Alice Bag.

A craft! It is nice to be posting a craft again! This one is a special bag (with pleats! I love the pleats) for a special cousin. She had asked me to make her a bag a while ago, but I had been so busy with school that I hadn't had the time. The fabric had been sitting by the sewing machine, waiting for me to get to it, and I finally had the chance today.

The Alice in Wonderland fabric comes from Superbuzzy. It has little gold accents, which are so sweet. Annette loves Alice, so it was the perfect fabric for her bag. The black fabric is just a cotton twill, and the inside is lined with a satiny black fabric which is perfect for Annette because she loves soft, satiny material. I combined and tweaked a few patterns from some books I had to create this one. It was my first time sewing a bag like this so it isn't perfect, but I hope she enjoys it anyway.

I made a little matching zip pocket inside for small things like her cellphone and lip gloss. I had been toying with the idea of using a ring of small black lace between the top of the bag and the pink Alice in Wonderland fabric, but I think I like it better without it.

It was nice to get a bit of sewing in today, especially since I'm going on vacation on Saturday and wont be back until the middle of the month! I hope to make several Jane Market Bags (Alicia Paulson's pattern) when I get back. I already have the fabric lined up!

Gift Giving.

Everything's still in the shop, but I've taken some pictures with the point and shoot and uploaded them onto the laptop so I could share a few things.

The gift giving began last week with gifts given to friends at work. This year we went with simple homemade gifts. The recipients are teachers, so something practical was a must. What can every teacher use more of? Square bottom tote bags, of course! Tote bags with fabric carefully selected for each.

Lined with cute prints, as if I would have it any other way.

This wool fabric with pink embroidery was my favourite, and this bag went to someone very special to me. I wish I had made this bag a little smaller though so it fell better when held. The legnth was fine, but it was a little too wide. I still like how it came out, and I was told it got a wonderful response. I may have to use the leftover fabric to make a matching bag for the daughter of the person this one went to. She wanted to keep it for herself!

I wasn't crazy about this fabric to begin with, I only chose it because it fit the recipient perfectly (classic, with a touch of fun), but I'm very happy with the finished result. I was toying with the idea of placing buttons in the middle of the black and red ribbon flowers, but nothing fit quite right. After lots of playing around I decided it was best as it was.

I packaged them up in some homemade gift bags. Bags inside bags! I wasn't crazy about this fabric either, it reminds me of neck ties or grandpa pajamas, but my mom convinced me it would make cute gift bags. I guess it does.

I always worry if homemade gifts will be liked by those I make them for, but I think most people appreciate the sentiment if nothing else. I hope everyone is happy with their gifts this year!

Baskets and Bags.

Leaving projects laying around is a huge no-no with a dog and a cat running around the house. My two especially love getting tangled up in yarn and thread. Easier access to projects means more get completed, so this situation doesn't work very well for me. Although probably healthier, I don't want to run up and down the stairs every time I want to knit a few rows or stitch for a few minutes. I've seen these clever baskets with fabric sewn on top to keep things safe inside, in several magazines and around many craft blogs. I thought this would be a perfect solution, so I made up a couple myself.

I like the knit Ikea baskets for this project because of their flexibility. They can also be stored easily when not in use. The fabric I used for the larger basket is from Erin McMorris' Park Slope collection, and the fabric on the smaller is a corduroy print from good-ness.

I made up the larger basket a while ago, and it has worked out great. It's the perfect size for my knitting and supplies! I added some handles for easy toting, and they have been very useful for when I've wanted to take my knitting out and about with me.

I decided to line the smaller basket since I didn't bother with the larger one. I used a pink and white stripe cotton, although it really just looks white in the picture. It was a huge pain to get the lining to match up with the outer fabric, and to get the hand-sewn stitches to look half decent on both sides. I'm not sure I'd bother lining one of these again. I think that double sided fabric I love so much might be a good choice for next time.

I finished up another project earlier today. This one being a tote bag for my mom to use for the extra books and reports she lugs to school. She's a grade one teacher, and I wanted something fun that was still appropriate for work.

I used another corduroy fabric from good-ness. You would not believe how soft this fabric is! The big polka-dots add some fun while still being a bit subtle, and she just loves them.

The lining is made from some fabric I found at one of the Church Bazaars I went to earlier this month. It's a darker pink so it isn't too bright, but it adds some colour to it. The polka-dots are still my favourite part though!

It was definitely a busy day for crafting.

Pink Polka-Dot Tote.

These are just so much fun to make! Who can resist a sweet pink polka-dot tote bag with a pretty vintage doily on the front? Well, besides people who don't like pink, polka-dots, or doilies.

This fabric comes from good-ness, and it is my very favourite fabric. It's a linen blend, so it feels wonderful, and it's double-sided. One side has sweet little polka-dots, and the other is gingham. I also have this fabric in grey, and I made a tote for myself out of it. I've gotten so many compliments on that bag!

This bag is lined in a cream, pink, blue, and purple floral cotton fabric. I considered leaving it unlined and having the gingham show on the inside, but the lining makes it a bit more sturdy. Plus, I have a thing for lining. It's like a little secret only you, and those you let peek inside your bag, know about. You can be carrying around a clean-lined, sophisticated bag that has a wild fabric on the inside, and nobody would know! Who knows what's inside grandma's brown tweed purse? For all we know she could have a wild flame print going on in there. It adds a touch of fun and mystery to any old bag.

The doily is one of the vintage ones I picked up at the Bazaar on the weekend. I think it fits this bag perfectly.

Available in my shop.

A Bag for the Shop.

Can you tell I love this fabric? This time, a bag for the shop! A grey and white pinstripe tote bag with a vintage doily appliqued on the front. So sweet.

This doily was found in the piles and piles of linens passed down from mother, and grandmothers, and great grandmothers. It was the perfect size and shape for a tote bag. The tiny flower in the center is my favourite part.


This one is lined with a garden scene.

Available in my shop.

Bag.

I love the combination of a clean lined, masculine fabric paired with feminine elements. There's just something about this juxtaposition that really appeals to me. This is what I had in mind when making this little tote.

A dark grey and white pinstripe suit fabric tote, adorned with a free-handed flower pin done in another suit fabric and a blue lacy fabric, and finished with a gold vintage button. The flower is removable and I can see it fitting quite nicely on the lapel of a woolen winter coat.

A pink and white polka-dot fabric hides inside to finish it off. Love it. I think I'm keeping this one for myself!