Happy Feet

Sorry for the prolonged radio silence all! Unhappy convergence of snow (which, as you all know, I actually adore) and altitude = migraine. Grrrr! Anyhoo, onto happier things! Like feetsies! Perhaps not all that exciting to anyone else around here, but I have recently discovered the wonder of new feet!

No silly, not THOSE kind of feet! (But, don't I wish I was back at the beach right now digging my toes into the warm sand!!).

Nope, I'm talking about presser feet! Those seemingly boring little bits of metal that you have to keep changing around just when you're in the middle of a project. I really didn't give them any attention until I recently took a sewing class that was came part of my new Brother sewing machine. As part of their not-so-subtle marketing campaign, the store pulled out every last little presser foot, extolling their little virtues and showing off their little tricks. Recognizing a sale ploy when I saw it, I dug in my heels and thought to myself, "my machine already comes with 7 feet; how many additional feet could I possibly need?" Foolish, foolish question!! Because this, faithful reader, is the beginning of the end:

A gathering foot, an edge joining foot, and, my personal favorite, a pintuck foot! Because once you discover how much fun and adorable pintucks are, it's kind of hard to resist that one! And how can you not want ruffles on your pillows or PJ bottoms? And once I discovered that you can use the edge joining foot to sew together bits and pieces of too-small batting into now usable pieces, well, it's really a cost-saving measure, right?? right?? Yes, I succumbed. But at least I went the Amazon route, which is SOOO much less expensive!

And now, linking to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday! I have two projects dueling for attention right now (actually, many more than that, but these two are clamoring for the public eye). The first is a little travel sewing kit that I'm making for a friend's teen-aged daughter who just begun to sew. We're sending off a care package filled with fabric, some patterns, and some other goodies, including this sewing kit, once it's finished. I saw this skull-and-cross bones (and hearts) fabric and just had to get it! I got the tutorial from lots of pink here's blog. It's a great blog, so go check it out! I first discovered it during Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Days. That's actually how I discovered this sewing kit, because she was giving away one and I was so coveting it! I didn't win it, so I thought I better get busy and figure out how to make one myself! Once I finish one for Hannah I'm going to have to make one for myself! Once I'm done with that I think I may make one just for all my happy little presser feet!

The other project I'm grooving on right now is a messenger bag. I'm calling it the "Perfect Messenger Bag," certainly not because it's going to be perfect, but because I'm trying to make it the messenger bag with all the features and dimensions that all my store-bought messenger bags lack! I'm a bit of a bag lady, always in search of the perfect bag. As if once I find the perfect bag, my life will be in order! Hah! Anyway, I though if I made one myself I might get a big closer! So, I'm going slowly as this project is a big one for me and has me a big freaked out. I started with the laptop case. I thought I'd make it a removable laptop cover. The overall messenger bag will be a combination black and black and white duck cotton/canvas, but I'm sneaking a bit of corresponding hot pink and white duck cotton/canvas on the inside for a bit of punch. Because it can't be all serious and boring, right?! I have finished the laptop bag so far:


Still quite a ways to go, but I'm happy with it so far! Baby steps, y'all!