New Fancy Handbag!

I made a plan before I moved back to DC. I would spend my jetlagged first week making myself a pretty handbag, just for me, while Paul was at work. That didn't happen. Instead, I slowly cut out all the pieces and then last Friday I took a vagary and sat down and made the whole bag! I've never made a bag before. I was stunned at how quickly I got it together. There was some unpicking along the way, but no cursing (if you know me you know how astonishing that is!). I think that once you start to see it come together it is promising to be so pretty that you're happy to do whatever it takes to get it all worthy of that promise.

Made with Tsuru ...and Old Lace in Indigo by Rashida Coleman Hale,
Salt Water Submarines and Seaweed in Coral by Tula Pink,
and piping in Flamingo from Free Spirit.

Now, all of this is not some previously untapped well of bag-making talent. Oh no. Helpfully I have inserted some zippers before (and don't have super high standards in getting them put in, that they work and no fabric gets caught in them is all I'm after!). But most helpfully I was making my bag from one of Sara's bag patterns. Sara is the wee genius behind Sew Sweetness and she is just really lovely and helpful. At the end of her pattern she gives ways to contact her in case you are pulling your hair out and need some guru-like advice and a cup of tea/cold gin!!

The bag's first time in the Metro - the Metro is not as well
lit as it looks in this photo. We can't understand
why it looks so bright here...

I made the Velocity Girl bag. I needed a non-giant hand bag to replace my last one which I got a year ago for my birthday and proceeded to use to death! Especially since I hurt my back at Christmas I've needed to cut down on the amount of stuff I carry around with me, and since that is directly a result of how much space I have in my handbag I've needed to downsize (a lot). Velocity Girl is perfect! PERFECT! I carried it around all of Memorial Day and my back and shoulder didn't get sore once. It stands up by itself because I used some of Annie's Soft and Stable as recommended by Sara. I love it. And I love having some really pretty fabric with me all the time.

The bag in the wild at the Bethesda Farm Women's Co-Op!

Oh, and Sara put in plenty of pockets. So many that I even have one or two still free of purpose which is amazing, cos I love pockets. I like to put my phone, some tissues, some spare food, my keys, my metro card, and lip balm all into pockets. I love having them right at my fingertips and not having to root through the bottom of my bag as soon as I reach the Metro or my building!

Outside Pockets - there's five overall, just on the outside!!

I made a mistake - there's excess fabric in the interior because
I thought I knew it all and didn't actually read the steps right... There's
a lesson in there somewhere! But look, pretty magnetic clasp and zipper!!

Yeah, as you can tell I love this bag. I will definitely be making another bag from Sara. I own some more patterns. Hopefully by the end of June I'll have an Accordion Bag of my very own too! Secretly, when I was planning making Velocity Girl once I got here, I also bought fabric to make Accordion... Hence my current self-imposed fabric shopping ban! So worth it though, look at my bag!!!

Memorial Day exploring with a cardigan!! I enjoyed needing a
cardigan. Also, fancy bag hardware in the shape of a big metal O!

Linking up to TGIFF, over at Charm About You this week!! I hope to share the other bits of sewing I've been getting done this weekend with Fresh Sewing Day, because holy shit it's June tomorrow!

Aoif :)

Sunday Stash: Dresses and Japanese Fabrics

The last couple of weeks I've added some patterns to my stash. I plan on trying to make a few dresses this summer. You've already seen the fabric! But here are the patterns that have caught my eye.

I bought two patterns from Sewaholic, one supposedly easy and one intermediate (for when I feel super confident!). I love Colette's patterns and opted for Peony because it's gorgeous and is supposedly for beginners!! Stitch with Style is the first sewing magazine I've every bought. I was swayed when Sara at Sew Sweetness posted that she had three patterns in this issue of the magazine. I also got the pattern for that dress on the cover! As well as patterns for all sorts of other bits of clothing and accessories - good value for less than $15. This is Sara's bag that I'm contemplating most (though I just made another one of her patterns, keep your eyes peeled for the outcome later in the week!).

And here's the Sewaholic 'easy' pattern I'm planning on making first, and the fabric I have in mind!

The fabric is by Dan Bennett for Westminster Fabrics

I got my May Bundle of Japanese fabrics from Blossom Heart Quilts' Etsy shop!

May's theme was Sweet Spring!

I've been getting these bundles for a few months now and I'm building up a lovely collection. The fabrics are so soft and vibrant. Alyce has a great eye!

I've even been coming up with plans for a Japanese fabric quilt! I think I'm still a little short on fabric for the whole thing though... (cough cough). I might dip in and out of the months as money allows. There's no recipient in mind for this quilt. Though I've drawn out the plan so I can remind myself every so often what I'm aiming for!

It's based on Imagine Gnats' Blast quilt. I've blown up one of her blocks to baby quilt size. I really like it, so I hope when the time comes I do it justice!

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend. I'm linking up with Fiona at Finding Fifth for the Sunday Stash and am off to peek at your stashes now!

Oh, and don't forget to go and vote in the Blogger's Quilt Festival - there is some spectacularly awesome talent on show there! Amy's doing a great job and I've learned things I never knew before, totally worth it :)

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Freya's Quilt

This is my second entry into the Blogger's Quilt Festival. You can find Paul's Rainbow Skittle Quilt here!

Find out more here!

Freya was born to friends of ours last January. But I didn't start making her quilt till this time last year. I waited to find the perfect pattern, which arrived, after much internet surfing, in the form of I'm A Ginger Monkey's Fat Quarterly tutorial on Sew Mama Sew for the 'Fit for a Princess!' picnic quilt. Then I fell in love with the Apple of My Eye collection by The Quilted Fish.

I sewed the top over last Summer, falling in love with how the pressed seams looked on the back of each block!

The quilting didn't happen until I moved home to Ireland last August. I chose a bright pink thread and to not stitch in the ditch (cos on your second ever quilt, why not be completely crazy!?!). I loved how the quilting turned out, outlining some centres and crossing through others.

Even though the sewing took me a long time on the top. The pattern is really easy and goes together beautifully. I fell in love with this quilt completely while I made it, and the idea of giving it away seemed totally nuts the closer it got to finished!

I bought a jelly roll of the Apple of My Eye collection and cut it up into 10" sections to make the binding. I love scrappy binding now, and need to use it more in my quilts.

Just washed!

I made Freya a little embroidered label for the back, trying to get the letters large and clear and colourful! I added my initials and a strawberry, which is my little added signature emblem thing.

This was the first quilt I got to deliver in person. It was lovely and I've since been told that Freya sleeps under the quilt each night, which feels amazing! I think it's the best part of quilting (which seems mental what with all the pretty colours and fabrics and designs and satisfaction of just making use-able items!). One more picture, cos I can't resist!

Quilt Measurements: 45" x 45"
Special Techniques: Diagonal quilting (special for me, that is!)
Quilted By: Me!
Fabric Used: Apple of My Eye collection by The Quilted Fish for Riley Blake, yardage and a jelly roll, IKEA sheet for backing, embroidery thread, and Warm and Natural batting.

Entered into the Baby Quilts Category.

Thank you so much for coming to visit my blog and quilt!!