Christmas present de stashing

Now this is a tale of learning from experience!

I decided this year to try and make a foldable shopping bag, one that had a way of folding and staying folded in my handbag.  I cobbled together a few different designs on Pinterest and thought I had it sorted.  A bag with a small pocket in the front (for lists etc) and a button and piece of elastic so I could roll it up and secure it........and herein lies the issue.

It didn't dawn on me that the elastic would need to be long enough to stretch all the way round the bag when rolled.....so it came up FAR too short and wouldn't do up! 

Back to the drawing board!!  This bag is used as one of the "chuck it in the boot of the car" bags I tend to keep in there rather than waste it.

So, then I tried again but this time I used my first bag rolled up as a template and measured some elastic (and added a bit for good luck)........

and this time it worked!  

I made a nice label and thought it would be a lovely present for Christmas so I made a couple more in different colours.  They take a while to make as sewing isn't natural to me and involved taking a couple days off work to do them, but I got there in the end!

Yes, I know it would be cheaper and easier to have bought bags-but I enjoy making them (though you wouldn't know it if you could hear the language that accidentally comes out across my sewing machine at times!!) and it forces me to take some time off work (which is never a bad thing).

If anyone has any ideas for good destashing ideas for fabric please let me know!  Last year I made the tissue holders from fellow WOYWW crafters Fiona and Jan's instructions (they were brilliant but I made so many everyone got one) and some notebook covers so I am looking for ideas ready for next Christmas!

Happy crafting

Kyla

An oversized tote bag

Just when you thought it was safe to venture back to my blog here comes ANOTHER bag!

This one I made for my sister in law's birthday.  Its quite big so I thought it would be perfect for her to put folders etc in for work (I often keep a small cross body bag for phones, purse and keys for security and  a large tote for "stuff" so thought this may work if I made the tote larger than usual).

Once again it has iron on fusible fleece between the layers to give it some body and the outer fabric is upholstery fabric so it is quite thick and robust, an inner pocket and 2 pockets on the outside, perfect for tissues, travel card or notebook.

I have also been trying to find a good pattern/instructions for a messenger bag so if anyone can recommend one please let me know.

Happy crafting

kyla

 

A fern handbag

 Hello peeps are you ready for another update?  This time it is another bag.  After making that one in the summer with Jan I have been loving making them.  Again they take ages but even though I say so they do look really professional.

This one is slightly smaller and is made from a lovely fern stylised fabric that I made for my sister in laws birthday (the week before Christmas).

Again it is lined with an inside and outside pocket and has a inset zipped gusset  and I have used iron on fusible fleece to make the bag quite sturdy so it stands itself up.

I do love these bags and I admit I find it hard to give them away but regardless what I tell my husband a woman really can have too many handbags (but shh...don't tell him!).

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

WOYWW in a special place!

Hello peeps, yep its Wednesday again!  This week I have an extra special workdesk to share...now it's not from Wednesday but actually from Tuesday because I spent the day with the lovely Lunchlady Jan.  At the last crop I asked Jan if she did sewing lessons to improve my skills and she kindly offered a days sewing!

So off I went with my machine and SO much fabric stash in the boot of the car ready to hone my bag making skills.  During the morning the lovely Julia must have smelled the coffee as her timing was impeccable!

 from the left, Julia, me and Jan

I brought my "Man Bites Dog" cards with me and Julia did the honours by picking some for this weeks desk:

 "Teen Rehab Missing Again"....oooh, considering these are picked as random they can be quite dark!

Jan is a great tutor and soon my skills were being honed to another level and after a few hours (made longer as I do have a tendency to chat!) I had a bag that I am SO proud of....look:

 It has pockets and lining

and even a recessed zip!  I am so chuffed that its going to work with me tomorrow...and it is NOT going to be a Christmas pressie for one of my sister in laws as I thought it would be as I love it too much to give it away!!

So thanks Jan for a great day, great lunch, fabulous tuition and for putting up with a messy crafter!  Thanks also to Julia, without WOYWW I would not have made so many new friends (not easy as you get older) to share my crafting passion.

So there you go, I have the skills and now need to have another go at making a bag...somehow I think it wont look as good, but hey I have learnt a new skill and that can never be a bad thing!

Happy WOYWW

Kyla