AmieJ Designs

Quick Table Runner

2011-04-28T11:12:00.004-04:00

I found myself with really nothing to do on Good Friday, which is rare for me on a day off. I have been wanting to make a table runner for my coffee table since I got it 4 months ago. It just seems to be a dust collector. I clean it and 10 mins later I feel there is a layer of dust on it already.

I didn't really have a plan for it. I knew I wanted to use the rest of my Belle Scraps and I had some leftover linen fabrics. I sat down and started sewing random pieces together to make blocks. I ended up with three blocks all slightly different sizes. I added linen borders and used linen for the back. I did my favourite quilting on it. I use different sizes of masking tape and tape random lines on the diagonal and sew on both sides of the tape with my walking foot. I really love how the quilting looks on the linen. I also remembered how much I love linen and really don't like sewing with it. Thankfully, It wasn't so bad since it was a smaller piece to quilt.

I also finished my 3x6 Bee blocks which I will post and get sent hopefully this weekend.

Baby Quilt #1

2011-04-19T09:06:00.006-04:00

I know it may seems like I haven't been doing a lot but I actually have. I have so many projects on the go right now that I don't even think I can remember all of them.

I finished this baby quilt a few weeks ago for my best friend who is the proud daddy of baby Rory. It was made using scraps, again, in pink and Kona Snow which is still my all time favourite. The quilt is from Elizabeth Hartman which I purchased here. I did altered the size a little. For some reason I don't like square quilts so I eliminated a side row and it's still a good baby size. I quilted it in a crosshatch design which you can't see very well as I took some very quick pictures indoors. It seems like we waited forever for her to come.

I am also currently making a quilt from this tutorial from Red Pepper Quilts. I have made all the border squares and am now at a standstill waiting for some more Kona Snow. I really hate our lack of good quilting shops in Canada. I also purchased this pattern and finished the quilt top in Amy Butler Lotus fabric to match the pillow I made my mother for Christmas.

I am also working in some random sized wonky star blocks which I'm thinking will eventually become a quilt for my bed in the summer. It has been a lot of fun to do these and not have any time restrictions on getting it down.

See, I have been busy, I just need to start taking more pictures of my WIP's.

Birthday Pillows

2011-03-21T11:50:00.005-04:00

My brother's girlfriends' birthday was yesterday. I had no idea what to get her. When I asked my brother what he thought I should get, he said "oh.....you're buying something? That's weird..." I instantly felt bad about it. Michelle is one of the people in my life who loves everything I make...even the stuff I hate. After thinking about it for a couple of days, I decided to make pillows since I had two 18" pillow forms that I had just bought on sale. I have made pillows before but not a lot of them. I have been into stars lately so I decided to make little star blocks that measured 4.5" unfinished. I have to say sewing so many little pieces was a challenge but I really loved making them. I was going to do the whole pilllow in these little stars but I was under a deadline. I decided to make four small ones for the corners and a larger center block. the second pillow was a much simpler one and came together in a couple of hours. I made it with some uneven strips and stacked them. the quilting is some simple crosshatching which I always love. I used a lot of the same fabrics in both pillows as I wanted them to go together but not be matchy, matchy. I really love how these pillows turned out. I really want to keep them even thought they don't match anything in my house. If I can't keep them, I'm glad they're going to a good home where my work is always loved and appreciated.

Now, if any of you follow the Stitched In Color blog, which I creep daily, you will know the Bloggers Pillow Party has been going on for a few months. I love looking at the pillows everyone has made. I have decided to enter my Star pillow. This is difficult for me as I am my own worst critic but I think this one may be worthy. If you haven't already, go on over and check out everyone's beautiful pillows.

Shop Changes

2011-03-10T12:51:00.004-05:00

So I have been thinking a lot lately of my little shop on Etsy. I have been selling bags and accessories online for about five years but about 8 years in total. I've been feeling a little burnt out lately. I work a 40 hr a week job and easily put in another 30 a week sewing. I have decided to focus mainly on wallets and smaller accessories as they are my biggest sellers. I will be putting my bags on sale and won't be listing any more anytime soon. I feel it's better for me to focus on the more popular items and give myself a little break. I'm not saying I won't be making bags again but I need to focus on something else for a little while.

I have been quilting a lot lately and making pillows and placemats, a lot more home items. This is something I'm going to consider adding to my shop or opening up a shop later in the spring for home items. We'll see where it takes me. In the meantime, my wallets and pouches and smaller wristlet bags will still be available in the shop and I hope to have more variety soon.

My bags will be put on sale to clear out starting today, so check it out if you are looking for a new bag.

Modern Solid Quilt

2011-02-10T13:17:00.004-05:00

I finished the Kona solid quilt and I love it! It came together very quickly since I didn't have any blocks to put together, just my very rough diagram to follow. this is really my kind of quilting. I really love clean solid lines. I quilted it in 3 inch squares. I originally did some straight line quilting across the width but decided it needed more and added some the across the length. I pieced the back with leftovers and I like it almost as much as the front. I really love the look of the solids. I think I will be making more in some girly colours. I'm thinking pink and orange...my favourite combo!

Quilt Front

Quilt back

Modern Improv

2011-02-07T20:45:00.004-05:00

I think I mentioned in my previous post that my BF wanted his own quilt since I wasn't so good about sharing mine. He wanted black and white. I thought about different patterns for a while but nothing was really exciting me. All I knew was that I wanted it to be all solids and in different shades of grey with a little black. I was bored at the end of my shift last Friday night so I drew up a really rough plan and some measurements. I was a little afraid of ruining a whole lot of my much loved Kona solids. If any of you live in Canada, you know it's very hard to get designer fabrics here without paying double the price. I refuse to do that so all my fabric is ordered online. Because of this I try to make sure I have everything I need before starting a project. It's very frustrating to wait 2 weeks for more fabric if you have to order mid project. Anyway, I picked all Kona cottons. The colours are pepper, charcoal, medium grey, slate and ash. So far it's turning out well and I see a lot of solid quilts in my future.

Kitchen Window Quilt

2011-01-29T20:23:00.004-05:00

I know it seems like I haven't been doing much, but I have been...really. I finished this quilt at the beginning of January but just haven't got around to taking pictures, as usual. I am still struggling at taking pictures of quilts. They just never turn out very well. Oh well, I have never claimed to be a photographer.

Anyway, I have been planning this quilt since I bought Elizabeth Hartman's book, The Practical Guide to Patchwork. I knew right away I wanted to make one out of my very limited scraps (a freezer bag) of my favourite Amy Butler Belle fabrics. That's what I love about this pattern, it really doesn't take much fabric and makes a good size lap quilt. This was super easy and quick to make. The cutting took me a few hours as I was not using yardage but very odd and different sized scraps. I just love how it turned out despite my problem with the actual quilting. For some reason my sewing machine was just not agreeing with me that day. I definitely recommend this quilt to anyone, especially if you have limited supply of a favourite fabric. You will be seeing probably a few more of these from me. I have one planned out for my mom and my bf has decided he wants his own quilt for the couch since we've been fighting over this one. His is going to be done in Kona solids which I think will look great in this quilt and still be masculine.

Thank you Elizabeth for this book. I can honestly say, it is the best quilting book I have ever bought (and I have a lot)!

16" Lotus Pillows

2011-01-01T19:32:00.001-05:00

16" Lotus Pillows
Originally uploaded by AmieJ Designs

These were made for my mom for Christmas. These were made from my scraps of Amy Butler's Lotus fabric. I was going to make my mom a quilt as well but I ran out of time. I'm will still make it, it will just have to be a" just because your my mom" present. I modified the block from Elizabeth Hartman's book A Practical Guide to Patchwork. If you do not have this book, you must go get it right now. Her quilts are stunning and the directions are so thorough and easy to follow. I will be getting a lot of use out of this book.

Another Quilt

2010-12-27T10:43:00.005-05:00

I finished my sisters string quilt 2 days before Christmas. I was really under the wire with this one. I love how it turned out. I split the blocks up with sashing to make it a little less busy and binded it with orange and red dots from Amy Butler's Lotus fabric. I quilted it with some straight line quilting with my brand new walking foot. I don't know how I lived without this. I couldn't believe how easy it was and how smooth the back of the quilt was. I pieced the quilt back with 4 extra blocks I had and more Kona Snow and some Kona Medium Gray.

I think I really have the quilting bug right now. I am finishing up 2 pillows for my mom for this weekend and already have 2 more scrap quilts I'm dying to start. My BF also asked me to make him one in solids. I have been wanting to do a solid one for a while but don't really know how I want to go about this one.

I also have a few bags to list in my shop whenever I find a good chunck of time to take pictures. I really hate that part of it. My photography skills suck but I keep working at it.

I hope everyone had a great holiday!

One Down....

2010-12-16T14:08:00.004-05:00

It's been a long time since I have posted any new projects. I have been really busy sewing. There's a ton of new wallets and pouches in the shop now with new bags to come as soon as I find time to take the pictures.

I have finished my brother's girlfriends quilt. I posted the quilt top a while back. It has been just waiting for me to make the back and quilt it. I finished it in about 6 hours. I really like it. I messed up when I was measuring the back so there is a lot of random piecing but I really like it. I am getting a lot better at free motion quilting too, but can still use some practice. She really likes pink so I made a simple coin quilt with all my pink scraps. I hope she likes it because it may be really hard for me to give it away.

I still have to quilt my sister's which I'm hoping to start tonight. I just got my walking foot in the mail and am excited to do some straight line quilting. I really like the look of it but I have no idea how I'm going to do it on the scrappy string quilt.

BTW...If anyone has any tips on how to photograph quilts, I could really use them.

3X6 Bee Blocks

2010-10-22T00:29:00.003-04:00

My creation
Originally uploaded by AmieJ Designs

I have finished my blocks for the 3X6 mini bee on Flickr. I'm kind of sad about it. They were a lot of fun to do and the next round doesn't start until January. I should be glad they're done, I have a lot of work to do. I am just finishing up my bag for the bag swap, have my xmas present quilts to quilt and am thinking of doing a craft show in December so I need to make stock. Here are the blocks that I made for my group.

New Exciting Books

2010-09-29T23:20:00.005-04:00

I bought two new books today.
One is Amy Butler's Style Stitches, 12 easy ways to 26 wonderful bags. I have been waiting for my local bookstore to get this since it was released. Today was finally the day. I only had a chance to glance through it briefly before going to work. I'm very excited about this. Why? I don't really know because I normally hate bag patterns and always design my own. I think it's the pink cover. I just signed up for the bag swap at Sew Mama Sew, so I'm thinking I'll try one of these great bags for my swap pattern.
The Second one is Dare To Be Square Quiting by Boo Davis. Again, I have only briefly flipped through this book but already love it. I don't think I've made it a secret that I love straight lines and a clean modern look. I still have to make my moms Christmas gift quilt so maybe I'll try one of these.
Does anyone else have any new or old favourite sewing books they'd like to share?

Cupcakes

2010-09-06T10:50:00.002-04:00

I realized I write mostly about sewing but I do a lot of other things as well. Baking is one of them. I love to bake and I do it quite often. I just made 4 dozen cupcakes for my nieces 3rd birthday party. This was a lot of fun. I sure love pink frosting!

Messenger Bag....And This One's Mine!

2010-08-23T13:26:00.003-04:00

Messenger Bag
Originally uploaded by AmieJ Designs

This is my new favourite bag and I'm keeping this one. I rarely keep any that I make. It's not that I don't want to, but usually someone else wants them more. This one is made with 15oz Organic canvas and lined in one of my favourite Erin McMorris prints from Park Slope. I am still debating about making these for the shop. The organic fabric is really expensive but it feels really great and durable.

String Quilt

2010-07-19T11:43:00.005-04:00

I have finished the top and back of my first quilt. I have moved on to my sister's quilt. I wanted to make it really scrappy and a little crazy, which suits my sister. I used this tutorial from Film In The Fridges' blog, which I read daily. I am addicted. This is so much fun. I am doing 5 1/2" blocks then sewing 4 together to make a large block. These sew together very quickly but I still have quite a few left to make. I am going to put sashing around each large block instead of sewing all the blocks together. I wanted to break up the pattern a little bit. I can't wait to see the finished top on this one. This is not going to help my scrap hoarding though. Instead of throwing out the little strips like I used to, I now realize you can use even the smallest pieces for these blocks.

I have also decided to redo the block I showed in my last post. It is going to be a pillow and I have decided the blocks not matching up really bother me a lot. I will show the pillow and hopefully the finished quilt top when I can get a decent picture of it.

Sewing through the heat wave

2010-07-08T20:16:00.004-04:00

It is sooooo hot. I am not a summer person. Anyone who knows me, knows this. I like cool weather and I even like snow. So it probably goes without saying, I am not doing very well in this humidity.

I decided to try sewing this quilt square the other night when I couldn't sleep. The tutorial is from Little Miss Shabby and it's the stash buster block. I actually really liked that it was a lot of 1.5" squares. It let me use my very small pieces of fabric that I couldn't throw out. My first attempt was a little wonky. I think I may have had a few squares that weren't cut exactly the right size so they don't line up as they should. I still like it though. I am going to make this square into a pillow to go with the pink coin quilt I am currently working on for an xmas present. Although it is a little time consuming, I am thinking of using this block to make my sisters quilt which will be a true scrap quilt.
(If you look at the corners, you can see where the squares didn't line up)

Planning Ahead

2010-07-03T19:52:00.004-04:00

So I might be a little ambitious. I have decided to make 4 different quilts for xmas presents this year. Not only that, I am going to try to make them out of my very large collection of scraps. I have already started one for my brother's girlfriend. By start I mean I have cut out (for hours) pieces for a coin quilt. I have also cut a couple hundred 1.5" squares to do a matching pillow. Her favourite colour is pink and I have a lot of pink so that's why I started with this one. I'm just waiting for my solid colour which I had to order. The only other one which is somewhat planned in my head is my sister's which I think is going to be a true scrap quilt with a little bit of everything.

I have learned a couple of things from my quilting in the last couple of years. One is that I really like really simple designs and I also prefer straight line quilting. I still am going to practice some more free motion quilting but I think my stuff is nicer when I do what I like to do.

Here are my scraps cut up and ready to go for quilt one.

Park Slope Wristlets

2010-06-28T09:30:00.003-04:00

I mentioned these briefly in my last post. These were for a 13 yr old's birthday party. The birthday party was at a spa where the bday girl and 2 friends got manicures, pedicures and age appropriate makeup. How fun! These were used for the loot bags. I used a good chunk of my Erin McMorris Park Slope fabric. I was happy with how these turned out. So bright and cheerful and of course I can't do a wristlet without a removable yo-yo pin.

Custom Orders

2010-05-24T20:05:00.004-04:00

I have been working on some custom orders lately so I have been a little to busy to do much of anything else. Here is one I just finished for bridesmaids gifts. They are double pleat totes with Amy Butlers Optic Blossom Linen. I really love this fabric. It's also the colours of the wedding. How pretty and clean is that?

I'm also working on some wristlet/cosmetic bags for a preteen birthday party. These are almost done and quite cute.

New Bags

2010-04-23T13:49:00.001-04:00

I have been making some new bags but as usual, I am very slow in posting them. I wonder if this is because I secretly want to keep them for myself. This is the everyday messenger bag. It's a little smaller than most of my bags but big enough to fit all of the daily essentials. I love the simplicity and the pleated corners that give it depth. I only have one in the shop right now but there will be more coming.......eventually.

Finished Baby Quilt

2010-04-21T12:23:00.004-04:00

I finished this quilt quite a while ago but couldn't seem to find the time to take pictures. It was really easy and I really like how it turned out even though I wasn't crazy about it at the beginning. I was originally going to back it in solid brown, then I came across this dot fabric in my stash that matched perfectly. I free motion quilted it and actually had a harder time with the smaller quilt than my queen size quilt. I will be making more of these for sure. I already have a lap size one in mind with just random scraps, for my couch. I have one problem now and that is that I won't be seeing the person I made it for anytime in the near future so I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. A giveaway perhaps? I will have to think about it for a bit.
Here are some pictures, sorry they're not very good. If anyone has any ideas on how to take pictures of quilts in a small apartment, feel free to let me know.

Quilt Top

2010-03-08T10:27:00.003-05:00

I have finished the baby quilt top. It came together very fast. This is the kind of quilting I like! I think it took me longer to cut out the blocks. Here's a not very good picture of the top. It turned out a lot cuter than I expected it too. Now I'm going to have a problem giving it away. The back will be a polka dot fabric that matched these fabrics very well. I will show you that in the finished product.

Work in Progress

2010-03-07T21:19:00.004-05:00

I should really be working on some bags and wallets for my shop but I felt like doing something different today. I cut out charm squares to make a baby quilt for a girl I work with. I am using Michael Miller fabrics and this tutorial from Oh ,Fransson! who in my opinion makes some of the best modern quilts I have seen. It looks like a fast and easy quilt for a baby which is good since I am still working on my quilting skills. She is having a boy and I am using mostly blue but had to add some of the purple in due to a shortage of fabric. I think it still works for a boy.

New In Shop

2010-03-04T10:52:00.003-05:00

I have been sewing. Really I have. It might not seem like it since I haven't been listing much. I just really hate taking pictures and editing them. I would rather just keep sewing. Here are a couple of new bags I've just added to my shop. I know I always say this but these are my favourite so far.

New Dress

2010-02-21T18:16:00.005-05:00

I bought a new sewing book a few months ago called Chic and Simple Sewing but haven't gotten around to making anything out of it. I really don't like to make clothes very much. I always find that nothing fits right no matter how much you try. The sizing really annoys me as well. I normally wear a 4-6 but find I have to make around a 10-12 in regular patterns. Anyway, I was bored the other night and decided to make the back to school dress. The pattern was really easy to follow and I sewed the dress in only a couple of hours including the cutting. I used a purple twill fabric because I wanted a heavier dress in a solid colour. I was really happy how it turned out. The only change I made was to the pockets. I wasn't crazy about the plain and somewhat big pockets that the pattern called for so I fooled around until I came up with ones I liked. The dress is wearable now but I think I'm going to take the bottom half of the dress in a bit and maybe take up the hem a little. Overall, I was very happy with how it turned out. I will definitely be making more from this book.

Plans for 2010

2010-01-27T23:23:00.002-05:00

I did this last year in place of resolutions and it worked fairly well, so I've decided to try it again. I have taken what seems to be a very long break from both blogging and my Etsy shop. This was mainly due to a sudden move that took longer than I anticipated and before I knew it, the holidays were here. I have still been sewing but it has mainly been items for my new, fabulous (I think) apartment and holiday gifts. So here is a list I have been somewhat been forming in my head of things I need to do to get back on track. I will probably will add some and take some away but I hope that blogging on it will help keep me on track.
1. Finishing organizing my new sewing room/closet so it is more functional.
2. Post the new bags and pouches I have already sewn in my shop.
3. Work out a sewing schedule that works with my full-time job schedule to better utilize my
time.
4. Finish the new bag design that has been in my head for a couple of months that I haven't had
time to try out and write.
5. Try and blog at least 3 times a week.
6. Try to list or renew new items in my shop daily.
7. On a personal note try to get back to running at least 4 times a week. This gives me the
energy and motivation I need to get through my busy days.

Please feel free to add any tips you have to manage your time and keep organized. They are always greatly appreciated.

Moving Sale

2009-09-08T10:45:00.003-04:00

As I said in my last post, I am in the process of moving. It has been quite sudden. I had just started thinking about moving and casually looking at places. I walked into the apartment that I'm moving to and knew instantly it was the one. I think it had a lot to do with the fireplace (non-working but very pretty) that takes up almost an entire wall. The problem is, is that it is significantly smaller than the 4 bedroom house I am currently living in. I used to share this house with my younger brother and various roommates that have been in and out over the years. They have all moved out and I have found that this house is way too big for me to keep up on my own. So I think It goes without saying that I will downsizing. Fortunately for me I am not a pack rat and hate clutter. In trying to make my move easier I have significantly marked down about half the items in my shop. If there is something you love and have to have I would get it quick. I don't know how long I will be running the sale for but probably only until I find room for everything in my new place. Here is just a small sample of the marked down items.

August Winner

2009-09-07T11:05:00.002-04:00

The August winner has been picked using Random.org. The winner this month is Astraea. Your bag will be sent as soon as you contact me with your address. Thank you everyone for your very helpful comments. I can hardly wait to do some fall fabric shopping.
My September giveaway may be late this month as I am in the process of moving. It happened quite suddenly so I haven't had a lot of time to prepare. I just found an apartment I love and took it right away so this week has been a whirlwind. I will also be marking down some items in my shop significantly in the next couple of days to make the move easier and make room for some new bags I have coming. Make sure you check out my shop this week for some great deals.

August Bag Giveaway

2009-08-31T09:52:00.005-04:00

I really meant to post this earlier in the month but I don't know where the time went. I have lots of new items and a couch overhaul that I have been dying to show but I just can't seem to find the time to post. I will really try to be better now that summer is almost over. I am probably the only one who is happy about that but I can't help it. I love the cool weather and the smell of fall. I am able to get so much more work done when my sewing room is not so hot.
So to celebrate the start of fall, I am giving away my last side tie tote in Amy Butler's Coriander Clay fabric from the Belle collection. This is one of my favourite bags and it has been discontinued.
To enter just post a comment about my store and let me know what fabrics you're loving for fall. The contest will end at Sunday September 6th at 8:00 a.m. Est. Please include you're email in your post.

Amy Butler Diaper Bag

2009-08-11T08:47:00.002-04:00

I was recently asked to make a diaper bag for a girl I work with. She wanted a big bag with lots of pockets. I had bought Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones a few months ago but had yet to make anything from it. I decided to try the diaper bag from this book as it was loaded with pockets. This was a very easy bag to make. I used home dec fabrics for the inside and outside. I wouldn't have picked these fabrics myself but they looked cute in the bag. I couldn't believe how big this bag was. It is huge and loaded with pockets on the inside and outside. The only changes I made was I left out the bag divider and I added a magnetic snap closure flap. I would definitely make this bag again. Here are some quick pics. I'm sorry they're not very good as I had to take them very quick before I left for the baby shower.

July Winners

2009-08-06T12:07:00.002-04:00

The winners for July's giveaway are Ammie and Barbie. The winners were chosen using random.org. I have emailed the winners and bags will be sent out when I receive your addresses. Thanks for entering everyone and stay tuned for August's giveaway coming soon.

July Bag Giveaway

2009-07-29T14:19:00.003-04:00

I know I'm late again this month. I just don't know where July went! To celebrate my 2 year anniversary of selling on Etsy and also for hitting 300 in sales, I am giving away 2 bags this month. To enter just post a comment on this post about my shop, your favourite sewing blogs or anything sewing related ie sites, fabric, tips etc... To gain another entry, blog about this giveaway and post your blog link in the comment section. I will run the contest until 12:00 P.M. EST August 3rd. Please make sure your email address is easy to find or right in your post so I can easily contact the winners. Here are the bags up for grabs this month. To make things fair I will package the bags now and send them out to the winners when they are chosen, so I don't know who is getting which bag. Good Luck!

Anniversary

2009-07-07T13:51:00.004-04:00

July is my 2 year anniversary of selling on Etsy. It has been a very fun 2 years and it's very interesting to see how my work has changed over the years. To celebrate my anniversary, I have added a lot more stuff to my sale section. I am also offering an additional 10% off any purchase for the month of July for my blog readers. Just put anniversary in the comment section of your order and I will refund the 10%. This is on items only, not on shipping price. I will leave you with some pics of items that I have just put on sale.

June Winner

2009-06-29T09:28:00.002-04:00

Thanks for entering the giveaway everyone. I have picked a winner using random.org. The winner of this months bag is Modern Lunacy. Congratulations and please contact me with your shipping info so I can send out your new bag. Thanks again everyone for entering and for your very helpful comments. If you didn't win, don't worry there will be another giveaway in July.

June Giveaway

2009-06-21T09:43:00.005-04:00

June's giveaway starts today. All you have to do is go to my shop and comment on anything you like dislike etc.. or tell me what features you'd like to see in a bag. The prize this month is the Pleated Market Tote in my favourite fabric. Amy Butler's Kashmir Olive from the Belle collection and orange corduroy. Please leave your email or your etsy shop link in your post. I have had some difficulties contacting winners in the past and have had to redraw.
The contest will be running from now until June 28th at 9:00 P.M. EST.

Tutorials

2009-06-20T19:43:00.007-04:00

It's a very blah rainy day here today and I'm not really motivated to do any shop sewing. I have been browsing online and have come across a lot of really great tutorials I would like to try. Here is just a few that I really like. Just click on the picture to go to the tutorial.

1. Amy Butler Hourglass Pillows

2. Coasters from The Sometimes Crafter

3. Patchwork Kitchen Mat from the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog

Mini Notepad Organizers

2009-06-16T10:22:00.003-04:00

As I said in my last post, I have been working on some mini notepad organizers. I have about 10 done and have been slowly getting them listed in my shop. This turned out way better than I expected. Don't you just love when that happens. I have been using mine everyday and don't know how I went so long without it.

I haven't forgotten about June's giveaway. I am going to try and get it posted this weekend after some much needed cleaning of my sewing room.

Double Pleat Tote

2009-06-12T09:19:00.005-04:00

There are some new bags in the shop. These are Double Pleat Totes. They are the same as the Double Pleat Tote with Sash (which have sold out) but without the sash. I love these bags. They are probably one of my most favourite bags I've ever made. They are a great large bag that holds a lot of stuff but are still light weight. I especially love the wider straps. They're really comfortable on your shoulder when you carry a lot. They are made out of home dec weight fabric and 150z organic canvas. I am in love with this organic canvas. It's expensive but worth every penny. These bags here are made with fabric from Joel Dewberry's Ginseng collection which I absolutly love.

I am also working on some mini notebook holders. They are really cute and handy. They hold a little notebook and pen and has an extra pocket for receipts or coupons. I will hopefully have some posted today.

And lastly, I haven't forgotten about June's giveaway. I will be posting that hopefully in the next week I just haven't decided on the prize yet.

May Giveaway Winners

2009-06-01T10:40:00.003-04:00

First of all I have to thank everyone for their very positive comments. I have read all 515 of them and can't wait to go back and check out some of your blogs. I have picked a winner using the random number generator. The winner of the side tie tote is Shannon Hillinge r.
I have also decided because of the overwhelming amount of entries to have a second winner. The runner up winner is Cass. Cass will be receiving a mystery handmade prize.
If you can both contact me asap I will get your prizes sent out right away.
Thanks everyone for entering and if you didn't win this time, don't forget to come back and watch for June's giveaway.

May Giveaway

2009-05-26T12:34:00.004-04:00

I'm doing something a little different for May's Giveaway. One of my favourite sites Sew, Mama, Sew is having a giveaway day. The Giveaway is running from May 27th-May 31st. I am starting my giveaway today. To pick the prize, I have gone through all the previous giveaway comments and the Optic Blossom Side Tie Tote stood out as a favourite every month. This will be the giveaway bag this month. To enter just leave a comment on this post about what you like or dislike in my shop, what fabric you love right now or what kind of closure you prefer in a bag ie. magnetic snap, zipper, etc. After you've left your comment make sure to click on the Sew, Mama, Sew link to enter all the other giveaways. My contest ends May 31st at 11:00 p.m. EST. It is open internationally and the winner will be picked using Random.org. Good luck everyone!

Updated Messenger Bag

2009-05-24T17:37:00.005-04:00

I have made a change to my new messenger style bags. I have had a lot of requests for a zipper closures in my bags. For my other styles, I didn't like the look of the zippers but I thought the messenger style was the perfect bag for this. I have to say I like it a lot with the zipper. It's a larger bag, designed to carry a lot of stuff so the zipper keeps everything from spilling out. I only have one listed right now but more will be coming. This one is made with 100% cotton canvas and Floral Ribbon from Denyse Schmidt's County Fair collection.

New Bag in Shop

2009-05-23T16:38:00.002-04:00

I have added a few new bags to the shop. It's a double pleat bag that is very roomy. I love the sash which will also come in handy if you need a belt or a hair scarf in a pinch. The one in the first picture is already sold but there are still 2 available. I hope to have more added soon and plan to do some plain ones with your choice of sash and hopefully have extra sashes available for purchase so you can change them up.

New Couch

2009-05-13T01:04:00.004-04:00

I desperately need a new couch. You would think this would be an easy thing. Go to the store, pick a couch and buy it. My problem is, I don't want a new couch. Everything is so big and stuffed or leather. I want a vintage couch and the design I want dates back to the 1950's I believe. I have been looking for at least 5 years and can't find one I like. The worst thing is we had one in my house when I was growing up and my parents got rid of it when we moved. I know I will probably have to recover it and I already have the fabric I just need the couch. Here are some pictures I have come across of couches I like. The first one would be my first choice. If anyone knows where I could find one in my area please let me know. I have almost given up and will be stuck with my old, ugly couch forever.

April Winners

2009-05-10T21:33:00.002-04:00

The winners have been picked for April's bag giveaway. I drew two numbers using Random.org. The winners are Ariane and sandyandcosmo. Both winners have been notified and your new bags will ship this week. Thank you everyone for entering and if you didn't win this month don't worry, May's giveaway will be coming soon.

Giveaway Update

2009-05-09T11:14:00.001-04:00

I just wanted to let you know I have picked the winners for the April giveaway. I have contacted the winners and I'm just waiting for a reply. I will announce them as soon as I hear back from them.

April Giveaway

2009-04-29T10:02:00.006-04:00

I know, I'm really late with my giveaway this month. I've had a busy month finishing my quilt, sewing Easter dresses and keeping my shop stocked.
This month I am giving away a pink and brown dot large tote. It is great for when you have a lot of stuff to carry and makes an excellent diaper bag.
Just post a comment below about anything you like or don't like in my shop, any fabric that you are loving right now or any sewing or quilting blogs that you love (I'm always looking for new blogs to read). I have two bags to giveaway this month. The contest will end at 9:00 P.M. EST on Sunday May 4th.
Good Luck!

Finished Quilt

2009-04-19T22:59:00.005-04:00

As I said in my last post, I have finished my quilt for the quilt along. I used my favourite fabrics from Amy Butler's Belle collection. I cheated a little on this quilt. The quilt along was for a throw size quilt and used 6 different blocks I think. I wanted a quilt for my bed so I made mine queen size and I wanted a simpler design so I only used 2 of the blocks. For the back I just randomly pieced all my leftover fabric together. I love how it turned out and I really have two quilts in one. I had a lot of fun and also a lot of stressful moments with this quilt. I have made a few quilts before but this was the first time I had ever done free motion quilting. It was easier than I thought and I'm lucky to have a sewing machine that can sew automatically without the foot peddle so this made it easier for me to maneuver the bulk through my machine. I have never really loved quilting but after learning some great tips from this quilt along, I am now hooked. I am going to do it again but I will make the one using all the blocks this time. I will probably make a throw for the couch. I think I would like to use some vintage fabrics for this one though. If you have wanted to try quilting but were afraid to, I highly recommend this project from
Oh, Fransson! She really has a gift for quilting and teaching.
Here are some pictures. They are not good pictures at all. It is really difficult to take pictures of a quilt.

New Bags

2009-04-16T23:31:00.003-04:00

My productivity seems to have gone up tremendously. It figures since my vacation is almost over. I have finished my quilt for the quilt along and I am very happy with it. The free motion quilting was easier than I thought it would be although mine is far from perfect. I thought it came out very well for my first attempt. I haven't taken any pictures yet so I'll go into more detail when I'm ready to post them.

I have also finished a new style of bag for my shop. I have been wanting to do a larger purse version of my patchwork wristlet and I have finally come up with one I like. I actually love this purse. It has a classic a line shape. It is soft to the touch but yet sturdy enough to stand on it's own when empty. What I love about the patchwork is that each purse is one of a kind. I will be doing some without the patchwork but I'm having too much fun with these ones right now. I have 4 finished. 2 are already posted in my shop and I hope to have the other 2 posted tomorrow. Check them out when you get a chance.

Weekend Sewing

2009-04-13T23:26:00.003-04:00

I made a couple of dresses for my niece for Easter. The first was made with a McCalls pattern and Alexander Henry fabric. It's cute, but not my favourite. The second dress I love! I bought the pattern from a store on Etsy called Frog Legs & Ponytails. It's a pillowcase dress and I have made a couple of these before, but this was by far the best pattern i have ever come across. The dress took me less than 1/2 an hour and is super cute. I made it with fabrics from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern II collection. I am seriously thinking of using this pattern to make tops for my sister and I. I highly recommend this pattern.

(The pictures are not very good but I will post more later, with my adorable niece modeling).

I also finished doing the free motion quilting on my quilt today. It is not perfect but I am very happy with my first attempt. It hurt my wrist after a while so I had to take a few breaks, but I was surprised at how little time it took. I have the binding pinned on and ready to sew tomorrow and then it's done. I have to admit, I cheat with the binding. I don't hand sew it on, I never hand sew. I hate doing it and avoid it at all costs. I don't think it makes it any less nice and I like to use a decorative stitch around the edge.

Vacation!

2009-04-11T23:59:00.004-04:00

I started vacation on Thursday. I really thought I would get a lot more done already. I know it's only Saturday but I really haven't done anything for my shop. One thing I really wanted to get done by the end of the weekend was my quilt from the quilt along I mentioned in my last post. I got all the layers sandwiched and pinned on Friday and that's it. I'm afraid to start the free motion quilting. It looks so pretty right now, I'm afraid of messing it up.
I did make my 18 month old niece a couple of dresses for Easter tomorrow. They are really cute. One was a pillowcase dress that I'm very happy with, and it has matching bloomers. I will post it tomorrow with a link for the pattern. I made it in less than an hour. It's great for a beginner sewer or an advance sewer who wants a quick and easy project.
Since I have family dinners for the next two days, I don't think I will be getting anything else done this weekend. At least I have the whole week off.

Quilt Along

2009-04-08T12:16:00.003-04:00

I have been following a quilt along hosted by Oh, Fransson! on her blog. I have been wanting to make a quilt for my bed for a long time so I decided this was the perfect time. I have made a few quilts for other people but haven't been very happy with them. Everything goes well until the actual quilting part. This one has free motion quilting which I have never done but I'm very excited to try. I cheated a little on my quilt as well. The quilt pattern in the quilt along has six blocks I think but I decided to use just two of them. I am using fabrics from Amy Butler's Belle collection and any of you who have visited my shop, know how much I love these fabrics. My quilt top is finished and I start holidays tomorrow so I am hoping to get the back done tomorrow and then start the quilting. I am behind in the quilt along because I wanted to wait until I had a lot of uniterrupted time before I started the quilting.
Here are some pics of my quilt top. The pictures are not very good as it's been cloudy and snowy here the last few days.

March Bag Giveaway Winner

2009-04-06T13:23:00.003-04:00

I am sorry for the delay in announcing the winner. I picked a winner using Random.org and the winner is KelliAnn. She also has an Etsy shop so if you have some time check out her shop here. She makes adorable little headbands for babies. If you didn't win this month don't worry, April's giveaway will be posted soon. Since it's my birthday this month I have decided to have two winners so check back often.

March Giveaway

2009-03-27T00:41:00.004-04:00

March's giveaway is finally here. I know it was late this month, but better late than never. To enter the giveaway just post a comment on this post about what item you like in my shop, what fabric's you love right now or what style of bag or fabric you would like to see more of. The giveaway is running until March 31 12:00 P.M. EST. This month's giveaway is for a pleated market tote made from orange corduroy and Amy Butler's French Wallpaper. This bag is bright and cheerful for spring.

March Blahs

2009-03-10T00:43:00.002-04:00

I know I haven't posted in a while, I think I have the March blahs. My motivation seems to have left me this month. This past weekend was better for me. I did get some more messenger bags done and a couple of new limited time totes. I will have to do some new wallets soon as I am getting low so hopefully by the weekend I'll have some. I think I need to do March's giveaway soon, so stay tuned for that. Here is a pic of one of the new totes just listed in my shop. There will be a few more coming soon.

New Messenger Bag

2009-02-26T00:17:00.002-05:00

I have finally finalized my new messenger bag. After many attempts of making one I liked, I have finally come up with one I love. I think it's the perfect size for everyday use. I didn't want it to be too big but I wanted to fit everything I needed to take to work in it. It has two outside pockets and 3 inside pockets because I like to keep my stuff organized. I only have two posted now but I should have more coming this week.

February Bag Winner

2009-02-22T22:12:00.004-05:00

I picked a winner for February's bag giveaway. I used Random.org to pick a number. The winner this month is Stephanie from lesjoujou. She has a new shop on Etsy, so check it out when you get a chance.
Thanks for entering everyone and if you didn't win, don't worry. March's giveaway will be coming soon.

New Fabrics

2009-02-21T17:20:00.002-05:00

I love getting new fabrics in the mail. I told myself I wasn't going to buy any more until I used some of mine up, but I couldn't resist these. The first pic is Joel Dewberry's Ginseng in home dec weight. I have already made a wristlet in this and posted it in my shop. The second, is Amy Butler's August Fields, also in home dec weight. The third I have used many times before and it's still a favourite. It's from Michael Miller and is getting harder to get.

My Favourite Bag

2009-02-18T12:17:00.004-05:00

If you read yesterdays post you will remember me mentioning my favourite bag. I make a lot of bags and accessories and I truly like everyone, I won't sell something I don't personally like. This one though, I loved before I even started sewing it.
It is one of my new patchwork wristlets made with plain brown twill and 2 out of print fabrics from Robert Kaufman. It is brown, orange and a deep yellow gold colour. I think it is very retro looking which is what I love about Robert Kaufman fabrics. This bag is so me. I still haven't decided if I'm going to list it in my shop yet. I have very little of these fabrics left. I will check today to see if I have any more to make another similar one.
So here it is, my favourite bag ever!

Back to the basics

2009-02-17T14:00:00.004-05:00

You may have noticed that there is not a pleat or ruffle in my new bags. After a lot of thought I have decided to go back to the basics. When I started making purses, the greatest fun for me was the fabric. I love great fabrics with bold prints. These tend to get lost in all the pleating and ruffling. I also love straight clean lines not only for bags but in home design as well. After thinking about which way to go in my shop, I have decided to go back to the simple designs in bags with great fabric and great fabric combos. I want to see the fabric I spend a lot of time picking out. Now that I've decided on simplicity, I love sewing again. Of course you will still see my love of yo-yo's on my wristlets.

In my shop, I have added gadget cases. I absolutely love the convenience of these. I will be adding more in the next few days. I have also made a new retro looking wristlet. I think this is my most favourite item ever. I am still debating on whether or not to list it. I will show this hopefully tomorrow. This deserves it's very own blog post.

Don't forget February's Giveaway is still on until the 22nd.

February Giveaway!

2009-02-12T11:27:00.005-05:00

I planned on starting February's giveaway tomorrow but decided to do it today instead. This month's giveaway is for a pleated wristlet/clutch with matching coin pouch and card holder. All are made with Erin McMorris Park Slope fabrics. I love the bright colours in this collection. To enter this month's giveaway you can either leave a comment about a fabric that you love or tell me what style of bag or wallet you like best in my store. To get a second entry, blog about this giveaway and leave another comment. I love finding new blogs to read. This contest ends on February 22nd at 9:00 P.M. EST.
Good luck everyone!

New for Spring

2009-02-11T10:41:00.004-05:00

I have been sewing some new bags this week for Spring. I have decided I'm done with winter and I'm looking ahead. I started with some new market totes perfect for everyday. These will be available for a limited time only. The second bag design is a new wristlet. These are patchworked and slightly bigger than my original wristlet. These are my new favourite. I have started listing these in my shop. I will be working on a shoulder bag version of these.
Also, keep watching for further markdowns as I will be clearing out more older styles of bags.
Stay tuned, February's giveaway is coming soon!

The life of a wallet

2009-02-01T21:22:00.006-05:00

I am often asked how I can sew so many items without any help. I took some pictures today to show how I do it. I plan my items to try and sew in the same colour groups. The wallets I sewed today all used gray thread so I didn't have to keep re-threading my machine. This is a huge time saver.
First, I cut everything out. This is probably the most time consuming with wallets because there are so many pieces. I then put the fusible interfacing on everything now I'm ready to sew. I sew all the change sections first, then the cardholders.

Next I assemble and sew the inside of the wallet. Once that's done I make all the closure tabs. I add snaps to them and the main wallet piece. I then sew the two together. I turn them all the right side out, iron them and top stitch.

It took about 3 hours with a couple of small breaks to make 5 wallets. I love seeing them all finished and lined up. These wallets will be posted in my shop in a couple of days.

New Purse Design

2009-01-23T12:07:00.003-05:00

I have finally got around to posting a couple of my new bags. This is one of my new designs for 2009. I really like this bag. I have been using mine for a couple of weeks and just love the size. I hope to get some more posted this weekend. Here are some pics of the ones up now.

January Winner

2009-01-19T12:29:00.003-05:00

I would like to thank everyone who entered my January giveaway. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of entries. There was 104 entries and I really only expected a small fraction of that.
Your comments were very helpful in my attempt to streamline my shop. Sometimes I feel I have too many styles on the go. I will be hopefully carrying 2 main styles of bags, 1 wristlet and the two wallet designs. My sale will probably continue until the "older" styles are cleared out.
Anyway, I used Random.org to generate the winner. The winner was Suanne from PaperAffection on Etsy. She has a very cute store, so check it out if you get the chance.
Thanks again for entering, and keep watching for February's giveaway. I will be having a giveaway every month.

New Pocket Wallets

2009-01-18T00:15:00.004-05:00

I previously posted about some new items I have been working on. One was the pleated tote and the other was a smaller version of my popular wallet. I call it a pocket wallet. I am very happy with them both and have started to list them in my shop. I am especially hooked on the wallets. I have used mine everyday for the last 3 weeks. I love that it fits in my coat pocket but still has lots of room for stuff.
I am also almost finished another new bag design. This may be my favourite bag yet. The only thing I can't decide is if it would be a one handle bag or two handles. I am leaning towards 2 as it has a more square shape. If anyone has any suggestions or preferences, feel free to post them.

New Coffee Cup, New Item In Shop

2009-01-12T13:26:00.005-05:00

I bought a new coffee cup at Chapters yesterday. It's a thermal porcelain cup with a silicone lid. I fell in love with it immediately. The only thing my new cup needed was a coffee cup cozy. I was so happy with it, I decided to make some for the shop. I have a couple listed now with more to come. They fit standard takeout cups as well as these porcelain cups. If you're in Canada you can purchase these cups at any Chapters or Indigo book store. Here is the link to the company if your outside of Canada.
Just a reminder that January's bag giveaway is still running. It ends January 18th so don't forget to enter.

January Free Bag Giveaway

2009-01-10T14:27:00.006-05:00

I have decided this year to offer a free giveaway every month. January's giveaway starts today.
You can win this free large tote by simply viewing my store and when you're done come back here and tell me what your favourite item is. If you blog about my giveaway, leave another comment for an extra entry. There will be one winner. Contest ends on January 18th at 9:00 p.m. EST. Please ensure you leave a link or email address where you can be contacted if you win.
Good luck everyone!

Plans for 2009

2009-01-10T00:20:00.002-05:00

I don't make New Year's resolutions but I have made a list of plans for my store for 2009. I have been working on some new wallets with some slight modifications to make them even better. I will hopefully have some posted this weekend. I also have two new bags in the works, one which I will hopefully get posted soon. I'm still drafting the pattern on the second but I hope to have those ready in February. I also have a third bag which is my favourite but I'm waiting for a special presser foot for my sewing machine which will hopefully cut the time down a little on making them. I don't have an estimated date for those yet.
For my blog, I am really going to try posting more often. I say that every month but I'm really going to try this year. I'm also going to post a free giveaway every month. I am hoping to get January's posted tomorrow, I just have to take a couple of pictures.
So these are my goals for 2009 but I'm sure some things will be added along the way.
Happy New year!

Bag Giveaway

2008-12-30T10:30:00.003-05:00

Here's a chance to win one of my bags. The Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls is running a giveaway on one of my bags until January 5. Check out their blog for a chance to win to win my bag made with Amy Butler fabrics. Here's the bag in the giveaway.

Also, don't forget to check out my shop for my year end sale.

End of Year Sale

2008-12-29T13:46:00.006-05:00

Well the holidays are finally over. It seems like so much work building up to them and it's over so quickly. I am back to work today but at least it's another short work week.
I am having an end of year sale in my shop until mid January. There are lots of items to choose from. I'm clearing out for some new items hopefully coming in January or sooner. There are only one of each item in the sale, so if you want it don't wait. Here is a sample of a few sale items.

Holiday Sewing

2008-12-18T14:05:00.002-05:00

I had big plans for holiday gifts. I was going to sew baskets and fill them with aprons, potholders, coasters etc... for the females in my family. This just didn't happen this year. I thought I would post this tutorial for anyone who wants to try it. I found it on this blog from oh, fransson! which I read almost daily. Here is the tutorial. Let me know if you try it.

Christmas Presents

2008-12-11T13:09:00.004-05:00

I have been trying to get some Christmas presents sewn between my bag orders. Most of them are for my 15 month old niece Chloe.
The first one I have finished is this Ella the Elephant made from a pattern by Melly and Me. This is the first pattern I've tried from them and I think it's the best pattern I have ever used. The directions were easy to follow and I made the whole project in a couple of hours. I used fabrics from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern line. I am very happy with how this turned out.

Pretty Little Patchwork

2008-12-02T13:30:00.002-05:00

This is another one of my new books. This is from the Pretty Little series from Lark books. I liked this one a lot more than Pretty Little Purses and Pouches but still wasn't thrilled with it. It has a good variety of patterns. There's stuff for the home such as coasters and potholders which I may try and the clutch on the front is pretty cute. There's also a great hat pattern but when I was reading through it, I think it was missing some steps. I'm going to check the designers website to see if there's any updates. I would say this book was worth the purchase. Not my favourite but still pretty good.

Pretty Little Purses and Pouches

2008-11-20T02:47:00.003-05:00

I love craft books. I think most crafters do. Even if I never make anything from them, they're always good for some inspiration. I have bought several new ones over the last couple of weeks and thought I would review them here on my blog.

The first one was probably the one I was most excited about. Pretty Little Purses and Pouches from Lark books. The cover looked so pretty and cute, so I had high hopes for this one. Since I make mostly bags and pouches, I always love to see what other people are doing. I have to say this book was a big disappointment. I honestly think this is the first craft book I have ever bought where there was not one thing that appealed to me. The best thing about the book was the artist bios in the back. I checked out some of their websites and blogs and they were amazing. I think this book didn't show off these talented designers very well. I ordered this book online, if I was able to view it in a store I never would have bought it and wasted my money.

My New Hat!

2008-11-08T08:08:00.004-05:00

I just purchased a new hat from Bkm Hattitude who has an Etsy store. I took a long time picking the one I wanted from her sold items. I thought it was going to be cute but I had no idea how wonderful it was going to be. I received the hat in less than a week which is the quickest shipping I've ever had. I wish I had taken a picture of the packaging but I wanted to see the hat too badly. It was wrapped in pretty tissue with a matching sticker and matching styrofoam popcorn so the hat wouldn't shift. It was like opening a present. The hat itself is one of the most well made items I have ever seen and it fits perfectly! I don't think I could ever describe how happy I am with this purchase. I will definitely be shopping here often.

Here are picks of my hat. Be sure to check out her store, you will not be disappointed.

Weekend Sale

2008-11-07T17:43:00.001-05:00

My weekend sale is on in my shop now. $5.00 off all Side Tie Totes. Sale Ends Sunday November 9th at 5:00 P.M. Est.

Getting Ready For Winter

2008-11-05T08:30:00.003-05:00

Winter is coming! I am trying to get some scarves made for my shop. So far I only have one done. They are fabric and fleece and each one is one of a kind. I made one last year for my sister and loved it! I wanted something different from the knitted ones (which I also do) and something that still looked good after you washed it. Here are some pics of the one I have done. I am hoping to do some matching mittens but have to work out the sizing still.

Staying Organized

2008-11-02T06:59:00.002-05:00

Keeping my sewing room clean and organized is a constant battle. Keeping track of what colour thread I have is especially difficult. I end up with a lot of one colour and I'm always running out of the colours I need. I purchased this vintag Wil-Hold from five petals red on Etsy and I don't know how I lived without it. I am able to keep my thread and my bobbins in the same place when previously I had to keep them in seperate containers. It so easy to pick and go when I want to do some of my hand sewing in another room. If you are a sewer this is a must have.

Weekend giveaway!

2008-10-31T16:56:00.002-04:00

I'm running a weekend giveaway in my shop this weekend. Buy any Wristlet, Tote or Slouch Bag and get a free matching cardholder. Ends Sunday November 2nd at midnight. You don't have to do anything during checkout. Just purchase your bag and I will automatically include the cardholder. Does not include sale items. It's a great time to start some holiday shopping.

New in Shop

2008-10-29T23:03:00.003-04:00

I haven't been adding new items to my shop lately as I have been focusing on local orders lately. These will probably take me right through the holiday season. I will be pulling items from my shop as well so if there is something you want don't wait. It may not be there for long.

I have been making cardholders and they are selling very quickly. They are a perfect mini wallet (which I use daily), business card holders and are great for gift cards for the holidays. Here is a sample of what's available.

The Toy of The Season

2008-10-14T09:01:00.003-04:00

Apparently the hot toy this season is Elmo Live. He sings,dances,tells jokes and plays games. I thought what a perfect gift for my niece who will be 15 months at Christmas this year. I work midnights so I stopped at Shoppers Drugmart at 8:00 a.m. on my way home to get one. I was not chancing them being sold out if I waited to buy one. It's a good thing! I was there when the store opened and they were not even unpacked yet. The stock guy told me he lost count of how many calls they had already for them and they only got four in stock and were not holding them for anybody. My Elmo is now safely at home and ready to be wrapped up for Christmas.

Finished Bag

2008-10-12T07:25:00.005-04:00

On Friday I said I was going to make the all day bag from Lotta Jansdotter. I made it that morning. It was quite easy and it only took a couple of hours. I did make a few changes though. The pattern did not call for any interfacing. I did not want a floppy bag so I added a layer of interfacing. It also didn't have any type of closure so I added a small magnetic snap. I also added a second side pocket on the outside (pattern only had pocket on one side) and extended the inside pocket to be the full length of the bag instead of a small square. The bag came out quite well. I lined it with some leftover discontinued Alexander Henry fabric that I had. I had one small mishap at the end when I was turning the bag. The lining fabric ripped a little bit. I was a little upset and had to do some repairs so I was very glad the bag was for me or I would have had to redo it. I would probably make this bag again and it was very easy. I think new sewers would be able to attempt this bag. The directions were very clear and easy to follow.

My next project will be to finish the Amy Butler weekend bag I started over a year ago. That was not a very fun project. I hope to have it finished and an update soon.

Mini Wallets/Card Holders

2008-10-11T14:43:00.003-04:00

I am in the process of making cardholders for my shop. I made one for myself about 3 weeks ago and I don't know how I lived without it. They are the handiest thing and for something so small they sure hold a lot of stuff.

A much needed bag for me!

2008-10-10T08:27:00.004-04:00

Anyone who sews or is crafty in any way knows that you rarely get to keep anything for yourself. I desperately need a larger bag for work. I work midnights and often take a lot of stuff with me such as food, magazines for break and any packages I need to ship in the morning. I came across this book, Lotta Jansdotter Simple Sewing: Patterns ans How-To for 24 Fresh and Easy Projects. There is a bag called the All Day Tote, which I'm going to attempt today. I have some great orange corduroy that I've been hording which I think will make a perfect fall bag. The only problem I see is that I'm not very good at following patterns. I really hate them actually. I find they really make the sewing process much harder then it has to be so we'll see how closely I manage to stick to the pattern.

New Mittens

2008-10-05T07:24:00.005-04:00

It has been really cold here this week which always gives me the urge to knit something warm. For as long as I remember I've always knitted my own mittens. I don't remember the last time I've used a store bought pair. Handmade ones are always much warmer. I came across this pattern online a few months ago and decided to give them a try. I love the long length for all the 3/4 sleeve jackets this fall.

This pattern is free on the hopes that you will also make a pair for someone in need. In most cities The Salvation Army has a mitten program you can donate to.
Here's the link for the free downloadable pattern http://www.melaniefalickbooks.com/news/2008/6/12/the-big-mitten-give.html

I started a pair last night and I'm almost finished the first one. I will post pics when I'm finished.

Wallet Weekend

2008-09-21T13:27:00.004-04:00

I've had a productive weekend. I have been making wallets all day. I managed to get nine made for my shop plus two for custom orders. I had planned on making a couple of new bags as well but that is not going to happen today. The downside of working midnights is you don't have as much time in your day as you would like. I'll be heading to bed around the time many are sitting down to dinner.

Bifold Wallet in Lace Work

2008-09-10T12:53:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favourite Amy Butler fabrics. It's the Lace Work in olive from the Lotus collection. I have previously made bags with it but have avoided making wallets with it because of the large print. I decided a couple of weeks to try one and it came out beautifully. It has been a great seller. I am currently taking orders for it so if you want one before they're gone feel free to email me or convo me through my shop.

My New Favourite

2008-09-06T21:59:00.004-04:00

I think I just made my new favourite bag. I just posted it in my shop and that was hard. I've never wanted to keep one so badly before. It is one of my new side tie totes made in Amy Butler's Morning Glory Linen. I'll have to make sure I keep some of this fabric aside to make one for me as it has been really hard to get lately.

I have also stocked some more zippered pouches and a couple more wallets with a few more on the way. I'm trying to get as stocked as I can now for the holidays. I know it seems early but the more I have ready now the less time I will have to spend sewing during the holiday season.

LolliShops

2008-08-29T21:35:00.004-04:00

I was accepted as a vendor on the new upcoming LolliShop. I am really excited. I am currently planning a new line just for this shop. It will be girly and probably heavy on pink which I love. I'm thinking this store will be a bit different from my Etsy shop. I am planning on starting out with mostly clutches and accessories that will be a bit more whimsical than what you would normally see in my shop. I will update with pictures when I have them but in the meantime I'm really going to love creating something new.

In my previous post, I believe I mention some new messenger bags I'm working on. Well, they're not happening right now. I just can't seem to get exactly what I want so I'm leaving it for a while and will try again. I did make some new side tie totes which I love! I have a couple in my shop now and a few more on the way.

August Plans

2008-08-07T14:38:00.002-04:00

August is usually a slow month for me so I have made some tentative plans for the month for my shop.

I have a new messenger bag design that has been in my head for a while that I'm hoping to actually make. I would really like to get all the details worked out this weekend as I think it would be a great bag for back to school.

I have been working on getting restocked on some of my accessory items. Wallets are already popping up, so if you want one get it quick they don't seem to last long. I will have some more zippered pouches in the next few days as well.

I am hoping to run a sale a back to school sale for the last two weeks of August as well but as I said these plans are tentative. I'm still not sure what kind of sale to run. If you have any suggestions please feel free to share them.

Last but not least I have been trying to bring out a new home line for the last 6 months. I am hoping to get a good start on this or at least come up with a plan for the items I'm going to start with.

My Day of Sewing

2008-07-27T16:11:00.002-04:00

I am happy with the sewing I got done today. Since I work midnights I don't always get as much done as I would like. I finished a custom order of 4 totes (3 large and 1 small) . I was able to get four wallets and four zippered pouches done. These will get posted in my shop throughout the week. I would have liked to get a few more wallets done since I can't seem to keep them in my shop but I hope to find some time this week. I am waiting for the Park Slope by Erin McMorris fabric that I ordered. Once it's in I plan to make wallets and wristlets with it. I can't wait. It should be here this week.

Great Etsy Buy

2008-07-06T05:27:00.006-04:00

I thought I would tell everyone about my most favourite Etsy purchase ever. If you have not shopped on Etsy yet, you must go look around. There are great things from very talented artists and crafters.

I buy a lot of bath and beauty items some I like, some I wasn't very impressed with. I just purchased some whipped body butter, sugar scrub, foaming shower cream and body spray from FlameWorks. They are the best products I have ever used. I got the Honey Be Sweet scent which is fantastic. I will never use another product again. Especially the shower cream and body butter. I had purchased the massage lotion bar previously and I don't go anywhere without one. I would highly recommend you check out this store, you will not be disappointed!

Uninspired

2008-05-24T09:13:00.006-04:00

I have all day to sew today but I'm feeling uninspired. I want to sew a new bag and I have a style in mind but it's not turning out the way I want it. It looks really good in my head though!

Since I'm avoiding the sewing machine, I have been looking at some new fabric lines coming out. I have to say I was a little disappointed with the Amy Butler Midwest Modern line. It's pretty but I think it's my least favourite of all her fabrics. I have some bags and wallets made out of this fabric but I'm still unsure of whether I'm going to reorder this fabric or not.

What I did come across is the new Joel Dewberry Home Dec line Ginseng (http://www.joeldewberry.com/GinsengIndex.html) and I am very patiently waiting to order it. I especially love the spice selections. The new bags in my head would look very nice in this fabric.

I also love Denise Schmidt's County Fair which is new colours from the Flea Market Fancy line which is one of my favourites. I think I want to make some cute little summer tops and dresses for my niece in these prints.

Last but not least, I also have my eye on Sandi Henderson's Farmers Market. I love the colourful prints, especially the little apple print.

What I've Been Working On

2008-04-09T17:44:00.005-04:00

I have been trying to come up with a wallet pattern that I like for months. It has been fun and frustrating all at the same time. I think I've finally finished though. I have finished 2 so far but
I'm still working on pricing. I am going to try and post them on Etsy this week. One thing that I did find is it is a whole lot more work to make a wallet then it is a bag.

Sewing Room Cleanup

2008-04-02T18:25:00.003-04:00

I spent 3 hours last night before work cleaning my sewing room. I wish I had taken pictures before to maybe motivate myself to keep it clean. I am embarrassed about all the supplies that I keep buying ie thread and zippers that I think I am out of and then found bags full of them. My fabric is always neatly packed and easily accessible but everything else is everywhere. The worst is the bits of threads and leftover fabric pieces on the floor. The pins are the worst, I never go in that room with bare feet. But, it's done now and lets hope it stays that way. If anyone has any great organizational tips, I'd be happy to hear them.

Amy Butler Midwest Modern

2008-03-25T14:46:00.002-04:00

I have had a busy couple of weeks. I received my order of Amy butler's new Midwest Modern and have been sewing up a storm. I decided to use it for my pleated purses which are new for spring and summer. They are coming out quite nicely. I have a few listed in my shop and am hoping to update here soon with some photos. I am still making purses with Amy Butler's Belle and Lotus. I have to admit the Lotus line is still my favourite.

The zipper pouches I started making a couple of months ago have been flying off the shelves. I hope to be able to find some time to make a big batch with the new fabrics. I still have a few listed in my Etsy shop but the quantities are limited right now. So much to do and so little time.

What I've been working on

2008-03-10T20:23:00.003-04:00

I know I have neglected my blog last month. I have been working hard on some new bags. These are currently my new favourites. I will be adding more in my store the next couple of weeks. I'm just trying to find some time to do photos. The zippered pouches I brought out a couple of months ago are doing quite well, so they will stay and I hope to do a smaller coin pouch version soon.

My treasury is on the front page of Etsy today

2008-02-03T09:22:00.000-05:00

I logged on to Etsy this morning to find my treasury on the front page. It is very exciting. It is the most favourite treasury I have done. Everything I picked was stuff I would actually buy myself which is very important to me when choosing items. If anyone has time today go check out some of these great artists on Etsy.

Slow Week

2008-01-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

It's been a slow week for me so I don't have much to post. I was in another treasury a few days ago which is always exciting. I have been working on my spring messenger bags. I have the first one posted in my shop now.

Etsy Treasury

2008-01-12T12:44:00.001-05:00

I am in an Etsy treasury this week with one of my new zippered pouches! It's always exciting to browse through and come across one of your items.