Zipper #2

I made a bag! I wanted to try making zip ends again and do it right this time. I sewed the zipper ends into the side seam first time round which made them lumpy. This time I did it right. I ballsed up other things instead! Oh well, it's a learning curve and I learnt a lot.


I slightly changed the fabrics on each side just to add a bit of interest. I love how the accounts text worked out. The bag started with the scraps of Catnap I had left from Penelope's dress. I knew I wanted to make some kind of bag with it but I wasn't sure. I saw this bag that R0ssie made and thought 'Yes!' But the pattern never appeared... gutted! So I had to make up my own. A bad idea when I am so new at this. I kind of made it up as I went along.


I think the fabrics really go well together. They are:
Text by Alison Glass
Architextures by Carolyn Friedlander
Accounts by Michael Miller
Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander
Catnap by Lizzy House



I made the ends of the zip longer this time as I like them generous.



So this is a biggish bag. Almost iPad size but not. Only because my zip wasn't long enough. I based everything around the zip. I decided to try making an inner pocket for my phone. I had no idea how you make such a thing. I had to look up videos on uTube. I followed this tutorial. My lining is wrinkly as a result though. I probably did it wrong. I am very hamfisted. I might try this technique next time.

I also based my pocket on my zip collection. I thought a bright pink inner zip required a bright pink lining so I cracked out some of my precious £2.99 a metre neon fabric. It's worked out brilliantly.



I added a little tag like you do, but I also added a bigger pink tag so I can add a hoop through it to make it easier to carry. It slipped though as I pinned it badly and it's wonky. How annoying!



I love these chunky zips. I love the lining too. I love everything about it. The mistakes are a bit irksome, but I'm getting better. I'm not that impressed with my inner lining seams. I need to look up a new technique so that the lining is better. In the meantime I need to work out what to put in my bag. I might put my new hexagon project in it. More on that soon.

A Wedding Quilt

When Rachel told me she was getting married I panicked. She had knitted me a beautiful double bed spread for my wedding and now I needed to make her something at a time when I couldn't even tidy up after myself. I instantly set about making a vintage quilt for a vintage wedding. The kind of quilt you would take on a picnic and take a faded polaroid of. It's based on one I saw by Penelope Waits


I say based on because I am an idiot. I just didn't have the patience to follow her great instructions. I just started sewing a plain and pattern together from a jelly roll. It was super easy which is why I decided to do it. No real cutting, no real thinking. I wasn't big on thinking at that point. Getting three hour chunks of sleep was making me into all kinds of stupid.

Of course after I had sewn all the fabric together I realised it required a bit more thought than that. Always the way. But I felt like I was racing against a clock. I just needed to get it done! So everytime the baby slept I cracked on with it. It actually came together really quickly.




I had to stick stickers on all the blocks so I didn't have to work anything out later on. I was having problems matching left and right shoe let alone work out a pattern. Once they were all marked I just gradually sewed them together over many many naps. I wasn't very organised.




But it all came good in the end. I wish I had taken the time to had quilt it, but I just thought I would never get there if I did. I must have started this the week after Rachel told me about the wedding. You think a year would be enough time, but I panicked. I think my cream fabric is a little less creamy and I think I should have washed mine so it went nice and scrunchy. I also wish I had a few of Penelope's fabrics in there. I used Storybook by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics with a couple of extra fat quarter in that I bought specially. I bought mine from The Cottonpatch. They have this Nostalgia Trip in stock currently.