Fall tree

Why is it so d... hard to take a good photo? I took about 50 of my last little wall hanging, but they are all not showing the reality. There are shadows on the photo you are not seeing when looking at it or the colors are too light or suddenly waves in the border... My camera is not the best, but it can make good photos of my boys, why not of my crafting things?

Anyway, here it is: the photo that is showing best the real color of the background:

I had seen a patchworked leaf like that on pinterest and liked it so much I not only pinned it, but also tried it out. This wall-hanging is 70x90cm.

The quilting had been the most fun and had been quickly done in about no time. Actually I have been so happy quilting, that I quilted much nearer to the edge than necessary and now some of the quilted leaves are hidden partly by the binding.

This is what I told you about the colors being too bright. I couldn't get a picture with the dark grey background and the yellow thread of the quilting that shows the real combination. I need to take a photo-course!

A bientôt,
Jane

Three purses

It's not that I am not sewing or crafting - I'm just not taking photos! 

This is why it is so quiet here. But yesterday I forced myself to take pictures of the purses I made last week.

For the upcoming Christmas-market I thought of maybe selling some purses. Several years ago I made myself a simple one, so I digged out the pattern that has not only a simple version, but also one with a lot of inside pockets. This is the first try:

There are two zipper pockets for coins and four compartments for money and all the other papers, vouchers and receipts that you might collect in your purse. On each side there are two slots to put vertically cards in.

I am used to put my cards horizontal into my purse, so I looked for another pattern. I found this pattern (this link is to a newer version than the one I tried) and tried it out:

This purse is much larger, so you don't have to fold your money. There are two compartments for the money, one zipper pocket for coins, and twelve!! slots for cards. It has been easy sewing also. 

The only thing I dislike is that the purse opens completely, so I imagine that I would regularly drop out half of the content at the supermarket pay desk. I now have seen that there is a tutorial on how to add side wings to hold it together like the first one. 

But this I didn't know last week so I tried a second purse, again with the first pattern, this time with oil-cloth:

I like it not so bad, except for the very last seam that is not straight. As it is visible from the outside, it bothers me a lot and will probably stop me from selling it. 

I tried to put in all the stuff I am having normally in my purse and it actually fits in without making the purse too bold. I could be nearly happy with this pattern, but the vertical cards are standing up a little bit too high on one side and therefor the flap is not closing as nicely as it should. 

Maybe I will modify the pattern a little to make it larger, for not folding any more the money, and making the flap a little longer. Also I wouldn't do the same error with the ugly seam again. I will see, if I have very soft leather to try for the outside. Or, I try again the second pattern with the side modification, so it is not opening any more completely. Or ... or ...

Oh dear, how will I find the time to try all this? I also have a lot of other things to do.

A bientôt,
Jane

UFB - longtime UnFinishedBag

I found pieces for a bag that I remember cutting about two years ago. Then they got lost under stacks of other things. Yesterday I finally sewed it:

Normally I am figuring out patterns for myself. Only once jet I bought a pattern for a bag. May I introduce: This is "Claire from Mrs. Machwerk", that I bought in 2010 directly when she released it.

I like the big pocket in the front. You can slid your hands in from both sides (in my version the openings are marked by the yellow bindings).

You can put those big pockets on both sides of the back, but from a previous version I remembered finding it not practically. So the backside is simple black and I added a zipper pocket (that is not in the pattern).

The bag is closed by a zipper and inside there is an open side pocket and I put a clamp to fix the keys.

A funny detail is the knotted straps, also it is not very convenient: when the bag is full and heavy, the knot is pushing hard on your shoulder. But this bag isn't for me and once I knew the next owner, I can sew the straps together in the right length.

And now I have really to start producing for Christmas (market and presents)

A bientôt,
Jane

Double faced skirt

Did you heard that it can be enough to only own one little black dress and being dressed appropriate to all occasions from baptism to funeral? 

If a piece of clothes like that exists, I didn't found it jet. 

Recently I had been in need of a black outfit and I made myself a new skirt from a woolen fabric that has been laying around for a while as I couldn't decide how to cut-sew-use it. I bought it two winters ago to make an over-trousers-skirt and I remember it being expensive, so I didn't want to ruin it. Now, being in need, I made a simple skirt out of it. 

There hasn't been enough fabric to make a proper waistband, so I used black ribbed jersey. The knitted woolen fabric had two nice sides and I couldn't decide for one. Therefore I took a big effort to make it usable from both sides, what means to hide the seams. I am more or less happy with the result. Have a look:

I tried to hem the seam, but it has been too stiff, so I took it off. It is not really proper, but for now I left the hem open. It is a knitted fabric, so it won't fray out, we will see how it looks after a while of wearing it. So far it was okay.

And as planned when buying the fabric it is possible to wear this skirt also over a jeans - I like stretchy skirts.

A bientôt,
Jane

linked at RUMS (stuff you made only for yourself)

And again ...

Those who want to see something new here, don't have to read any further. Eager to go on with my scraps, I had to interupt because I got a command for 6!!! bags :-( 

Don't missunderstand me: This is my job and I like sewing bags, but just now I want rather being creative than productive.

So this is the 6 customers bags:

This would have been a simple (and fast to sew) shoping bag, if it hasn't been for the zipper. 

Two little oilcloth bags made in my preffered way. Relaxing work!

As this is already the 3rd black and white bag I made in this style, it had been a little boring.

A very maritime tote bag (therefor I will link it to the august collection of maritime crafting by doros-kinderreich). The anchor is applicated but the line holding it is only fixed on top and at the anchor.

Ahhh - Paris! Initially I bought this fabric for other purpose, but I should have hidden it better so clients couldn't see it :-)

My scraps are still spread out on the floor of my sewing room, as I know exactly that if I put them away, they will stay away for a while. Anyway they are gathering dust and I am not sure if I have time to use them, as there are two or three important other things to do and a guest coming next week (remember: sewing room = guest room).

A bientôt,
Jane

Happy colors

Some of the uni colored scraps formed together a wonderful color palette. I just had to add some fabrics from my stack to have enough. I cut them all in stripes and sewed them together. This big piece I cut vertically in stripes and played a little around with the layout by taping them on the wall in my sewing room. For the background I wanted to have a nice contrast to the warm colors and choose grey. I think I have been right. Actually I love this quilt top and I am smiling every time I look at it.

I had a hard time making a good photo. On this you can see well the whole composition but it seems that the light colors are all the same. They aren't. As you can see better on this detail photo.

I have to confess that the grey is no scrap fabric and not even from my stack. I had a piece of grey that had been much too small, but I bought the new grey fitting exactly so there is no leftover of it after I also cut the binding already. 

I have no idea how to quilt it and I am also not really in use of a new blanket. But one thing is clear: This one will stay with me. I just like it too much. A friend proposed to keep it as a wall hanging, as then I can always see the whole. Good idea, but in the moment I don't have a wall that could wear a wall hanging of 1,50x2,00m. 

Anyway, I have no time to finish it soon, so for now it is in my sewing room scotched to the wall, making me happy and waiting for being finished.

Hope you are having a project in sight, that is making you happy. 

Bonne weekend et à bientôt,
Jane

linked at: Stoffreste

Scraps

Hello, I am back! (I mean back in the web, I am already back from vaccation since a while)

And I have been already buisy beeing creative, but I can't jet show everything.

After the pause of beeing away I first didn't know with what to start. So I tidied up the drawer with all scraps. I made several piles to see what I have. Emmm, this is only the light cotton scraps ...

There is one pile with only white and beige scraps, unicolor, bigger pieces, very small scraps and scraps from mens shirts. (And some leftover pieces of a former project. Those I transformed already to a Christmas present and I can show it only after Christmas, as the presentee is reading here sometimes)

With some of the small scraps I decorated some gift tags. I like to add a little note to small presents that I make (for example to those who are feeding our cat while we are away and for other occasions). It is not my idea, I found it on pinterest. 

The carts for the tags are folded so I can write some additional words inside.  

This is not a project that is using up a lot of scraps, but you can do it with those scraps that are too tiny for any other use. 

I have plenty ideas what to do with the other scraps and also one project that is nearly ready for a first photo. You will see it soon!

A bientôt,
Jane

linked at: handmade-on-tuesday and Stoffreste