Birthday Backpack

As you may be aware, I took my sewing machine into the shop for annual service, so I was without it for a couple of weeks.  The timing was good, because I had a week where I seemed to have something every afternoon or evening, and then I had some family company for a few days (ok, a week).

The great nieces and nephews are always getting some of my items - usually the samples that I make when testing a new item, but something something they have asked for.

Several years ago I made one of my nieces a backpack, and they were using it when they came here.  It was a little worse for wear. So her daughter told me 'I need a new one'!

I had her pick fabric - she picked a pink paisley on pink and a purple floral on purple.  Hmmmm,

How am I going to make those work together?

On my shopping trip last weekend, I found this really adorable pony print.  Pink and purple.

Can't wait to get started on it this weekend!

Happy Sewing!
Susan

A walk around the house

I noticed yesterday that the flowers around the house are almost all in bloom.  So here's a trip around the house.

Happy Sewing!

Susan

A Frame for my cross stitch

I used to cross stitch a lot.  Somewhere along the way, I got away from it, my lighting and seating changed, I got busy with other things.  You know how it is.

Since we got our new couch, I once again have a good seat with great lighting, and I've been back at it.

I've done a lot of wedding and baby samplers, and for myself I love to do houses, barns, buildings, etc.  I also like to do cats.

So here is the one I just finished - and I made this frame for it from the same fabric I used for my dining room valances.  Although I didn't put it in the dining room - I put it on my 'cat' wall in the sewing room.

Happy Stitching!

Susan

Next...?

I finished up using the purple batik (see previous blog post), well mostly.  I have a little piece left that I couldn't decide what I should make.  I didn't make all my normal set of items from this - I made both sizes of box pouches, both sizes of flat bottom pouches, a couple of small pocket pouches, a kindle hipster purse, an ipad hipster purse, and my regular hipster purse.  So no cell cases or zipper wallets.

The next challenge is always deciding what fabric or fabrics to use next, then what to make. 

I picked out this 1/2 yard set of six coordinating fabrics - now I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them!

So I guess, stay tuned to see what I come up with!






Happy Sewing,
Susan

February Is Purple

Hard to believe that it's February 1st already - where did January go?

February is the purple month to me - after all, amethyst is the birthstone (I know, my birthday is in February). 

So my first fabric to work with in this new month is this lovely purple batik fabric.

Wonderful fabric, isn't it?

I'm not sure yet what all I'm going to make - and I have a mere two yards of it.  So I'm going to use it all up, and you can check my etsy shop within the next few days to see what I decide to make.

If you like the fabric and want a particular item from it, let me know now!

Happy Sewing!

Susan

More "Special" Projects

Not that I really needed new valances in our bedroom, but hey, I got the fabric 50% off original price, then an additional 20% off that - so why not?

Not that I have fabric to make new valances and sheers for the dining room windows that I've had for something like 10 years (actually I think it's more like 6), and I still just have it - not completed valances and sheers.

But I do think they turned out pretty cute!

The color in the photo is a little off - the walls are a sage green.  The valance is purple flowers on a tannish background with green leaves.  It's an upholstery weight fabric, and I dug in my trim box and found a matchiing purple and tan cording.

Of course, now I need a new dust ruffle....

Happy Sewing!
Susan

Of all the things I should be doing.....

Making a purse for myself usually isn't too close to the top of the list.

I have signed up for more craft shows this year, so I should be building inventory. I have a several room project for a good friend of mine, that I need to get done. Just today I got a call from another friend looking to have some home decor stuff done.

So last night, rather than doing what I needed to do, I made a new purse for myself. I'm carrying an oversized patchwork purse that I made last fall. I just thought it was time for something else.



It's short and wide - I'm not going to make any comparisons....

Love the colorful print!

Susan

Storage Project

My in-laws offered us a couple of side tables several months ago, and we finally picked them up this weekend. One of the tables we were removing (ok, it only went to the basement) had doors with storage inside. What to do with the stuff that was inside?

I decided to make a storage bin to put under one of the tables. I remembered that I had a pattern with a fairly large storage bin as one of its items, so I searched through my patterns and found it.

Here's the finished storage bin.

The exterior is dark purple corduroy. The interior is a home decor weight fabric: cream with purple flowers. The bottom and all the sides have double faced fusible peltex to give it structure.

Now I'm going to take it downstairs and fill it up!

Susan