Package!

I've been waiting patiently for several weeks to receive juicy fabric from Japan. One yard of the cutest linen robot fabric every made (and I've spent some time comparing linen robot fabric) and a half yard of green lion fabric (because R's favorite animal is the lion and his favorite color is green) arrived today. How marvelous to have the technology in my own house to prowl the planet for perfect craft supplies. But even after emails around the world and money exchanged through secure second parties, I still wait to hear the distinctive rumble of my mail carrier's car coming around the bend with my well-traveled parcel.

Pro-type

I'm playing with the design of a zippered pouch that is more wallet in nature. Somewhat larger than the smaller of the two pouches I currently make by the dozen, this pouch sports an outside pocket for storing important scraps of paper and a d-ring for attaching keys or clipping the whole wallet securely in a larger purse or bag. Accent binding on the pocket and along the pouch edge pumps up the main fabric.

Now I debate: should I use a wallet for awhile and see how I like it day-to-day, or just set to work making a bunch of them for a future farmers' market?

Scooter Purse

I have completed a commission of a scooter clutch purse, made with delicious Japanese cotton-linen fabric. Lined in linen, the purse sports a fabric-covered button. The back of the purse is more of the pink and green scooter linen. K wandered into my sewing room while I was finishing up the purse and observed that if I wasn't going to make her a dress out of the scooter fabric (and I'm not), maybe I could sew a small square of it onto something as a pocket. For 3-and-a-half, she has an eye for cute design. Watch for her this fall in Target jeans embellished with a pink scooter pocket.

Kindle Pouch

While I don't own a Kindle, the people I know who have one are enjoying the technology of having oodles of books at their fingertips. My friend C saw my zippered pouches at the farmers' market and wondered whether I could make a fabric carrier for her Kindle. Here is the result. It is padded on the inside with quilted fabric, and the outer fabric is also bonded with fleece. A swivel hook on the end of a short strap allows you to tote the pouch as a sort of purse or hook it through the handles of a bike or larger bag for carrying around. A sport zipper gives a sturdy finish to the pouch. Thanks to M for making a life-sized Kindle blank with scrap wood in the garage so I could be assured that a real Kindle would fit in this pouch. C has assured me she will field test the design and let me know what to change for next time.

Raw Materials

Emboldened to try a craft booth again, I am collecting fabric, beads and zippers that I think would make cute zippered pouches. I am enjoying the process of collecting, buying and matching materials. It's a summer for sewing.