This week I have mostly been making… bags

Well I looked at problem of kamikaze soft toys trying to meet their maker off the top bunk and decided bag to contain them would need to be of gigantic proportions so instead busied myself with smaller bags. Smallest daughter has taken a shine to hers so much that she puts her favourite rabbit inside it and then cuddles the package in bed. Bag, rabbit and all.

Eldest daughter already likes to be v involved in all decision making processes along the way and has a good eye for colour and what works together. That squirrel fabric she’s got her little mitts on in the picture is some given to me by my Mum from which she made things for me as a baby. I love the history of crafting and making which often goes through the female generations of families.

Should I go for squirrels or fawns, cherries or trees?

One of my favourite ways of labelling things is to use an old fashioned typewriter. The hit and miss way the ink takes to the paper/fabric is one of those happy accidents. Sometimes I type the words out a few times and choose my favourite. It’s great for making gifts for people to personalize stuff if they don’t mind walking around with things with their name emblazoned on the front. Eldest daughter already requested hers just had her first name and not the entire thing out there. For these bags I basted the fabric on and then sewed ribbon around the edges to frame it. Extra beads were then added for sparkle and prettiness. What I would have done if I’d had boys I don’t know. All those lost opportunities for prettifying things.

Then it was a case of sewing it all and ta da – two bags all fully lined and stuff. Oh I added a running stitch in embroidery thread onto both too. In design, I’m all for the less is more. Sewing I tend towards a ‘more is more’ approach. Still tempted to add beads (I have red heart shaped beads) to end of straps.

Spotty bag

Fawn fabric bag

Apologies for pics as they were taken on my iphone so not the greatest quality. May retake and replace soon but just wanted to share. Oh and pattern (minus name labels and embellishments) was from Sew Hip Magazine – a mag with suprisingly cool, cute and quirky things to make but with a (sorry Sew Hip) hideous masthead – not so much hideous but I don’t think it suits the brand so well. Hopefully they will do brilliantly through word of mouth as it’s also hard to find on the shelves and isn’t even in the big WHSmiths at Victoria Station. I think I drunk ordered a few back issues and a subscription the other night at 3am – I can’t remember and it’s not showing on my bank statement yet but I’m hoping I did. I have a vague memory of doing so. Perri Lewis showed me my first copy or I’d never have picked it up off the shelf so thanks to Perri.

I heart vintage buttons

Had irresistable urge to raid my buttons and beads collection last night to make this bracelet for myself. It’s my birthday on Tuesday and have just been made redundant as the Guardian are no longer going to publish mine and Perri Lewis’s beloved Comic. So I needed to cheer myself up on the cheap.

You really can’t beat a combination of old vintage buttons and lovely glass and carved precious stone. The beads make the buttons seem  more precious by association and the buttons give the beads character and quirky charm. A win win situation.