Day: 17 June 2008

bags, craft, patterns, sewing

Stella’s Satchel

This satchel was finished late Sunday night, barely in time for Stella’s first day at her new childcare centre on Monday.

I used a highly modified verson of Nicole Mallalieu’s Large Tote and Satchel pattern.  Many thanks to Nikki for letting me pick her brain about how to alter and construct the bag with an interior divider!

The main fabric is dark blue cotton twill from Spotlight, left over from making Clare’s school pants. The front flap fabric is from Amitie’s Blog VIP mailout, and the fabric for the back pocket (below) is from Retro Mummy.

The interior lining fabric is a mixture of the Amitie and Retro Mummy fabrics, with some Heather Bailey for Free Spirit fabric thrown in for good measure!

The flap is covered with clear PVC, and bound in bias binding.  It closes with a magnetic snap, covering the zippered pocket that I inserted into the front of the bag.  The inside divider has fast-to-fuse in the centre to keep it stiff.  Interfacing probably would have been adequate though.

There are two drink bottle pockets on one side of the interior, and a simple patch pocket on the other.  There is a key leash, as per usual, and I didn’t forget to include a thornberry label!

I used the same technique to make the hard covered base as in the Beach Bag pattern.  It’s so straightforward and gives such a great result!  The bag feet and all other hardware, including the strap rings and slide adjuster, come from Nicole Mallalieu Design, as did all the interfacing and fusible wadding.  Almost all the fabric in this bag has been interfaced, and the outer fabric also has a layer of fusible wadding.  The single strap is adjustable in length and is fully topstitched.

I was very chuffed to be able to work out so many modifications and changes myself (with some suggestions from Nikki) and to construct the bag just as I wanted it.  Stella seems to like it!

by thornberry
craft, miscellaneous, sewing, this is ...

This is … the space in which I create

Michelle thought that this week we all needed to have a look at the spaces in which we create.  Here are some photos of mine, which will be familiar to many – I’ve posted pictures of my sewing room before.  This is how it looked on Sunday night:

The ironing board in it’s permanently up position, waiting for me to actually do some of the ironing that is piled up beside the overlocker.  The dress on the mannequin (thanks Nikki for lending me Dolly) is waiting to have the waist seams let out.  I bought it to cut up for the fabric, but other than the waist it fits really well so I will eventually alter it.  You can just see the edge of my tiny old portable TV that I watch when ironing.  It’s right next to hubby’s old couch from his bachelor days (which badly needs recovering).

And here it is from another angle!  I was very lucky that when we renovated our house a bit over a year ago we included a nice large sewing/craft room.  It makes such a difference to have a dedicated space to leave all the works in progress (and the never-ending ironing piles).  It is relatively kid-friendly – Clare does lots of craft at the pine table, which my Dad made for me many years ago.  He’s a great wood-turner and has made most of the furniture in our house.  I also have a couple of boxes of toys for Stella, but she prefers to play with fabric scraps and tape measures.

The chair in the front of this photo was the first chair that Dad made; Mum did the upholstery.  And look, more piles of ironing (incidentally, the ironing piles are now double the size, still waiting to be done).  And there is (some of) the fabric stash in the cupboards at the back.

The other space in which I create is my lounge-room corner.  Crochet, hand-sewing, embroidery.

Thanks again to Michelle of Quilting Mick for this week’s great theme and to Angela of three buttons for hosting this meme!

by thornberry