Shelly’s Journal

While my mind has been elsewhere these last few months, I didn’t quite foresake my sewing habit altogether. Here and there I got the energy to complete a few projects. This bag was for my step daughter’s 16th birthday.

The bag is from this pattern by Bunny Hill Designs, and is made from 2.5 inch strips sewn together. The lining is a single piece of fabric and the top has binding like a quilt. I’m not sure if I like the style of sewing on the straps and then tying the ends. I may fiddle with that on a later model of this one.

The bag is a pretty good size once finished. I’m actually thinking of halfing in the size of this bag, just for something different. Of course, I do think of a lot of sewing projects throughout my day, but hardly have time to get to them.

That cute little hand belongs to Mr. Grabby - my baby boy who likes to touch EVERYTHING.

I love to make handbags. Love. Love. Love. It’s fun. It’s functional. Usually, it’s a short and fast project. People love them. I love them. (In case you didn’t get that the first time.) But, I usually get to #3 of a particular style, and then I’m done for a while. Probably a good long while.

Remember these beauties?

Yeah, I was so done with that one. Then Allie says, “Can you make me one like that?” Okay. So we bought the fabric right around the time I had cut out the pattern for number 3. I think that was in October. I used the fabric to make her a pillow for Christmas. I cut out the bag pattern. I looked at the cut pieces. I lost the handle piece I cut out - I never did find it. I lost the pockets, and then found them.

Merry Christmas.

Then, after Gil went back to work following his Christmas break, I became motivated….

TA DA!

It didn’t photo well. It turned out better than I expected. The tie die fabric is horrendous to work with - way too thin. When I sewed the two pieces of the handle together, it puckered. Thank goodness for topstitchhing. It worked though. Only took me about 2 months!

Here are a couple more things to round out the Christmas Gift Round-Up at Shelly’s House -

Christmas Coasters

I made a tree skirt for my tree - reversible. These were the two fabrics. I used the leftovers to make 8 sets of coasters (only 6 pictured). That way, I not only got to bless a few other folks with some homemade goodies, but I also got rid of some fabric that was sure to linger in stash limbo for years to come!

More Gum Drop Pillows

I had never yet made anything for my three step kids - Mark, Kevin and Allie. So I took the plunge and made pillows. They were a big hit!

Doll Quilt/Pillow and Bolster Pillow

We did a gift exchange among the little cousins on Gil’s side - there are 11 locally under 5 (including my two). We had two sisters - 5 and 1. The 5 year old got the doll quilt and pillow along with one of the skirts previously modeled by Bump. The one year old got some babylegs and the bolster pillow. Kids sure do love pillows. Zach and Bump were riding this one like a pony. I even made an extra one for around here - and will probably make at least one more.

I think that’s all of my handmade Christmas goodies. I didn’t do much this year. My sewing time has been so squeezed. I haven’t done a thing this week!

I had a pile of quilt squares hanging around from when I tried Amy’s Scrap X Quilt. Of course, I missed the point. Somehow I thought that trying to be symmetrical was not necessary with this quilt.

Then I got on a handbag run, and never looked back - until Christmas rolled around. I thought, “Wow, this would be a great size for a doll quilt.” One of my nieces (and her mommy)
love dolls. And since she has a quilt with a lot of these fabrics in, I thought it would be a fun match.

I used this great Batik I had in my stash for the backing and added a small pillow for dolly to lay her head on.

I liked this idea so much, I thought I’d try one again for another niece, although I’ll pass on the Xs this time.

Stay tunes for pictures…

Here’s my first try at clothing….a few skirts for some little girls on my Christmas list.

These two were done based on Randi’s Twirly Skirt.

This one was based on Three Peas tiered skirt tutorial shown here.

And a huge thanks to my stunning model…Bump. Psst, don’t tell dad.

Here are a few gifts I’ve made over the last months:

These appliquéd onesies are so fun and easy - especially when making them for little girls! I found these patterns in a quilting magazine for a quilt, but easily converted them for use in my project. I applied wonder under to the fabric, traced and cut out patterns, applied pieces to the shirts, then sewed around the sides for stability. I think I just used a regular strait stitch on these three.

These coasters were a fun and easy project. I cut 5 inch squares of my fabrics, ironed some fusable fleece to the back (4.5 inch squares), sewed edges with right sides together leaving a hole, then turned and topstitched. I’ve got some on my sewing table now for the Christmas season!

There’s always a drawing kit. I hear Linda has her new pattern out just in time for Chistmas….

Happy Crafting!

Thanks Holly for the linkie-love. Here’s some photos of the bag I made for Holly for those of you stopping by. For everyone else, you’ve seen this one before.

My little (and only) sister celebrates her 38th birthday this week! Happy Birthday sis!!! I know she’ll have a candle on her birthday - and be hanging out with her family (hubby and 5 year old daughter, our parents, in-laws and sis-in-law.) I know they’ll have a great day up in Wisconsin!

She has, no doubt, already received and opened her Birthday Present, which included:

Fall Coasters

and

An Amy Butler Frenchy Handbag!!!! (Yeah, I forgot to crop the interior shot before I uploaded, please ignore my oh-so-flat feet.)

I really love making this pattern. The smaller sized bag is a breeze. I made the handles a little longer, because I thought the pattern size was too short. I actually think I’ll make them even longer when I make this again. The interior is toile that my sister gave me for my birthday. I really didn’t think it matched the exterior all that well, but because the black fabric separates them, I think it worked out. I love how the interior looks.

And the exterior is recycled fabric from:

This is a maternity outfit I wore for a family photo in 2006 - while expecting Zach. Gil called it my sumo wrestler outfit. He got sat on for that comment. I loved the fabric and decided I’d try to do something with it rather than donate it. The bag took up any significant pieces, but I may be able to squeeze a mini patchfolio out of what’s left.

The coaster fabric is something exclusive for Handcocks. I got a piece from the clearance bin for 99 cents and then matched the Kona Cotton to it.

I hope my sis enjoys her day, and her bag. She can even put her coasters out on her turkey day table.

I made a bag for myself a few weeks ago and actually kept it. As I was sewing it, I kept saying to myself, this is for me, this is for me - so I wouldn’t think of someone else to give it to.

Here it is:

(Notice all those yucky cobwebs next to the door…I’m such a photo wiz!)

(Yeah, I don’t sweep my front porch either.)

(Full of junk.)

I bought the fabric already pre-quilted - and it looks like patchwork, too. I lined with a coordinating fabric from the mix. I believe that the collection is called Portabella and it comes from Hancocks.

I used a fabric from my stash for the pockets.

I decided not to use any interfacing because the fabric was quilted already. That makes this bag very slouchy, but still sturdy. I wasn’t sure I’d like it at first, but I am getting the hang of it. The strap can go over my head, and the bag rests on my hip - perfect, well, except if you’re wearing a baby carrier.

All and all, this is a great bag. I customized the pockets for my stuff exactly. I can even stick a bottle in there upright if I need to.

Now, it’s time to get to work on all of those Christmas projects!

A couple of months ago, I rolled out some fabric that I had purchased more than a year ago for a handbag. It was at the time when I was still mulling getting into the sewing of handbags. I loved the fabric, but just never got around to it until then.

Here’s what I got.

It looks fine, but one fatal flaw - no interfacing. I used Beki’s Pleated Bag Tutorial. In it she tells you to use whatever you want for interfacing depending on your fabric. I just wasn’t in an interfacing mood that night, so foolishly, I decided to go without. Bad Shelly. (I do love the pattern. I just need to make another bag with a little more stability next time.) As I said, the picture doesn’t do justice to how lightweight this bag was. (Yeah, I said was.) It hung there on my chair. I couldn’t give it away. It would seem to me that I slighted someone by doing that. I decided to recycle it instead.

Enter Bag 2.

This pattern came out of Amy Karol’s Bend the Rules Sewing. Although it didn’t turn out as good as I thought it would. The pattern advises on sewing flannel in the lining instead of interfacing, and I really didn’t like that option so much. I prefer interfacing or fleece myself. The flannel worked okay on a smaller bag like this one, but just didn’t have the weight and stiffness that I like. The strap also seemed too light and could have used a little interfacing to bulk it up some.

It was, however, a perfect purse for a little girl who just celebrated a birthday. She loved it.

There’s my recycling tip for the week. If you don’t like it, make it into something else.