What I Have Been Doing

Well, it does not feel like much. And yet I seem to have all my time full. I think it will be more difficult than I thought to get sewing completed while the boys are home for the summer.

I have gotten some bags done, like my clutches, pink skull handbag, a couple Venus handbags and of course the bridal order. Then there was the picture taking - which led to much ibuprofen taking. The pics always have a yellow glow, even with the full spectrum lights. I really, really, need to make a giant light box. Giant because of the size of many of the bags.

update: listed the pink bag too here

And then I listed these...



..plus some of the clutches from Clutchapalooza...



So, I guess that is pretty full. But my Not Mandatory embroidery is still half done, my paperwork is not caught up, and I still need to finish rearranging my fabric & possibly where it will be stored. Let's see how far I get this week with the little guy in summer day camp 2 times a week.

Freedom by Carried Away

My Etsy team, Carried Away Bags, is doing a Summer of Freedom challenge /charity event. Participants will make a handbag that represents what "freedom" means to them. It can take any form that you personally feel represents "freedom", be it your national flag or national colors, something recognizing your country's military veterans, a symbol of some type that says "freedom" to you.

I think I have finally decided what my bag is going to be. I am going to make my large Twist bag because of the simplest definition of freedom...hands free. The bag slings across your front from side to side letting you have full use of your arms. This is the bag (well, the style anyway):



I am not yet sure what will be decorating the outside of the bag. It will either be hand embroidered, painted, appliqued or some combination. The image is going to either be an eagle - the nation's bird...also freedom of flight...or our flag - but not necessarily straightforward. My son suggested a cubism style .

The lining has already been purchased thanks to JoAnn Fabrics for always having their patriotic novelty prints on sale this time of year.


The bag is supposed to be completed by July 15th. I'll update you with the progress and ideas as the weeks go by.

Wordless Wednesday

Recycled To Market

I have a couple slipcovers that were given to me sometime back - never used. The fabrics are really fun...but not so much for my couch. Maybe if I were in college.
Anyway - I decided to make some bags for the market. I use my own totes when I shop - for more than just the grocery store. Some of my totes are too small for some things and I really like the basic Target bag size...so...I used one as a template.
I have only used one of the slipcovers so far, but I was able to get 9 bags from it. The first one I kept for me because, well, it had some flubs.
I hope to have them all sewn up by the end of this week & I'll show them to you - hopefully as a tutorial if I remember to take pictures.

Lots on the To Do

I'll start with the easiest, well, to show anyway. I have another Whedonverse embroidery project all hooped up & started. Anyone know where this one comes from? I think I may do a contest involving guessing where my stuff originates - could be fun.

Reminds me - I have a question for you. Aside from the bags I am putting the embroidery stuff on - what else do you like? Framed, hanging art like pieces, towels, pillows, your uncle Sal, clothes, journal covers, ...anything? I want to do more than just bags with the embroidery, and custom ones too.



My To-Do just got bigger early this week. My inbox had a request for a batch of clutches for a bridal party. And it is a bit of a rush job...like by next weekend. This should be fun...they have been so far.
The bridesmaids are wearing a deep purple and she is looking for coordinating fabrics - each clutch will be a different print. I looked through my stash and realized I have no purple. Zero. Nada. None. I decided that when I run to the store for her fabrics, I'll pick up some for myself too.
These fabrics are a mix of those she picked & some alternate ideas I gave her. I decided to make pretty much all of them into clutches. I'll show you the bridal party bags once they are complete.

Wordless Wednesday

Don't'cha hate it when this happens?

Clutchapalooza, Grr Argh and a Pink Skull

I had a craft show in Ann Arbor yesterday ... thus the every night sewing last week. On Friday I spent the day making clutches. They were one of the most looked at items at the show...along with the messenger bags. I think I will make another batch of these for my next show...whenever that is.

note: these pics were taken before ironing...thus the wrinkles...

I finished up the Grr Argh messenger bag Saturday. That bag helped bring in a sale ...from the male half of a couple. He is a Whedon fan and stopped to look at the bag ...then brought his wife over. She went home with one of my clearance bags - the Red Grosgrain Ribbon handbag.


Bye bye Red handbag....


I almost got this bag done Saturday night, but I was afraid that if I spent any more time on itI would be up way too late double checking my stuff for the show.

Iron, Sew and Go Go Go

Four hours. FOUR hours!!! That is how long it took me to fuse all the interfacing onto the bags I cut last week. Last week? I think it was last week. I steamed my brains, so not sure anymore :P I wonder if a newer, better iron would help...or if all that interfacing would just take that long anyway. I think it was like 15 bags worth or something. But it is done. And I am only a week'ish behind. Not bad for me.

I did sew another messenger bag and some other odds 'n end finishing touches on stuff. The Sunnydale embroidery piece is also complete.



Now I just have to decide how much, if any, I want to try & complete before the show on Sunday. Or do I just want to make sure I have all the final touches done & all my stuff together & up to date....plus figure how to price the messenger bags. Those alone take me hours...usually the day/night before. Guess it depends on the little guy.

I also fixed the fix for my Zombie Worker. The bag is a tad shorter top to bottom than I originally planned, but I still like it. At least the flap is no longer too long. It's a great size for sketchbooks or other craft stuff since it is more like a wide rectangle than tall or a square. I may just keep it for myself if nobody likes it :)


Now I just need to step away from the computer & go go go....

Wordless Wednesday

Done and To Do

My progress from last week's to do list...eh, not so much.

• Bike ride was a go, twice
• Library - check
• Clean upstairs - check
• Embroider - check
• Playground - check & check
• Sew bags - half checked
• Iron interfacing - nope

Not too bad I guess. I plan to do the ironing tonight while (re)watching Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

So...the bags: The first one had lots of problems & still needs some reworking. Thankfully my "problems" led to a neat idea. Since the bag's image is a zombie - I did the bag purposefully patchy so the ends looked frayed...although it's on the back side, so you can't see it here. But in the process, the sizing got out of whack. So I need to "trim it down". You can see it in the front view picture...the flap is too long. Should be an easy fix.



I went back to the messenger bags I had already cut and fixed the gusset lengths...turned out it was an easy fix. I still don't know how I cut them the wrong length. Oh well, the measurements are now correctly noted. This is the Firefly bag:



Both bags still need to be ironed - they will look less puffy then. I plan to do that when I am ironing the interfacing I did not get to last week.

So... embroidery: It's turning out pretty good. It took a while to find the right quote. The first few were too long. I liked

• "This being Sunnydale and all, I guess we can rule out something good" ...not too long, but not quite right either
• "...you gotta stand up and salute their death rate"...needed something more, although looking at it now, it would have worked. Maybe I'll use it on something else later.
• "…he's some kind of demon looking for an all-powerful thingamabob and I've got to stop him before unholy havoc's unleashed and it's another Tuesday night in Sunnydale." ...much too long

This is what I ended up with:


So, my to do for this week....


I think it's doable.

Woo Hoo!

I am so geeked right now. Possibly more than is warranted, but that's ok. I have always been a big Craftster fan. (If you haven't been there, you should go check it out). It has been a while since I have visited though...been so busy with blogs & listings & twitter & such, I let it fall to the side. So I made time this weekend. I poked around, commented on cool stuff - I always like to leave kudos for stuff I like...acknowledge the artisan & let them know their efforts are loved :) I also loaded some more recent projects into their photo hosting.

And then I posted my Grr Argh in the Needlework forum....and less than 24 hours later it had over 600 views, 3 pages with comments & was put on the Hot New Projects section of the home page. AAAHHH!!!! I even did a little dance when I saw it. If you are not someone who creates stuff, it may be hard to explain just how much it means to get such positive feedback from complete strangers. Heck - I think you need only be human to know how awesome it feels!




And so today, I decided to post my Serenity Coin embroidery. I did this at 6pm before we left for my sis-in-laws for dinner. When we got home at 9...over 300 views and it was on the Hot New Projects section...and the Grr Argh was still there.



I think I know where to go to find fellow Whedon fans :)

So a big huge ginormous thanks to all those who showed my guys some "This Rocks" lovin'!!!

note: I just peeked and as of the writing of this post - the Grr Argh had 992 views, Serenity had 347 :)

Vintage Sewing Goodies

I was organizing some of my sewing stuff the other & ran across some goodies left by my Grandma. There were snaps & hooks& needles...still in great condition. I don't want to use them, not sure exactly why. I guess they are just too neat just the way they are. If anyone out there collects this stuff - just give me a shout - I'd love to find them a home somewhere other than a box in my closet.






My mom also gave me a bunch of old patterns which I may or may not sell, not sure yet. I need to look into it some more because I am not sure what is considered a "good find". If you know anything about this stuff, let me know - thanks. I scanned a few into the computer...I am thinking of taking photos though because they do not look as good when scanned. Here are a few of the patterns:

And We Shall Call it This Land...

Ok - for those of you who are not Firefly freaks like myself - this piece is from a quote in the pilot where the pilot (no pun intended) Wash is playing with his plastic dinosaurs on the ships console. This is the entire quote:

"Wash: (as Stegosaurus) Yes...yes. This is a fertile land, and we will thrive. We will rule over all this land, and we will call it...This Land.
Wash: (as Allosaur) I think we should call it...your grave!
Wash: (as Stegosaurus) Ah! Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
Wash: (as Allosaur) Ha ha ha! Mine is an evil laugh! Now DIE!
Wash: (as Stegosaurus) Oh no, God, oh dear God in heaven..."

This embroidery piece is my version of that quote. The dinos here are based on the dinos he was playing with. I got lucky and found a screenshot image from the show.

And then there is the big pile of fabric that is cut & needs to be fused to interfacing and sewn. Well, after I finish off these 2 Venus handbags from last week. And since these pics, I only have to sew the lining shut & put on the buttons.

Wordless Wednesday

To Do ...

Where to start? My to-do list is long, but only if I count each piece, so I'll group it.

This past weekend I cut out material for:

• 4 messenger bags - embroidery completed
  
• 5 Ribbon handbags
• 4 Mollie clutches
• 4 Venus handbags
• 4 large pleated totes - handpainting & embroidery not done yet
• 4 Taffy/Rachelle/Theresa purses (they are pretty much all the same except size...and those I cut are a whole new size - so I'll need a new name too) - embroidery not done
• misc totes...I had linings already cut (some sewn) for simple totes so I cut main fabrics for them & use them for tutorials as they are made
  

I got the interfacing cut for everything except the totes...and one Ribbon handbag. I was almost laughing at it because I only needed about 3 more inches. So a trip to the fabric store is on the list too.

That'll be #1...fabric store. But since the car is in the shop, it will have to wait.

1. Sew messenger bags. I'm doing these first since no interface hassle.
2. Fuse all interfacing. This will take some time...unless I go out & buy a new iron. Mine doesn't seem to get the job done quick. I think this is the step I dread the most when it comes to making handbags. If I ever hit it big (or at least make a profit) I may invest in a home press. Then I'd fly through that fusing!
3. This is like a 2b really...embroider between "sets" of fusing.

Wow - only 3 things for the week, but it will probably take that long. My youngest is done with school for the year & finding the time for my creating is not going to be easy. I have the nights after he goes to bed & when/if he naps...but I often need that time to rest up a bit myself.

Wish me luck! Or a babysitter :P

Grr Argh:: Check

One more down. And for those of you who guessed what the last WIP was...you were right :) It's the "Grr Argh dude" from the Mutant Enemy logo thingy that plays at the end of the credits on shows by Joss Whedon...Buffy & Firefly for example. Interesting side note (well, I think so) - the pic is a sketch/doodle of his that he drew and it is his voice that says Grr Argh. Also, the vamps in season 7 Buffy are detailed versions of this guy. So - here he is, all done...


He will most likely be placed on a black messenger bag. My son thinks the "frame" around him should be kind of ragged to look old & worn like a vamp should. Any thoughts?

And this is next up...also from The Whedonverse. My fellow Big Damn Crafters will know what show it is from. And if they do not - I will have to break out Vera.

Firefly::Check

Remember that piece I had in the scroll frame? I finished it. I had some undoing to do in the text. I tried doing a highlight fill, but it did not look right. At least embroidery can be easier to take out than seams.

And the scroll frame? I liked it. It was nice because the bar could rest on my leg as I worked. It was pretty easy to turn too. My next project really needs the frame because the image goes to the edge...a circle hoop would be a pain in the tuckus. I have a pic of the next WIP below the Firefly pics. Anyone know what it is? Ruthie, I know you know :)

I'll be adding a "Grr Argh" text to the pic too.
Anyone know what it is? Ruthie, I know you know :)

Wordless Wednesday