Sunday 27 March 2011

Jude's Bag

I was in need of a break from quilting this weekend. I quilted like a maniac last weekend and Monday to Wednesday evening after work on my Single Girl Quilt and just couldn't face any more this weekend. I quilted half of it and probably used about 400 m of thread on it just to give you an idea. Don't get me wrong I love it and it will be beautiful but I just needed some time out from it. I also would like to thank everybody who so kindly commented on the quilt. I really am very grateful for every comment, it inspires and encourages at the same time.

So what did I do this weekend ?

I made myself a bag from my favourite fabric - Ruby Star Rising - by Melody Miller. I raved about this fabric previously here and here. And  what is best is that Melody is working on a new line but more raving about that later.

I love shoes , bags and hats. One could say every woman love shoes and bags but I really really love them and have a sizeable collection of all three. So the other day I once again found myself looking, touching and refolding my Ruby Star fabric and the urge overcame  me to make something with it. 

So here it is - meet "Jude's bag":









These photos below are to explain the process a bit. I made 5 paper templates from a  handmade leather  bag I bought 2 years ago in Italy. I love the shape of this bag and always thought to make a similar one.  So basically the bag is made from 5 pieces. Below composite shows the inside pieces. I used a sturdy linen and added fusible and quilt batting to both stabilise and pat it out a bit. I added two little inside pouches to the front and back pieces and appliquéd the ladies to the side panels.


The seams of the outer (patterned) fabric are on the outside and I covered these with ready made binding that I stitched on by hand. This worked really as this kind of binding is quite thin. It also frames the bag rather well I think. 



I secured outside and inside by folding over the outside and sewing both together. The handles were stitched on in the inside which ensures that the Ruby Star Rising pattern remains untouched so to say.
Lastly I made a sort of sleeve in which I put some corrugated cardboard that stabilises the bottom of the bag. I left the sleeve open on one side so the cardboard can be changed if need be. Corrugated cardboards are fairly strong but as I have a tendency to overload bags I thought it best to make something that gives me the option to renew it easily. As you can see it actually is already broken but that is because I made it to long in the first place.

It's been great fun doing this yesterday and the "Epherma Aqua" fabric of this collection is just perfect for it. I also will make a skirt with Ruby Star Rising as I already threatened weeks ago. I now found a pattern and ordered some more of the "Vintage Ladie's" in Ochre at Eternal Maker. Thank God they are stocking the entire range now here in the UK so I don't have to wait so long for it.

This is an astonishing collection of fabric and Melody is producing another stunning collection for the summer which is printed on a more lightweight cotton/linen blend similar to the latest lightweight collection from Echino (see the back of my Single Girl quilt). Images of the prints can be seen here. I honestly can't wait to get my hands on it. Together with the Sherbet Pips collection from Aneela Hoey for Moda these might just be the best fabric collections that will come out this year. Sherbet Pips will come out any day now but a fairly large number of fat quarter and jelly roles have been pre-released already. The new Ruby Star Spring will come out in June.


So what are you up to this weekend ?

12 comments:

  1. I want one of those! Just being lazy this weekend!

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  2. Thanks for the mini tutorial on bag making - I am going to bookmark it for when the current project is finished.

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  3. I love this bag! Thanks for sharing the process, maybe I will make one too!

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  4. Great bag! I made one out of RSR last month, too!! Love all of the details you put into this.

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  5. You know I'm not usually a fan of bags made of quilt stuff but this fabric has such a great weight and looks so cool - I am in love with this bag - and actually Krista's too from the comment above!

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  6. That fabric really is stunning and a handbag really shows it off. Great tip about making the cardboard removeable for replacing later!

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  7. I love bags..and this one is very cute..

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  8. I love bags, fabric & I get called Jude! Your bag is delicious! V. well done. Jxo

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  9. I've had my eye on the fabric that you used, and I think you did a fantastic job showcasing the fabrics that you used in the bag. Great job!

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  10. Cute!!! I really love how you pieced the fabrics together, it's so fun and bright!

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  11. Every bag I've ever made has been modeled on one I like. I'm a no pattern girl. This one is great. I love all the details. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. I love this Ruby Star Rising fabric series so much. That bag is darling! I'm using the viewfinder print on a toddler backpack - http://needledown.com/?p=84

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Thank you for your comments! I love reading them and will answer every question you have on my projects. But I have a very busy daytime job and am therefore not able to thank each and every comment. Please don't be offended if I won't reply.