Little projects...

While I was in limbo between getting backing fabric to finish the hexagon quilt-a-long quilt top, and starting the commissioned baby quilt thats up next (fabric is ordered, but yet to arrive at my doorstep!) I figured I'd put together the two tote bags a coworker had asked me to make for two little girls.  

I love these colors together!  It reminds me of juicy summer fruit or something citrus-y...watermelons, oranges and lemons...The bees are just perfect and fun, and of course embroidered in hot pink.

For Breanna's bag, I just had to use the little birdie fabric I had purchased for my stash a few months ago, and forgot about haven't found the right project for (my husband is always on my case for buying fabric, he's always saying "you probably dont even know what you have in all those stacks of fabric!") apparently he was right in this case, I think this means I just need a better storeage system...I'll add it to the "to do" list, for another day

I just love those little birdies, so fun and a little funky and the color is a really great blue/aqua.  I think it would be great for an apron/pot holder combo, but it also just seemed right for this little bag.

Hopefully Breanna and Betheny like their bags!

On an aside, as I was working on this little project, I noticed my machine was making an odd sound and the thread kept catching...after threading and rethreading everything I could think of, I realized that since I got my machine (for Christmas last year) I have never tried to take the plate off and clean out the bobbin case, etc.  Soooo....

When I opened it up, this is what I found!  I'm almost embarassed to show it, and I think this picture actually makes it look about 10 times better than it was!  After thinking about it, I think I've quilted about 8 or so quilts on it plus all kinds of odds and ends projects...needless to say it was more than overdue for a cleaning. 

So I pulled out the shop vac with the narrow nozzle attachment, and the little cleaning brush and went to town!

Ahhh, thats much better, almost like new!  I think I actually heard my machine say "thank you"!  After reassembling everything, and rethreading, magically the strange noise was gone and it was sewing like a dream!  Shocking, I know. 

So lesson learned, keep your machine happy and it will keep you happy in return!

On a second aside, our solids bee is filled and will be beginning in September, can't wait!

Jessica