Fancy Stitched Pockets Tutorial for the Companion Carpet Bag

Hello, I just wanted to tell you all that I am a guest poster today over at Samantha's blog: Handmade By Mrs. H. I wrote a tutorial on how to sew fancy stitches on the pocket(s) of Samantha's Carpet Companion Bag, but you can use this technique on other bags too. Please pop on over to Samantha's blog to check out the tutorial.

This is the Companion Carpet Bag I made with fancy Stitched pockets.

Pin It Now!

Hand Knit Socks in a Self-Striping Yarn

I knit these socks from some self-striping yarn. Loops and Thread brand yarn (from Michael's). The yarn is a blend of merino wool, nylon and even 10% cashmere, making them very soft. I love the colors and like how the pattern of the yarn knit out. I was able to knit one entire sock and about 2/3's of the second sock from one ball of yarn. So if I knit a really short short leg, I might be able to knit another pair of socks from what is leftover of this yarn, or I could just knit the toes and heels in another contrasting yarn color. But in the meantime I need to finish a baby blanket I am knitting. Nearly done with it.

A simple knit 2, purl 2 stitch on the leg and top of the foot.

  Pin It Now!

Fabric Folder with Pigs Flying High

The annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is over for this year. The weather really was great this year too and the hot air balloons flew every day, other than a few special shapes that were too tall in the breeze to fly, but most inflated for the spectators to see. I didn't attend the fiesta this year, but watched on TV and saw the balloons fly by my home one day.

I did make something out of a pieced quilt block that I had for a few years. I was never quite sure what to do with this quilt block and since Balloon Fiesta was coming I decided to finally use this block to make a folder with the quilt block on the front. It came out cute and I used up some more of the never-ending piles of fabric scraps I have. I put this in a local consignment shop, but it didn't sell during Balloon Fiesta. Well my daughter loves pigs so if it doesn't sell perhaps she might want it? (*Update: This did sell a week after Balloon Fiesta.)

Three pigs flying high in a hot air balloon. I added some fabric strips to the quilt block to create the front of this fabric folder.

Inside the folder are 2 pockets to hold papers and I sewed a pen/pencil pocket too.

The back of the folder.

Here is the folder standing up and open so you can see the front and the back. I sewed some lace trim on the spine.

Pin It Now!

Handmade at Amazon

Handmade at Amazon is now live starting today. I was accepted by Amazon to sell at #HandmadeAtAmazon several months ago, but they still do not have a lot of categories for most of what I do sell yet. So I only have a couple of items listed right now and will be listing more as more categories are added. There are no categories for listing my handbags, or some of my quilts or my knit items. So I don't know when they will get those categories up so I can list them.

Meanwhile you can at least check out my Amazon store by going here: Patchouli Moon Studio @ Handmade at Amazon
Pin It Now!

Open Wide Zipper Bag Size Large

I made the largest Open Wide Bag (by Annie pattern) and like my small size Open Wide Bags, I yarn couched, sewed decorative machine embroidery stitches and added a few hand embroidered stitches all over the bag. This large size is nice and large. I used an ombre fabric that goes from pales greens to light blue to a medium blue.

Here is one side of the bag.

This is the other side of the bag.

This side of the bag has the zipper tab to tuck in the zipper end when closing the bag.

On one side of the bag where the zipper is I added a zipper pull that I made.

Inside the bag I divided one pocket and left the other one large. Again I made my pockets in fabric rather than mesh.

Bottom of the bag has decorative stitches too.

I am off this morning with a friend to drive to Taos. The annual Taos Wool Festival held in Kit Carson Park is this Saturday and Sunday. It will be a fun weekend and I hope to have lots of pictures to share when I return. We'll be staying in the Ski area so it should be nice and quiet up there since it's before the ski season starts. Adios amigas (and amigos). Pin It Now!