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A Natural Pair – Butterfly Bush/Ivory

~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment
Happy Saturday sewists!
This week’s natural pair is the white butterfly bush and
the ivory By Annie handbag zipper.
Although the butterfly bush is called white,
it leans more toward the ivory side,
as you can see in the photo above.
The butterfly bush (generic name Buddeleia Davidii) comes in
several colors:  pink, purple, red, white, yellow
I have the pink, purple, and white growing in my backyard.
True to their name, the butterflies love them — and so do the hummingbirds and bees!
Butterfly Bush is a deciduous shrub here in zone 5,
but it can be an evergreen in warmer zones.
Be careful in those warm zones, though, it could become invasive.
That’s not the case here in colder zones.
I just cut mine back almost to the ground every winter and it grows to be about 10 feet tall
the next summer; and it is a prolific bloomer from late July through frost.

My pink and white butterfly bushes are side by side and they make a massive statement!

I used a By Annie ivory handbag zipper on my Ultimate Travel Bag.
If you don’t need a true, stark white zipper, the ivory is a nice neutral choice.
Thank you for visiting.

How To: Five Easy Steps to Sewing with Patterns By Annie

~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

If you are new to sewing a bag, tote, or organizer
getting started may seem a bit daunting.
Most of the patterns do not include actual pattern pieces.
That’s because the components are pretty much rectangles
or squares with rounded corners.
So the getting started instructions may seem extensive and intimidating.
If you look at the By Annie patterns with the following five steps in mind,
the process will come together much easier:

                                                                    1.  Gather
                                                                    2.  Quilt
                                                                    3.  Cut
                                                                    4.  Construct
                                                                    5.  Assemble

1.  Gather all your supplies as indicated on the back of the pattern and read through all the instructions before you start cutting.  Each pattern includes a back page that lists all the supplies you will need.

2.  Quilt your main fabric, Soft and Stable, and lining.  If you do this on your domestic machine, follow the cutting instructions before layering your fabrics and Soft and Stable for quilting.
If you are quilting your layers on a longarm machine, then do not cut the main fabric, Soft and Stable, and lining until after the quilting is completed.  **Instructions for each method are in the pattern**

3.  Cut all your pieces (including your quilted fabrics) as instructed.

4.  Construct all the components for your project.

5.  Assemble your components as instructed.

I have sewn a number of patterns By Annie and all of them have followed these five steps.  When I break down the process by thinking of it in five steps, the project seems less overwhelming.  I like to set my goals according to these steps.  For instance:  Day 1 Gather: Day 2 Quilt: Day 3 Cut: Day 4 (and maybe day 5 if there are lots of components) Construct; and Day 5 (and/or 6) Assemble.

So if you’ve had your eye on one of those great patterns By Annie (or if you already have one), but have been a bit intimidated at the process, I hope this gives you the confidence to get started on your own bag, tote, or organizer.

I’ll be back in a few days with my completed Running with Scissors organizer.

Have a terrific weekend.

A Natural Pair – Pastel Pink Snapdragon/Pale Pink

~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

Happy Thursday, sewers!
Today’s blog post is brought to you by the
By Annie handbag zipper color:  Pale Pink.
I’ve paired it with a lovely pastel pink snapdragon.
I’m a pink kind of girl – any shade, any tone, I love pink!
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are a tender perennial that are
available in a variety of shades and colors.
They are also available in varying heights,
so shop around for the best match for your location.
They prefer cool, damp weather for the best blooms.
Mine re-appear in full beautiful color every spring here in Utah.
I do still have snapdragons blooming in the almost 100 degree heat of July,
but they are the most robust in spring and fall.
As you can see from the seed packet pictured below,
there are two different pink snapdragons.
One is a bolder, deeper pink color than the other.
The By Annie handbag zipper in pale pink matches up nicely with the lighter, pastel pink snapdragon.

Thank you so much for reading my blog.
Have a terrific afternoon and remember to stop and admire the flowers:
 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-25487A" data-link="(A)” style=”box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;”> was dressed like one of these.”  (Luke 12:27, New International Version)
Next week’s zipper color is Ivory.