Small Arabesque in Blues

I made another small Arabesque Bag in blue fabrics and I added a back zippered pocket too. This is a free pattern from Sara of Sew Sweetness. I reduced the size of the bag to about 80% of the original bag size. I also sewed vertical, rather than horizontal stripes. I think this is a really nice size bag and a great looking bag too. I have this bag in a gift shop right now, so I think it might sell soon. If anyone would like me to make a bag like this in colors of their choice, just email me and let me know and we can discuss the colors and price.

This is the front of the bag.

Side view showing the bag's depth. I also quilted it in wavy lines too.

Bag has a zippered closure and I added a handmade charm to the zipper pull.

The view from the other side of the bag.

This is the back of the bag.

I added a zippered pocket on the back of the bag, along with a homemade zipper pull. I also added some rivets on the strap band on the front and back of the bag too.

Inside the bag there is a slip pocket that I divided to add a pen pocket. Love this cheerful lining fabric!

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Jade Bag

I made this Jade Bag a few months ago. I am so behind in blog posting! The Jade is a free pattern by Liz of Moments Designs. I made this Jade with an adjustable strap, rather than a fixed strap since I am selling this bag and I don't like straps to be too short or too long for someone.  I prefer making them adjustable so the person purchasing the bag can decide how long she wants the strap and if she likes wearing it on her shoulder or across her body. I also used fleece instead of the suggested foam for making this bag. It is a surprising roomy bag.

The side view to show the depth of the bag.

View from the other side,

Inside are a few slip pockets and a zippered pocket too.

A homemade zipper pull.

The front slip pockets are pleated giving you more space for items and the pockets behind them are regular slip pockets.

The back of the bag.

Close-up of the feather print fabric.

Looking down on the zippered closure of the bag with a handmade charm added to the zipper pull.

This bag sold on 4/22/18
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Rover Passport Wallet

This was actually the first Rover Passport Wallet I made. I had forgotten to take a photo of it when I took it to the gift shop last year. Well it didn't sell and everyone had to take all their items back that hadn't sold at the beginning of the year because the building needs extensive renovation. The gift shop still has not reopened and may not until April or May. So I was able to photograph this passport wallet and show it to you. The Rover Passport Wallet is a pattern by Genycartes Sewing Patterns and you can find all her patterns on Craftsy. She has some free patterns as well some you pay for, so see them all here.

I purchased the Rover Passport pattern last year and have made a few of them. They are fast and easy to make and you can use up small bits of fabrics too. I really like this pattern. It's smaller than the other passport wallets I have made, but still has pockets to hold passports, cash, ID and more.

A nice big flap with a magnetic snap folds over to keep items secure.

This is the back of the wallet.

Opened up to see you have a pocket on the left and the right large enough to hold a passport on each side or cash. Another pocket where the red fabric is can hold ID's or cash.

I love the look of the angled and curved pockets. You can use all one fabric or several smaller fabric pieces, making it scrap friendly.

Opened up showing the back of the wallet.

You could add a zippered coin pocket on the back or inside if you wanted to. Or use Velcro to close instead of a zipper. Lots of other ideas for making changes to customize it for yourself, or just make as instructed too as it is a fun sew and makes a great gift.
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Happy 10 Years Blogging to Me!

March 22, 2008 is when I posted my very first blog posting. Ten years later I am still blogging. Several other blogs I have followed have come and gone. Some switched to Facebook, Instagram, or other social media because it is faster and they don't have to write a lot, just post their creations; but blogging is where I can not only post photos of quilts and bags and other things I have made, but also can write about it. I can tell you the pluses and minuses of the patterns I have tested, or the changes that I personally made to the item. I can share tips with you that I have discovered myself or picked up from someone else. And so much more.

Blogging to me is more personal than other social media and I like that. I have come to know a lot of you through your comments, or questions. I have helped some of you when you asked how I did something in particular, or asked for advise. I am happy to share my knowledge and help out when I can. I have been sewing since I was a child, so I have a lot of experience, but I am always learning new techniques and tricks along the way too. I never stop learning.

One of my blog followers (from Canada) and friend (though we have never met in person, so she's a cyber friend, lol) even remembered my 10 year blog anniversary well before this posting and sent me a Groupon voucher for some Rum Ball Cake Pops from Sweet Suga Mama's. How sweet and kind was that? I suppose I can toast (with the rum part) and eat the cake all at the same time. Was that the idea Rochelle? Thank you so much Rochelle for remembering my blog anniversary and for your friendship and following me on this blog adventure of mine. I was certainly surprised by your sweet gift, but value your friendship even more. (As of this writing they have not arrived yet, so I will let you know when they do arrive).

I want to thank all of you friends and followers (old and new) for following me and supporting me on this blog adventure of mine and I hope I can continue blogging for another 10 years! Cheers! Grab a rum cake ball and enjoy!!!

Rum Cake Balls. (Photo from Sweet Suga Mama's)

                                        

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Scrappy Yarn Knit Blanket

I wanted to use up a lot of misc. yarn, so I knit this blanket a while ago. I donated it to Project Linus.

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Knit Scarf for Grandson

I knit this scarf for my grandson.

The Buddha looks warm and cozy modeling this scarf, lol!

Thank you Buddha for being my model.

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Travel & Passport Wallet 2

I made this Passport Travel Wallet for my sister and gave it to her in December. She and her husband will be traveling in the summer to visit her eldest son who is living in Taipei, Taiwan. (My son is also living in Taiwan in a different city).

This passport wallet will hold their passports, tickets, currency and more. The pattern is from So Sew Easy and this is the second wallet I made, but on this one I changed some things. I added a tab closure with a magnetic snap and inside I angled the pockets instead of making them rounded like the pattern. I also lined the longer currency pockets.

I only had a small piece of the airplane/map fabric and it wasn't enough for the exterior of the wallet, so I added a border all around it to make it large enough. I like how that framed the other fabric. 

Inside is room for tickets, passports, currency and ID cards and more. Perfect size for holding essentials 2 or more people.

The back/front opened up to show how it looks from the outside.

I am glad I was able to use this cute fabric at last.

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Gabbie's Grove: A ChrisW Design Pattern

Christine of ChrisW Designs has designed another bag for her Easy Street Collection of bags and this one is called Gabbie's Grove. Easy Street Collection patterns have fewer pattern pieces and the bag designs are faster and easier to sew, compared to Christine's other bag patterns. Even though these bags are easier to sew they are still loaded with great design features! I loved testing this bag!

This bag can be worn across the body with an adjustable strap. You can also take off the adjustable strap and carry it like a clutch and it can be converted to a backpack as well by looping the adjustable strap through the top carry handle. It can also be carried as a tote bag by the two handles that are on the front of the bag. Such versatility in one bag! I am keeping this bag for myself because it will be a great bag to use for quilt shows and a day out shopping. As I shop, and the bag gets full, it will be able to hold a lot.

The bag is made using a foam stabilizer so when opened up into a tote the shape of the bag will stand up nicely and not flop over.

See testers versions here. Newsletter subscribers only can get the SALE price through March 17 (Australian Eastern Standard time) get 20% off the pattern, but only on Christine's website here. But you need to subscribe to her newsletter to get the discount and get the code.


The Celestial Fabric seemed a perfect choice for me with not only moons, but suns and stars too.

I used a Celestial fabric I had for a long time and a faux cork fabric, called Uncorked that is a quilting cotton that is made to look like cork. I love the look of the faux cork and it comes in several colors. I got 3 colors to use on future bags too.

The back of the bag has a phone/key pocket.

A grab handle, which you can loop the adjustable strap through to convert it to a backpack.

The front of the bag folds over when wearing as a cross body bag or on the shoulder.

A zippered pocket is located on the front of the bag under the folded over front.

The front opens up into a tote bag and can be carried by the shorter handles when you have it full of  goodies from your day of shopping. 

Inside the bag. The bag snaps closed with 2 magnetic snaps, so when it is folded over everything stays nicely inside the bag. And as long as you don't stuff it too much when fully opened, you can snap it closed in this position too.

I added a divided slip pocket inside the bag to hold a couple of pens and a pad of paper.

Opened up showing the back

Opened up showing the front.

Front folded over. 

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