I have the new Amy Butler's Style Stitches bag pattern book. It's gorgeous. I have recently (right before Christmas) made the "Blossom Bag" pattern, and here it is...
I love it. Quite time consuming to make, but oh so worth the effort. I am hoping that my girlfriend Suzie likes the bag because it is her very belated '0' birthday present. Searching for the appropriate fabric to make the bag with took longer than I thought and then I found it on the day of her birthday. This bag has fancy little details around the straps, zippered pockets on the inside and lots of space for all those things a girl needs to have. 
The Style Stitches book is sensational with all steps clearly written and fantastic diagrams to boot. I have to say, Amy Butler and her team can sure write patterns well. Anyone with a bag fetish, such as I have, must own a copy of this book. I know I will be making more bags from the book, with the fabric for another 3 bags waiting in my sewing room to be made up.... stay tuned!
to take along sewing projects, made with shot purple cotton, a large floral print and some purple pom pom trim all topped off with a bright striped lining - LOVE IT! 
I made this bag for my Kris Kringle recipient at the SS&Q Christmas dinner which was held early in Dec.
What's even better, the recipient loved it! She came up to me later very happy - what more can you want when you make something for some one in the group who you don't know very well? It certainly made my night even better. - aw shucks.......
It's always around October/November that things seem to get busier and busier and not much happens in the way of quilting! :)
A few weeks ago, for the first time ever I compiled a list of what I want to achieve in the way of gifts to be made and other quilty things that I want to finish by a certain time. A bit like a 'to do list', but longer. So far, so good. My list seems to be working by not letting me get distracted by other things.
The list I mention won't get many UFOs completed, but it will clear space in my sewing room - mostly the sewing table and it will empty a few ziplock bags that seem to breed more projects when I am not in the sewing room.
I feel very calm since I have made this decision to follow the list. I will have to pay an UFO penalty to Stashbusters and will probably become their UFO Queen again before the end of the year, but that's OK because I am achieving projects which will make me happy, make others around me happy and I'll be having a few good catch-up sessions with friends when I see them to hand over the gifts - That is the important thing.
And.... the count of remaining UFOs and sewing room clean up will happen the week before Christmas when I have to get some projects out of the loungeroom and back to the sewing room so as to leave space for Santa to visit.....
I love it. Quite time consuming to make, but oh so worth the effort. I am hoping that my girlfriend Suzie likes the bag because it is her very belated '0' birthday present. Searching for the appropriate fabric to make the bag with took longer than I thought and then I found it on the day of her birthday. This bag has fancy little details around the straps, zippered pockets on the inside and lots of space for all those things a girl needs to have. 
