Happy Thursday!

I had so much that I planned to share today, but I spent 3 full hours talking on the phone to my mother instead of doing anything else remotely responsible. It's nice to catch up with mom, isn't it?

I don't feel the least bit guilty about not finishing that project that has been sitting on my "to do" pile since Saturday, or the fact I still have two baskets of ironing to do. That's what next week is for, right?

But I did manage to get some things done. I got my grocery shopping done and that project-from-Saturday cut and ready to sew. Plus, I got three orders parceled up and shipped out.....

And still took the opportunity to dance around the house like a mad woman because I was featured on the front page of Etsy for the first time! There I am, bottom row right in the middle.

Happy Tuesday!

This week is really starting to move along! Remember that fabric I received last week? I made some new wallets and tea cozies out of it....

There is plenty of yardage left for the few more surprises still coming. In the mean time, if you have to have one for yourself you can grab one from the shop.

Remember that knitting needle/craft bag? A variation will be in the store shortly for those who expressed an interest in purchasing one. Surprised? I hope pleasantly so!

Happy Monday!

What a terrific week this is going to be! New things getting ready for the shop, new projects started, and there's even a new tutorial coming for you.

To start the week off right, I like to share with you what Jill of JeMbellish created using the DSi case tutorial....

Yes, you are seeing correctly. She also has it doubling as a clip and hair accessory bag! How cute is that idea? I had fun checking out her shop. Amongst other things, she makes those absolutely adorable bucket hats. Makes me wish I were a kid again....

February Delivery

Look what I just got......

My new bag.

I wanted a new bag, so I made one. The outside is velvet-soft black corduroy with hot pink accent stitching. Check out the inside: eye-popping tile print in both bright and light pinks, green, blue, and orange! What a pop! Pow! And it holds everything.

Just to show I am not completely greedy, I made one just like it so you can have one, too. It's in the shop now. Right along with a brand-new red denim number.....

Apple doesn't fall far.....

I am proud, delighted, tickled-pink, and pleased-as-punch to present my daughter's very first sewing project!

She made shoe bags for my husband. He travels a lot for business and the plastic bags he has normally used are getting a bit shabby and aren't environmentally friendly. She made one each for a pair of black shoes and a pair of brown shoes.

Unfortunately the only scissors that would cut fabric were my right-handed ones. She couldn't manage as she is left-handed, so I cut for her. Besides the ironing that was all I did. She did everything else herself. The pattern is all her own as well. She had to measure, figure seam allowances, and double check her numbers.

She made French seams so the inside would be tidy and free of frayed edges. Though they took twice as long as normal seams, it was well worth the trouble.

Her favorite part was the button holes. She made two on each bag for the draw-string. While she was enjoying the ease of the "one-step automatic button-holer" on the machine, she had to endure listening to my stories of "the old days" and 4-step processes. Luckily the machine is fairly quick.

I am such a very proud mother. Her next project will be pajamas. I said I would do the top, if she did the bottoms. She agreed, but she got dibs on doing all the button holes.

Hello. My name is....

Back in my native USA, I was very extroverted, a real joiner, first to say "yes" and first to volunteer. I loved talking. Here, I find myself on the outs, quiet, aloof. Someone even accused me of being shy. Me? Shy?!? It isn't shyness at all, it's a serious case of nervousness. Dutch makes me nervous.

It isn't that I don't want to join, it is that I have trouble joining. Everyone around me talks too fast, and uses too high a vocabulary for me to follow normal conversation. I can barely keep up with listening, never mind trying to figure out how to get a coherent sentence out. I talk like Tarzan at age 4. (Yes, I am working on it. It also takes the average adult 6-8 years to learn a language sufficiently. I am a below-average adult language learner. I am pretty much doomed.)

One of my goals for this year is to participate in a craft show. This goal is two fold: first, to get my work out into the public, and second, to get up the nerve to mix a bit more in the native Dutch society. Even if my Dutch is rubbish, at least getting out there will help me get over my serious case of "the nerves" whenever Dutch is being used. That's my theory at any rate.

Still, I needed to get the word out to potential customers. How can I assist someone or answer questions if I have no idea what they are saying? I want a way to communicate the language barrier up front so there is no awkward "um, sorry, what the heck did you just say?" moments on either side. I also want a way for those who don't speak English to still feel comfortable talking to someone at my craft stall. I mean, the other goal is to actually sell something after all!

I don't want a uniform but still want to give that air of "yes, I work here." I thought the simplest way is to wear a name tag. Not that I expect anyone to call me by name, but it does visually say "I work here," rather than "I am a groupie." I started with simple name badges. And then improved them. With text bubbles.

One for me that shows I speak English, and one for my amazing husband (who actually volunteered out of the blue to help out at the craft show) who speaks both fluently. Now anyone visiting the booth knows up front who to speak to, and how. And I don't have to sit in the corner swooning with "the vapors" when someone speaks way to much Dutch at me at a horrendously fast rate.

Think my idea will work? Or should I still pack the smelling salts, just in case?

Custom Knitter's Bag

Just finished working on a special bag for Teresa. She is a knitter and wanted something to carry her needles- something that looked more like a handbag and less like a plastic sleeve. She also wanted the tulip flap, which I was more than happy to do. It's my favorite design.

A flip of the flap reveals two pockets. One sized for her circular needles, and one sized for business cards, small scissors, or whatever other little treasure she needs to tuck safely in place.

Unfolding it further reveals plenty of needle storage...

The top section has two large pockets sized for even more circular needles, and a long thin pocket for long, straight needles. The bottom has 4 pockets, made especially for her 20 cm needles, and an extra needle pocket on the end. Because you never know when your collection may grow. The pockets are made with some give, so it holds everything in place snugly, but not too tight.

The handle was quilted for extra strength.

Enjoy!

Introducing: Egg Cozies!

What better way to start your morning than with an egg?

Boiled eggs (hard or soft) are so much healthier than those fried in butter. Plus you get an excuse to use those cute egg cups. And these cute egg cozies. Can you imagine bringing someone breakfast in bed, and there on the tray is this bit of joy?

These egg cozies fit all standard egg cup sizes. They also hug all eggs from size medium up through extra-large.

Each one is individually made from my own pattern and design.

The lining tucked inside is machine stitched, but the applique and all other sewing has been done by hand.

I used 100% wool felt for extra softness and warmth, and lined each with a vibrant cotton print.

You can find them in my shop.

Sew-Along: DSi Carrying Case

Just in case you missed any posts, here is where you can find: Step One, Step Two, Step Three, and Step Four.

Sew-Along Step 5: The Big Finish.

Lay the two halves of the bag in front of you as shown. Make sure the left and right sides are in alignment.

Using the left-most game pockets on the completed bag panel (top) as your guide, lay the two remaining pockets on the unfinished bag panel (bottom). The unfinished pockets will need to open to the left, which is the opposite direction to the finished ones. These two pockets will be sewn nearly identical to the way you sewed them in step 4. The link is here in case you need to reference it.

Pin the pockets in place. You can place the finished panel off to the side as you are done with it for now.



Cut your string in half. I was concerned about mine unraveling, so I knotted the ends first. From knot to knot, my string is 22 inches long.

Put one piece of cut string aside. Working with the remaining piece of string, fold the end over, twice, just at the tip. My fold is about 1/4". You can eyeball this in- it does not have to be an exact measurement. Place the string in the middle of the pocket that closest to the center of the bag. The string's long tail is facing up and the fold is tucked under. Be sure that half the folded tip is on the game pocket, and the other half is on the bag panel. Pin in place just at the folded-tip end.

Sew the pockets in place like you did in step 4 (here is the link again). Sew right over the top of the string when you get to it. Sew an extra few seams over the string, on the bag panel, right next to the pocket.

Sew the ends of the pockets along the edge of the bag panel at 3/8" seam allowance. It is ok to sew in the gap between pockets. You do not need to sew the whole side of the panel. Be sure to do this for the top and bottom.

Sew the individual sections exactly like you did in step 4 (here is the link in case you need it). Check to ensure the games fit in all the pockets.

Safety-pin the string to the bag panel to keep it out of the way. You can put this bag panel off to the side for now as you will be working on the other panel next.

It is time to attach the strap. Lay the bag panel with the majority of pockets down in front of you as shown. Place the strap right next to the first game pocket, where the sections open. Pin the top of the strap to the bag panel, letting the strap extend over the edge a tiny bit (about 1/8").

Lift the bottom of the strap up towards the top, and pin it right next to the strap. It will be on top of the game pocket. Be sure it extends beyond the bag panel edge a tiny bit as well.

Turn your attention now to the last piece of string. Place it along the center of the bag, with the cut edge extending a tiny bit (about 1/8") beyond the bag panel's left edge. Pin it in place just at the bag edge.

Safety pin the rest of the string safely out of the way.

Lay the two bag panels with right sides together in front of you. The two game pockets (furthest on the right) on both bag panels should line up. In the picture below, I folded the top bag panel town so you can get an idea of the correct position.

Pin all the way around.

On the right edge of the bag (this is the edge where the two sets of game pockets line up), make a mark 2" from the top and 2" from the bottom.

Sew all the way around the bag except for the area on the right side between the two pencil marks. Because the string and the handle are sticking out beyond the edge of the bag, you can see their location clearly. Sew back and forth over these a few times to strengthen the seam.

Trim all four corners.

Turn the fabric all along the right side. Make sure the fold is straight, as though you had sewn all the way across. Press. Turn the bag over and press the other side in the same manner. Remove any straight pins from along this seam.

Put you hand into the opening and turn the whole bag inside out. It will be puffy and out of shape.

Poke your fingers into all four corners from the inside to pop them out as much as possible.

Using a closed pair of scissors, chopstick, or blunt pencil, gently poke and wiggle the corner until it becomes fairly square. Be careful not to puncture the fabric.

Press the 4 corners and all four side seams. Flip the bag over and press again. You may need to use a ruler to help push the side seams out, otherwise the game sections on the edges won't be functional. I used the steam setting on my iron to help set the bag shape. It should now be flat and in the correct shape. Do not top stitch.

Pin the opening and sew as close to the edge as possible (about 1/8" seam allowance). Once sewn, remove both safety-pins.

Fill the "third row from the right" game pocket completely with games. Take the right side of the bag and fold over towards the middle, with the games in the crease. Be sure the fold is snug along the top of the games, but the bag is not pulling.

Place pins along the middle of the fold. Open the fold and remove the games. Refold along the pin line as before, and press in a crease.

Draw a line down the center of the crease. I recommend using a ruler to be sure your line is straight. Keeping the strings out of the way (pull the one underneath all the way towards the right), and sew along this line.

Flip the bag over and carefully place the string over the seam. Sew back and forth a couple of times using the seam as a guide.

Using the left most edge of the handle as a guide, draw a line from top to bottom as shown.

From this line, measure towards the left 1" and make a second line. Sew along both lines, keeping the strings out of the way.

Fold the left side of the bag towards the middle along the first seam line. Press. Repeat for the second seam.

Now stuff, the bag. My daughter doesn't have 36 games, so I left a few sections empty.

Fold over once.....

.... and fold over again. Tie in a bow.

Enjoy! I would have more pictures but I finished the carrying case literally the minute she walked in the door from school. I haven't seen her, or the carrying case, since. ;)