Pick your Plum

I just Picked my first Plum.  I can't wait for my monsterous rick rack to arrive.

Up-Cycled Beach Bag

Yesterday I was in great need of the satisfaction of a quickly completed project.  It seems lately I have been sewing projects that take awhile, with work, kids, husband, girl scouts and all.

I had found this beauty at my local hospital auxiliary resale shop and had to buy it.  It started its life as a bag for a camp chair.   

 I really liked the print and instantly saw a beach bag. The bag cost me $1.00 and the only thing I added was a piece of elastic from my stash and the thread to re-sew it.  The strap is off the original bag.

 

I'm sorry about the background in all the pictures of my bags.  This is in my studio and I really must finish this railing.  My studio is in what I call our loft area.  It is at the tops of our stairs and is open to below.  We had taken the railing apart making the walkway to the master bedroom wider and it never got totally put back together.

 

I used my trusty seam ripper and patiently (maybe not so patiently but I got them out without destroying the fabric) took out all the seams and removed the strap from the side.  After I got all the seams out I realized that there was not a straight side on it.  It was wider at on end than the other.  The ends also weren't straight.  Then I had to use my rotary cutter to cut every side on it to make a nice and straight rectangle.  The edges of the fabric were really wanting to unravel so I used my overcasting foot to make sure the edges wouldn't unravel.  I sewed french seams because I didn't want to add a lining and I wanted the inside seams to look good.  After I had the basic bag sewn,  I pinned the strap to the bag and didn't like how large the opening was, so now I had to figure out what to do to make the opening not so big.  Then it hit me sew a pocket for elastic, to bring the opening in. After that I reattached the strap below the elastic and it was finished.  I really like the way it turned out.  It was really easy and It only took me a couple of  hours from start to finish, even with having to stop in the middle to go to a girl scout parent meeting, and I didn't have to stay up half the night to get it finished.

Deb's Purse

Last month while my family was vacationing, my sister-in-law and I ran to Wal-Mart for forgotten items.  We happened to pass by the material section (I must to stop and look at any material I see) Deb saw this great pattern and asked me if she bought it would I make her a purse, of coarse I said yes!  As soon As I got home I went about trying to find what material I would use for the lining.  I was really lucky a couple of months ago.  I went to a yard sale and saw a couple of solid color table cloths.  I asked the lady having the sale how much she wanted for them and she said take what I want free.  i was shocked, I told her I would take them all so how much did she want for them.  She said really take them all and she picked up a trash bag and started putting the table cloths in it.  When I got home I could not believe how may she had given me.  The were not all solid.  I even made a skirt out of one of them, I will post later.  Anyway I digress, I fould in my stash of table cloths the greenish colored one above which I think goes great with the material Deb picked out. 

I used the pattern from Sew Momma Sew, for her April Bags.

Here is the link back to her http://www.sewmamasew.com/store/media/blog/SMSAprilBags.pdf.

Of coarse I cant make a puse without pockets. 

I gave my sister-in-law Deb the purse last weekend and she loved it.

Upholstery Sample Purse

This is the first purse I made.  I found some upholstery samples at the thrift store.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them but I new I had to have them.  I was woking on up-cycling a tapestry table runner into a purse (I will post another time) when I got stalled and ended up making this purse.

I put one big pocket on one side and two cell phone sized pockets on the other side.  Sorry about the bad photography, I shoud have taken new pictures.

The strap is a tie off another shirt of mine (I don't wear ties on my shirts so I just keep them to use on something else).  The pictures don't show the bow I sewed at the top of the strap.  I was going to have it so you could tie the strap how ever you wanted, but I thought  a knot on your shoulder would not feel too good after a while.  Especially if you load your purse I like I do.   I put velcro  at the top of the purse to close it.

This is the first bag I made.  It is a messenger bag I made for my youngest daughter for school last year.

 

It is pretty rustic.  I didn't line the bag body but I did line the flap with blue jean so when the flap is lifted you see blue jean on the underside. 

It was made from this blue jean skirt below, and a piece of cotton (quilt weight) material that I had bought a while back because I liked it and it was on clearance.  The strap and the binding on the top front of the bag was a tie from a satin shirt of mine

My daughter has already worn a hole in the bottom from dragging it instead of wearing it .  I guess I get to make her a new bag for school this year.  I have learned so much since I made this last year, not just about sewing but also taking picture of my creations..  Her new bag will be much better.  I will post it when it is complete.

Craftaholics Handmade Gift Exchange Part 2

Now that my correct handmade gift partner has received her gift I can show everbody what I madce her.  The yellow and blue squares are coasters, and the thing on the coasters is a keychain I made. I'm sorry for the bad picture.  t was really hard to get all three gifts in one picture.

The smaller bag is made to be worn accross your body. 

The interior is made from the leg of a pair of blue jeans that used to belong to my husband.  It has two inside pockets made with the same material as the exterior.  Yes, that is my feet in the picture.  It was really hard for me to take the picture of the interior of this bag.  I took many pictures trying to show both inside pockets.

The exterior of this tote is made from a t-shirt and the interior was a table cloth.  I cut the pieced and ironed a heavy weight interfacing to the t-shirt before sewing it together. 

This is the backside of the tote.  I added a flap to help keep it closed, but I didn't want to cover the picture on the front.

The interior pocket is a pocket on pocket.  The smaller pocket is just the right size for you cell phone or keys.

I didn't think to take a picture of the keychain or coasters by themselves.  Luckily I did take a picture of a few of the keychains together.  I sent her the middle keychain with the blue beads.

Hawley Pirates Flag

I made this flag at the request of my sisters-in-law for the family canoe trip this past weekend.  It would have been great fun flying it from a canoe or kayak and trying to protect it from being stolen by other family menbers.  If only I hadn't forgot it at home along with many other items we forgot for the trip. 

Craftaholics Handmade Gift Exchange

I partisipated in .  I first made the above tote bag.  I call it The French Country Tote.  This tote is reversible.  The second picture shows it reversed, shoing the pocket.  The pocket is divided in two and one side is shorter for you cell phone.

I worked really hard on this tote, then hurried to the post office to mail to my gift partner.  I was so proud of myself for completing  it and mailing it on time.

I received 6 beautiful bracelets and two decorative balls from my gift partner. Sorry I thought I had a picture of her gift to me, I will post later. She had not received my gift to her, when she emailed me she was going on vacation.  No problem I know I mailed it, she will get it while she is on vacation.

After the last email I decided to checked its progress and it showed delivered.   But something did't seem right she should have had it, so I went back into the email I was sent with her name and address and found I had sent it to the wrong gift partner.  I had been assigned a gift partner but hadn't gotten a responce from her, so I asked for a new gift partner.   My first gift partner and my second gift partner had the same first name.  I thought I had deleted the email with the first gift partners information, I guess not!  I feel really really bad about this.  I soo love the bracelets I received.  I have been wearing one of them almost everyday since I received them. 

So gift partner #1, I hope you are enjoying the gift I sent you.

I will put pictures of the 2nd gift I made after gift partner #2 receives it.. I made sure and mailed it to the correct person this time.

Now I am off on vacation tonight.  I will be back next Sunday.

Shorts to skirt

I found this great tutorial at http://rubymurraysmusings.blogspot.com/2011/03/refashion-tutorial-5-10-minute-trousers.html.  I had been wanting to try it out for a while.  I just didn't have any pants to use.  Then I found a pair of shorts I thought would look great a skirt.  I used the tutorial to re-make the shorts into a skirt.  Then I added lace around the bottom to finish it off.  It is really comfortable and cool for the very hot days we have been having here in Illinois, and I think it looks really cute.  I may be bias but what the heck I like wearing it.

Aunt Auction

I made this necklace and earrings back last December for my father-in-laws family Christmas gathering.  Sorry for the back photography, I almost forgot to take a picture of the necklace and earrings.   My father-in-law's family gathers for Christmas around the middle of December, and after dinner his sisters and wife have what we call the aunt auction.  It all started the aunts would gather items they thought the kids would like and gave them play money to bid on what they wanted.  Now everyone but the aunts bid, so last year we (the cousins & spouses) decided to have our own aunt auction for just the aunts.  The necklace and earring above were my contribution.

Claire's Tote for Beach Towels

My Oldest daughter wanted me to make her a really big tote bag.  It doesn't look as big as it is in the pictures.  The finished measurements are 19-1/2" x 23-1/2"x6".  She wanted it to hold beach towels, sunscreen, and more.  The striped material is cotton, and the rend is Linen, I think.  My husband donated the black material, it used to be work pants that don't fit him right.  Her tote definitely changed as I made it. It wasn't going to be this fancy, just a tote for the beach or boat.  I think I need to get beach towel and make her a tote to actually use for beach towels.  I will be giving it to her tonight.  Just in time to use for our family canoe trip.

   I made this tote for my mom (she is a huge cardinals fan) for mothers day. Everything but the ribbon to tie to shut are from thrifted material. The shell is from a table cloth, the interior is from a body pilloe and the Cardinals logo is from a t-shirt. She had wanted a tote big enough to take her workout clothes to the gym.  It is bigger than it looks.  It measures 19"x15"x5".  The pocket inside is divided into two.

Day 1

Welcome to my blog.  I am happy you stumbled upon it.  I have never blogged before and I'm sure it will show.  Please be patient while I set it up.  I will be posting pictures of my creations and stories on my life.  I will try to do some tutorials also.  I don't have any time left today to post anything else.  I have spent most of my time setting this blog up.
Thanks
Maggs