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Saturday 28 February 2015

Mini pocket bag

The inspiration for this bag was the fabric.  It called out to be a feature.  So I used it as an external pocket on a simple deep bag.  This would be good to use as a gift bag, I think.

Friday 27 February 2015

LIttle girl's bag

These little bags are great for a little girl who wants to be "just like mummy".  They are quite quick to make (though the pattern was not as quick to translate from Japanese!)
The contrast strip in this is made from the remains of a jelly roll.


Thursday 26 February 2015

Bookmark restock

These £1 bookmarks are a great attraction for children with pocket money.  I love being able to tell them that their £1 will feed a Kenyan child for a week through the Feed500 programme.  I quite like choosing the patterns for the bookmarks as well.




Wednesday 25 February 2015

Pocket purse

Another of my zipped pocket purses; another item due for a restock.  These are lovely to use up fabulous pockets on.

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Giant bag with button art

This is the second of my giant bags - the ones which turned out much larger than I was expecting!  I have already had a comment from someone who saw the first on my blog that this might be just what she is looking for, so maybe they will sell faster than I expect!
An additional bonus is that I was able to use up some of my huge stock of white buttons to create the "art".  I have to say, this would be great as a holdall for family swimming - plenty of space inside!

Monday 23 February 2015

Stallholder apron - tutorial

I have been restocking my stallholder aprons, and thought this would be a good opportunity to explain how to make them for yourself.

You will need two large pairs of jeans for this - or at least, the pocket parts of them.

Cut the jean legs off and cut around the back of the jeans to separate the back from the front.
You will find that, because of the centre seam, the piece does not lay flat.  I created a pleat and hand sewed this to make it flat.  It is rather trial and error to get it right, but it does work.

Cut off the side seams if you have not already done so, and cut a curve at each side of the fabric piece you have until you have a shape which is right for your apron.  Cut through the belt at the top with very sharp strong scissors!

Use this piece as a template on a second pair of jeans, but this time cut off the top of the jeans about an inch above the pockets.  This will be the front section of your apron.

Cut a strip of cotton fabric 2" wide for the binding.  Sew this along the top of the front section, and then hand stitch it down on the back.

Cut more strips 4" wide for the straps.  Press in half lengthwise, then press the sides to this middle fold.  Fold along the original crease and you will have a strip which is four thicknesses of fabric and about one inch wide.  Machine along both sides.
Machine these straps to the the belt piece of the bottom section of your apron.

Put the top apron piece on top of the bottom piece and pin together.  Stitch down the centre front of the apron, to one side of the seam.  Back stitch several times at the tol of the front piece to prevent the two separating with use.
Very carefully stitch another piece of binding all the way round your apron and hand sew it to the back.  This will cover all the raw edges.

You now have an apron which has a total of six pockets - great for organising yourself when doing craft fairs.  I use one side for "stall stuff" and the other for "my stuff", with the most valuable items (eg phone, notes) in the internal back pocket.  I find I feel very secure with this.

Sharing this at the Create with Joy , A Round Tuit and Mad Skills link parties.

Sunday 22 February 2015

What did you say?

My "sayings" bags are always popular, and this particular saying more than most!
"I can only please one person each day.
Today is not your day and tomorrow is not looking good either."
Shared at:
Submarine Sunday 
Kathy's Quilts

Saturday 21 February 2015

Impulsive bag!

This bag was the result of an impulse buy!
In my favourite patchwork and quilting shop, Tudor Rose Patchwork in Oakley, I spotted a template for the lozenge shape (the denim on the bag).  I bought it without really knowing what I would make with it and proceeded to cut out numerous denim pieces.  I then went through my scrap boxes and found some lovely fabrics which needed to be used.  This was one of the results.

Shared at Sew Can She

Friday 20 February 2015

Change of focus

I have begun to branch out from the bags and cases and into soft toys.  Here is one of the first results:

The pattern for this lovely creature came from Love To Make, which I picked up at the end of last week. 

The pattern was great - really easy to follow, and with full sized pattern pieces to trace (great not to have to photocopy and enlarge).  So great that I made four.  It would have been five, but somehow I managed to connect one set of pieces the wrong way.  I can't face unpicking, so will be cutting out another two sets for the other sides of the body!


 From these has come another idea for my Kenya trip, sparked off by a friend.  I am now hunting out patterns online for African animals.  So far I have found a rhino, gecko and monkey to go with the elephant.  Tiger, lion and cheetah to be found, along with any others which look plausible.  My hope is that some of the women can be taught to make these (using worn out clothes as the base fabric) and hopefully sell to tourists in the nearby resorts.
Sharing this at these link parties:


Creativity Unleashed (can't get the button to work!)
Submarine Sunday

Thursday 19 February 2015

Anyone for tea?

This is one of a newish style of bag.  The starting point was a bag I saw online, which was made from squares appliqued with hearts.  The first one I made similarly had hearts, but I have branched out since then.
I have to say the applique is time consuming, even with the embroidery machine, and hence these bags are more expensive than others.  However, they are very popular and very satisfying to make.  I have been haunting Hobbycraft for the applique fabric; their packs of six toning fabrics are ideal for the purpose, particularly when they are half price!
The bags are made from six 6" squares, each with an applique design centred in it.

Wednesday 18 February 2015

Flower bag frenzy



 This is a bag which has proved popular over a number of years.  I was taught how to make the flower on a course run by the lovely Helen Coverley.  Her original of this bag has a horizonal strip like mine, but the base on hers is made from a solid piece of fabric - something which is not practical with jeans!  Her solution was to use strips to piece the base, and this I have continued to do.  I have made the bags in a variety of sizes as the whim takes me, and the flowers from scraps in toning colours.  I am now experimenting with making the flowers from denim teamed with print.