Life-long Crafter?

I don't recall being too interested by crafts or art or projects as a child. I decided to start quilting when faced with a 3 week vacation from work, thinking I should have something to show for my time off. I started to scrapbook when I had children and became convinced that every moment was too precious to simply live, I needed to document how cute and cuddly the kids were. I have no good explanation for the dabbling in jewelry or card making or sewing purses. I like the feeling of having something I made myself. It's all in good fun. This plate drawn by a much younger me proves I am not striving to express innate artistic ability.

None of the Above

After gathering fabric choices, posting a pattern sketch and opening the selection of the next purse look up to the masses, I made something from off the list. My rationale is that so few people voted in my poll related to blog postings January 14 and 15 that few would be offended when I ignored their guidance. Besides, the orange lining I used for my latest purse was beckoning to me from the very windows of my sewing room.

Check out the details of this purse made from the still-puddling curtain fabric waiting to be properly hemmed. Fabric-covered button details and handles knotted through grommets give a fresh and spring-like look to the versatile denim body of the purse. Now if the weather would only warm up some...

Free Find

I've been thinking that a clothes-drying rack would make a good fabric-display system for the wall. Ideally, something that was mostly or completely wood appears crafty and utilitarian. This morning as I cruised around in the minivan running errands, I spied just the item. It's trash day in my neighborhood, so draw your own conclusions. I think the drying rack folded flat and hanging on the wall of my sewing room fits the bill exactly, and the price is perfect.

Silver-lined Bead

These earrings are a birthday present. They contain silver-lined clear beads. I don't know if they will tarnish on the inside over time. Black-lined clear beads would be pretty, too.

Zippies

At 15-20 minutes to make, these little zip pouches are quick to make and cute as can be. As it turns out, I really did need 25 zippers in a variety of colors. It is entertaining to dig through my fabric to find the perfect combination of outside, surprise lining and colored zipper. K and R have ordered their custom zippies. Readers of this blog might as well, too. You are all surely to receive a zippie even without asking for one; it may as well be in the colors you favor.

Zipper Bonanza!

I have been loitering at the mailbox, even in these frigid temperatures, in anticipation of the delivery of bulk zippers. 25 multi-colored zippers arrived today, just in advance of the long holiday weekend during which there would be no mail. Lucky me! Aren't they lovely? K and I sort and rearrange them; they are brimming with potential.

What Is It For?

I played around with making my version of a zippered pouch I saw online. I'm afraid it might lean toward the difficult-to-open-lunchsack look, but the fabric is certainly pretty. I know a boy who is eying this pouch as a scooter bag. A little velcro to attach the thing, and he's there.

Viewers' Choice

It's time for another poll. Vote early and often for your favorite fabric combination for the purse I sketched yesterday. I may even make the winning combination first.

Proposed Pattern

I spied while wandering the internet a purse I think I'll make myself. It's a solid canvas body with a patterned lining that folds down to make a cuff. The handles are made from the same patterned fabric and they are attached to the purse by knots through large grommets. The base of the bag is squared off in the standard way--sewing triangles across the flattened bottom seam. But, to jazz up the base, fabric-covered buttons adorn the triangular folds. Cute!

Not Quite Enough

I ran short of the turquoise beads I wanted to make a bracelet from, so I threw in a few black beads. The project was very quick, and I won't feel bad if I elect to cut the bracelet apart later and use them another way.

Rings on Parade

As soon as the glue dries on these rings, my fingers will be adorned. The yellow button and antique green stencil bird bead ring is my early favorite. I plan to hold off making any more rings until I can fieldtest the glue.

Photos From Arizona

In addition to the many hundreds of photos I took of the kids in Arizona this past October, I also attempted to artfully photograph the desert. The result is three pictures, one of cacti at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens, one of Superstition Mountain and one of bluffs outside Sedona. They finish off the new less-cluttered-with-toys look of the family room and remind us of a great vacation.

Ringing In the New Year

I have discovered that you can buy ring blanks. Now I can make my own rings out of small items glued to the top of pre-bent metal. What possibilites for a quick, shiny project! I am collecting buttons, coins, cabochons and whatnot. With 10 fingers to decorate, I won't hesitate to build a larger-than-average ring collection.

Maybe A Bit Large

This reversable one-piece smock top is great for twirling because it's a bit large. Do you think K will wear it when she's 5 or 6? Somehow I feel in a rush to make things for her because I know she will soon select her own style. On the other hand, N is pestering me to make him a fabric wallet. He says he doesn't mind flowers, but I'm sure I have some monkey fabric around somewhere....

Birthday Sewing

M took the day off so I could have the whole of my birthday to do whatever I wanted. I spent most of the day sewing, playing with a new pattern for a fabric wallet/whatnot holder. I used vintage feedsack scraps for some, tried a snap closure, and matched vintage buttons with fabric collected in Colorado this past summer. Watch your mail because when I'm done making a bunch of these, I will be giving them away to make space for the next little project.

Padding the Blog

It's early to resort to this, but it's my blog, and if I want to share a collage of projects past, I will. Here are purses and bags from the last year or so. Each one has a gimmick. One is made from a placemat, one from remnant fabric, one folds to be a portable market bag. I would share that I have installed hooks in my closet to display purses that aren't currently in use, but that would be over the top.

Peek Pouch

I have a new hand-held email-checking gadget so I can see if anyone has written me and then respond from anywhere. Of course this necessitates making a pouch for it. Marimekko remnant fabric, a little velcro closure and a vintage stencil bird button combine to give my little Peek a comfortable home.

Wall Hanging or Table Runner?

The pattern for this quilt is supposed to be a table runner. I think it would look good as a wall hanging on a very thin section of wall. I find if I take a picture of the cut pieces before they are sewn together I can get a feel for the overall balance of the colors and patterns. I don't usually make a quilt or wall hanging that has only a few fabrics, so understanding the surprises that appear when many colors and patterns are joined is best known before sewing anything together forever.

New Earrings

Besides red, I am currently enthralled with beads that are clear. Having recently learned to coil short sections of wire to make connectors between elements in jewelery, I made these silver and clear earrings. I think they'll go with everything, and I'm a person who can't have too many pairs of earrings.

Who Doesn't Want One?

I was thrilled to receive for Christmas a Zutter personal binding machine. Now I can punch holes and attach a metal ring binding to anything I want. I am stock-piling interesting cardboard boxes to make into great covers of handy notebooks. This little gem has a front and back cover made from old hotel room keys from M's trips back to Seattle. So cute! Want one?

Sssh, Don't Tell!

It's late, but I finished a purse for A, part of her Christmas present. Made from an open-source pattern, it has a quilted remnant Marimeko flap. The purse body is made from remnant pin-stripe and remnant black denim fabric. It has an interior zipped pocket, a key fob looped on with a scrap from A's wedding present quilt and a strap long enough to wear across the body. A can add a heavy brooch to the flap to personalize the bag (and hold it closed).

I Also Love Orange

I went along when the "in" color was lime green. Now I think it's orange's turn. I am collecting orange beads to add to projects or stand on their own. Here is a bracelet. It's orange.