Melissa Dunworth – Page 40 – Sew Bittersweet Designs

Piccadilly Circus Handbag

11 Comments / Purse Palooza, Purse/Pouch / By Melissa Dunworth

Back at the beginning of October my wonderful friend CeLynn and I decided it was time to make another set of handbags together. We picked another pattern out of Sara Lawson’s book, Big City Bags, and started pulling from our stashes.

I found some great prints that I bought this summer when my mom was visiting but I was completely unsure if I would have enough fabric because I was slightly under the fabric requirements for the pattern. I emailed Sara on a Saturday, and I wasn’t expecting a response for a couple days, after all it was the weekend. I was so excited that she responded almost immediately and told me I should be fine so long as I was very careful with my cutting. I love AWESOME designers like Sara who really do make themselves available to their followers!

I have to say that I absolutely love how this bag turned out. In fact I only made one change and that was using D-Rings instead of actual rings. I couldn’t find any at all at JoAnns and I was too excited to get stitching to order any online and wait. I was so pleased with how the curved corners turned out – if you showed me this pattern 3 years ago I would have scoffed at the idea that I could sew it!

I didn’t have enough of my interior fabric to make the pockets so I grabbed a coordinating Kona. The entire bag, minus the interfacings was made from my stash. Oh how I love stash projects, my husband would be so proud!

I asked Anne to take a picture of me with the bag. When the only person available to take your picture is just under 4 feet tall you end up with some interesting angles. Next time I will have her stand on a foot stool!

I have to say I really love this bag and again I am just so pleased with Sara’s patterns. I am really looking forward to her next book!

And for those who don’t follow me on instagram, today is a certain someone’s fifth birthday. I am crying on the inside!

Take a Moment….

5 Comments / Uncategorized / By Melissa Dunworth

Today I ask that you take a moment and Thank a Veteran for their service and sacrifice for our country (if you do not live in the United States, take a moment to thank a veteran from your country – the sacrifice is the same regardless of the nation). To write a blank check to your country is the biggest act of service, commitment and the epitome of volunteerism.

Anne and I will be thanking our veteran. We will also be thanking many of our wonderful friends and family who have written the same blank check.

Curve It Up Finish

8 Comments / Quick Curve Ruler, Sew Kind of Wonderful / By Melissa Dunworth

Back in September I decided to take a break from designing and sew from someone else’s pattern. The pattern I picked was the Curve It Up pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful. The ladies from Sew Kind of Wonderful were having a QAL and I thought it would be fun to join in.

I have to say I found it really relaxing to take a break and it also completely rejuvenated me! I have since designed 5 new quilts and finished 3. I even wrote up a pattern! I will be releasing that later this week. Since I never showed my finished quilt on my blog and since there is a link up going on over at Sew Kind of Wonderful, I thought I should finally show it off!

I made a couple changes to a couple of blocks and with the exception of the Kona Navy border fabric, everything came completely out of my stash – and yes, I’m pretty proud of that fact! In the next couple days I will have a pattern release and I will be sharing a purse that I made last month too!

I hope everyone is having a fabulous Monday!

A Lovely Year of Finishes – October Winners

4 Comments / A Lovely Year of Finishes, Fiber of All Sorts / By Melissa Dunworth

Another amazing month of sewing has led to even more amazing finishes! This month Shanna and I are happy to announce the following winners.

A special thank you to all of our awesome sponsors!

1. PDF Pattern from Katy – The Littlest Thistle

Celine – Espirtpatch

2. One pdf pattern from Sew Sweetness

Heidi – Red Letter Quilts

3. PDF Pattern from Persimon Dreams

Karen – Capitola Quilter

4. $30.00 credit towards Long Arm Quilting Services
from by Orchid Owl Quilts

Lisa – Flickr

5. Sew BitterSweet Designs one pdf pattern

Andrea – Flickr

6. 1 Charm pack or $10.00 gift certificate to
Stitches n’ Giggles (winners choice)

Cathy – Winter Wanderings

7. Green Fairy Quilts – 3 pdf patterns

Ellie – Color My World

8. 9. One pdf Pattern from Clover and Violet

Sharon – Forget-Me-Not Stitches
CeLynn – CeLynn’s Sunflower Patch

10. One PDF Pattern from Meadow Mist Designs

Lucy – Lucymade

11. Thimblepie’s Quilt Supplies – Custom fabric package, 4 yards (worth $20) plus free shipping

Susan – Farm Quilter

12. Thread Prize from Aurifil

Mary – Mary Emmens

Shanna and I are looking forward to seeing everyone’s finishes for November!!!

Work-In-Progress Wednesday

7 Comments / A Lovely Year of Finishes, baby quilt, free motion quilting, Sew BitterSweet Designs Patterns, work in progress / By Melissa Dunworth

This week I have been busily working on my A Lovely Year of Finishes goal. Normally I don’t attempt to bust my goal out in the first week of the month but I volunteered to make 4 quilts to be raffled off at Anne’s preschool so my sewing time is about to shift back to charity mode pretty quickly.

I’m really happy with the quilting design that I came up with. In fact the only quilting I have left to do is in the gray sections and the borders. I’m hoping to bust it out today during preschool!

Have a Happy Wednesday and if you haven’t already, go link up your November goal!

Author name: Melissa Dunworth