Dragonfly Roses

Another Bag!  Nice and large with lots of room, this is such a great hand-bag.  Designed by Nicole Mallalieu for Australian Homespun Magazine (issue 57).

I made this particular bag with a very special Aunty in mind for her 60th Birthday.  The fabric is reminiscent of Tiffany Stained Glass with dragonflies, roses and leaves, giving it a lovely 'comfortable' feeling, so well suited to a bag which will have lots of use.

The entire bag

Front flap and clasp detail.  There is a magnetic snap underneath. 

Hidden under the flap, inside the bag are two pockets and a very roomy interior space for lots and lots of 'stuff'.  Next time I make this pattern I will modify it slightly to include 2 zipped pockets; one on the inside for little bits and one on the outside for keys and public transport fare cards.

Handle detail.

The handle is nice and wide and very comfortable when I tried it out for length.  I am definitely going to have to make another one of these bags for myself - although how many bags can a girl really have?  Never too many! LOL!

And... my Aunty loves it - her surprise and delight when she opened this gift was wonderful, which is what makes making gifts all worthwhile. :)

Great Sewing Room Clean Up & Machine Trapunto

In light of lots of recent posts on a Yahoo group about having a clean and tidy workspace, I got motivated.  Too much clutter was really preventing me from wanting to even enter my sewing space, let alone sew.



Left:  The Magazine and Pattern Shelving


Right:  The Book/Project Shelf












For 3 days I folded, sorted and re-packed my fabrics, threads, patterns and whatever else was in that space.  Guess what? - the cupboard doors now work because they are not jammed up and there really is a floor in there! :)

I have taken out all clothing fabrics and patterns, not quite sure where they'll go yet, but it is such a relief to have finally admitted to myself that I am never going to do anything with them.  I will find someone who wants them sooner or later.





Right and Left:  Both Fabric Cupboards

The Four IKEA "Billy Bookcase" Shelving Units Together

My reward to myself?  I have just sewn the Three Free Motion Machine Whole-cloth 16.5in panels which I am doing with Trapunto.  They will be joined together to make a nice large runner for my dining table.


I have 4 projects out at the moment, in their boxes as my focus of what to work on that I can finish - using the theory of only working on 4 things at once:

a)    3 x Machine Trapunto Whole-cloth Panels (for my table) (see photos right)
b)    Quilted Shoulder Bag/Purse (present)
c)    Alphabet Animals Panel to quilt for a baby (due March); and
d)    Japanese 4 patch QAYG 80in sq quilt.

Only d) is on my Project Database list as part of an UFO challenge, but that's OK, because I have decided to work on what comes to the top of the pile, as eventually I would like to finish every project in my sewing room.  If I have all of the fabric and threads in bag/box in the sewing room and don't need to buy a thing, it's a project, started or not and it's all stash until it becomes a project.


I am now contented and can see a way forward.  My UFOs are not weighing me down any-more, I have gorgeous projects and purpose.

Thank you all for 'listening'.

* - UFO = Un-Finished Object
 - QAYG = Quilt As You Go

Black and Gold Ripples

The week before Christmas I was sewing my little heart out.  And, here is the result.  The Raspberry Ripple Bag as designed by Melly and Me.

A very roomy bag, with a zip pocket on the inside, this is classy and elegant.

Full view

Showing Texture

And....... drum roll please........ my Mother likes it!  What a relief.  Just as well because it was her Christmas present.