Boxy Evening Bag

So.... I saw a video on Instagram, which lead me down a rabbit hole of "Oh, I've got this, I've got that..." and apparently I had everything on hand that I needed to make this small boxy evening bag.

A bit of cork fabric, some tape for the handles, a raid of my zipper drawer, a little bit of thread and, viola - I had all of the materials needed, right at my fingertips.  

Unfortunately, the light shadows don't show up the inside of the bag very well, but it is a pretty little print of green and grey/blue, to compliment the outside fabrics.

On top, it is a simple zipper and little "pulls" to make opening and closing easy.

I love this zipper detail shown in the above photo.
 

I think this bag will be perfect for going out in the evening or for lunch - it perfectly holds a wallet, phone, tissues, glasses in their case and keys.

I plan to make more of this bag for gifts and next time, if I use cotton fabric, I  will use some interfacing to give the bag a bit of structure as well as making the handles a little bit longer so that they can slip over a hand and wrist.

Pattern used:  DIY Pouch with Handle from Kotobuki Sewing on Instagram

Chandelier Table Runner

 A very small and simple finish this week.  Another one that has been sitting in the binding pile for about 18months or more.  A table runner made from blocks leftover from this quilt that I made in 2020.  The second in my set of 3 Chandelier Beads projects. 

Detail of quilting and the binding.

I quilted the runner on my domestic sewing machine with a simple interlocking hearts/leaves design, using rayon machine embroidery thread.  I love how it gives texture over the top of the simple design and subtle colours of the runner.

Because the fabrics I used are so subtle, I chose a piece of multi-coloured blue/green/purple batik for the binding to give it a bit of a lift.

Backing folded onto the front with the lovely binding contrast.

I took this runner to a sewing with friends day recently so that I could finish the binding.  Sitting next to me was Marg, an 80+yr old with a huge heart.  She said to me many times how much she loves this runner.  Marg and I share our birthday day and each year on Retreat with our group, she and I go off and have a little 'cheers' to each other and share a red wine, which we both love.  So, with memories of great conversations, drinks and solving world problems,  I will gift this runner to her when I next see her.

This is my second photo of the whole runner because I realised for the full shot of the whole runner that I took when it was on the floor, it looked really bleergh!!  I retook the whole shot photo on my sewing table - soooo much better!

Although, I still managed to get my shadow on part of the photo - duh!  I'll need to work on that ;)

Interesting colours - the grey is not a true grey and seems to have tones of purple in it.  I really like the subtlety of the colour and feel that it will blend into any decor.   

Finished size is 37cm x 98cm   (14.5in x 38.5in)

A New Year and an UFO Finish!!

2025.  Hmmmm....  I remember as a kid, completing Year 11 in 1985, wondering in a conversation with my best friends, what I would be doing in the "next century".  And, now, here we are, a quarter of the way through that 'next century'!!!!

I know, it's been forever since I've posted on my blog, but now it's a new year and a new resolve to maintain my blog posts.

I have almost completed my new qualification to become a Science Laboratory Technician.  As I write this, I am waiting for the results of one more subject and then the awards/presentation evening.  It was so good to study again, but I had forgotten after so a decade since I last studied, how much time is taken up with research and completing assignments.  When I completed my Education Support/Integration Aide and Youth Mental Health First Aid qualifications 10 years ago, I was only working 1 or 2 days a week, this time I was working 4 days and attending the night classes and the 5th day was attending the practical classes and assessments.

Another resolve that I have, is to get some of my projects completely "done-done".  That is finished except for labels.  They will get labels when I know their intended home and I can personalize the labels for the recipients.  

My rough count of UFOs is sitting at 107.

• 5 in the binding pile;
• 27 to be quilted - tops, backings and bindings are together.
• 5 are 'quilt as you go' 
• 70 quilts and bags are in various stages of completion.  

So, without further ado - here is my first finish of 2025 - Grassy Creek.

Grassy Creek - how cool is the backing fabric?  It compliments the front so beautifully.

Started in 2020 as the Bonnie Hunter Quiltville Mystery, I completed the top and quilted it during 2022.  I even attached the binding to the front of the quilt.  And then it sat, for the next 2.5 years - that was a shock when I read my notebook! - I had thought on 1.5 yrs - ugh! until yesterday, when sewing with friends, I completed the binding and sewed in the thread ends from the bobbin changes during quilting.

Grassy Creek - the whole quilt.  

Utilizing the big open piece of floor where I was, allowed me to take a nice, flat photo.  I did changed up the borders to use the extra flying geese units so that the 'spare parts' were used up.  

Woo hoo.... that is now 1 of 107 completed!