A special gift

I have had so much support lately, from a lovely aunt, always thought of as my 'pretty auntie' when I was small- she gave me a few books for my eighth birthday- Beloved books- Little House in the Big Woods, The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm, and John Masefields The Midnight Folk. She also included an invitation to be a founder member of the Puffin Club. I think it cost 5 shillings, and I had to get a postal order to send off, but I received my Puffin Posts for years. I still have them! She and I have been a mutual support system. Yes, my children, and husband have been excellent, but her children are all boys. So, we have leaned on one another a little.
So among various emails I slowly got inspired, and on Sunday I sat with a rough ( very rough ) plan to make a bag for her.

Very quickly this happened

I mentioned little ends of spools, which are clearly not big enough to go on the machine? Well, some of them went- on the machine!  You see  the ends of those petals? They have been played with by my machine, to give an extra dimension

And this now becomes part of a pocket panel. I couldn't ask about preferred colours, after all, this will be a surprise for her- so, she is getting green!

All had to come from stash, as it was a Sunday, and I wanted to just get on with it. With coronavirus, fabric shops are basically shut, you can buy online , but not go and get the stuff. I was pleasantly surprised that I had enough that co-ordinated well enough to do the whole thing. 

A zip pocket put in, I liked the lilac zip- a little quirk?  and piping above and below the panel

A pretty leafy pocket lining, with the label in,

and then that panel incorporated into the front of the bag

 a gentle anount of quilting- Keep the back fairly plain

 and put on a tab for fastening

 linings had to be pieced, but these went well together

 a small slip pocket to take a phone if needed

covered button to fasten that tab

I even managed to remember to put in the loop for a key fob to be popped in. 

This now needs to go in the post. 

And that was my whole Sunday gone!

Happy days. 

Lockdown has some benefits?

I have been absent for some time. Most folks know that we have had trying times and sewing has been very low on the priorities. Sadly.

More sadly, my responsibilities have reduced and I am finally able to start sewing, and to enjoy the sewing. Only a few little fairly straightforward projects, but it is a start.

Last summer my DD2 and I painted our garden bench, a pretty shade of blue. And the next thing was, it needed a seat cushion. Luckily- or not so luckily, the weather took a turn for the worse, and sitting out became a non starter. This year, as good weather began, I finally made the cushion!

The fabric is one I was given, as 'spare', by a friend. It was bought in IKEA many years ago, and there is a shade of blue in it which matches the bench beautifully. 

I may say there has been more bench sitting this year than I can ever recall.  Yay! for seat cushions. The weather helps, of course! Though on Thursday I was up sewing and heard the rain begin! We had one of those drenching downpours, which caused me to race down the stairs and out to retrieve the cushion, in bare feet! No harm done, and the comfort is excellent. Thanks Jan!

Some years ago, I made a bag for work. This bag has had daily treks to and from work, trips overseas and has generally been ubiquitous,. Everywhere I went, so did my orange bag. In the fullness of time, the strap started to wear, and the wear got worse, and really the bag needed to retire. 

For that to happen I needed a new bag. 

Tadaaa!

I will say I was very happy with my pattern matching on the front, that flap really does have a good match on the elephants. 

and on the back I quilted round the elephants.
 Who doesn't love an elephant?















I had also promised my DD2 another simple coin purse. It is one of those things that you promise and then it doesn't quite happen... Finally it has.
I found a pattern on pinterest, ( free, good price point!) and did it. Simple, easy to follow instruction, though the instruction wanted me to hand sew the lining in place.

Well, you know me and hand sewing...

Of course it can be done on the machine.

The first one I tried to make it by sandwiching the zip between the lining and the outer. It got complicated and fiddly, yes, it worked but I still ended up with a little hand sewing, but it was OK. That was the pretty turquoisey one with the yellow zip.

I had to have another go, though. So the dark red one also had to happen. This time I did make the lining up separately, but I topstitched the lining into place with the machine. No hand sewing at all- or anyway, just hiding my ends.






So this pretty pair have been adopted by DD2.
I am now considering my next project.



And what are you up to?










Technical bits Elephant fabric- Abakhan
Pink linen- Abakhan
Zips- JaycottsTurquoise fabric for purse Minerva
others- no idea!

Time...

In this time poor age, it is good to spend time making things for a friend. But when it is that friend's special birthday, you cannot always share the make immediately, and it gets left, and left, until it is all but forgotten.

  So Elizabeth likes teal? You want to make something of it?  No, I thought not!

 I am sure she will find a happy spot to put this in her home..

Leonie's bag

A year or two ago friends came for a sewing weekend. One of our number brought everything in a bag, which had a simple but unusual design.  We rather admired the bag, and has a good look at it, and sort of stored up the idea for later...


Now is 'later'!







I happened to spot some rather attractive fabric, 100% linen, going for a rather bargain price up at Abakhan. Lovely linen with ELEPHANTS all over!

Well, perhaps a good bit of that landed in my basket? and just perhaps, it was meant to be a bag... Some details are rather different, but, in essence, it is the 'Leonie bag'.

Shoulder padding, and sewn up the places where stuff might otherwise escape, and a couple of pockets later, and I hope to take Leonie travelling this summer... Perhaps even next month.

Baa, baa, Black Sheep can I do it again? please!

Today was the day!

A group of us went to the Black Sheep in Culcheth.
There were five of us from 'elsewhere' and Barbara, who belongs to Black Sheep. The dream team consisted of Lucy, Diane, Jo, Ali, Barbara and myself. Each of us had selected some fabrics from the ranges at Black Sheep, and come up with a project to produce a finished item on the day, and the lovely folk at Black Sheep took photos, and made us extremely welcome and plan to blog about it, on their own blog.

Lucy, Ali and Jo

 strange that the phone has taken over from the camera...

 some of the gorgeous fabrics I was given to work with...

I made a bag- I always seem to make a bag!

Almost everything was provided that we could want, in the way of tea, coffee, biscuits and a very good lunch, and their workspace was lovely. They provided machines, and some cutting equipment, we just provided chat and womanpower! And in the afternoon, there was cake... did I resist? No, of course I did not resist- Lovely cake!



Di is working hard- I think she runs on one of those batteries which goes on and on... she never stopped! And she produced super baskets. You can just see one there in front of her, but she made loads of them!




Sorry, Barbara, I managed to miss you on the photo round, I managed to get everyone else..






The other side of my bag

and the pockets inside




We were there from about 10, until about 4, and we all made different things. I suggest you go and look at everyone else's blogs to see what they have done... but I think they are not quite ready yet... so have a look over the next few days!


Thank you Black Sheep! I had a fabulous day in super company!
If you get invited- take them up on it, they really know how to look after you!

and?? then just before we were leaving, in came Lesley with Goody bags! Coats had provided bags with lovely treats inside for us.

well chosen goods in those bags, Fabric , pins, a pen, a book with suggestions for things to make, and the pattern for the 'walkaway dress', and a tin containing a selection of threads.















You can just see a mini roll of 'Tim Holz' Eclectic Elements

 Useful colours















And these fabrics, a range I am unfamiliar with, and could not spot on the website.


I wonder, did we all get the same fabrics?  Perhaps I shall find out!

made or finished in April

 Just considering what I have achieved in April, and actually, I have done more than I had realised!


This beach bag commission

 a Dumpling from Keyka Lou,









one of my machine mounted pincushions, both these for my bag swap partner,

and the bag!




















and two T shirts for myself. These are both the same Burda pattern, though I messed with the neckline on the second one, and the sleeve- Love it! One of the best things is the quality of the fabric.. I blanched at the price, these were jerseys at £12.00 a metre, but they have sewn up a dream, and wash easily, and dry on the maiden, and best of all, do not appear to need ironing! And yes, a metre does make a T shirt... my children tell me that £12 for a T shirt is actually not expensive....

Watch out Goldhawk Road- I may be back!

Belatedly joining Fresh sewing day! one day I may get my act together, but then, I was out of the country on the correct day!

Done, and done!

I finished the requested bag...

 Effective for a beach bag...

 and a simple back, with magnetic catch pocket,















and those useful pockets inside.


You can get a towel, the sun lotion, your sunglasses and your book in there, and still have room for a bottle of water, and any other little essentials..

so, having done that one, I thought I could proceed with another of my summer tops... I copied the neckline from a t shirt I already have, and I widened those sleeves a little, a bit more airy, in the hope of warmer weather!

So, now all I need is that warmer weather!

yes, I succumbed..

To another swap. This time it is a bag swap.I was intrigued. The theme of the swap is a tote bag, but, black, white plus one other colour. When entering you could state three possible alternative colours..

I cannot remember which colours I put down for my preferences, but I have started thinking about my partner's preferences... I put up this picture..

and folk generally seem reasonably happy with them.. so now I get to sort the rest of the details out!

I wonder which colours I asked for? hmmm

If you cannot find the one you like... Make it!

It is Prom season. All my youngsters are past prom stage, but I have a Saturday girl!

Now, this girl will go far. She is quite shy and retiring, but she worked herself up a job! How is that for a lass!

She has known us for some years, and came and joined us for 'work experience' We loved having her, and she seemed to enjoy herself. Then this year, it was prom! She bought a dress.... but it needed some very minor alteration. So, Mum brought her round, and we got the alteration done. To pay for this, she volunteered to do a few Saturdays.. Totally unnecessary, but she felt better about it... And her Mum liked that it meant she had to get up!

We found her so useful, she started officially in April......real pay too!


So, the bag?? No suitable bag found... In the end, I volunteered, sent them some photos of another bag I had made, and they liked.... so, the bag was made!

some piping and pleating on the front, pockets inside, and a long strap, on swivel clips, , a zip top, and the flap fastened with a magnetic clasp, and you have a bag fit for prom!

A very happy lass brought me a card and some chocolates today!

And Mum couldn't quite believe all the detail involved...

I thought it not so bad either!

oh! did you want to see the inside too?

Extra large phone pocket! and a safe zippy pocket. Job Done!

Hen party!

A friend of mine is getting married in just under two weeks time.. So she had a hen party. I have never been to a hen party before, but I was invited to this one! So, I went. 

She arranged a florist to come and give a demonstration, and for all of us to do an arrangement, 
We were presented with a small dish complete with a block of oasis, pre-soaked. Rolls of floral tape were out and each of us had a knife and a pair of scissors, and Sarah, the florist, brought round the various sprays of flowers and leaves we were to use.

Sarah showed us how to put little pieces of eucalyptus into the foam to make a little base for the table posy, covering the base of the dish, so it could not be seen, and then adding the flowers according to her formula.

Sarah brought along a choice of peach or slightly off white roses, lisianthus in three colour ways, and  pink peonies, which were in different stages of open, from small buds through to almost full blown. She also brought some hypericum berries to add in. 

I added the peony leaves to my arrangement, I never could quite follow a brief.. 
The lisianthus is really pretty, we had white, white with a pink border, and deep pink ones.

so here is the result.. 

I am not convinced by the hypericum... But then, I do not have to be!

After that we went to a teppenyaki restaurant which is in Stockton Heath, in the south of Warrington, where a chef treated us to a display of cooking and we all ate the resultant food. He juggled with kitchen implements, and later with eggs, including catching an egg in his hat.. 
He also provided an extemporaneous accompaniment to us singing 'Happy Wedding to you'. Then he did the cooking bit, and we did the eating bit! Most delicious. I used the chopsticks provided, this means I eat slowly..  Some of the others also tried them, but mostly used the forks which were also there. . 

So that was my evening. 

And latest new flowers blooming in my garden? 

 pretty peachy poppies...

and a pretty aquilegia.. lots of the others are over, but this one is blooming on!

I have been busy sewing today, but it is a secret project, so I can only give you a hint for now... 



This is for a special occasion, so after that, I shall share more...