Yoga Bags

I've been taking yoga since the beginning of 2009, I love it!! I'll go about 4 to 6 days a week. I bought this Stott Pillates Express Mat in sage green. It's 3/8" thickness wasn't hard on my knees, hands or head. The only problems I had was that when unrolling it, it kept curling. It also felt a bit squishy. I did solve that when I made a cover for it made out of the Vintage Old Tin Can fabric. I'll take a pick to show sometime soon.

I later purchased the Aeromat Ecowise 3/8" Fitness Mat in black. It is not squishy at all. I put a regular green mat next to it to show the size difference. The bags I made fit both the Stott Pilates and the Aeromat mats.

Here are pictures of my first mat bag. It is large enough to hold a thick mat as well as a hand towel. The bottom of the bag has a large pocket. There are also two zippered pockets.

Can't have too many pockets and zipper pockets.
I can even put a hand towel in there.

It has a very large pocket on the bottom.
I put workout accessories in them.

Below are two pics of the second yoga mat bag I made. Notice that there is a large removable  pocket on the bottom of the bag in the first picture. I used Velcro.

This pic shows the pocket attached.

This pic has the pocket removed.

I also made this water bottle carrier. I went through quite a few water bottles, including aluminum, plastic, and stainless steel. I finally settled on this Thermos carrier. It really keeps my water cold. I've even left it in my trunk overnight. The next morning, my water was still cool! I have another Thermos bottle that isn't covered that I use at home. There is never any condensation on the outside.

My water bottle carrier has two snap pockets to keep money/credit cards/driver license. I can even put folded paper behind the large pocket.

Wine Bottle Bag With Coasters To Welcome Our New Neighbors

We recently had new neighbors move in next door. I thought that I would make them this wine bag holder and coasters to welcome them to our neighborhood. The wine bag has a round bottom. I used a scratched CD disk as a template for the bottom of the bag. As for the coasters,  I've made different types of them in the past; some that were square, and some that were round. But I always made them the same way I made the travel tissue holders, so that you can slip the glass stem inside.  These, however, are made so that the stem will not slip out of the holder. It takes a little longer to insert the glass stem, but it is worth it, if it means the coaster will not slip off.

 I saw on TV a while back—can't remember what sewing/craft show — where a guest was demonstrating making the coasters this way.  It looked easy, so I gave it a try.   They were in fact very easy. Yay!!

If anyone wants to make these coasters, I searched the web for clear instructions, and found this one to be very good. Her pictures are very clear and easy to follow. Be sure to view the tutorial in the Slideshow mode.

Sewing Project: Angel Rose Small Wall Hanging Quilt

I guess you could say I have a running theme. The Angel Rose picture. It is very dear to me. I try to incorporate it in many things I make. I sew enjoy it! It is pretty small, about 8"  x 10. 

 I gave it to one of my sisters who put it into a frame.

Red, White & Blue: Made in the USA!

Yesterday, being the day before the Fourth of July, I thought that I would make something out of a couple of yards of red, white and blue fabric that I’ve had for a little while. I couldn’t decide what to make, but finally in the evening, being tired, I thought an easy thing to make would be a cute pillow case sun dress. Now that I have a little gorgeous granddaughter, I can finally make cute little dresses—Yea!!! I made a pillow case dress for Easter for her Mom about 30 years ago.  I remember my Nina Irene who is in her mid-eighties, telling me that the pillow case dress has been around for years. She remembers her little sister--my dear Mom wearing them.

This Fourth of July morning since I had a little time before my 4 year-old grandson, Chase, and his little sister, almost 15 month-old Ella Rose came to spend part of the day with me and “Pops,” their Grandpa, I thought I would make another little “Independence Day” pillow case dress. These are very simple, no pattern needed. I like short-cuts, so I took pictures, if anyone is interested, leave a comment and I will post pictures. Oh, and I tried to get pictures of Ella Rose to model in them, but that little one just will not stay still! 

Here is Fourth of July information that I read in today's Los Angeles Times:

 A Fourth of July primer: Born in the U.S.A.