlooks on life.  I'm sure the minute this posts I will have a dozen thoughts go through my brain that would have worked - but not today.  So, take the day and do whatever strikes your fancy.  Enjoy it!  As I sit hear listening to the final drops plop to the ground, I leave you with this............

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.

~Author Unknown

Ta-ta for Tuesday!!