I Made a Bag

It's for my mom - her Mothers' Day gift. She fell in love with the fabric when we were at The City Quilter in NYC and wished for a quilted bag. (The shop has their own line of 'city' prints and this one is called 'Times Square'.) I purchased a half yard and promised her exactly as she wished. We returned from our trip on the eve of Mothers' Day, so she was well aware her bag would be a tad bit belated.

I chose this tutorial from 'Sew Prim Khris' for a few reasons. I really like that it has the straps on the outside of the bag - which stylistically speaking I think adds some fun contrast and also because this tutorial had a pocket on the outside and my mom likes a pocket on the outside! I added the polka dot fabrics because A). My mom likes polka dots (you knew I was going to say that!) and B). My mom's favourite colours are black and purple (c'mon you KNEW it this time!). 

I only made 2 changes to this tutorial -  I quilted the main panels of the bag - only the top fabric and the batting, then I ironed on some lightweight interfacing to the batting and I made the front pocket a wee bit shorter to showcase as much of the NYC fabric as possible.

Pockets and polkas on the inside too!!! 

And the back...look at all those neato details in the fabric design. It truly does speak to the atmosphere of Times Square.

She sure is going to have fun carrying this one! Linking up with the 'Let's Get Acquainted' linky party hosted by Sew Bittersweet Designs.


Have a great week all!!

~Lisa

Some Stitching

Last week I pulled this fabric....

because I really wanted to make the Perfect Zip Bag (Pattern C) by Elizabeth Hartman. I sewed the fabrics into some funky panels and then those butterflies decided that they needed some stitching...

Enter THIS book...

And OH BOY have I been having some fun! Never having stitched any embroidery before I jumped right in and began to add some colour. Is in not so exciting picking out the floss colours??!!! - there are just soooo many to choose from.

So far, this is what has happened...

I have been using Aneela's book to learn simple stitches, but I can see how much potential it has for future projects - tons of adorable stitching patterns to choose from. 

Once the embroidery stops (no idea how long I will feel the need to keep adding colours), I will sew these two into a bag. Until then I will be happily hand stitching, I think I may be addicted.

~Lisa

Butterfly Bag

I have been wanting to make a small 'carry all' bag, every since I saw this post by Elizabeth of 'Don't Call me Betsy'. Aren't they amazing??? 

I searched around and decided to purchase this pattern by ELizabeth Hartman and decided to try Bag C (which I think looks very similar, don't you??!!) and also includes a few other styles which I just may have to try out as well...for starters I am going these fabrics...

I started with the Butterfly (Field Study-Anna Maria Horner) - isn't he gorgeous?! And then just allowed fabrics to choose me from there. The blue vintage sheet in the top left corner insists on being the lining fabric - I'm going with it...no sense fighting the fabric, it always wins anyways.

After a few trips back to the original post by Elizabeth, pining after her bags, I decided to join the her 'Perfect Stars' Block of the Month Club. I am totally stoked!

I have been madly in love with stars of late and deseperately wanting to learn paper piecing so - VOILA - it totally makes sense for me to jump right in and be a part of this awesome party! Party officially starts January 1 (though we did get a bonus 'practice' block today) and I have yet to go get my fabrics! I have started to dream about how they might look...but we all know how that goes...I am sure once I have a discussion with the fabrics it will look NOTHING like my original vision!!!


Off to sew my very first bag - will let you know how I do!


~Lisa