Out of Office today

I am currently out of the office, running 25.6 miles up a mountain.  Jealous?  Yeah, didn't think so....

I actually do have a few sewing finishes to share, but they'll need to wait until I get back (assuming I survive this race)!  

Ragnar Adirondack 2012 ~ 9.28.12 - 9.29.12

12 women ~ 2 vans ~ 2 days ~ 1 night ~ 196 miles ~ 34 consecutive hours

Friday around 7:00 am, I'll run 6.2 miles - relatively flat, but in 35 degree temperatures, next to a lake (read: really super cold for a South Florida girl!).

Friday around 6:30 pm, I'll run 7.8 miles - only the last mile is straight uphill.

Friday around 9:15 pm, I'll run 5.9 miles up (and then down) that lovely slope circled in red, above.  (This 5.9 miles is only 1 hour after I finish the 7.8 miles.  Yeah, I'm nuts!)

Saturday around 5:15 am, I'll tackle my last 5.7 miles.  OK, "tackle" may be the wrong word... but I'll finish them!

Total of 25.6 miles in under 24 hours.  It's not a marathon, but it comes darn close!  If this doesn't break my marathon fever, I'm not sure what will.... 

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Appliqued Ragnar Zippered Pouches

You probably know what applique is... and what a zippered pouch is... but what the heck is a Ragnar?  I'm so glad you asked!  :-)

Ragnars are 200 mile running relays which take place all across the United States.  Teams of 12 people (or 6, if you're particularly crazy) start at Point A on Friday morning and take turns running legs between 2-10 miles each for a total of about 200 consecutive miles.  Each runner takes 3 turns and teams run continuously (day and night) until they cross the finish line sometime on Saturday afternoon / evening.

I took part in my first Ragnar (from Miami to Key West, Florida) in January (it took us about 32 hours) and will run in my second Ragnar in New York (from Saratoga Springs to Lake Placid, site of the 1980 Winter Olympic games, though the Adirondack Mountains) in September.  

I'm the team captain for my Ragnar Adirondack Relay team and thought it would be nice to make a little "something" for the 11 other ladies on my team.  (Did I mention we're an all girls team?  Fun!!)  It would have been great to make everyone a full size bag but alas, that might have taken forever, so a zippered pouch it was!

I started with these little piles of denim.

I found out everyone's favorite color and thanks to the miracles of (1) the internet and (2) Heat 'n Bond, I was able to make a little Ragnar logo in everyone's favorite color.  I paired these with my new (gluttonous) stash of zippers and was ready to roll.

I began by ironing a logo to the bottom front piece of denim.

Satin stitched around the edges of each one in matching thread.  These logos are small so those points were hard to make "pointy."

Even though the denim was heavy, I used some non-woven stabilizer on the back.

I removed the stabilizer from the outside of each logo (on the back) but not from the middle. Sheer laziness, really, but it's washable (not paper) so I think it will be fine.

I just love this stack of FINISHED little bags!  If you count, you'll see there are only 11.  One of our original team members just found out she needs hip surgery and won't be able to run with us, so bag #12 will get made as soon as we find someone to take the last open spot.

These bags are 5" wide and 5.5" tall.  Perfect size for all my "essentials" when I go to the gym... phone, energy bar, license, cash, keys.

My zippered pouch is filled and ready to go.  A perfect match to the Rag Bag I made myself back in March.

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I'm now happily moving project #19 to the "Completed Items" section of my May Small Project Sew Along list!

Completed items:

1. Complete H2H quilt - link here

2. Complete Laura's quilt - link here

3. Make pillow to match Laura's quilt - link here
5. Make 3 small memory (t-shirt) wall hangings (1 done, 2 not started) - link here
6. Make 3 small memory (t-shirt) Mickey pillows - link here

7. Make a green mug rug in time for Mother's Day  - link here

9. Finish April Seasonal Skinny (flimsy is complete) - link here
10. Complete 2 ladybug Seasonal Skinnies for May - link here

12. Make a portable sewing kit / bag / holder / something-or-other - link here

13. Start (and finish) embroidery for "The Forever Project" - link here
14. Complete "Om" block for "The Forever Project" - link here

18. Make a birthday gift for kindergartener's BFF - link here

19. Make a "surprise" for my 11 running partners + myself - DONE!

Not started or in progress:

4. Finish quilt for Sujay (flimsy is complete)

8. Make a pink mug rug just because I want to
11. Cut fabric for summer hexie project
15. Make or find a simple pattern for a tote / beach bag
16. Make a year-end gift for my kindergartener's teacher
17. Make a year-end gift for my 3rd grader's teacher
20. Make an Unruly letters pillow for Kim
21. Update my running scrapbook (no sewing involved!)
22. Figure out a plan of attack for the "Unless" quilt

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Linking up with Applique Thursday over at A Quilting Reader's Garden.  Be sure to hop over there and take a look at some of the amazing work the other ladies have done!  (And so much by hand... I aspire to that someday!!)

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~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Rag Bag

Have you heard of a Swag Bag?  It's the goody bag full of overpriced fancy designer merchandise given to celebrities after red carpet events like the Oscars.  (The 2012 Oscars swag bag was valued at over $60,000... you can see what was in it here.)


My version isn't a Swag Bag, it's a Rag Bag.  And it has nothing to do with rags!  "Rag" is short for "Ragnar" -- which is a series of 200 mile running relays held all across the country.


This 1 minute video gives a good overview.  According to the Ragnar website:

Ragnar is the overnight running relay race that makes testing your limits a team sport. A team is made up of 6-12 individuals; each individual runs 3 legs. The legs of the race vary in difficulty and distance, from 2-11 miles, allowing elite and novice runners to run together. Over 2 days and 1 night, teams run across 200 miles of the country’s most scenic terrain. Pair that with crazy costumes, inside jokes, a great finish line party and unforgettable stories. Some call it a slumber party without sleep, pillows or deodorant. We call it Ragnar.

As a runner, I always seem to need more than sneakers.  There's my iPod, ear buds, phone, Garmin, protein bars, pre-race drinks, water, towels and a whole lot more.  I wanted to have a cute but durable bag to hold all of my running goodies.  I knew that Terri's Stuff Sack pattern would be perfect.

I chose denim fabric, since I run outside and this bag will spend a lot of time on pavement and grass.  I needed a dark, durable fabric.  I used pink as an accent to "girly it up" a little bit.  I struggled  with the piping, but I think that's because I used 1/4 inch cotton rope I found in my garage, rather than real piping cord.  It was a little too thick and stiff to sew around the circular base of the bag.  Next time, I'll definitely use the right materials!

I used Terri's measurements for the "large" stuff sack.  The circular base measures 8" across and my bag is about 10.5" high.


I added one pocket on the outside (complete with the Ragnar logo) and a row of pockets around the inside, to hold all my small items.  The main part of the bag will hold my water, small towel, reflective vest and lights (required for night running).  I also added a strap on the back for easy carrying, though I don't know that it was necessary and I'm not sure I'd add a strap the next time.

It's been a very long time (read: never) since I've made a project for myself, so I'm even more pleased to have tried this bag.  I think it's cute, it's incredibly practical and it's unique just for me.

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Linking up with: 

Crazy Mom Quilts for  "Finish it Up Friday" 

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Whoop Whoop Friday"

AmyLouWho for "Sew and Tell"

I'm looking forward to seeing what you've worked on this week!

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~