And then some days...

Fresh off my success with the skull coin purse, I set out this weekend to make another one, more like the ones found here: http://so-sew-easy.com/how-to-sew-coin-purse-with-a-sew-in-purse-frame/ and here: http://flutterkat.com/2013/10/framed-purse-tutorial/

Well, I'm not sure what I did wrong, but the top of my fabric just didn't fit into the frame. Scratch the not knowing part. I clearly didn't cut the fabric into the right shape!  I just can't figure out how I could've not!  Anyway, I ended up with this:

See how there's just not enough fabric on the left hand side?  Le sigh. The whole thing is a real shame and irritation, because it's pretty adorable:

Oh well! Luckily, I can still use the frame. Back to the drawing board!  (And to figure out a way to reuse this fabric!)

Beachy Bottle Necklaces and bead-and-pearl stretch bracelets

Have you all seen the bottle necklaces that have been cropping up?  I love them!  I also had some adorable little teensy seashells that I bought a few years ago when we lived in Florida. Add a bottle and voilà! New necklaces.

I added wire wrapped pearls to one chain, and I rather like it.

Look how tiny these shells are! Adorable! ❤️

Also made a few bead and pearl stretch bracelets for my niece's birthday. 

Just a little something...

A few weeks ago, I bought some frame purse clasps from one of the numerous sellers on Etsy. They arrived this weekend, and I couldn't resist making a little coin purse with some skull fabric Ingot specifically for this. It's not perfect, but it is fun and cute!  

 For the lining, why not lime green?

What doesn't show well is that the skull has some silver sparkle to it. It's just fun and pretty and makes me happy. I've got some really cute fox, bird, and other wildlife fabrics just begging to be made int purses, so we'll see what comes up!

Current Quilting UFOs

So, a couple of months ago, I discovered the Missouri Star Quilt Company's quilting tutorials (quiltingtutorials.com), and I FELL IN LOVE!!!  I am amazed at how they make traditional blocks easier and faster, and how they make complicated-looking blocks with such simple methods. 

So, I've made a few quilts from their tutorials. I'll show some of the finished ones later, but for now, here are my current UFOs, made using MSQ's "Half Square Triangles Around the World" tutorial (http://land.missouriquiltco.com/half-square-triangles-around-the-world/)

And this one, which is MSQ's "Herringbone Quilt Tutorial" (http://land.missouriquiltco.com/herringbone-quilt/).  (It looks strangely shaped because of how its draped over the ironing board. It's really a rectangle - please excuse my terrible photography skills!  And, ahem, my messy sewing room!)

In reality, the HSTs Around The World and Herringbone use the exact same method, but are simply arranged differently. 

I am so in love with HSTs at the moment!!!  There are just a million ways to arrange them, and I've got a few more waiting to be put together!  But first, I think I'd better finish these quilts!

Lastly, this one is the first quilt I ever started, before I'd even taken a quilting class. Of course I jumped right in with triangles! Who wouldn't, lol?  ;)  I also pieced it on the serger (WHAT?!?), which I actually don't hate - it does keep the back nice and neat!  I haven't done another one on the serger, though - I think I will try one with showing serged edged sometime, but we'll see - so many ideas, so little time!  Anyway, it's a little hard to tell that it's tumbling blocks, but I'm still in love with this old Amy Butler fabric line, so I love this baby. 

Can you see the couple of open-cube blocks I did? Those are fun!  :)

And the back.

Well, that's all I have for you for the moment - I'm off to do a little studying.  Or putting borders on these babies. Studying? Borders? Studying? Borders? Hmmm...  ;)

Introduction

Hello on this bright and chilly Thursday morning!  This is my very first blog post - ever - so please excuse me as I stumble my way through!  I suppose I should start off by introducing myself and telling you what this blog will be about.

My name is Kelley (Hi!), and I'm from the great state of Texas.  :)  I am a veteran and military spouse and am in my mid-30s.  I've collected a couple of college degrees, one in French (hence the blog name), and one in International Relations.  I am a bit of a Francophile. I dream of living in Europe someday, if only for a couple of years.  One day, it will happen! ;)

I love to quilt.  And sew.  Crochet. Make beaded jewelry. Cross stitch.  Bake.  Well, you get the idea.  So I wanted to have a place to talk about all the things I love to do and am doing.  Which is this place, I suppose!  I'll probably also throw in the occasional post about parenting (I have a first grader), spousing (and a husband), and schooling (and am slowly working my way through a second undergraduate degree - in mechanical engineering).

Anyway, we'll just see how it goes!