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Summer has arrived in full force. It's hot and muggy and the kids are on their summer break, so we try to make the best of it and go swimming as often as we can. Which of course means I needed a new beach bag :).
I've gone back and forth on quite a few designs but in the end I decided to make myself a Market Bag from one of my most favorite sewing books Handmade Style by Anna Graham.
This bag is fabulously roomy (it fits at least three beach towels easily) and way more stylish than most beach bags one can buy at the store, I think ;)
I used yarn dyed Essex Linen in black for main body and a mix of my own screen printed fabric as well as some adorable prints I bought from Krista (spotted stones) for patchwork bands.
I went with olive green canvas for lining. It's wonderfully sturdy and there was no need to add interfacing which is always nice.
I followed directions in the book to make one zipper pocket and then I added an extra zipper and slip pockets to the other lining as well as a snap hook for my keys to make this fabulously large bag more functional.
I love how it turned out and I'm quite sure this bag will get used a lot over the next few months. Yay for stylish and...
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Hello friends!
How are things? Are you enjoying some lovely summer weather these days? My kids have been out of school for over two weeks and we're now in full summer mode. It's fun being able to spend more time with the kids and take things easy, but it also means a lot less sewing time for me.
So far though I've been pretty successful in squeezing a few quick projects here and there (you know, to keep my sanity intact) and it seems to do the trick :).
I made this Sylvie Tote as a gift for my mother in law and I absolutely adore the combination of this long hoarded cotton print by Jeni Baker for AGF and yarn dyed Essex linen.
I made an 'everyday size' and went with slightly shorter handles than the pattern calls for as my MIL prefers her totes this way. And, I added rivets and magnetic snap closure to make it a sturdy and functional tote. I hope it will be loved and used a lot.
And then I made myself a new Devon Pouch. I think this is the fifth or sixth Devon I made in the last few weeks and I still didn't get tired of making them. That's definitely a good sign :)
How about you? What have you been working on lately?
Svetlana
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Hello everyone!
I'm super, super excited to show off my newest pouch pattern today, yay!
This is Devon Pouch.
A double zipper, super handy pouch that comes in two sizes. Large one would make a fabulous pencil or make up pouch, and the small one is a perfect coin pouch.
Small size actually fits my Iphone SE (it's on a smaller side, so if you have any of the larger phones and want it to fit into your pouch then go with large size).
Finished size:
small – 6 ½” wide x 3 ¾” tall
large - 7 ¼” wide x 5” tall x 1 ½” deep
Difficulty level: intermediate
!!! This is a measure and cut pattern, no templates needed !!!
Materials needed to make your very own Devon Pouch:
1 FQ (fat quarter) of fabric measures 18'” x 21”
fabric A (pouch exterior) – 1 FQ
fabric B (pouch lining + zipper pocket lining) – 1 FQ
SF 101 interfacing (or similar medium weight fusible interfacing) – 1/2 yard
large size needs an 8” and 6" long metal or nylon zippers
small size needs a 6” and 4" long metal or nylon zippers
(I buy all my zippers from Zipit Zippers on Etsy)
optional – two zipper pulls (I used a 6” and an 8” long 1/8” wide leather lace)
Supplies:
cutting mat, ruler, and rotary cutter
zipper foot for your sewing machine
Wonder...
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My kids will be finished with school year in just a few days, so I decided I needed a new bag for all the outings and fun activities we're planning on doing over the next three months.
I wanted this new bag to be sturdy and larger than my regular everyday purse with lots of pockets as well as main zipper closure. And, as luck would have it, my Cora handbag pattern fit the bill perfectly (the only adjustment I did was shortening the handles a bit and adding a removable strap).
I think the combination of this beautiful print from Maureen Cracknell's Nightfall collection and Wicked Sky AGF denim is just perfect for this bag. And the addition of Pellon Flex Foam makes it wonderfully structured without adding extra weight.
I used metal zippers for main closure and inner zipper pocket,
and added matching hardware to the strap. I think metal hardware always adds a perfect finishing touch to any handmade bag.
I got my middle daughter to model the bag so you can see the scale better.
All in all, I couldn't be happier with the way my new bag turned out (you can purchase the pattern here in case you'd like to make one for yourself). Just four more days and the outings can begin. Wish me...
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I started a new quilt, yay!!!
It's been ages since I felt like making any traditional quilt blocks, so when I suddenly couldn't get the combination of my newest screen printed panels and Sawtooth Star block out of my head I knew it was time to drop everything else I planned on doing and do some serious piecing instead :).
I'm so excited about these new fabric panels, I think they'll make for a super fun quilt.
I haven't decided on how big this quilt will be yet so I'll just keep making blocks as long as I feel like it and I'll see where the whole process takes me.
Oh, and I'll have some of these panels for sale at my etsy shop next week in case you'd like to add some cuteness to your stash :)
Wishing you all a creative and relaxed weekend.
Svetlana
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Hello friends, happy Monday to you all!
Once again I find myself with way too many finished projects taking up precious space in my studio so I decided it was time for another handmade sale.
All the items in this mosaic (and more) are listed in my etsy shop now. Click here to be taken directly to the shop.
Hope you'll find something you like and thank you for your support :)
Hope you'll find something you like and thank you for your support :)
Happy shopping! Svetlana
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Hello lovelies,
I just wanted to pop in real quick and let you know added quite a few new screen printed fabric panels to my etsy shop.
Enjoy :). Svetlana
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Yesterday afternoon I came across this lovely photo of a beautifully styled bed. I think it was made mostly to showcase that fantastic quilt. What caught my eye though, was the black and gray pillow in the background. I love that it's simple, yet bold at the same time and I decided to make a similar pillow for our family room.
I wasted no time, of course, and got to work right away. I decided to go with yard dyed Essex linen for the main cross, and I used Kona cotton (probably Snow) for the corners.
I was very tempted to use black for the corners (as in the original pillow), but just one thought of our super fluffy white cat made me realize white is just a better option for our household :).
I needed my pillow cover to fit an 18" square pillow form, so I cut each square at 6.5".
Once my pillow top was pieced, I adhered fusible fleece to its wrong side and hand quilted it using sashiko thread.
I like my quilting lines not to be wonky, so I used disappearing fabric pen and ruler to draw the lines before I started quilting - they are 1" apart.
As soon as I started making this pillow I knew I wanted to use one of my most favorite fabrics ever (these sweet little houses by Sarah Golden)...
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Hello everyone!
I'd like to show you my newest quilt finish today.
A super simple and sweet whole cloth quilt I made for our local homeless shelter.
This was such a quick and satisfying project. I used fabric from my stash - poppy print by Katarina Roccella for the front and this lovely alphabet fabric (cut up Ikea comforter cover) + another Katarina Roccella print for the back.
I used straight line quilting to form an irregular grid and bound it with light gray solid fabric. I like this kind of quilting as it adds a wonderful drape to the finished quilt.
Finished size of this quilt is 40" x 46" and I'm happy to send it on its way for a special little one to snuggle in.
Wishing you all a lovely day. Svetlana
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Happy Monday, friends!
Thank you to each and every one of you for all the wonderful comments on my six year blogiversary post and for taking part in my giveaway.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Mr. Random and I have chosen our three winners:
Mary (havplenty)
Yolanda (soft things sewn)
Kathy
Congratulations, ladies. Your winning will be on the way as soon as I hear from you.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Once again, thank you all for all the happy and encouraging comments.
Svetlana
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Hi Lovelies,
There's been such a positive reception to my retreat pattern collection, thank you so much for your kind words! Today we're sharing the first batch of the tester pices from the Fiesta Tote.
The Fiesta tote is perfect for beginners, or for those who want a quick and satisfying sew. It's easy to modify and they all look so different, just with different fabric choices!
First up is Agent Bushy with her whimsical Fiesta. I loved it so much I bought it from her!
Next up is Anna from Messy Rooms who made this beautiful Fiesta tote, I love the hot pink straps!
Annette went wild with strips using her fabric for her outer, lining AND her straps, I love it, and it really makes a feature of the shape of the bag!
Barbara didn't let me down and created this bag all in pink to make us all wink! I love it! I love her large pocket on the front too, it really works so well!
Christine from Bags by Bags of Style took this pattern to 'hack' it as far as she could for the retreat. In this version she used faux leather to colour block it and added some blingy hardware in between the straps!
Cyndi chose to make a bag that'll stand out from the crowd with this version with a stunning hot pink...
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I've been a fan of Maureen's beautiful fabric designs and quilts for years now and last week I had the pleasure to work with her newest fabric collection Soulful. I love the Anthropologie feel of Maureen's gorgeous fabric and enjoyed my "soulful playtime" immensely.
Would you like to see what I made?
First I sewed up this patchwork-y Laura purse.
I didn't have large enough pieces of fabric for main panels so I decided to piece them using differently sized strips of fabric. I think it worked really well and I absolutely love the finished look.
Oh, and this hardware. I just love everything about it. It was all provided to me by Dritz company and I'll be definitely using it again in my future projects.
I then used some of the leftover scraps to make this qayg Nina Wristlet.
And I added yet another little Dritz detail to my pouch. Those "handmade" tags are just fabulous, don't you think?
Both the bag and the pouch are heading Maureen's way right now and will be displayed in her Spring Quilt Market booth. Can't wait to see how it all comes together :)
Svetlana
Both the bag and the pouch are heading Maureen's way right now and will be displayed in her Spring Quilt Market booth. Can't wait to see how it all comes together :)
Svetlana
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Hello everyone,
I just wanted to pop in real quick and let you know I've added quite a few screen printed fabric panels as well as some charm packs to my etsy shop.
Oh, and I'm not planning on doing another shop update any time soon so in case you see something you like grab it now as once it's gone it's gone.
Wishing you all a happy and creative day.
Svetlana
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One of my go to projects when I feel creatively stuck and completely uninspired is making grocery bags. I know, super glamorous, right? :) I use Grocery Bag pattern by Michelle Patterns as these bags are quick and easy to make, and I get to play with pretty fabric without thinking too much.
Lately I've had quite a few of those "stuck" days with mile long list of things I needed to do but no desire to tackle any one of them. So I raided my stash and decided it was time for yet another grocery bag making session.
Denyse Schmidt + Cotton and Steel
Charlie Harper
Curiosities by Jeni Baker
As you can see I like to work in batches when making these bags, so I went ahead and made three bags in one go. I really love the unique but super effective construction Michelle came up with as it makes for very practical and durable grocery bags.
The handles are a bit fiddly to make, but definitely worth a bit extra effort. You can see in the photo above how I make them. Instead of cutting all four handles out, I just cut one pair of handles, pin them to second fabric, stitch and then cut the handles out. I find this to be a quicker and more precise way to make my handles.
I love how these bags...
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Hello everyone!
I'm happy to introduce my newest pouch pattern to you today :)
This is Olivia pouch.
This pouch has been in the works for quite some time as I wanted to make sure I got all the dimensions just right and I'm excited to offer it in three very useful sizes (full size templates are included with the pattern, of course).
Small size is perfect to keep tiny random items inside one's purse organized, medium size is just right for pencils and pens and the large one would make a wonderful toiletry bag or a dopp kit.
I used a variety of cotton and cotton/linen blend fabrics to make these pouches and I absolutely love how they turned out. I hope you will love this pouch's "tent" shape with straight side edges and wide bottom plus the little side handle as much as I do.
Finished size:
small - 6 ½” wide x 4” tall x 2” deep
medium - 8 ¼ ” wide x 3” tall x 2 ½” deep
large - 9 ½” wide x 5” tall x 3 ½” deep
Finished size:
small - 6 ½” wide x 4” tall x 2” deep
medium - 8 ¼ ” wide x 3” tall x 2 ½” deep
large - 9 ½” wide x 5” tall x 3 ½” deep
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
As always, this is an instant download pdf pattern available worldwide and you can purchase it by clicking on the link below or by going to my etsy shop.
I'm offering this pattern for an introductory price of $5.00 for the next 48 hours, after that the price will go up to...
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Hi lovelies,
Lots of people have asked about fusing vinyl to their fabrics to make the Toiletry Tote, so I've prepared a comparison for you of the most popular three.
To be compared are
Pellon Vinyl Fuse - £7.22 for 15” x 2yd
Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Heat n Bond Iron on Vinyl - £5.45 for 17” x 1yd
Buy from SewHot.co.uk
Vilene Lamifix - £5.99 for 18” x 1m
Buy from Minerva Crafts
I’ve used the Gloss finish for all three.
Packaging & Information
Pellon Vinyl Fuse – Comes rolled in a box, with instructions printed on the box. The roll is protected by the box and unrolled with few creases. The backing sheet did not have a grid printed on it which could have made cutting to size easier. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. The Vinyl fuse seems to be the thicker, weightier of the three vinyls.
Heat n Bond Iron on Vinyl – Came rolled with the plastic instruction sheet wrapped around. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. The vinyl did receive some creases from the roll being flattened in the post.
Vilene Lamifix – Came folded with no instructions. The selvedge has minimal instructions printed in code. Leaving the vinyl unfolded overnight did not remove all of the folding creases,...
Lots of people have asked about fusing vinyl to their fabrics to make the Toiletry Tote, so I've prepared a comparison for you of the most popular three.
To be compared are
Pellon Vinyl Fuse - £7.22 for 15” x 2yd
Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Heat n Bond Iron on Vinyl - £5.45 for 17” x 1yd
Buy from SewHot.co.uk
Vilene Lamifix - £5.99 for 18” x 1m
Buy from Minerva Crafts
I’ve used the Gloss finish for all three.
Packaging & Information
Pellon Vinyl Fuse – Comes rolled in a box, with instructions printed on the box. The roll is protected by the box and unrolled with few creases. The backing sheet did not have a grid printed on it which could have made cutting to size easier. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. The Vinyl fuse seems to be the thicker, weightier of the three vinyls.
Heat n Bond Iron on Vinyl – Came rolled with the plastic instruction sheet wrapped around. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. The vinyl did receive some creases from the roll being flattened in the post.
Vilene Lamifix – Came folded with no instructions. The selvedge has minimal instructions printed in code. Leaving the vinyl unfolded overnight did not remove all of the folding creases,...
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Hello, hello! Happy Thursday to you all!
Today is a special day as exactly six years ago I wrote my very first post for this blog. Crazy, isn't it? Things have changed, of course. I don't make the same things I used to (which is definitely a good thing because those first mug rugs make me laugh every time I see them :). Sewing and designing patterns has become my job instead of being a hobby, and I definitely have less time for sewing just for the sake of sewing. What haven't changed, however, is my love of making and the enjoyment I get from sharing it with you all.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!!!
Thank you for coming along on this super fun creative journey with me. I couldn't do what I do without all your encouragement, support, and feedback.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
And, to celebrate, I have a giveaway for you.
The giveaway is open worldwide and three lucky readers will win a pack of 15 screen printed charms pictured above, plus a choice of three pdf patterns from my etsy shop.
To enter, simply leave a comment below letting me know what fun project you're working on at the moment. Mr. Random and I will choose our three winners on Monday (May 1st) noon.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
And, in...
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Hello lovelies,
We were very fortunate to have a few extra goodies left over from our super generous Bag Retreat sponsors!
We've got the following goodies to giveaway, so scroll to the end to enter!
3 x Janome Swatch Buddies
1 x Butterfly Sling purse paper pattern from Emmaline Bags
6 x Pearl Wallet Clutch paper patterns from Swoon Patterns
4 x Tape Measure keyrings from Bags by Bags of Style
Even more exciting than goodies, is that we've released the tickets now for our next retreat in October!
We are already fully booked for April '18 unfortunately, so if you're thinking about joining us, please do book soon to avoid disappointment.
Tickets are available at full price, or on instalment plans to help spread the cost slightly.
What's included?
The retreat ticket includes a 3 course dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings, a choice of continental or full cooked breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, tea & coffee throughout, with cake on Friday and Saturday afternoons, a hot buffet lunch on Saturday and a carvery lunch on Sunday.
The ticket also...
We were very fortunate to have a few extra goodies left over from our super generous Bag Retreat sponsors!
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| This was our 'selfie with the sponsors' poster, a great way of saying thank you to them! |
3 x Janome Swatch Buddies
1 x Butterfly Sling purse paper pattern from Emmaline Bags
6 x Pearl Wallet Clutch paper patterns from Swoon Patterns
4 x Tape Measure keyrings from Bags by Bags of Style
We are already fully booked for April '18 unfortunately, so if you're thinking about joining us, please do book soon to avoid disappointment.
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| Add caption |
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| A selection of the bags made at the retreat |
The retreat ticket includes a 3 course dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings, a choice of continental or full cooked breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, tea & coffee throughout, with cake on Friday and Saturday afternoons, a hot buffet lunch on Saturday and a carvery lunch on Sunday.
The ticket also...
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Hello lovelies,
It's time to share some exciting photos with you today! Last week I released my Toiletry Tote pattern so today it's time to start showing you some of the testers' pics!
First up is AJ who chose to highlight her zips in a contrast colour, I love it!
Next is Amy of Virginia Girl Design , I realyl struggle to choose fabric combinations, but she nails it every time!
Next up is Anke with a fabulous purple and polka dot version. Thanks for the wide open shot Anke, your bag has a lot of space!
Next up is Casey JC Mila Designs who made this gorgeous fun Toiletry tote. You can see in the 3rd pic how the optional hook strap can snap out of the way for zipping.
Next up is Christine of Bags by Bags of Style who's gone pocket crazy and added even more pockets! I believe this tote was snapped up within minutes of being finished, and I'm not surprised!
Next up is Christine who made her tote in two different cork fabrics. I love the contrast flap and pockets!
Hilari made such a bright tote that I asked her to send it to me. Now it graces my samples shelf and features on the cover!
I couldn't resist Jana of Bubo Boutique version of the Toiletry Tote either and so she made me another,...
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Hi Lovelies. Becky from R.j.A.f.MAKES is with us for the last time to talk about how to take better bag pics, and this week she's looking at lighting.
Why is it all about correct lighting?
Correct lighting is needed to show off the true colours of the fabric you have used. Daylight is the best lighting to use, but it has its pros and cons. The most important thing to remember about daylight is that the sun and clouds will give off different colours at different times of day. The human eye will not always see this but your camera will pick it up, trust me on this one. The sun gives off a warm glow from around 12 noon onwards all the way to sunset, so the best time of day to take photos with natural light is around 9am to 11am in the morning. This is when the sun isn't at its brightest but also isn't at its yellow “glow” stage of the day.
When you take a photo in the morning make sure there is no direct sunlight and a little cloud covering. This will give a white light as it appears to the human eye. To a camera, this white light will actually be a mild blue light. It will not affect the colours of your photos, but it gives off a more balanced control of light and a more natural...
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I've been meaning to make a protective case for my laptop for ages now but I was totally stuck on what design and fabrics to go with, of course. And then, while browsing Pinterest the other day, I came across these simple, yet wonderfully stylish cases and I knew right away a padded giant pouch of sorts was the way to go.
I combined some of my screen printed fabric with black and white striped fabric from my stash and loosely based this case on my Purse Organizer (just made it much bigger and with less pockets).
I then added some fun bag hardware and leather accents to spiffy the case up a bit and I absolutely love the final look, especially that zipper tab. I must do things like that more often.
I love how this case turned out and it's a perfect fit for my laptop and the charger.
Now I'm tempted to make cases for all my electronics :)
Thanks for reading, friends. Svetlana
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Improv piecing is without any doubt my most favorite ever way to make a quilt. So, when I wanted to make a mini quilt for my studio (I'm currently decluttering and organizing like a maniac and will show you photos of my progress soon) I knew improv piecing was the way to go.
I started with a small stack of white-ish scraps with just a few gray and navy strips added for good measure. And then I simply arranged and re-arranged them on my design wall until I was happy with the layout. It really didn't take long as this is a mini quilt, but was a super fun way to just play with fabric :)
I'm a huge fan of Carolyn Friedlander's fabulous quilting style and this mini is a direct result of all the wonderful tips and teaching Carolyn shares in her Creativebug class.
Even the back looks pretty cool, would you agree?
I think this mini fits right in on my new wall of eclectic art and miscellaneous hooks :)
Off I go, more organizing to be done.
Svetlana
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I've long been admiring these absolutely stunning Atelier + S patchwork linen and sashiko tote bags . So beautiful, aren't they? I love how they are sort of rustic looking, yet pretty and stylish at the same time.
So, the other day when I found myself with a bit of spare time and no project to work on, I decided to make a pillow cover inspired by these totes.
I thought I'd work on patchwork base first, but I really wanted to get stitching, so I decided simple square of Essex linen will do. I drew the lines using ruler and water soluble fabric pen.
I even had some sashiko thread on hand so I was able to get stitching right away. Oh, and I adhered fusible fleece to wrong side of my linen before I started stitching since I found a single layer of linen to be a bit too flimsy for my liking.
This was one of those almost instant gratification projects as I finished all the stitching while watching a movie one evening and turned it into a pillow the next day. The pillow cover finished at 18" square and has an invisible zipper closure for easy removal.
What are your go to projects when you don't have much time but still want to make something? Do tell. I'd love to know.
Happy Monday to you...
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Hello everyone!
Many of you expressed interest in reading more about my stamping and printing, so today I'd like to share a quick tutorial on how I made my block printed thank you cards (my stamp was inspired by this stamp and cards). Hope you enjoy this quick little tutorial:)
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Here are the materials I used:
lino cutting tool
carving block (I like using this one)
#2 pencil
sharpie
x-Acto knife
ink pad
rubber brayer
baren
rubber brayer
baren
freezer paper to draw my design on (not pictured)
scrap paper for print testing (not pictured)
heavy paper for finished cards (not pictured)
scrap paper for print testing (not pictured)
heavy paper for finished cards (not pictured)
1. Draw the image/text you'd like to carve on freezer paper.
2. Once happy with your image, flip it right side down on carving block. Rub the side of your pencil along the whole picture to transfer image to your carving block. Remove the paper.
3. Use sharpie to draw along the image's lines, shade the area that doesn't need carving. Use lino cutting tool to carve around your image.
4. Use ink pad and paper to check how your stamp looks and keep carving until you're completely satisfied with the finished look.
5. Spread block printing ink on inking plate using rubber brayer.
6. Use brayer to evenly spread ink on your stamp.
7....
2. Once happy with your image, flip it right side down on carving block. Rub the side of your pencil along the whole picture to transfer image to your carving block. Remove the paper.
3. Use sharpie to draw along the image's lines, shade the area that doesn't need carving. Use lino cutting tool to carve around your image.
4. Use ink pad and paper to check how your stamp looks and keep carving until you're completely satisfied with the finished look.
5. Spread block printing ink on inking plate using rubber brayer.
6. Use brayer to evenly spread ink on your stamp.
7....
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Hello lovelies,
It's time to share some exciting photos with you today! A few days ago I released my Machine Bag pattern so today it's time to start showing you some of the testers' pics!
Tara made her bag in monochrome and used chunky piping around the outside. I love her fabric choices, her bag looks fab!
Amy used this fun Tula Pink print with contrast hot pink webbing for her Machine Bag. I love to see it styled with the fabric in her stash, it's perfect!
Christine made a few edits to her pattern adding some fun hardware and a very clever fold up pocket to hold her machine needles. It looks great!
Cyndi managed the most precise sewing on her Machine Bag, the black contrast handles really pop, and the bag looks fab!
Sandie added some fun quilting to the base on her machine Bag and used narrow red piping around the main panels. Check out her perfect pattern matching on her zip gusset!
Jayne also wowed me with her pattern matching across the zip, it's perfect, and this fabric print is spot on for a machine bag!
Jana really embraced the brights of spring with her bag with this beautiful combination. She also split her handles and added hardware. It's a...
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Hi lovelies, today I've got the brilliant Becky from R.j.A.f.MAKES on my blog for the first part of Taking Better Bag Photos. Today, she's going to be looking at how to frame your picture and delving into the depths of cameras.
How should you frame your photo?
Personally, I wouldn't have too much happening in a photograph. For example, you may want to photograph your bag outside. You won’t want to put your bag on a park bench full of people sitting on it, as this will take the viewer’s eyes into overdrive! They will be looking all over the photo and not looking at the bag you have made.
Also, look for pleasing backgrounds and nothing too bright in colour to distract the viewer either. For example, I made a bag that has bright blues, bright pinks and whites on it and the best place to photograph it was the church behind our house as there are no harsh colours to distract the viewer’s eyes from the bag.
A key example of too much going on in a photo is shown here. You will notice I have used no lighting and a busy background. The wallpaper I have used behind the bag is too overpowering.
So I re-took this photo a few days later on my travels to an ice hockey game. It was 11am and...
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Hi lovelies, today I want to introduce to you Becky from R.j.A.f.MAKES. I first encountered Becky in the Facebook group British Bag Makers. Becky creates really fun and beautiful bags, and her photography is exquisite! Becky's going to be talking about how to take really great bag photos over the next couple of weeks, but to start off we've got a profile so that you can get to know her!
Hi! I'm Rebecca Alexander-Frost, the founder of R.j.A.f.MAKES. I’ve just turned 34, been married for 3 years and have two wonderful step children. My mom was a keen sewer and my dad is a keen photographer, so I get my photography and sewing skills from them. Even though my mom has said I’ve surpassed her on the sewing skills, I still ask for her help from time to time. This is where my inspiration started.
I always knew I would be in the arts industry, whether that was painting, drawing, visual arts (photography) or sewing. But deep down, sewing has always been my main love, the one I always come back to. I started sewing when I was 8, when my mom taught me to hand sew. When I was 11, I had my first sewing machine, my beautiful 1940s, hand-cranked Singer sewing machine. I still have it to this...
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Hello everyone, welcome to my Sew Mama, Sew! giveaway !!!
I'm super excited you stopped by. Want to see what you can win?
I am giving away six of my very own screen printed panels to one lucky winner. (each panel measures about 12" x 16")
The winner will also receive three of my pdf patterns of their choosing. (you can browse all my patterns by clicking here)
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
A big thank you to all who took part in my giveaway. I greatly appreciate each and every one of you and I absolutely loved reading what projects you guys are working on, thanks for sharing.
I'm happy to announce Kathy@KayakQuilting is out winner, congratulations!!
Please, please, please make sure to leave you email address if you're a non-reply commenter or I'll have no way of contacting you in case you win and will have to choose...
- Details
- Category: Handmade bags
I've been meaning to make new placemats for our home for quite some time now. I wanted something simple and uncomplicated and I'm happy I finally settled on these improv strip pieced placemats.
All the patchwork strips came from my scrap box, yay! It always feels extra wonderful to make even a tiny dent in the amount of scraps I own. I'm pretty sure they multiply every time I turn my back on them :).
I machine quilted my first placemat, but I simply didn't like the way it looked. I think I secretly really wanted to hand quilt them from the beginning, so I ripped all the machine stitches out, pulled out my hand quilting supplies, and got to work. Oh, such joy! The finished mats do feel a bit luxurious with all the hand quilting, I love that.
I used some of my screen printed Essex linen panels for the backings and love the extra stability they add to finished mats. Oh, and I added one layer of cotton batting to the middle as well. Makes place mats soft and squishy without adding too much bulk.
Each mat finished at 12" x 16" and I'm super excited to start using them.
Wishing you all a beautifully relaxed and creative weekend. Svetlana
- Details
- Category: Handmade bags
Welcome, welcome friends!!!
I'm happy to introduce my newest bag pattern to you today.
♥ ♥ ♥ Vera Slouch Bag ♥ ♥ ♥
It's a perfectly sized everyday bag. Not too large, not too small, with two exterior slip pockets, one lining zipper pocket (I'm quite sure you'll enjoy this new way of installing a zipper pocket) and a smaller lining slip pocket as well.
See? Wonderfully roomy, isn't it?
Finished size of the bag is 11" wide x 11" tall x 4" deep.
Finished size of the bag is 11" wide x 11" tall x 4" deep.
It's not a very difficult bag to make, but it does look super chic once finished. I'd say an advanced beginner (some zipper experience is helpful) would be quite comfortable making this bag.
And, in case you're a fan of leather strap just like I am, I added an extra page of instructions on how to attach leather strap and D-ring tabs instead of making fabric ones.
Materials needed to make the bag
(fabric requirements are based on 42” wide fabric)
fabric A (main exterior fabric) – ¾ yard
fabric B (contrasting exterior bottom) – ¼ yard
fabric C (lining) – ½ yard
interlining fabric (canvas, denim, or some other heavier weight fabric) – ½ yard
SF 101 interfacing (or other medium weight fusible interfacing of choice) – 2 ½ yards
one - 7” long metal or nylon...