A pinch and a punch... hopefully no returns!

  Happy Beltane, or Mayday, if you prefer. I cannot believe we are here already! I guess alot of it is because I now have a weekly routine of trundling to the Bluebirds Market on a Tuesday and everything else revolves around that lately. It's amazing how quickly a week goes by... 

  Always busy, I made 7 journals last month, and tried to finish my butterfly rucksack, but it has sat next to me on the sofa while I get on with other bits like embellishments for the journals.. it's been lovely, 4 of the journals were commissions, and have all safely arrived with their new owners who are very happy, which in turn makes me happy! Echoes sold yesterday too, so I shall have to make another creamy vintage journal soon.

  I've also managed to get some work in a handmade shop in Canterbury, Whitefriars Food and Craft Market so we'll see how that develops, Canterbury is very busy with lots of students and tourists, so fingers crossed. I just need to make a few extra bits to test run over there.. some larger dreamcatchers and a new textile accessory range, based around my collaged textile pieces. Where am I going to find the time?

  I shall finish the rucksack tomorrow, then I plan for a quilted messenger bag with some of the remnants. Then onto creating one of each of the expanded textile range, and creating the first wedding album cover... looking forward to that..

  So, busy, busy, watch this space- I can't promise I'll get time to post much, time gets less each week, which is great really, but I will be posting more fabric dying techniques, my monthly beading/ quilting block and all my swaps over in the Friends' Gallery, etc

 

From Black & Red to Red & Black

Well, that was another quick make...  only this one was more reds than black, and I found a lovely slinky fabric to feature on the flap and pocket. It doesn't fray so I couldn't use it in the main patchwork... but nevermind, the contrast makes it better.

I think two is my limit for the time being on the Skull theme as I have some rather gorgeous butterfly and Volkswagon fabrics... I shan't be mixing them together.. two bags are coming! I am wondering about whether the try a messenger style bag using my patchwork, what do you think?  I'm building up to making I-pad cases with the leftover patchwork from each bag, too... 

I've just managed to get my Etsy listings up to date and this one is on as well, and this month we're running a FREE UK postage if you type in FREEMARCH13 at the checkout.

Rucksack heaven...

I spent last week, on and off, creating another quilted backpack. My skull fabric arrived and I spent the weekend sewing and fraying the squares... then Monday and Wednesday were spent making the bag. Much as it takes a while, the fraying is one of my fave bits, it's kind of meditative really! Plus I end up with a pile of threads that can be used in later projects...

Here's the finished bag, 

 

I finished this one differently- I used D-rings and a long strap for the  closure. After making a key-fob for the Coffee bag I've decided to do that for all of them, assuming I can scrape enough fabric together. I do like how it's turned out, and will be making another one very soon with more red and a different skull fabric...

I haven't got a great pic yet so I've not listed it on Etsy yet, but it will be there soon! 

Christmas Pressie Rucksack

Lol, I'm making good headway with the pre-xmas creativity... Last week I started another rucksack, with a personal theme this time. I have photo canvas that runs though a printer so I chose a few relevant photos, funked them up a little with my favourite software and printed them out as features on the flap.

I used the same process for the bag as in my tutorial in the how-to section, adding pockets, loops etc before joining the base, then bodies together. Every now and again I have a eureka moment and find a new little trick to make it quicker, stronger or easier so I should do an update for the tutorial too.

This is an upcycled bag too! The canvas is actual artist canvas that has been worked on- it was an enormous piece but it cuts up beautifully into little abstract pieces. It sews beautifully too, strong but flexible.

Here's a closeup of  the flap, I love adding and adding the bits, watching it buildup into a little work of art, I never start with a plan, I let the design develop as it will... 

As you can see the owner to be is a horsy girl, with a thing for cats too... she doesn't know this is coming, I'm just sad to know I won't see her face when she opens it...

Just putting the finishing touches to it now...

Vintage meets modern...

Well, it's certainly been a bag week, this week... yesterday I created a creamy vintage/modern rucksack with upcycled fabrics and some of my collaged textile fabric. I had some left over so made a little wallet too.

 

This bag is basically the same pattern and method as I've detailed in my rucksack tutorial over on my how-to's textiles. I don't use a pattern per se, I just cut to size and play, but the construction method is very simple to follow if you want to have  a go!  I'm doing a tute for the wallet over the weekend so I'll let you know when it's up and available. They make a lovely set, eh? What about making a matching personal pocket too? for all your ladies accessories... there's a tute for that over there too. Just grab some fabrics and get cutting... you'll love it!!

Rucksack heaven!!

Oh, I finished it today, so it's had a bit of a road-test and performed brilliantly!! It's so comfy and fun... I might just put a bit of velcro in the inside pockets though, just to stop stuff falling out if I threw the bag around- well- it will happen at some point!

Here it is finished...

I've really enjoyed making this but I'm not sure if I would be able to justify charging £70/80 for it, even though it's taken 3 whole days to make because of the work involved... we shall see, I might list one on Etsy as a "special order" and see how it goes...

The tutorial is completed over in the how-to's textiles section. Have a go... post me a pic... any questions just email me- I'll go through it with you if you're stuck! 

Rucksack in progress...

Well, today's been fairly productive... I almost got it finished- only the straps, eyelets and hoops to add. Here's how it looks so far...

I'm just typing up the tutorial so far, that will be added to the how-to's textiles page very soon, and tomorrow I'll have my bag completely finished.

As you'll see by the tutorial I tend to make things up as I go along- you really don't need a pattern if you understand the construction rules. If you want to follow the tutorial I began with 1m of 45cm fabric and quilted 60 5" squares for the main piece. I cut the bag the whole length of the piece at 16 1/2" deep. That should give you a gauge for the other pieces. The straps are the whole length and 4 1/2" wide. Pockets, flap and all the loops can be whatever size you like depending on how much fabric you have left to play with. 

Although I've reiterated this in the tutorial here is a basic list of pieces you will need from 2 1m pieces;

2x 36 x 16 1/2" main body

2x  14 x 5" base

2x 36 x 4 1/2" straps

2x 5 x 9" pockets or to size

2x 6 x 2" strap loops

2x 5 x 5" strap reinforcements

2x 4 x 2 1/2" loops

These should easily fit into 2 m of fabric- the straps, loops and reinforcements can be from one piece or both, whatever you decide.

Check back tomorrow for the completed bag...

More bags in the making....

This week I have been alternating cleaning the mess from the builders with sewing a couple of projects. I can't clean it all in one go- that plaster dust gets everywhere and it doesn't matter how often you wash down, it still reappears the next day.

I have made another rucksack, which has turned out so utterly sweet, but I can't post a pic yet because it is a pressy for someone who will see it if I post- so I'll post the pic in a week or so once I know it's arrived safely. All I will say is that it is beautifully cream, with LOTS of pockets and a piece of my collaged textile as the flap... 

In the meantime- for those colour junkies like me I've also been prepping for my new bag... I wanted funky, colourful, textile this time- my felted satchel has served me well for a few years now, but it's time for a change!

I love batik so I have quilted squares together, with the edges to the right side, then sewn ribbon down the seams to strengthen them...

My wrong side...

The right side before the ribbons...

I love the frayed edges, it's such a shame to hide them so I'm making a feature of them. I've backed this with a pre-quilted fabric also donated from my mum's super-stash. I haven't decided on the exact pattern yet, but I think I'll make another rucksack... I shall be photoing and writing it up as I go so there will be a tutorial in the how-to's textiles section in a while. Tommorrow I'll cut out and prep all the pockets, etc. so keep popping back to see how it develops...

RETRO RUCKSACK

I promised my daughter, quite some time ago, that I would make her a school bag using some of the tonnage of 70's/80's material that my mum gave me when she cleared out her loft. As she was a dressmaker/teacher she stashed so much fabric and notions away, but over the years she has got rid of most of it.... the last donation includes so many gorgeous, heavy woven wool mixes and trouser weight fabrics that it's going to take me years to find a use for it all!!

I've separated it all into "not likely", "quite likely", "almost guaranteed" and "most definately to use" spacesaver bags. The most definately has alot of shirt weight cottons and polycottons in a variety of colours and patterns... so much choice, so little time!!

When I was 12ish mum made me a lovely bodiced summer dress with ribbon corsetry down the front and big frothy layers in coordinating dark cottons- imagine my suprise when I opened one of the bags to find another 3 meters of each stashed away! Mum never bought in halves, obviously- enough for a garment, then double it, lol! 

I don't use patterns much, and certainly not for a bag, but I liked this so much I am going to make myself a paper template because I'm going to use more of the fabrics to make some others. This one has a heavy plastic lining to make it waterproof, the inside is the stripy fabric with a couple of little pockets and loops for phones etc.

At first my daughter shrieked in horror that it was far too big, but I planned for it to hold 4 or 5 A4 folders and text books plus typical teenage junk, otherwise what's the point if you need another bag too? Once she saw it gathered up and the flap tied over it suddenly looked cute and adorable! 

I've started mine now- I made my felt satchel in 2009 and much as I love it, to me it's old and I'm desperate for a new bag, so I'm getting out my batik squares and stitching them together for one meter of fabric, and I'm going to print onto a purple marbly batik for the contrast fabric...I'll take pics this time and set a tutorial for it afterwards.

So keep and eye out- I shall be making a couple for Etsy at around £40, and if you have any suggestions what to make with the wool mixes I'd be interested to hear from you... maybe I should try it on Ebay?