CraftMAD sewing swap for March

For many years, I have been crafting with a lovely group of people over at CraftMAD mostly cardmaking, but more recently I have participated in the monthly sewing swaps.

In February the sewing swap was to send 2 Fat Quarters to our partner.

The March sewing swap was to make THIS bag and send to our partner.

This is what Mandy made for me ;-)

isn't it great - I love the sewing themed material

This is the one I made for Mandy, who loves blue and loves her cat, so I decided to use the 2 FQs I received from Wendy in the February swap for Mandy's bag. 

the straight bag

the bag all scrunched up - doesn't it look great

It is a REALLY EASY pattern too!

It's in the post and Mandy should have it any day now.

It was a coincidence that I came across this same pattern at the time I bought my new Brother sewing machine in December 2010 and had every intention of making it up ;-)

So I figure it was meant to be when it was suggested for our sewing swap at CraftMAD.

Thank you Wendy for suggesting it, and for sending me the perfect material to make Mandy's bag.

I have a new toy ;-)

Hubby said to go ahead and get the Brother BM-2600 and if it didn't suit my purposes, then we can look at something else - at $174 it was a bargain!  normal RRP $349

oooh, look at all those beautiful stitches ;-)

my first project on the new machine

the inside

lovely, even stitches

I even figured out the zip thing ;-)

so I went on to make this one too

The only negative I have come across so far, is that it has the STRANGEST zipper foot ;-)