Holiday sewing part 3 -drawstring bags and other bits and bobs

This is the final bit of holiday sewing I want to share with you today. I decided to take my Ruby Star Spring linen throw with me in holiday so I could work on the bee cross stitching a bit and also knit a new pair of socks during the flight. And to carry and protect all of this in style a couple of bags are of course required.

I made two drawstring bags using this popular tutorial. It is well written and easy to follow and makes as you can see perfect bags. For the one with the VW bully I fussy cut the bus from a print I bought last year in Germany and added a border at the bottom of Echino cameras and the top is a left over Kaffe Fassett print. The one to the right uses Ruby Star Spring fabric throughout.

The VW bully bag is abut 11 inches and I didn't think my embroidery hoop would fit in it but it does with everything else. How fantastic is that !

Then I though I needed a purse to keep the thread and scissors separate so I made with my laminated 'Going Coastal' fabric a purse.

And to top it all a mini travel-needlebook was also required for which I again used my favourite Ruby Star Rising fabric 'Vintage Ladies' for. I think this is actually my favourite piece of my holiday sewing collection as it is so cute and because I used a clever hook for my mini scissors to ensure they don't go walk about (the blade is only 1 inch long). The lining is from the new Momo line 'Half Moon'. 

The Italian

After I made my first Ruby Star Rising bag  back in March, I received two commissions for bags that were all a direct result of it. Since I also made a messenger bag called "See you later" . For those of you who are waiting for a pattern and tutorial on the messenger bag I have to ask for a little more patience. I am waiting for another commission for this bag to come in that I then want to use as the base for my pattern.

But today I would like to share with you the second instalment of "The Italian" (formerly known as Jude's bag). This one will not become a pattern just jet as I am still changing things but I am hoping it will become one in the future.

I made a few changes compared to the first model in that I chose not to do external seems as it was a to much fiddly work to add the bias binding around the whole back. I only chose to do that at the top of the back this time.

And I also added a zippered inside pouch.

I absolutely adore this bag as it is so roomy but still very light. This is the perfect bag for those of us who like a big bag (like me !). I just can't really deal with small bags where only a mobile phone and a key fits it.

Pincushion No 4

It was time for another pincushion.
I wonder who is going to get this one........

Meet the "See you later" messanger bag

The month of July has been really good to me with two commission that have given me the chance to explore my bag making abilities further. Today I'd like to introduce you to my new messenger style bag "See you later".

Front with Flap

When I went on a business trip to Germany a while ago I carried my "Jude" bag with me and some of my colleagues  were really impressed with it which to be honest took me utterly by surprise. They in fact liked it so much that they commissioned me to make bags for them. One colleague wanted the Ruby Star Rising fabric but in a different style and the other wanted an exact copy of my "Jude" bag (will post about this at a later point). 

I tackled the messenger back first. I loved this commission as I have had a messenger bag on my to-do-list for a while and this gave me finally an excuse to do it. I opted for a slightly more formal style with a flap that can be closed through a magnetic clasp and separate side panels that provide enough room albeit it being a fairly small bag (10 x 12 inches).

The bag is again made from the wonderful Ruby Star Rising Autumn 2010 collection (the new Spring collection is inanimate !).

Back

The bag is fully lined with Kona cotton and has integrated pouches; one that is parted in two and one zipper pouch for keys etc.

For the sides I fussy cut panels from 'Vintage Dishes' in Pink.
I am planning to make this bag into a pattern incl. tutorial on how to tackle an integrated zippered pouch. Would anybody be interested in this at all ?

Look who's got a new skirt for Spring

..me !!!

Couldn't help myself last night and quickly made this very simple over the knee skirt with the gorgeous Ruby Star Rising fabric, this time I used the "Vintage Ladies" in Orchre, aren't they fabulous !!

So here is the "Ladies" skirt

and here is the skirt together with legs and scratch on shin and funny looking knobbly knees

I used a Burda Pattern from their web side. You can find it here . It is not a free pattern but only costs a fiver. I lined the skirt to ensure it has a good fit. As this is cotton/linen fabric it may have a tendency to get wider over time. The beauty of this pattern is that front and back are cut on the fabric fold thus one only has seams at the sides which is advantageous when dealing with patterned fabric like this.

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 ?

Ruby Star Rising Cosmetic Bag

Yes I am eating my words here. No need to point it out. Ruby Star Rising is made for bags and no it is not to precious for it. I still would love to make a skirt for myself with the 'Ladies' part of the collection but I need to find a different pattern than the Study Hall skirt pattern as the fabric is a little to thick for the inverted pleats. 

I was in need of a new cosmetic bag to take with me in holiday so I fussy cut some of the Ladies and combined them with some lovely strong linen. I  double lined the inside, the middle layer with Kona Cotton matching the green Ladies and with a plastic lining to ensure that liquids don't soak through.

And guess I am so pleased that I finally managed to cut into the fabric. I love love love it. Isn't it a true 'Ladies' cosmetic bag ?

I have more bags already planned but they have to wait a little longer.

Stash Note No 3

Ruby Star Rising has arrived and it is everything I hoped it would be: funky cool retro and super creative....you name it. Sure enough though now that I have it I don't want to cut into it (I knew this would happen). I think it is to precious for bags and the likes, perhaps not quite suitable for a quilt (mind one could do one showing off large panels) but very much wants to be made into clothes.

I used to make my own clothes a long time ago but could be persuated to give it a try again.

And I am thinking to do the Study Hall Skirt from Anna Maria Horner with the Ladies in Mustard fabric.
I think that would work well but I know I don't have enough fabric in one piece as 1 yard and 1/3 is apparently required and I only ordered a yard. Well the pattern hasn't arrived yet but usually they are rather generous in measurement or I use two fabrics.


Here are the pics:

Ladies in Mustard

Look at these pannels. Aren't they fabulous.

 

Ruby Star Rising

Just wanted to ask if anybody else is as desperately waiting for Ruby Star Rising as I am ?
All over blogland people seem to be in the lucky postion to have gotten hold of samples of the line and producing lovely things with it too (film in the fridge, and  Oh Fransson) . I am insanely jealous and can't wait to get my hands on the fabric. It really is an incredible collection and screams all sorts but I think foremost it wants to be made into bags. Kokka are producing it in a gorgeous cotton/linen blend.

Hathorn Threads do have it under there 'coming soon section' for January but so far that is the only one I have seen. I refrain from posting pictures as I don't have any of my own for obvious reasons but the line can be seen on Melody Millers blog.