Writing case no. IV and a knot in my brain

I had a new request for a writing case. This folder I made in September did a good job advertising and I got a new client. Of course there had been several changes to what should fit inside! I nearly made a knot in my brain to fulfill all requests. 

The stability of this case is again managed by a folder I pieced together myself from cardboard and fabric.

Every piece for the inside pockets had to be figured out, cut and sewed with high concentration to match the sizes of the things that should fit in. I tried once to work on it in the evening, but had to rip up one piece 3 times. 

But now it is ready and I am quite happy with it. Have a look:

The outside is quite simple to let the owls act. The closure is done with large velcro, covered by two owls that fit with the others.

In addition to the obvious pockets on both sides it is again possible to slid papers (or whatever you want) between the pockets and the folder (see for example the white paper on the photo below)

Inside there is on the left side a big pocket to hold an agenda (the one on the photo is not the final one, it should be much thicker). The pocket is decorated again with owls and beside them are places for 3 pencils or pens. 

To hold the agenda in place and for the pocket not become sloppy after a while of use, I stabilized the upside with a stiff double side fusible interfacing. It is an upstanding pocket and you can see the fixing on the photo below.

On the right side there is only one big cushioned pocket for a tablet-PC. It is closed with an also cushioned flap with Velcro. I think a Velcro closing is the most secure after of cause a zipper, but if you are pulling out the tablet all the time over an opened zipper, I guess it will get scratches. To bolster the pocket I used a leftover piece of a Quilt inlay. 

On top of the big pocket is a small one for business cards.

I enjoyed immensely the moment when every piece had been on its place and I finally sewed together everything. It turned out just as I though. Great relief :-)

A bientôt,
Jane

Two boring bags

Sometimes I get very nice color combination, that are surprising me as I wouldn't have chosen them myself, when following clients wishes, but this time it has been hard. It should be brown! No other color - just brown! Did you ever try to find a fabric that is just brown with no other color mixed in, but still with a pattern? I couldn't find any that would work for making a bag. I managed to soften it to light brown/beige though. The bag model should be like this ones that I made in November.

The outcome is one of the most boring bags I have ever made:

To add a little life to the brown I fixed the straps on the outside and inserted a little pocket in matching fabric in between. The pocket on one side is open on the other side closed with velcro

Inside is an open pocket and a clips (not visible on the photo) for keys. The bag can be closed with two press-buttons. 

I thought it might be not brown enough and made a second version with dark brown synthetic leather.

To make it a little more interesting for me I inserted this time a zipper as closure. Otherwise it is the same like the first.

I feel a strong desire for color now and will sew something in orange or green to brighten up the week and the grey weather. By the side: my garden is looking brown and brown too :-)

A bientôt,
Jane

Back! with some drawings

Hey there! I am back from winter vacation and hopefully back to creativity. In the last month I didn't felt very creative and not at all motivated to deal with the ideas that are nevertheless still coming into my head.

Vacation with kids in a big city while visiting some family didn't sound like lots of time for finding inner peace to get back motivation, but there have been calm periods in our guests apartment. I had my box of crayons with me and my boys and me made some drawings with it. I still love to see all those colors together and I tried to use them all. See the three different drawings I made.

I think I like the last one best, as the colors are the most powerful in it.

The boys have an other week of winter vacation. Let's see if I get some more nice things done. 

A bientôt,
Jane

Deep in snow

We got about 40cm of snow in the last 36 hours and it is continuing snowing. Like always it is the little ones who suffer: The poor lutins (french for dwarf) have been closed in by a nightly blizzard.

Apparently they started to shovel snow in daylight, but a snow-slide from the roof buried again half of the village.

I know it is very quiet here since a few weeks. It is that I am having loads of other stuff to do and besides feeling slightly increative in the moment. Then my youngest had been ill with high fever last week. And in a week the winter vacation is already starting and we will be away for a week. So please stay patient and I hope you visit again. Soon there will be new things to show. 

A bientôt,
Jane