So last weekend I decided I needed to make myself a new notions bag. When I first started getting really involved with knitting, I made a small bag to start carrying around a tape measure, scissors, and stitch markers. At this point, I didn't have a lot of sewing know-how. So this is what I came up with:


Note the how the bag is 1/2" longer than the zipper. and how the white backstitching adds a nice contrast to the gray fabric. That way you can easily observe how crooked it is. ;)

So, time for an upgrade.

I've been reading this blog for awhile now and love it. I always get excited when I see a new post. I've been wanting to make her little pen case for awhile and this seemed like a great opportunity since it would be a good bag to replace my old notions bag. So I went for it:


Love it. In the future I'd change a few things, like the sides. Currently, they are basically a trapezoid that folds into the bag, and there is a bit of space left at the top too. I'd do a triangle next time and try to avoid that space.

My favorite part though is the quilting. So much fun to do. I want to sew more!

I love the way the stitching along the seams seems to almost blend the fabric together.

The fabrics I used for the quilting section are Japanese cottons, except the stripe second from the right (the lining and polka dot fabrics are from my local fabric store) . Overall, I'm very pleased with this bag. It does a great job of holding all my knitting stuff.
Oh, and here's another fun thing I want to share:

Some backyard visitors.