My first two quilt patterns - where to find them!

I have been working on these two patterns and the samples for almost a year.  I'm sure it's not supposed to take that long, but I am so very happy to finally have them to show you!

The first pattern is made using vintage or re-purposed sheets.  It's named Jane Dandy, and comes with directions for two sizes, baby and twin.  It also comes with fabric requirements in case you want to make it with new fabric.

The second pattern is very close to my heart.  It's made from old jeans, and I am just so thrilled with the way it came out.  I used at least 15 pairs of jeans, so that I could incorporate lots of different colors, and lots of friends contributed their old jeans to the cause!  The directions are for having a quilt that comes out just like the cover, but you can, of course, use the directions as a guide and make your own, one of a kind quilt.

You must be thinking to yourself, "Where can I get these great patterns?"  There are currently two places

• My Etsy Shop, and 
• PatternSpot.com

If I get a good response, or requests for it, I will have them printed.  Right now they are in the form of PDF downloads.  While I love PDFs, and have purchased many patterns that way, I know some people still prefer printed patterns.

I am so happy to share this exciting news with you!

Upcycled Denim Sandbags - Photography Weights

These were an experiment. My husband is a photographer, and he uses those big light stands to maneuver the light around and make beautifully lit pictures. Unfortunately, the stands that these lights go on are very top heavy, and really need weights to keep them steady.

He asked if I could make him some sandbag weights that would go over the legs of the stands, and this is what we came up with (as a prototype). They are the legs from an old pair of jeans, sewn closed with a seam in the middle and two ziploc bags of sand in either side. I also put on a tiny strip for a handle so he could pick them up more easily.



They're not pretty yet, but they work great! The first one was a tiny bit too long and they touch the ground. So I made the second one shorter and the handle strap wider and I think we have a Yahtzee. We made them for the cost of a bag of play sand, $2-3, the legs from a pair of jeans that would have gone to Goodwill, and 4 ziploc bags ($0.25). Pretty good if I do say so myself.

The next set will have "neat" handles, and will have a zipper at either end. That way if we need or want to take out the sand, we can.