Plastic fantastic..

My dinky little local store actually got in a bunch of really nice feeling laminates..I *had* to try them. Combine that with dd's b-day, and her previously documented love of all things Japanese, and I had a project. And then a friend of hers had a b-day, too, so I doubled it. :p

I used this tutorial on Crafster, by QueenofDiy, who also has a blog here. I used some of it, and then when I got tired of walking back and forth to the computer from the sewing machine, I made the rest up. :p 

So, tip...if you are going to work with laminate, invest in a walking foot. Absolutely. One hundred percent. I have heard a teflon foot also works well, but I have only used the walking foot, and I don't think I will every use anything else. If you are DESPERATE, and I have been before, you can do laminate/vinyl sandwiched between tissue paper, and then just tear it away when done. But honestly, just buy the walking foot. You will NEVER regret it. :D 

Between the walking foot, and the simple instructions on the tut, this worked up VERY fast the second time around. The first time, I was still working out kinks, figuring things out, and also filling in gaps in information on the tutorial. (If anyone ever uses one of mine, and notices gaps that I don't cover, TELL me so I can rectify it!) The second time, I did it in like half or less of the time. :p

This is a blurry, very average picture of the lining. The polka dots are super cute. The looseness is totally not. I have to work out how to not have these loose linings all the time. I haven't seen it addressed in various tuts, etc, I have seen, but the info must be out there. Anyone know a place I should look? Please tell!

Bottled up..

Somewhere, I can't remember where, I saw this tut  over on Petite Purls for making a bottle carrier out of an existing pants leg. Since I am sick of being the one to carry all the water bottles when we go on hikes, and it's dumb for everyone to carry a backpack for one little bottle; and since dd just irreparably ripped her Marc Jacobs pants on the trampoline, I decide to RECYCLE! :p

The other tutorial, though, was just basically a small carry bag with a strap, and I wanted more, so I completely changed up the instructions, and did it my own way. I added the closure, with a drawstring cordstop, and an adjustable strap, rather than a fixed one.

The cool part of the cargo pocket, is it's just big enough for ds to pack along his diabetic sweets, and glucose meter and lancet clicker, rather than having to sling his other bag along with this one, too. Perfect.

J-pop..

My dd has become Japan-obsessed. She loves all things Japanese...she is teaching herself Japanese, both speaking and reading and writing.. is perfecting her Origami shurikens.. is trying to convince me that Hakuna Matata, in Japanese, is a perfectly acceptable alternative to the original (When hell freezes over!!)..etc etc.

So when she desperately needed a new carry bag, anime inspired print was the obvious choice. :p



She is also cow obsessed, so the lining, while seeming bizarrely unrelated, was actually perfect. And seeing as we are in Hawaii, and she has a whacked sense of humor (no idea where she gets that from), the MooMoo was perfectly acceptable. :p



The whole shebang went over VERY well. :D

Pattern, my own; a magnetic snap closure, lined with very stiff interfacing, and self made piping bordering the edges.

Fangirly...

My mom is currently slapping her forehead, wondering where she went so wrong. My dh calls me the loser-iest loser he knows.

So. The White Stripes went and designed their own tartan, and registered it with the International Tartan Index. They made a very, very limited run. VERY limited. I am a fabriholic. It's like a red flag before a bull.

My co-loser buddy/fellow fangirl, Nic, and I, went in together, and bought some. I made hers already, because she is going to go to a Raconteurs concert, and you know, a bag made from official WS tartan is just so much cooler than a band tee. :p (For those not up with all the latest gossip, the Racs co-lead is Jack White, of the White Stripes...see, fangirl. :p )

Here 'tis:


The fabric is 100% wool, meant for a kilt, and came with those buckles for making one. We obviously don't want a kilt, so I incorporated them into the bag. Sadly, I think I installed them upside down. Whoops.

The style is very similar to the other bag I made her, but I did the pockets a little different, and I forgot to install the magnetic clasp until it was too late. :( On this one, I put a little slot zipper pocket on the inside, which came out tinier than I had planned, cause I misjudged a measurement; and then a bigger one on the back:


They aren't the most expertly done ones, but they are okay. I must say..I have no idea why I bother to buy sewing books. I couldn't find a single reasonable description of how to do those zippers in any of the books I have, I had the HARDEST time trying to figure out the instructions for the descriptions I DID find, since written directions are my achille's heel, and then I found a WAY better description, with step by step instructions and PICTURES, right over on Sew Mama Sew, thanks to Autumn!

The whole bag would have been done in ages ago, if I hadn't discovered too late that the buckles I had planned on for the strap were way smaller than I had remembered, and then when I decided to just go for it anyway, I totally miscalculated the width, and made a strap WAY too big for the buckles, but looking perfect. So I decided to just wait til I could buy the right buckles...which never happened, I gave it up, and tried to make another strap. Twice. And finally quit and just used the best one, and made it work.

So here we are. Our monument to fangirly-ness. :p

Lazy lazy lazy.....

...or maybe just too late at night. Whatever. I'm doing a lazy post. :p

I came across this image a million years ago, while browsing Japanese street fashion sites, and I loved it SO MUCH..


I haven't quite figured out yet how to translate it into an item of clothing I would wear, but I *have* recreated the butterfly to make myself a purse (apologies if you have seen this before...it's OLD, posted on Craftster way back when):


I used a half made pair of tweed pants given to me, which I would rather have died than worn, lol, and then freezer paper stenciled the butterfly on. All the rest of the nitty gritty details are in the craftster post, if you care. I, personally, am going to bed now. :p

Credit: JapaneseStreets.com

Giveaway..

I guess now is as good a time as any, while I actually have visitors. :p


Went crazy with the handkerchief bin at St Vinnie's, nevermind that I don't actually ever USE hankies in anything....


These are just simple, basic, vintage little hankies...most of them are just printed on, though one has a sweet little embroidery on it. They are in the condition I got them in, including random stickers that say Made in Ireland on one or two of them (I think...they are in the other room, and I am wayyy too lazy to get up and get them....hey, it's 2am, I am allowed to be in a zombie state. :p

I LOOVE that polkadotted pink one....but I am tossing it in, to assuage my guilt for keeping this one all to myself:


Besides, with my borderline OCD, I hate to break up a set...like madly, passionately...and those two are from the same place. Don't listen to dh, I am not actually REALLY a freak. :p I just have...preferred way of doing things, heh.

Okay, so rules, umm...never done these before, so trying to remember what all is important!! Leave a comment, and on Friday midnight, Sydney time, I'll go find me a random number generator thing, and draw a number. Sound right?

Oh, look what else I got the same day:


The purse is totally on it's way out, but since I don't want anything but the handles, I am totally set. :D Aren't they just the coolest??

Oh, feel free to post my giveaway info around...since it makes my numbers look all awesome and all. :p Yes, I am shameless.


Side note to self...poly-cotton does not like being ironed on a linen setting.

Another note to self...don't buy poly-cotton, no matter how awesome the price looks. The crap just isn't worth it.

Okay, if I had *known*...

If I had *known* how freaking cute this was going to turn out, I would have made something else to finish out my swap package, and kept this little thing to MYSELF!!!!!


It's the FINAL addition to my 1920's swap...I KNOW I said the stamp was the final installation, but I still didn't feel right, so I came up with this ADORABLE, even if I do say so MYSELF, little purse, just big enough to stash some money, your keys, and your cell. And maybe a little lipstick. :p

I made it with this vinyl or something lined cotton, I think it's curtain material, that had been some kind of test pattern for a friend, which she passed off to me in a huge bag of fabrics and failed WIPS, that I have been picking off of for awhile now. :p The white is the color of the fabric, a kind of creamy off-white, and the red and black are fabric inks for screenprinting, that I LOVE. The saturation and coverage of them kick ass over fabric paints or acrylics mixed with mediums.


The piping and the strap are made with a microfibre fabric (check it out...I've been living over here so long, I am spelling things wrong, aka the other way!! :p), that, while they looked perfect, were just a pain in the bum to work with. All slippery and stuff. From one side of the strap to the other, on the top, there is a red zipper inset. Under the strap, around the bottom, is the original white. It's about 3/4" deep. The back is the same white stuff, painted completely, since I couldn't find a single matching red in my whole stash. And then I attempted polka dots, to match the hat. Let's just say, after about the first inch, I got really over polka dots, and they got reaaallly sloppy. :p


For the lining, I happened to find the perfect print, that looked like something you would find in a parlor in the '20's or '30's, with red and black on a creamy white background! I was thrilled, cause this particular print has been worrying me, since I haven't been able to match it with a single idea or or other fabric in my stash, and I wasn't sure if it was going to end up one of those ones you keep for 20 years, and never quite find a use for (yeah, okay, so I was premature...I only bought it a couple months ago. :P )


I admit, I had had this button in my mind when I drew the picture for the little purse. If you are the designer for this little sweetie, come out come out for your credit!

I already have another idea for another similar purse, and my dd has ordered 2 of them, lol, so I hope I'll have those up soon, too!

One thing I would change, though, I would remember to line them with a stiff interfacing. The original fabric was quite firm, but it still could have used a little more body, ykwim??

This package for my partner has FINALLY been mailed off, and it is SUCH a weight off my shoulders!!! The crushing feeling of undone obligations is KILLING!! :D

Oh, and note to all future potential swap partners...as you can see, I have never actually COMPLETELY flaked on a swap yet! rofl. No seriously, up until this one time, I have participated in quite a few swaps, and done just fine...I promise you will be fine, too! :insert big cheesy grin:

It CAME!!!

My beautiful, beautiful tote bag I won over on Rashida's blog arrived!! I looooooove it!!! And the perfect size for essentials tossed in when I go out! Woohoo!!



Thank you so much, Rashida!! (Isn't that button the cutest??) Your workmanship is IMPECCABLE! :D

Orange and Brown..

I love warm, fall colors...they are my colors. They are also the colors of my friend, and since I am making her a new purse, I used them for her, too.


Brown babycord, with a cotton print on the flap. I did and pocket on the flap with a slot zip, which did give me fits, though it came out relatively okay. I made the strap a SMIDGE too wide, and sadly, it shows. Oh, well. I salvaged the clip and slide thing off an insulated picnic bag which had gotten trashed. Pattern is my own. Ignore the wrinkles from being squished in a bag to mail off, and then encountering the ant-laden iron.


Lined with synthetic lining material from my stash that happened to match perfectly. A couple of small pockets inside for cell phone or whatever.

Little girlies....

A few presents for little girlies...

A headband..I used the most excellent Starleigh pattern available here..the felt flower was my own creation:



A mini tote bag...the smilie button was the only button I owned that looked remotely right, so I had to console myself with the fact that a 3 yo most likely would actually like a little smilie. I used the famous Jordy pattern. Swirly thing was made up cause I needed something desperately:



Disney Princess pillowcases....I loathe that stuff myself, but whaddya gonna do?? Front was Princess satin, the back a cotton that matched well from the stash. Simple pics, cause, um, who needs to see a whole pillowcase??

Lotus

I was in a Lotus swap. I REALLY love lotuses (is that a word?). Here are my contributions...

A wooden trinket box, made the same way as the geisha and dragon boxes, but little larger, prob about 8"x5". I really loved the look of this one!


A purse...I've never used these kinds of handles before, and they are a BITCH to sew, imnsho, but I don't think I did TOO bad. I got the fabric a few years ago, at a shop that has since closed after 20 years, and I have been hanging onto it, too scared to cut into it, cause I love it so much, but decided to bite the bullet and just go for it, since it was so perfect for this swap, and it wasn't doing any good just sitting in the pile (yes, pile...my fabric organization is pretty much nil..*ahem*.) The lining is a pink cotton, with a slightly slubby texture. It's actually bigger than it looks in the pic. For some reason, it came out looking a lot smaller than it actually is?? I have no idea why.


Okay, this was an experiment, and NOT one of my better efforts, but my swap partner loved it...which either means she REALLY loved it, or she wasn't all that enthusiastic about my other stuff. Obviously, I hope it's the former.

It's an origami lotus I had seen somewhere else, and decided to attempt myself. Um, yeah. I had to stop trying to fix it, cause I was wearing out the paper, and just send it. NOT one of my more successful experiments.







This was also an experiment, though a bit more successful. It still came out a little plain, though, but I couldn't think of a workable idea to jazz it up...I was thinking of bordering in gold stitching, but that looked wierd, and beading didn't seem to fit in, either...so I just left it. Oh, well. It's a notebook sleeve, with a notepad slipped inside. Freehanded the pattern, painted with acrylics and textile medium, and outlined with an archival permanent pen. I should have have done a bit more variations in the lotus colors.

Geishas are where it's at...

I was in a Geisha swap. I bought the trinket box, and then painted it, first with acrylics for the base, and then decorated with watercolor pencils, pen, and silver foil.

The inside is lined with re-purposed Japanese silk paper.













I also made a little purse. Outside is silk, with an inset of vintage kimono silk, and then line with a synthetic that just happened to match perfectly. The pocket is just attached at the sides, but not the bottom, like a little bag. I was really happy with how it turned out. I swear it is NOT crooked!! :P
















I also sent along a little hairclip, also from kimono silk:



I was quite proud of my contributions. :D

I figured out why I love swaps...

If you haven't noticed, most of the stuff I make seems to be destined for swaps. I thought about that, and figured out why.

I love to make stuff. I like to sew, I like to make jewellery, I like to try new techniques. But in true crafter style, I am a hypercritical perfectionist of my own work, so I HATE HATE HATE having to ever see it again! I can see every single little flaw, every single little mistake I ever made in the creation of the thing. I can see each missed stitch, I can see how I should have chosen that other fabric, I can see where that crease I accidently pressed in won't completely press back out. So I shove it to the bottom of my cupboard, and never look at it again.

The cute little bag here is a perfect example. Looks nice, right? Not all THAT homemade, etc, right? You would be happy to stick your money and lipstick in it, and take it out around town, right?? Not me. I can see the wrinkles I couldn't press out, I can see that I couldn't get my stupid presser foot around the zipper edge, cause I am still too much of a noob to know how to do that professionally, so I had to handstitch all around it, inside AND out; I can see where my stitching line wobbles, etc etc etc.

But, also in true crafter fashion, I LOVE other people's crafting, and totally appreciate the work that went into it, without minding any flaws whatsoever, because I know it just adds character! Solution: swap!! I get something nice from someone else, that I can appreciate, and love, and I get to make something, but never actually have to see it again!! :D It's a win-win situation!

EVERYBODY knows who the REAL Dread Pirate Roberts is!!!

Yepp, another swap....Anybody who loves the Princess Bride is okay in my book!

Stole the idea off the net for the picture and words, and then handpainted, and covered in vinyl. I was so busy trying not to immortalize any fluff or threads or anything like that off the dump that is my sewing floor, that I forgot, and immortalized all it's wrinkly glory. Sheesh.

I can't believe I had to give this away!!

I made this for a swap, and then when it was done, I had to pry it out of my fingers and ship it away! Wah!

I had this awesome Asian print scarf, with little gold highlights, just waiting for the perfect project. Well, the project came along, and I didn't know how perfect it was going to be til it was done, and by then it was too late to make another bag to send! I am soo going to regret this for years!

The black is an awesome organic linen, made from a half finished pair of pants a friend abandoned; the lining is the same red stripey stuff from the Sha Sha bag, the clasp is another huge red Cinnabar bead; and the pattern is all mine.

Sha-sha..

I made a Sha-Sha Dream purse for a swap partner....I really liked it, and she said she did, too.

Faux suede, with orange-y embroidered flowers, and a stripey orange-red-yellow lining. Closure is one of those Chinese carved cinnabar beads.

Strap is short, but still long enough to tuck under your arm.