Showing posts with label tote bag. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tote bag. Show all posts

Saturday, 15 April 2017

Creative Projects

 I have been busy with a couple of creative projects over the last few days.  One was this MDF landscape paper storage rack which I wanted to decorate.  I painted it in a duck egg blue emulsion and then found some papers I liked to glue on.

Here it is with the top decorated.  In my head, I was after a turquoise chinoiserie pattern, but ended up with various floral designs.

 This is the pattern I chose for the top...
 ...the side...
 ...the back

...and the other side.  I do like the quirky, not matching effect.  I just need to varnish it now and then find a space on a shelf so that I can fill it up with paper.
 My other project I bought last March and it had been languishing about, waiting for me to get on with it.  It is a tote bag kit, which came with the pattern and all the material.  I ordered it from Create and Craft, but looking at the shop, it seems they only offer the pattern now, not the whole kit.   The outer is a cotton oilcloth fabric and I was interested to see how it would sew.  It was all going fine until it came to the top stitching around the top edge, then my trusty machine just couldn't get a grip on the slippery fabric.  I don't have a walking foot for my machine, so used a tip from the pattern, of placing tissue over the top, sewing through it and then removing it once finished, which worked well.
The lining fabric was a classic olive green spotty cotton.  This bag is going to get a lot of use as it will be my work bag.
I am pleased with the way these projects turned out.  I just need to get on with all the other projects waiting for me!

Thursday, 23 October 2014

Sewing Lesson 2 or Ellie's got a brand new bag!

With apologies to James Brown (Papa's got a brand new bag), I would like to unveil my new bag! This was the second project in my sewing lesson and I almost completed it in two hours.  (I had to close the turning out hole at home and I think it would benefit from top stitching around the top which will also reinforce the handles).  The fabric was a remnant which Chris had squirrelled away (I think it is a vintage pattern) and which I wanted to use for something special, as I loved it.  As it was a heavier material than just a cotton, it was perfect for this project.
I even made a pocket, with reinforced top corners, in the cheerful red gingham lining.
The lining in all its glory.
It's a pattern I may well return to in the future as it was easy to put together and will be versatile, I think.  Perhaps a bag with longer handles so that it will go over the shoulders might be a future project.  Next week, we are starting on the tunic dress and I am excited about that.
Incidentally, my tutor, Sue, said that I am not a beginner any more - I am an improver now (woohoo!)