Half terms, Bankholidays and time off.

I have had a fab busy week. I have been working on insurance, and studying business plans, while actually drafting some new patterns. Got the pictures taken and my daughter is typing up the instructions (thanks babe).

I have been using the vintage fabric I blogged about last time both the Mary Mary and the Hey diddle diddle. It felt wrong to be cutting up fabric thats older than I am. But thats why I bought it, to give it a new lease of life and hopefully turn it into something both useful and beautiful. When the patterns are ready for release I will upload the pics.

I also found time to make my daughter a bag and her friend. They are off to Malta this half term, Have fun girls.

My daughter Pollyanna's bag, she choose the skull and crossbones

And Pollyanna choose this fabric for her freind Beth, although I used the same red handles as in Pol's bag.

I am actually taking this weekend off. And have travelled down to my good man's place. Although if time permits I did bring the knitting and hope to do some more on his Dennis jumper.

Next week see's the start on the work of the conservatory which has a leaking roof and has resulted in a crumbling wall. So the conservatory is being knocked down and in it's place will be a new extention, which will be my studio/workroom. Well it kind of is now, in that its jam packed with fabric, jewellery making equipment etc. And i still work at the kitchen table. But by the end of it I hope to have an organized area. The kids will be pleased. As i currently seem to have stuff everywhere (their words not mine).
My lovely man has just cooked dinner and so for this weekend I hope you all have a lovely bankholiday.

Waldybag, 1950's fabric and the perseverance purse.

It's only the begining of the week and i have been a terribly busy gal. Yesterday i was determined to finish a pattern I was working on, it was a kit so I could learn how to make a purse with 3 frames, unfortunally the kit didnt fit so it got left on the back burner a few weeks ago. So yesterday i persisted and tried cutting several different patterns after about the fourth attempt I finally got it.

I choose this fabric I ordered from The Cotton Patch. I think it suits the shape rather well.

And the inside of the purse that has caused much cursing.

Now then this causes me a conundrum. The orignal pattern I got did not fit, so I designed my own. Is the finished product considered to be my work or does it still belong to the original designer. I didnt alter the pattern so much as draw up a new one ?

I have also still been working on my own patterns for other bags, as of yet they are still works in progress.

And since last weeks news of my little shop on folksy. I have been studying up on business, start-ups, insurance and all that jazz. It's actually alot more interesting than it sounds. I have now three stalls in the future and another awaiting confirmation. All systems go here.

I have today received a fansatic bundle of vintage 1950's fabric that I can't wait to get my pin pricked hands working on,

Isn't this just gorgeous,

Hey diddle diddle and Mary Mary, rather cute I think

And no, I wont be using these two fabrics together, but they are lovely.

Now all I have to do is decide what I am going to make with these fab goodies. Many thanks to vintagefabricmarket.blogspot.com for a brillant and quick service. I also found this little beauty

My first Waldybag, (mm, note the 'first' guess that means there will be more.) A vintage 1950's Waldybag, I adore it.

And look it even still has the attached little purse on a chain.

This week hasn't all been about shopping, it's only Tuesday so I hope not.

Last but not least my next project is already cut out for tomorrow's sewing day.

Glorious sunflowers with cream and light green lining. Hopefully I will have the finished project to share with you later in the week.

Happy sewing, take care

Vala. x















The shape of things to come

I have been trying to update my blog for most of this past week but I have found myself reading all you interesting people out there, there really is so much to learn. It's great how many people are willing to share their knowledge, what a great community this is. I must admit i didn't really understand the blog world but now I am here am I so glad I joined up.

Last time I wrote about my bags currently in progress and here are a few pics of the finished articles.

The '1950's Lucite inspired bag' I used pelmit interfacing to keep the stiffness in the bag shape.

This is one of my favourites, it has a bright orange lining.

And this little cupcake number seems to be the favourite of everyone else. In fact I've had a couple of orders for it already. This bag was the first time I had designed a pattern to fit in a metal purse frame, and I am actually quite proud of it.

The shape of things to come- well I finally restarted on the Dennis jumper. It had been left with 1 sleave and the back, today I started and finished the other sleeve. So far it looks like this,

  I am using Rowan chunky wool, which is lovely and soft and knits up really quickly. I have a niggly feeling that I have bought double the amount of wool than I actually needed, so I think I just may have to knock up a cardy in the red with maybe a black edging.

I have also been working on another design for a metal frame handbag, here is a sneeky peak, its not completely finished yet. But if it goes well and I get a good response about the design, I hope for it to my first pattern for sale in my folksy shop.

  Oh yes folks, I almost forgot to mention I opened a shop on folksy this week. And my that lovely lovely man of mine has been working hard on his little computor and this is what he came up with,

Yeah that little ole me, aint photoshop amasing.

He's coming down to visit this weekend, I am so excited, he has worked very hard for me and what plans do I have in store for him. I am taking him to Quilts UK AT Malvern. After all a girl will need someone strong to carry all those fab purchases of fabric etc.

some time later...

Well half term has been and gone. We had our first 'family' holiday, myself and three teens with my man and one of his teens. We spent a few days at Alton Towers, and a good time was had by all.
Once back came the usual round of holiday colds but mostly all recovered now.

After a few days of continual handbag sewing, I fancied doing something abit different. The time had come to pick up the old knitting needles as I figured I needed a change of texture to work with. Now I have three different knitted bags just waiting for the lining and the right handles to be attached.

When my man discovered I could knit, well that was the begining of yet even more requests (needless to say my daughters are still waiting for the aformentioned pirate and cosplay outfits and my son his cloak.) Being the old punk that he is my fella has asked for nothing more than a Dennis the mennis jumper. So being the 'of course my lovely, anything for you' kinda gal I popped into town bought a pattern I could 'mess' with and dk wool. I dont think I even got up to doing a couple of rows when I thought, 'not a chance bud' and gave up with the dk wool. So next it was up the the out of town store for the big ole chunky stuff and big, big needles. and now there is one arm and 3/4 of the back so far completed. :)

But of course this has taken me away from work so today I have been hard at it. Before the holiday I had ordered quite a few purse frames and set about the first one. unfortunally I could not get the pattern to fit and so put it away until later. So my plan today was to figure out and finish the purse. Some time later and many many rude words and stampping of feet, I still cant get the fabric to fit. so again it has been put aside, the unfortunate side effect is I ordered about ten of these particular frames. ah well.

Not to be put off, I picked up a pattern I had started designing in April, I was good this time and had worked the design out on card and glue, then transfered this to calico. and today I picked up the fabric and had a go. Even until the last stitch I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. Pictures to follow next time as by the time I had finished it was dark and energy lightbulbs with my camera are not a good combination. A hint though I came up with the design while watching a flash animation the other was working on. He's a scienist, it will be called the beaker bag ! well for now it is until I can come up with anything better.

Tomorrow, the weekend yeah cool. If the other still has manflu and stays home it will be the usual round of kids taxi and cmpletion of bags. If we are lucky and the manflu has gone it will be BBQ and beer, with my new favourite drink margaritas, good bye long island ice tea (the old favourite),

night all happy sewing

sewvala xx