More Sewing

I've been doing quite a bit of stitching this past week, making bags, 'useful' containers and thread catchers but I must say that I've not noticed much of a reduction in my fabric mountain 🙄.  There is one project which I've been putting off for some considerable time using a pattern which I purchased probably at least early last year from Hochanda when Trisha was on.  It is a Messenger Bag which has a pocket on the outside, an inner 'letter-box' zipped pocket, magnetic fastener and an adjustable shoulder strap.  I've been looking at the pattern from time to time and saying to myself 'next time I'm sewing'!!  However, I decided I really should get down to it using some good weight denim which I purchased for just that purpose  The original pattern uses fusible wadding but I decided to use some iron on stabiliser instead with this fabric and I found some toning print for the lining, trim and strap.  In case you are wondering, I did include the inner zipped pocket and the outer pocket is hidden underneath the flap.  My original intention was to have a denim strap and I did spend some time actually making that only to find that it was far too thick to thread through the slider which makes it adjustable.  Fortunately I had sufficient of the floral fabric to make another strap which works well.

Now this is actually completed I'm wondering why I hesitated for so long before attempting it.  The instructions were excellent and explained the various processes very clearly, even the adjustable strap details were included - a technique which I'd not done before and couldn't really work out in my head.

Lunchbox Bag

I have lots of odd pieces of fabric left over from years of patchwork and quilting so yesterday I had a search to find some pieces large enough to make up a bag using a pattern from Sew Totally Trisha.  This is a small bag with a sort of inner draw string top and it is called a Lunchbox Bag.  I think it would do equally well as a bag for carrying around maybe a small needlework project, or maybe some crochet.  Trisha appears on Hochanda from time to time and also has a Facebook page and various videos on YouTube.  I've enjoyed making the bag this morning and have a different one I want to try soon.

Snippets Challenge #382

Don't you just hate it when colours which look fine together in real life seem to change tones when photographed or scanned.  I can assure you that these pale aqua tones really do match in the actual card.  This was made for the latest challenge over in the Playground and apart from the base card everything else is from my snippets collection..  I started by multi-layer stamping the flowers and leaves using snippets of cream card  before die cutting them with their matching dies. Next step was to cut the circular frame from a larger cream snippet and a smaller circle using a snippet of aqua card which was then embossed with a floral embossing folder before popping behind the frame..  Next I found an even larger snippet of some aqua paper which was in a booklet of papers which came free with a magazine.  This piece was lightly stencilled using a leaf stencil and ink the same colour as one of the flower layers.I then set about arranging the various elements until I was satisfied with the layout.  As usual there is a super prize this fortnight for the lucky person whose name gets picked so well worth having a go.

Flower stamps set - Modern Blooms from Altenew (with matching dies)

Embossing Folder - Crafter's Companion

Circles - dies from Creative Expressions

Sentiment - computer generated using Word

Free as a Bird

The image for this card was stamped onto a die cut oval of white card and the flowers were also from the same stamp set.  Everything coloured using pencils and the flowers were fussy cut with scissors.  I found a suitable piece of designer paper amongst some which came as a magazine gift some time ago, a piece of matching ribbon and that's it really.  I do enjoy colouring and strangely also the fussy cutting even though both techniques take time to do.

Stamps - Free as a Bird set by Stampin' Up

Sentiment - from a freebie set of stamps

Colouring - done using Polychromos pencils

Lace Border

I've enjoyed adding a fancy pierced and picot cut border to a parchment card even though it is a precise process which seems to take quite a long time.  I do like the end results and feel they justify the time taken.  The centre design has simply been embossed and coloured from the back using Distress markers.  This is another card without a sentiment because they always come in handy, leaving people to write their own personal greeting or message inside.  Adding words to parchment designs is another technique which requires concentration so that the letters aren't 'back to front' - very easily done.  Also some precision is necessary to keep the letters nicely spaced and in a straight line.

Floral Spray

I started this card by making a background using various distress inks and a stencil, finally over stamping with some text and a crackle stamp.  I saved a piece of the inked background without stamping and cut an oval and also a larger oval in purple.  The floral spray was cut from a snippet of white pearl card and finally a computer sentiment was added.

Background - Distress inks and stamps from a free magazine gift set

Ovals - Tonic die

Floral Spray - die from Tattered Lace

Sentiment - created in Word

More Parchment

I've been enjoying getting back into parchment work and have had a go at building up a design using elements from several plates although quite a bit of concentration is needed.  It is so easy to let the mind wander a little and before you know it some of the lines have crossed into what should be a space or strayed into the border.  Never mind it is all good practice.  This floral design was coloured on the reverse and just the smallest amount of white work done on the dots.