Miscellaneous sewing, and not a quilt in sight

After moving the fabric I had bought for a new sewing machine cover once too often, I decided that this was the afternoon I would finally make the darned thing. I only bought the fabric four months ago. Gee, I'm speedy. It's not much to look at, just a standard cover, although it is reversible. Since I have to put my sewing machine away between uses, the only reason I even decided to make one is to keep little cat feet out of the thread. The plastic one that came with it did the job just fine but was ripping at the seams. Then, for good measure, I looked up the dimensions for my new machine on order and made one for it too. Man, I hope that the website was accurate on the size!

I had a few scraps left over, so I decided that my itty-bitty pink Fuji camera needed a case so when I carried it the camera wouldn't get scratched up in my purse. Why did I think that bias binding was a good idea to finish this tiny thing? It took me forever. The only velcro in the house was self-adhesive dots, which were the right size for the flap closure, but a mess to sew on. Have you ever tried to put a needle through that gluey backing?

After all that, I was feeling inspired to try the purse pattern I bought. The outside was ready to go - pre-quilted fabric - but the insides needed constructing, with fusible interfacing and elastic edged pockets on both sides. I'll show and tell when it's done, but it's quite spiffy. The six pockets will catch all the small items that are rattling around in my purse -- keys, cell phone, sunglasses, camera, MP3 player, hand disinfectant bottle (I'm sold on the stuff - not one cold in more than a year). I'm wishing the shoulder strap was thinner, but that's my only criticism of the pattern. Easy-peasy to put together, just bulky seams with all that interfacing and padding. This is really a trial run before I try to make my Mom one for her birthday. Hers gets a zipper closure and double shoulder straps

I have to finish that purse tomorrow and mark up the pattern changes. I've got less than a month to find the fabric and get it done.