Bonnie
Modes4U Fabric & Travel Bags for My Boys
Traveling with little ones is so much easier when everyone has their own place to keep and carry their things. We’re away from home right now on a trip that includes several different destinations and quite a bit of time in the car. Just before we left, I stocked up on activity books for three-year-old Charlie and six-year-old Jamie and whipped up these quick totebags for each of them to keep everything organized!
I’d been eyeing some of the adorable oxford Kokka boys’ fabrics at Modes4U. I knew that Jamie would love the pirate fabric, and Charlie is all about anything that drives or flies, so the vehicle fabric was perfect for him!
My only worry was whether the fabric would get here in time since it ships from Hong Kong. Thankfully, it arrived in plenty of time — about 7 business days! (Their website does say that it can take up to 15 business days, though, so be sure you have a backup plan if, like me, you have to have the fabric really quickly.)
The oxford fabric is sort of a lightweight canvas, so it’s perfect for a simple totebag. For Jamie’s bag, I used two different colors of the same fabric and added piping along the front pocket. Charlie’s bag used two fabrics from the same line that were pretty busy-looking when I put them together. I eased that problem by breaking them up a bit with piping and a strip of solid fabric at the top of the pocket. 
Both bags got zippered back pockets for those little things that tend to need better containment.
Inside, I added a couple of colored pencil pockets along with a pocket that is just the right size for the mini-coloring and sticker books that I slipped into their bags. (I love being able to completely customize what I’m sewing for our needs!)
The boys are really enjoying their new bags, and so far, they’ve done a really good job of putting their things away when they’re done so we don’t lose track of or leave anything behind on any of our stops.
For those of you who are moms to boys, Modes4U has an enormous selection of boys’ fabrics! I don’t think there’s a single one that I don’t like! I’ll definitely be back for more. This oxford fabric would be great for summer shorts! They also carry a whole list of other things, including bento boxes. I grabbed one of those, too, that you’ll see later. (I think it’s going to be perfect for next week’s sightseeing.)
Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!
It’s Giveaway Day at Sew Mama Sew, and it’s been a little while since I joined in the fun! If this is your first time here or your one hundredth time visiting, WELCOME! If you’ve found your way over from the link-up at Sew Mama Sew, I hope you’ll browse around a bit, say, “Hi!” and take away a little inspiration.
My name is Bonnie, and I’ve been blogging here for many years, sharing the things that I sew for my little ones, for my family and for my home, along with a few recipes now and then, and a little bit about life in general. Recently, my assistant, Leigh, has joined me in sharing some of her projects, as well. (You can find Leigh blogging regularly over at Rooibos Mom.)
I’m the designer behind Fishsticks Designs sewing patterns. I primarily design patterns for children’s clothing and for accessories. I really enjoy focusing my designs on things that are practical and things that work for little boys (although, I’m slowly adding little girls’ clothes, too).
I’m giving away the winner’s choice of three of my pdf patterns this week, and since you’ll need fabric and notions to sew those new patterns, I’m adding a $25 gift card to the winner’s favorite online fabric store! There are thumbnails of all of my patterns along the right-hand sidebar here, and you can find details about each of them in the Fishsticks Designs Pattern Store if you want to take a closer peek at what you’re entering to win.
I’m using a Rafflecopter for entries because it’s easy for you to use, and it makes choosing a winner complication-free for me. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite thing is to sew for your loved ones then click on the Rafflecopter to confirm your entry. (Don’t miss the bonus entries for Facebook fans and blog/newsletter subscribers!)a Rafflecopter giveaway
Crazy Mini-Block Set #1 for Charlie’s Quilt
Things are moving along quite nicely with the crazy I-spy mini-blocks for Charlie’s quilt. (I love that he gets so excited when he finds me in my studio working on it! I really have to get it finished for him before we leave on our trip!)
I’m not sure yet whether I’m going to sew 10 or 12 of these mini-blocks. Either way, these are the first five finished blocks. (This week’s Crazy Quilt Sewalong Challenge is to show off at least one finished block.)
For each block, I started with a fussy-cut focus piece and worked around it with the other scraps that I have on hand. 
I’m such a planner. These blocks definitely push me out of my comfort zone because they’re such an exercise in going with the flow. 
I am having fun choosing fabrics that are very “Charlie”. He was born in Texas thus the block below, and the Michael Miller Dino Dudes above makes me laugh a bit. I worked so much with Dino Dudes between the interlock, the woven and the various colors of jerseys . . . oh, and the PUL! This child wore Dino Dudes at least one day a week for the first couple years of his life!
My blocks are incredibly simple compared to some of the amazing blocks showing up on the Crazy Quilt Sewalong Facebook Event Page! If you’re looking for inspiration, you have to go check it out!
~Bonnie
KCW Days 2 through 5: Hoodies for Travel & Some Secret Sewing
I know I said I was going to be working on shirts for my two little guys during this season’s Kids Clothes Week, but I got a little sidetracked. These are at least tops, right? I mentioned before that we are heading out on a family trip soon. We’re off to visit a few places that are normally fairly warm this time of the year, but with highs currently hanging out in the low 60s and high 50s, my Florida babies just might be cold! I’ll admit that I agonized a little over the idea that all of our outdoor sightseeing pictures were going to show jackets instead of the cute handmade shirts that I’ve been working on. Enter the handmade hoodie, and that problem is solved!
This light blue stretch french terry has been in my stash for longer than I remember. It’s got a nice weight to it, not too heavy, not too light, and it made the perfect backdrop for some of the jersey knit stripes that I love for my boys!
I used my Charlie Tee & Hoodie pattern for these sized up one size since these will be worn over clothing. I modified the pattern slightly by rounding the pocket openings. I’m really loving pockets with a little bit of a curve mixed in with the sharp right angles.
The hoods on both tops are lined with the same stripe as the pocket and the sleeve- and waist-bands are done with scraps of chocolate brown french terry. The brown french terry doesn’t have a stretch to it, so I increased the width of the bands to equal the width of the part I was sewing it to.
I also had a blast playing with raw edges again! I am generally a little bit obsessive about the way that my seams look, but the reckless nature of these raw edge finishes makes that totally unnecessary. You really don’t know how the fabric is going to curl along the seam allowance until after it’s washed and dried, so slightly wiggly stitching is no big deal! It just adds more character.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I worked on another project for my kids. One that happens to also include raw edge jersey knit sewing. I’m not quite ready to share the whole thing yet, but I’ll share a little picture of some fun pockets . . . lots of fun pockets.
Bonnie’s Crazy Scrap Pile and Plan
Weeeee! Time to get started on the Sew Can She Crazy Quilt Sewalong! This little mountain shows just a small portion of my I-Spy scraps. We’ve been a little I-Spy Quilt crazy around here in the past, and it’s time to make another one! I have a tendency to grab fat quarters and 1/4 yards that have fun novelty prints on them whenever I run across them, and I hang onto any scraps with cute prints that would work in an I-Spy Quilt, too!
Each of my kids has what we call “couch quilts” that I’ve sewn for them. They are generally about 50″ x 60″ finished with a quilted top and minky on the back. I’ve turned and topstitched some and machine bound others. They are perfect quilts for little ones to sleep with and for big ones to curl up under on the couch. (They’re the only blankets that I allow to be dragged around the house.) They also fold up quite compactly for travel, so they go with us when we’re on the road.
I started planning Charlie’s quilt last year before we left Texas. Actually, I even sewed six blocks for it, but then the house sold and packing started, and I never made it back to it. I was so excited when Caroline told me she was planning a crazy quilt sewalong because it’s perfect motivation to get this quilt done! It just so happens, that my first six blocks are crazy (or wonky) log cabin blocks.
(That’s Charlie’s little finger pointing out the I Heart Robots fabric on top.) The pile of squares to the right are already cut to 6 1/2″ which is 1/4 the size of my finished blocks. My plan is to sew random crazy blocks that are 6 1/2″ to mix in with those squares in 4-patch blocks. To finish the piecing, I’ll stagger the crazy log cabin blocks and the crazy 4-patch blogs. But, we leave on a trip next Friday, so I’ll be sewing fast and sewing ahead of everyone else! I’ll share pieces as we travel, though, so you won’t get to see my finished project until the very end.
~Bonnie
The Sew Can She Crazy Quilt Sewalong!
Do you have a pile of fabric scraps? Have you ever wondered what to do with them? Would you love to try out crazy quilting? Are you motivated by great sewing prizes? If you answered yes to any (or all!) of those questions, then come join us as we put those scraps to use in crazy new ways in Sew Can She’s Crazy Quilt Sewalong! 
The fun starts this Saturday, April 20th. Your goal is to create something amazing with a crazy quilt block or two or a dozen. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination . . . and your fabric stash! At the end of the sewalong, you’ll have a handmade and crazy project to enjoy, and you could be the proud winner of a prize from one of these generous sponsors:
I’m excited, too, to tell you that my new assistant, Leigh, is going to be joining in the Crazy Quilt Sewalong with me and sharing here on the Fishsticks Designs blog! I’ll be back this afternoon to share her introduction with you. I think you’re going to love her!
To read all the details and join the Facebook event page for the sewalong, click right here: The Crazy Quilt Sewalong Announcement. I can’t wait to see what you sew!
The Casual Lady for Spring!
Did you know that Made by Rae‘s Spring Top Sewalong is wrapping up this week? Several years ago, I sewed a top for myself every day of Spring Top Week. How did I possibly have the time? My schedule has definitely filled up since then.
The pattern is simple and straight-forward, and it’s such a nice-fitting top! The only little problem I had was that my lining wouldn’t stay inside nicely around the neckline, and I used a solid so it needed to. I topstitched the neckline to make it stay put, but then the whole neckline folded itself out. Urgh. I realized that I’d probably stitched too close to the edge, so I sewed a second line 1/4″ in (my original was at 1/8″), and that took care of that! Yay! 
I’m not usually one to wear sleeveless tops, but this one feels like it has sleeves because of the way it curves around and shapes to your shoulder. I think it looks like it has a cap sleeve, even though it really doesn’t. Pretty cool, huh?
My 15-year-old, Samantha, did such a nice job of taking pictures for me, didn’t she? She just kept snapping while I tried different poses. I think this picture just might be my favorite. “Jamie! You cannot hide behind me while we’re taking pictures!” Ha! When I want him in a picture, I nearly have to bribe him!
My Blue Ribbon Gluten-Free Granola Cookies
These cookies are addicting . . . so use caution! I spent some time experimenting with granola bar recipes and breakfast cookie recipes a couple of months ago in an attempt to come up with a recipe for a healthy-ish snack that I could take along to Allen’s track meets. It had to be something that uses real ingredients, it had to have chocolate and it needed to be gluten-free. What I ended up with is a recipe that is shaped like a cookie, but has the texture and taste of a granola bar. (My kids actually call these Granola Circles.) Everyone who has tried these has enjoyed them so much, I couldn’t resist baking up a batch and entering it into our county fair. And, it won a first place ribbon!
Ready to get started?
The Ingredients:
3 cups gluten-free rolled oats (If you don’t need these to be gluten-free, traditional rolled oats work perfectly, too!)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups of coarsely chopped pecans
3 large or 4 small ripe bananas (The riper your bananas the more banana flavor your finished cookies will have.)
1/2 cup coconut oil, warm enough to be liquid (It only needs to be about 76 degrees to melt, so don’t heat it too much.)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coarsely chop your pecans.
In a large bowl, mix oats, coconut, sea salt and chopped pecans.
Puree your bananas. ( I use the blender. If you mash them by hand, be sure that you don’t have any chunks left.) Add pureed bananas and coconut oil to the dry ingredients. If your maple syrup is coming straight from the refrigerator, mix these ingredients in before adding the maple syrup and the vanilla. If your maple syrup is room temperature, you can mix all the liquid ingredients in at the same time. (If you pour the cold maple syrup onto the melted coconut oil before mixing it in, it will harden, and you won’t be able to mix it in. I speak from experience. )
Pour in the mini chocolate chips and mix it all well. Feel free to taste the “batter” and see what you think, but don’t eat it all!
Grab a cookie cutter and place it on your baking stone or on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. I use a 2 1/2″ circle cookie cutter, but any cookie cutter in a similar size and shape will work. (Maybe hearts for Valentines Day or Christmas trees in December? How fun would that be?) Scoop out about 1/4 cup of the cookie batter and press it into the cookie cutter really well. It should end up being about 1/2″ thick.
Carefully remove the cookie cutter, leaving a perfect little circle (or heart or Christmas tree) behind.
Repeat until you’ve filled up your baking sheet.
Bake for 24 to 27 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Mine are always perfect right at 26 minutes.
Slide the cookies off onto a wire rack to cool. You can eat them warm, of course, but I think they’re best when they’ve cooled to room temperature! 
I would love to hear your feedback if you give this recipe a try! I’m thinking that it would be just as yummy if you substituted dried fruit for the chocolate chips and any other chopped nut for the pecans. I’ll be making a big batch for our family trip next month!
Covert Robin: What I Received
Yesterday, I shared what I sent off to my Covert Robin. Today, I get to share the lovely gift that I received! Ella from Throw a Wench in the Works sewed for me, and she sent me Un-Paper Towels! These have been on my to-do list for so long, and I’ve never gotten around to making them!
If you’ve ever read my About Me page, you know that the only paper product that we use in our home is toilet paper. I didn’t even own a paper towel holder, so I had to run out to Target and buy one! (Should I call it an un-paper towel holder?)
The towels that Ella sewed have a decorative cotton woven front and absorbent cotton terrycloth on the back. Each towel has snaps so that you can snap them together to roll them onto the holder and unsnap them to use them. When you’re done, you just toss them into the wash and reuse them. Yay! No more paper towel waste! (Not that we had paper towel waste here before, but my towels were all in a drawer. Now they can be pretty on the counter! If you use paper towels, you should make yourself some of these!)
Funny story? As I finished up the pictures, my 13-year-old, Allen, reached for one of the towels to dry off his hands, and his older sister, Samantha, said, “You can’t use those. They’re too pretty. Use the towels in the drawer first!” I had to point out that the towels were made to be used, not just to look pretty! They do look pretty, though, don’t they?
Ella also sent me this beautiful fabric-covered journal which is going to get plenty of use! I carry a notebook with me everywhere I go so that I can keep all of my thoughts and lists and plans in one place.
Thank you so much, Ella! I am thrilled with everything!
Covert Robin: What I Sent
I had so much fun participating in the Covert Robin Swap hosted by Imagine Gnats! The Covert Robin is a mystery round-robin swap. The participants know who they’re sending to, of course, but it’s a secret who you’ll be receiving from! When you’re planning your gift, you have to be sneaky about searching for likes and dislikes of your recipient. (Can I admit that I felt a little stalker-ish when I was researching my partner? It was fun, though!)
My CR recipient was Shannon from I’m Working on a Project. My assignment arrived in my inbox while I was waiting for Allen’s track team to finish their early Wednesday morning run across the bridge, so my first look at Shannon’s blog was on my I-phone. The incredibly amazing dinosaur quilt that she finished last year is the header on her blog, and I was awestruck. Really. And, I was only looking at the tiny pictures on my phone! You have to go check out Seymour before you read any further! I can sew pretty much any clothing, but art quilts leave me with my mouth hanging open. Scrolling through Shannon’s posts, I ran across something about using a soldering iron in the construction of a quilt, and I walked around the rest of the day mumbling, “I’m supposed to sew something for someone who uses a soldering iron when she sews?!”
I took a deep breath, though, and took a peek over at her Pinterest account where I found a few ideas. Shannon likes bright colors, and I found a few things that she’d pinned and said she liked the colors, specifically turquoise and lime green. I also found that she’d pinned a couple of little credit card/discount card pouches. A little digging through my stash for scraps of some fun brightly-colored fabrics, and a trip to Joanns for some Kona cotton, and I was ready to get started!
I used my Sunny Days Beach Bag Tutorial to make the main gift – the tote bag that you see above. (Everyone can use an extra tote bag, right?) I just reduced the finished size to make it a roomy tote, rather than a carry-the-whole-house-plus-the-kitchen-sink bag. For the front of the criss-cross pocket, I pieced fabric scraps in strips to add some fun interest.
I added a couple of inside pockets, too, and loops on the inside seams for those little clippy things. They’re great for hooking your keys or anything with a handle that you don’t want to lose in the bottom of a big bag.
On the back, I adding in a strip of the fabric that I used for the handle to give it a little extra color.
I whipped up a quick key fob to match. (The tutorial for that is right here: Fun Fabric Fobs.)
Finally, I designed and sewed a little zippered card/coin pouch with wrap-around zipper, similar to those that Shannon had pinned on her Pinterest.
What do you think? I know that I could use something in my purse to hold all those membership cards that keep piling up! I like the way this turned out so much that I’m planning to share a tutorial for making them next week! Be sure to come back and check it out!
Lastly, I included some goodies, all wrapped up in a bow. (I figured that if she hated everything else, she could drown her disappointment in chocolate and lollipops. She didn’t hate it, though! Yay! She says she likes it all, and she’s already tucked her latest crochet project into the bag.)
Tomorrow, I’ll share the amazing gift that I received in the Covert Robin Swap. It just arrived on my front doorstep yesterday, so I still have to get some pictures, but I love it!
