CWD Bag Mag Edition 2 Has Just Been Released

Hello Bag Lovers! The 2nd Edition of the Bag Mag is loaded with all kinds of articles and another bonus bag pattern! Christine is retiring Abigail, a great looking bag, but the instructions are older and not up to date in how Christine makes bags and adds pockets, etc. these days, so no more Abigail, unless you grab your copy of the Bag Mag now! The pattern is not enclosed, but rather will be added to your account at CWD, so you can download it once you login. No account with CWD? Then you can create an account and purchase the Bag Mag and then you will be able to access all your patterns there. Christine is great help if you have any issues, so you can always contact her and she will fix the problem.

Anyhow, I am excited to be apart of this issue because I wrote a review for one of my sewing machines. The machine I use for bag making mostly is my Juki TL2000 Qi. Grab your copy and read my review. I'd love to hear your feedback too about it or anything in the Bag Mag too. PS: I am one of the proofreaders for the Bag Mag too, starting with this issue.

Where can you find the Bag Mag? Right here: Bag Mag 2nd Edition.

Here is a pic of Abigail:

I have seen a lot of fun and beautiful prints that people have used for making Abigail over the years. Join ChrisW Designs Facebook group and do a search for Abigail Bag to see all the beautiful bags that others have made over the years to give you some ideas for making this bag. I have had this bag on my list to make for years now myself. I can make this one using the more updated sewing techniques, since I test for Christine and I know what and how she has made those changes over the years. If you have any of her more recent patterns, you can adjust this pattern for how she sews zipper pockets, etc. too. Even if you follow the instructions to Abigail to a tee, you will still end up with a GREAT looking and functioning bag. No one will know you used older techniques, right?

If you HURRY and purchase the Bag Mag Edition 2 right now, you save 20%!!! No coupon needed, but this offer is only good THIS WEEK ONLY! The pattern alone costs more than the entire Bag Mag itself! Plus don't forget I wrote a sewing machine review that you don't wan to miss, lol!!!!

Pin It Now!

Gnome & Bird Wall Quilt

I made this quilted wall hanging with a gnome and bird last year. The gnome and bird and flowers I used felt and the background and border is cotton fabric. I put this in a local shop and it sold! Yay!

I used felt and hand blanket stitched around the pieces of felt.

The bird is felt too and the flowers. I used a chain stitch for the stems and bird legs.

Pin It Now!

Table Topper for Lamp Light

This table lamp was purchased by my father when I was a teenager. After he passed away, my mother had it in her home for many, many years. Mom passed in 2016 and my sister had the daunting task of dealing with all of mom's possessions, since she lived the closest to her and in the same state. Sis asked if there was anything I wanted and I wanted this table lamp. 

The lamp had the original lamp shade in an off white color and it really needed to be replaced. So we found one online and I chose a blue-gray color for the shade which I thought looked better and went with the blues in our living room. My husband loves this table lamp and has set up a chair for himself next to it so he can drink coffee or tea in the early mornings. He mentioned he would like me to make him a table topper sometime to fit on top of the glass table. I thought about it for a while. 

Then I decided to make a cog-looking Dresden Plate topper and make it with a slit like a tree skirt, so it would fit with the lamp pole running through the table part. I made the topper and didn't sew the last connecting section and just added binding all around the topper. No need to have that round center appliqué covering the center hole made either, since I needed a hole space in the center to fit around the lamp pole. I quilted the topper too. Husband loves it and now he doesn't have to worry so much about placing his cup too hard down on the glass table top. I couldn't get a decent photo of the entire table with the lamp shade.

Pin It Now!

Hot Air Balloon Quilt in Embroidery Hoop

I made this Hot Air Balloon appliqué and set it into an embroidery hoop to frame it. I really like how this looks. Since I had some cloud fabric, I didn't need to add appliqué clouds. The pennant in white is felt and I attached it with running stitches and French knots. I have this in a gift shop, so I am hoping it will sell there. I have more embroidery hoops and can make more variations on this hot air balloon if it does sell. It might sell better in October when the annual International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is here in Albuquerque, so I'll see what happens now.

Pin It Now!

Pick-a-Pocket Wallet in Brown

I made this custom Pick-a-Pocket Wallet to match the cross body bag that I made for a customer a while back. Luckily I had enough of the fabric leftover from making her bag to use for the exterior fabric for this wallet. I had to use 2 different fabrics for the lining fabric, which I really like together.

The reason the Pick-a-Pocket Wallet has this name is that in the construction you can pick which pocket to add: 8 more card pockets or another zipper pocket. I personally don't have that many cards, so when I made my first Pick-a-Pocket Wallet, testing the pattern for Christine (ChrisW Designs), I chose to add the zipper pocket, giving me two zipper pockets. I use one zipper pocket for coins and the other I put small items inside. My customer chose the second zipper pocket as well. 

Approximate size of wallet when closed: 3 ½" wide x 7 ½" high x 1/2" deep.

This mottled brown fabric looks great as a wallet and matches my customer's cross body bag too.

Inside there are oodles of poodles....I mean pockets! Sorry I just love saying oodles of poodles, lol!!! There are 5 card pockets, including the ID pocket with the clear window. Need more card pockets? The you can choose the additional card pockets to add instead of the extra zipper pocket. You can see the 2 zipper pockets in the photo above.

Not too thick of a wallet (unless you really pack a lot of stuff inside).

Two long slip pockets below the zipper pocket for cash or whatever.

This pocket can be used for your phone or receipts or cash, etc.

Another pocket under the card pockets to stash extra cash or checks, etc.

The wallet opened to show exterior.

This version of the Pick-a-Pocket Wallet has 5 card pockets (including the ID pocket), 2 zipper pockets, and 4 long slip pockets for a total of 11 pockets! Swap the extra zipper pocket for the extra card pockets and you get 8 more card pockets, for 18 total pockets. Now that should keep you organized!!!

Christine not only designed this Pick-a-Pocket Wallet, but she also designed Brandt's Boulevard Wallet, which has fewer pockets and is a bit wider wallet with an optional wrist strap. Then there is the motherload of a wallet, The Penny Inn Wallet which you really need to write down what you put in it and where you put it or you could get lost! Seriously, if you carry tons of cards, your phone, cash, coins and other smaller items, you don't need a bag at all, just The Penny Inn Wallet. Penny Inn has a total of 27 pockets!!! See why I say you could get lost? Plus, it has a wrist strap to carry it or make a cross body strap and carry like a bag. The sides of the wallet, when opened, have pleated or bellowed sides (not sure what you call those?), which allows the wallet to expand with all that stuff people put inside. I guess Christine has designed a wallet (and bag) for every taste out there. I prefer the Pick-a-Pocket or the Brandt's Boulevard wallet for myself.

Pin It Now!