Patio Swing Cushions

I finally finished the cushion covers and canopy for my patio swing. I got the fabric at the beginning of summer, but put it off as I dreaded it.  The cushion covers weren't too bad to make, but the canopy was a pain.  The worst part was I made it too small on the corners - which meant I had to remove it from the frame (which is not easy), make alterations to it, and then put it back on.  It's not great, but it's done. 

I got the fabric on clearance at a local fabric outlet store for $4.00 yd.  It's an exterior fabric - either nylon or polyester and hopefully will last at least a couple summers.   And it's the right color to go with the rest of the patio furniture.  I'm so glad it's finished!

Quilt Blocks Tote Bag

I've been working on quilts recently and had made 2 blocks that I knew I wouldn't use in a quilt.  So, I decided to use them to make a tote bag.  I found a 1/2 yard piece of cream colored fabric in my stash that was just right for the lining.

I love this block.  The pattern is called swoon.  I found a picture of it on-line and drew my own pattern.

Since this block was only 12",  I added a border using the same blue from the other block.

I hand quilted the blocks and used 2 inch wide nylon webbing from Joann Fabrics for the straps.  Finished size is approximately 16" x 18". It's a great size to carry my medium size rotary mat and ruler.