It's a Twister!

With a nod of the head to one of my favorite scenes from The Wizard of Oz... I've finished the new Storm Bag, and I have to say it's a twister!

This was a cool experiment and I just love the outcome. Here's a look:

Can you see how the fabric wraps around, like a tornado? Here's a closer look:

Perhaps in keeping with the beach theme, it's really a water spout, but let's not mince words. Here's the front of the bag:

Want a peek inside? Here you go:

And yes, like all Storm Bags, the Twister, the Tornado version is fully reversible. Here it is "inside-out":

I did the draw-string straps again, and you can pull the bag into all different shapes. It's so versatile! There is a pocket both inside and out, and I did some quilting on each "side" of the bag - I've never done that on a Storm!

Let's take a look at the Hold the Phone! Bag.

I think it came out cute. I did all the stitching in a YLI variegated thread - gold/sand tones. The "scallops" on the HTP! Bag and pocket tops are supposed to look like waves. Here's another look:

I took apart some of the left-over trim and hung it on the HTP! Bag for continuity. I think everything ties together so well!

Thanks for reading!
KZK

A Storm's Blowing In!

A Storm Bag, that is. I showed you the beach-themed prints we chose a couple posts ago; they really came together nicely! I got the body (or bodies - since it's fully reversible) of the bag finished up, then added the trim!

I've never dealt with anything like that before, but it went in fairly easily. I just took my time...

and used about 152 pins. OK, maybe only 150. But a LOT of pins. And I had to remember to keep the wooden beads/genuine faux pearls :)/shells/glass out of the way! Here's how the top of the bag looks right now:

Isn't it cool? Here's another look:

Doesn't the fab I used for the pocket sort of look like sand? I'll give you a better look at the bag itself after I'm finished; the fab twists around the Storm now -- like a TORNADO. I'm so easily amused.

I've started the HTP! Bag; here's a look:

This is quickly becoming a fav. I hope to get the grommets pounded in today and the handles looped through.

I'm also working on a new design, as per a special request from the Macon Bag-a-holic. It's very cute, on the small side, and goes with just about everything. Yes... I have named it, but I'm holding off on telling you until I have a few more made. :) I think you'll like it.

Thanks for reading!
KZK

Sale Fabs From the Quilting Cottage

Before I get started, a big "thank you" to those of you who voted for your favorite bag! It looks like the Z Bag and the Ram-a-Lamb came out on top! Very helpful to know!

A friend in Northern Cyprus sent me a link to a GREAT batiks sale over at the Quilting Cottage - 75% off her batiks! Wow, thanks, Pam! I couldn't resist ... and ordered 22 yards worth. :) You know ... I figured they wouldn't have everything by the time I put my order in and I checked the box that read something to the effect of "if you don't have exactly what I ordered, just send what you have; I'm stash-building".

I got a package in the mail a few days later with two of the fabs I'd ordered; shown here with my Guide Dog for the Color Blind.

GORGEOUS! I was thrilled. (And please know that I wash everything before I make it into bags or quilts.) High quality, rich, saturated colors .... perfect! Then I received the nicest email from the owner of the shop saying she never imagined her sale would go over so well and she was overwhelmed with customers showing up for the sale AND internet orders. Instead of taking the route most retailers would, when it's sold out, the sale is over, she apologized for not having everything and offered 75% off 18 yards (the remainder of my order) of ANY fabric she has or would get in before mid-December. WOW! I was blown away. And jumped on it, of course. :)

In came another box with everything I'd ordered. I take that back. She was short 1/4 yard of one fab, so she threw in 3 "fat quarters" of fabs that fit with the rest of my order!

How generous! The fabs that she added are high-quality and just stunning!

I wasn't the only one thrilled with and interested in my order. Check out my Quality Control expert, Drill SGT Zim:

I wonder if there is a shop cat? He loves cats. Interestingly enough, he was quite drawn to the French writing on this piece:

He's got great taste; I like that one a lot myself. There was also a yummy purple:

Dave jumped on it right away; his collar is purple, so he's kind of partial to it.

Is it just me, or does it look like he's hiding it from Amber (seen in the background)? She LOVED it. :)

It has some gold metallic "stuff" in it. Very lovely.

Remember in my last post - the HTP! Bag I did for Santa? The fab under Amber's right elbow is what I used to line the bag. It was the perfect "fit"!!!

Dave started to pout because I was letting his brother and sister help unpack the box. Check it out:

Heart breaker! Here's the whole shipment:

The maps are so cool. They'll make fabulous bags - and I think one may end up as a window topper in my hubby's office.

I am going to have so much fun with these fabs! Anyone see anything they'd like to put dibs on? :) Many thanks again to Pam for the heads up on the sale - and mega-thanks to the ladies at the Quilting Cottage!

Thanks for reading,
KZK

HTP! Bag for Santa!

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, Santa contacted me about making a Hold the Phone! Bag to give to a very special young lady. How exciting - I love helping Santa!

Here's Dave with the finished product.

I LOVE the colors! I decided to use some cotton batting in the bag, to give the phone a little more protection. The recipient is very active and I thought a little extra padding would be a good idea.

Here's a close up of the quilting and glass beads I included:

I wanted to keep it light and not to detract from the horses! I really think this fabric showed the horse theme better than the other one we were toying with using.

The "right" fabric for the inside showed up in a recent order I received. (More on that in a later post!) It's actually two shades of purple in one fab, and I used both. They are a great fit! Have a peek!

Santa, I hope you like it as much as I do! I'll get it shipped out promptly!

Special note to Rhonda, over at I Dine Alone: About that Sesame Broccoli Pasta! Here's how mine came out:

Mmmmm, a huge hit at our house! Many thanks!

And thanks to you for reading!
KZK

Shelly's Sister Jacque's Deeve

Did you see the post about the Iowa Hawkeyes Deeve Bag? Shelly was going to give it to her sister Jacque for Christmas! "Was" being the operative word. She couldn't wait! :)

Shelly sent the following picture...

Shelly and Jacque

...and told me that it "doesn’t look like we’re fighting over it….but we were!!!!" LOL! She said Jacque took it and said, "You can borrow it once…..maybe."

I just might have to break the rules again, so Shelly can have a Hawkeyes bag of her own. :)

Thanks to Shelly and Jacque!
KZK

Cool Quilt Giveaway!

I'm so excited! Pigtails and Snails is having a quilt giveaway! It's GORGEOUS! Please check it out at this link (click the banner below):

You can enter to win, also! It's warm, wonderful Fall colors - and sunflowers! It would look SO at home here in Kansas. :)

Thanks to "Lizzy Anne" for a cool opportunity - and thank you for reading. Go enter!
KZK

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Yes, I am a color blind female. Part of the 0.4-0.5% of the population, thank you very much. :) Fortunately for me, shortly after Dave got here, I recognized a talent in him. A talent for really great color coordination. It started almost as a joke, with letting him choose some quilt fabrics, then went on to the tiles for our Library/Media Room floor - and the grout, too!, the pavers for our brick pathway .... and now I basically run everything past him. He's really very good at his job.

I tried to shoot some vids of him "in action" the other day in the Studio, but he either clammed up when I hit the vid button, or I totally messed the video up (problems downloading from camera to computer) - but here are some stills of him at work. I've added my comments.

First we were trying to choose a fab or two to go with a gorgeous batik horse print for a Hold the Phone! Bag Santa is ordering for a Christmas present. (Note to Santa: I received your payment today - thank you!) I collected a bunch I thought might work and presented them to my Guide Dog for the Color Blind.

He loved the main "focus" fab and pretty much ignored everything else. Except for the lavender one in the bottom right-hand corner. He ended up scratching that one away from the others. That was on one of the botched vids. His message (and part of our partnership is that I have to understand what he's telling me) was that he didn't think any of them were "right". Especially the lavender.

We moved on to some "beach" prints for the new Storm Bag I mentioned in the last post. Instead of being constructed from small squares, it will be long rectangles that will "twist" into a Storm. Yes, like a tornado. :) Here's Dave, checking those fabs out:

I wanted to swap some of them out with some others, and he resisted.

He wouldn't let me take ANY of them. Except for the polypro. I was toying with using either black or the blue for straps, but they didn't really do it for either one of us.

I have some shells and sort of "beach glass" in a trim and wanted to see if they'd be a nice addition. I've never really embellished any of my bags with trim, but this could be a nice touch.

Dave really liked it.

A lot.

I work him hard, but he does get breaks.

We came back to the horse batik after his nap, pairing it with different fabs.

He did like the green on the left...

Woo!

...but then it hit me that there was another "small" problem. Or "not small" problem. Due to the size of the HTP! Bag and the large scale of the batik...

...we're going to be lucky to get ONE horse on the front of the bag. :( SO... if Santa is out there reading... that might be OK for what you have in mind, or it might not. Remember, I have the other horse print, too.

I could get more horses in by using this fab -- but it might not be "the look" you have in mind. It's a brighter, more lively print than the batik. Please let me know which one you prefer, Santa, and Dave and I will get right on it.

Thanks for reading!
KZK

Fabulous Fabs

Here are some of the newer fabs in my stash that we've been playing with. Just thought you might want to see some of the things cooking in my head.

Some Amy Butlers, Kaffe Fassets and batiks:

The Amy Butlers (along with a couple others that "go") are on the left; I have a bunch of 5-inch samples in the same line. AND some cool buttons in the sort of teal/spa and blue. It would make the COOLEST Sitia Marie!

Let's go Asian:

I can see lots of possibilities for them! I can see parts of them in a Storm Bag. In fact, I'm working on a new twist to the Storm now, in some sea-type of prints. There's a funny pun in there you'll get after you see what I'm doing to the Storm Bag. I will take a picture for the next post. Anyway, the fabs above would be fab for it.

I love these next two together. I can see them in a Deeve; the blue on the outside and the neutral on the inside.

Wouldn't this coffee print and its friend make a cool Boo Tote?

Or even a Z Bag.

This print needs to go into something cool. Maybe a Boo or a Ram-a-Lamb:

And here are some I've pulled together for a Super Shopper.

I've got a few more things in the works right now that I'll share soon.

Did you all see the poll in the left sidebar? Please vote for the Bags by KZK Bag you like best!

Thanks for reading,
KZK

Bobbie's Hold the Phone! Bag

Here's Izzy, kicking back in Oklahoma with a HTP! Bag I made for Bobbie. (I did not make the larger purse; Bobbie did! Isn't it cute?!)

I don't know a lot about cats... but based on the look on Izzy's face, I don't think I'd try the snooter hanging maneuver with one. Maybe it's just me.

Thanks for the pose, Izzy!
KZK

Sitka's and Cornelia Marie's Hold the Phone! Bags

Shelli isn't the only bagaholic in her family. I've made at least two HTP! Bags for Sitka, and one for her little sister Cornelia Marie as well. Hmm. :)

Here's Sitka, trying her paw at snooter balancing her leash-style bag.

That was a mighty good try!

Sitka has a HTP! Bag to go with her UGA gear, and now each of the girls have HTP! Bags to match their special leashes now. Here's C-Marie stopping to pose with hers on a trip to the vet's:

What a DOLL! You can read more about her HTP! Bag at this link.

Here is Sitka, showing us both of the girls' bags with their matching leads:

Let's see that gorgeous face!

Thanks for an outstanding modeling job, girls! Cookies for everyone! :)
KZK

Penny's Hold the iPhone! Bag

Here is Loki (Meeshka's brother) with his human womans's Hold the iPhone! Bag ...after swiping it off his nose. :)

Posing with something on your nose isn't for everyone. Many thanks to Loki and his human woman for giving it a try. :)
KZK

The Kapp Pack's Boo Tote

You know, it's never too early to get a girl interested in bags! :) Here's the Kapp Pack's little biped, modeling the Boo Tote!

Is she about as adorable as it gets? Check out the shoulder move -

I think she has a very successful future as a Bags by KZK model ahead of her. AND here's her mom:

Great job, girls! Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures with us!
KZK