Tote samples for class

Hello there. Yes I have a sewing related update, albeit not one of a quilty nature. This morning I made a couple of totes I want to use as samples for my upcoming classes at Fancy Moon. I love making totes for two reasons. One, because they are assembled really fast and two, because one can really have fun with the design.

Not much in terms of bag making accesories is required either. Just fabric, interfacing, wadding or needle felt  and if you can't be bothered to make the handles, just get some ready made leather or twill handles (which I love using). I keep all of this in my stash just like milk in the fridge....






For this smaller tote I used some of my precious Japanese fabric, much of it from the "First of Infinity" line - if I stack all of my Japaneses fabric it probably is about 2 foot high which really is rather ridiculous. Use it or lose, right ?

This smaller tote is quilted with 1/2 inch horizontal lines to give it a bit more structure as the fabric is quite fine.


 




The next one is much bigger (about 50 x 52 cm) and I used some of the precious linen I have from my grandmother and appliqued some VW Bullies onto it which I find rather cute in a flower power sort of way.





One of the Bullies is appliqued across the seam and all appliqued simply with a straight stitch twice around the outline.






And the lining as is the case with the smaller bag is again from the "First of Infinity" collecton that has many, many text prints in wonderful vibrant colours.

 


Happy shopping everybody !

A new shopper for me

I almost never use plastic bags for grocery shopping. We never did at home and although Mum and Dad have a bakery and we do give out plastic bags in the shop if customers ask for, we just never use them ourselves. So this is something that comes natural to me.

But cotton bags do eventually wear out and I was in need of a new one. The other day at the Village Haberdashery I spotted this wonderful cotton twill and I knew I wanted to make this bag with it. No other, just this simple number and oh boy am I happy with it.

The bag uses vintage linen that I have from my grandmother and I used the twill not just as a handle but also as decorative straps around it. This does make sewing a little tough but I used my trusted walking foot throughout and that made the process quite easy.

The handles are 17 in long which is perfect to carry the tote in your hands or on your shoulders. It's got boxed corner of course and is lined with 'Annali' from Dashwood studios.

A pair of Liberty shoppers

I hinted the other day when I promoted the LP&Q offer that I had a couple of Liberty projects coming up.

Over the next three editions and starting with the current edition of the magazine (that would be issue 6) I will showcase the two last Liberty quilting weight fabric collections 'Bloomsbury' and 'Stile' combined with linen, flannel, denim and leather. For issue 6 I made 2 Liberty shoppers; one large and one small and I thought these might be cute for a mother and daughter.

They are fun to make and not too difficult and above all not only practical but two real stunners (in my humble opinion) that will make everybody else who has just got the box standard Sainsbury bag green with envy (or shall I say orange)!

In addition the magazine has this gorgeous cathedral window quilt by Jo Avery from mybearpaw and many more wonderful projects.

Issue 6 is available in stores now or if you don't like hunting for it just get a subscription here 

Shopping totes

The other day I looked at a few of my fabric panels I bought ages and ages ago and thought something ought to be done with them.

So I made a few rather lovely shopping totes that are completely lined. 

And I even dived into my 'Hope Valley' stash for the coffee themed bag to find a matching print for the lining.

The bread themed bag is really large so that a few dozen baguettes will fit in nicely..... that is if you have to buy that many or feeling rather French......

 

This one is lined with a bright 'Pezze' print. All are available in the shop here and here.