Sweet... (click click)...Petite.

My old Evening Bag pattern has been given a bit of a facelift lately.  We're nearly finished a re-working of the instructions and trying to decide on a new cover design. 

And it's being re-named, because it was always so much more verasatile than just for making evening bags.  From here on, it will be called "Petite." 

I made this one in a mock-crock patent pvc from Rathdowne Remnants (from the furnishing fabrics in the back room).  Of course, it absolutely had to have a twist lock* on the front, and chunky silver o-rings. 

At this point, I must say how very proud I am of my dearest little Bernina 440 for ploughing bravely through this lot.  To do the final topstitch around the top edge of the bag (through all that strap and side seam bulk), I first tried it on my industrial machine with a heavy needle and teflon foot. 

The industrial machine wouldn't pick up the stitches. 

I changed to the Bernina, put in a leather needle, whacked on the walking foot and .... I think I can, I think I can... it chugged on over that hill!

I also absolutely had to put purse feet in this bag.  Mock-croc patent PVC absolutely needs hardware.

And then I went all sweet and petite for a little-girl bag.  This version required a spot of shabby-cottage dreaming, and a bit of that Flower Sugar fabric I bought at GJ's a couple of weeks ago.

 It seemed to need some o-rings as well.  A bit of shiny-shiny never goes astray, I say.

 ..and it needed a bit of lace from Auntie Wilma's stash.

Having taught two Shell Purse workshops in the last week (Mornington on Wednesday and Canberra on Saturday), I've also been making quite a few of them lately, myself.  I used the last of this precious fabric, which bought at Kimono House several years ago.

 ..and one in Sugar Flower...

This one is now at Bargain Box in Mornington, along with a wide range of my patterns and hardware.  (BTW - I'll be teaching a bag-in-a-day with the Petite bag there on 3rd May.  Contact Bargain Box for details). 

I left a couple of Shell Purses and a new Glam Bag at Addicted to Fabric in Canberra, as well, which I forgot to photograph ...just like I forgot to photograph the workshops I taught there on the weekend.  I think I was having too good a time!

* And yes -  our TWIST LOCKS are now available to stores.   Check your local You SEW Girl! stockist (or ask them to get them in for you..?).  And of course, the fabulous Voodoo Rabbit has them online.

Evening Bags

So you've seen the potato chip poppies... now you can see the bag.

It's the Evening Bag... dressed up in gold satin with an overlay of cream coloured (embroidered, "potato-chipped" and beaded) organza.

You can also see the handles - which I think turned out remarkably well for cheap polyester satin (in a basic 4-fold strap contruction). I fused light interfacing to the fabric before I cut the strap. The folds were pressed into the fabric (like this) using a bias tape maker and a rajah cloth and then I slid in a strip of poly boning before topstitching each strap. They came out SUPER SMOOTH and shiny!

I also finished this today - it's in fabric by Amy Butler. It was cut out ages ago and has been one of those dribs-and-drabs construction projects. A seam here, a seam there.... months pass... eventually a bag emerges.

I added a structured base to this one - and purse feet. I also did a bit of scorching and shrinking of satin ribbon on the final press... but I'm going to keep that a secret.

Rescue effort

I made an Evening Bag today. I decided to make it in evening (wedding?) fabrics for a change. When I turned the bag through, I thought that those interesting textural bits on the fabric rather resembled crinkle-cut potato chips.

Luckily, I'm a terrible hoarder of anything that looks like it might EVER be useful....

These broken (fake) pearl strings have been in my possesion for over 20 years - surviving multiple shifts between houses, countries and hemispheres....

..and the potato chips are now poppies... sort of.

Because I finished it long after the day's light was gone, I couldn't get a decent photo of the whole bag. Can you put the picture together in your mind...?

Don't worry - I'll follow up with a proper photo another day.

Frayed edges

Over the Christmas holidays I played around with a bit of fabric origami. On Sunday I finally got around to trying out an idea I've had in my head since then.

Instead of the usual neat edges and precision folding, I opted for a more rustic approach - deliberately fraying linen and using the raw edges as a feature. The folding and stitching was anything BUT precise and the effect is... rustic! (But the beautiful Japanese print lifts it out of the realm of the hayseed... I think).

...so it doesn't look out of place on a black linen Evening Bag (my pattern). This bag was made using 12mm polyester boning in the strap and it has interfacing and wadding to give structure to the bag body.

I have a few other ideas to play with along the lines of origami.... can you hear my brain ticking?

On a completely different note - the wee girl and I had a lovely evening out yesterday, celebrating the launch of this book with lots of wonderful crafty types....

Well done, Pip and Co. It's a great achievement! (And sorry the wee girl talked all through the interview so nobody up the back heard a thing....).

A Fresh Summer Crop

These kid's hats and bags look remarkably fresh and perky on a day when the rest of Melbourne is feeling withered and droopy.... (43 degrees today and hotter tomorrow... yikes!).

I yo-yo'd this hat to within an inch of it's life - they're placed randomly all around the crown. The centres of the yo-yo flowers are made with self-cover buttons. (My... haven't self-cover button kits progressed since 20 years ago...? So easy now!). And the binding is made with an 18mm bias tape maker.I made up the Evening Bag as a kiddie bag to match the hat. More yo-yo's and buttons.... It also has flat o-rings in the strap and a template plastic base. The bag closes with a magnetic catch and the lining has a zip pocket.
I forgot to do a complete shot of the other hat - just lots of yo-yo close-ups!?? This hat has a wider brim and its crown is appliqued with daisies of diminishing size over the top and around the side - there is ... you guessed it! Yo-Yo's from here to next week!

The co-ordinating bag for this hat is the Small Slouch. It makes a cute kiddie bag. I appliqued a big daisy on it (and ...ummm... put a yo-yo on it... Is it my imagination or is there a pattern forming here?).
I also put double o-rings in each side of the strap. I like this look, and I think kids would like fiddling with the rings (at least I know MINE would!).

Now - I've had enough of this stuffy office - it's the hottest room in the house! I'm off to seek air conditioning ...or move to Minnesota, or something.