As I was getting to the final stages of the Dinosaurs Quilt, my machine started having issues. The tension was messed up plus it was skipping stitches. I had a couple more quilts to finish but knew the Babylock needed maintenance first. So I stopped by the local quilt shop and got on the wait list. Four weeks later, they finally told me to bring the machine in. Yikes! That’s what happens when there is only one quilt shop and sewing repair guy in the county and you have a lot of retired ladies that having taken up quilting!

Anyhow, rather than wait…wait…wait…to get back to quilting, I got to work on some bags that people had asked for. First, a Sandhill Sling from Noodlehead from my very favorite Rifle Paper Company Fabric…..and I forgot to take pictures!

But I made two. So she would have a choice. Although I used the same fabrics on the exterior for both bags, the interior, the shoulder strap, and beads were different. The one she picked also had a zippered pocket on the inside. I’ll be adding those to all my slings in the future.

Here’s the second one that I did take snaps of. It still needs a home. If anyone is interested in purchasing this tote, let me know! I base my pricing on the cost of fabric and hardware so each sling is a different price. I possibly have just enough of this fabric left from Rifle Paper Company to make one more sling.

I recently ordered this canvas from Rifle Paper Company for a sandhill sling.

The fabric on each side is a Rifle Paper Company Quilting Cotton Basic. I love using this coordinating fabric on the inside of the totes.

Then I made another sling out of fabric I bought way back in June 2022 from the Fat Quarter Shop. This is from Ruby Star Society, my second favorite fabric company. I intended to make a sling with it but the alligator pair are exactly 7″ from nose to nose. And the sling front panel is 8″. With 1/2″ seams, I would be losing some gator snouts. The yard of fabric went into my tote fabric storage while I reconsidered what exactly I would be doing with it.

But, after making five slings, I decided I could make it work. And I did! I changed the seam allowance to 3/8″. Just enough! This one is going to my daughter-in-law.

Since I had to “fussy cut” the gators, I used almost an entire yard of fabric. I had just enough to add alligators to this “beer bag” that went to The Homosassa Mullet Toss and Spring Festival donation.

Hopefully I’ll get my quilting/embroidery machine back soon and I’ll get back to those two quilts I’ve been asked to make. Meanwhile, more totes, slings, and bags!