Left-Handed Serenity Now

This purse, Serenity by byannie.com, went together nicely.  I was impressed with the directions and the kit.  I did inadvertently reverse the purse flap, but it makes no difference.  Also, I added a snap to the purse flap - you can see it one of the pictures here.   In additon to an interior pocket, there is also a great functional pocket on the back. 

When I finish a purse, I'm always surprised that I want to do another.  With the leftovers from this fabric, some additionial Texture Magic (that great

product by byannie.com), and one of her iPad carrier patterns, I think I have my next project!

Purse Workshop - All Set!

 

Wednesday morning two moms are coming over to begin making purses. They ave hchosen their fabrics, machines are threaded, and directions are being honed. My teaching method is to demonstrate every step. So I too will have a new completed purse. Say tuned for process pictures!

A Table Runner and a New Purse Pattern

It's been a luxury to have the past three days clear to sew. After getting Christopher's quilt to the next stage, my time was free. And these two projects are ones I've been eyeing and wanting to start. My love affair with all things Jinny Beyer continues, and this table runner - although a fairly simply pattern - packs a terrific visual punch because of her fabrics. I'm trying to decide whether to use the piece of backing fabric as an additional border and thus enlarge the whole runner. The finished size is 12" by 60", but I wouldn't mind making it a bit bigger for our table.

This purse has a design that I like, and I thought it would be simple to make. Wrong. Very wrong. What's making me finish this is that I love the batik of the outside of the purse and I also love the coordinating fabric for the lining. But I'm stuck on the directions and can't figure out what to do next. Solution? Sewing buddy Midge. She made a copy of this pattern and has fabrics to make this purse for her granddaughter. I think I'll have to wait for her to get to this stage and then show me what to do.

I'm great with flat stuff but fall apart when there is any shaping involved.

New Purse and New Product

I took one of my own purses to Kenya with me and loved it for its size, zippered compartments, and hidden pocket.  So I made another one of this pattern and love how it turned out.  Instead of using a batting in the purse, I used a new product, Soft and Stable, by byannie.com.  And this product is a winner.  It's easy to sew through and it softly holds its shape.

I've discovered that the inside of purses must be light-colored in order to find things. And for a while I tried to talk myself out of the importance of zippered compartments as a way to avoid zippers. Luckily I have mastered these zippers because both of these compartments contribute to the success of this purse design. I'd show you the hidden pockets except they are very cleverly hidden in the brown sides!

I want to get back to some "flat" things for me, like quilts, but when I have this purse surge going, I have to give in to it. Luckily today is a clear day. Tomorrow I'll start piecing together Christopher's quilt!

Bag/Purse for a Computer Notebook

My physical therapy is coming to an end - I have 6 more weekly sessions left with Chandra at Paulson Rehab, LaGrange Hospital. I'm thrilled with my progress, but I will definitely miss Chandra.

Chandra has a daughter who went to Hinsdale HS and the Illinois Math and Science Academy before attending college. Lavina did both her undergrad and graduate work at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. Lavina is now involved with the Chicago theatre scene and keeps very busy. Recently she directed a production of Steel Magnolias. She's always on the go, toting about her notebook, and her birthday is the end of this month. Chandra said she was looking for a notebook carrier for Lavina. So I offered to make Chandra's daughter a Notebook/Bag/Purse. Lavina chose the outer fabric, and then I did what I wanted to with the inside of the bag. I love this bag - so does Chandra. We hope that Lavina likes it too. If she doesn't, then Chandra's got a brand new bag!

The handles of this bag are a great length for carrying it on the shoulder. There's a deep side pocket for a cell phone or keys. The inside has one big deep area with a zippered pocket and a smaller padded area for the notebook.

Over the past few months Chandra has given me gifts of food - pakora and chutney, various spinach and chicken dishes, and sambal oelek, a fabulous Thai chili paste. I made her an Amazing Technicolor Dream Tote in February. My therapy with Chandra may be ending, but we both know we have become friends for life.

Purse 10 - for Cristina

My two favorite teenagers - grandson Ryan Patrick Sheehan and neighbor Cristina Muzzio - are having graduation parties tomorrow. Ryan graduated from 8th grade earlier this week, and Cris graduates on Sunday. Ryan gets money and a tin of gulab jamuns, his favorite Indian dessert. Cristina gets money in a fabulous gift container: Purse 10! Notice that this purse has feet! Both of these fabrics are ones that Cristina has used in various quilts she's made with me over the year. Ryan will go to LT and Cristina is off to the University of Iowa. Both will do very well in their new adventures!

Purse 9

I know - I know. It looks like Purse 8. Purse 8 now belongs to niece Leslie. Purse 9 has a cell phone pocket (see the phone peeping out? The pocket is much deeper than that, but I did such a good job of integrating the pocket into the design of the purse that you can't even see it). But I'm putting away all things connected with purses and going back to flat things for a while.

Purse 7 and 8

If you're thinking, "So? More purses," you're right. But there are a couple of differences with these two. First, I used for the first time a fusible batting/interfacing. It combines 2 steps into one, so for time alone I like this product. And it feels right. The second difference is that the inner bigger pocket has been moved up 1.5". And I think this is a good move (although I moved it up a bit too much on #8. Lesson learned). I can't believe I'm about to write this: I need to play with Purses 6 and 7 and see if the 2 aforementioned differences are worth institutionalizing.

Here is the big lesson I've learned from purses 6, 7, and 8. And it's a lesson in design. I don't care for the light-colored purse 6. The darker colors are more striking. And with 7 and 8, the same fabrics are used but reversed. I prefer the purse sides, handles, and tab in an accent fabric with the front and back of the purse being a plainer and darker fabric.

Purse 6 - The Madness Continues

Purse 6 was another experiment - notice the stitching on the tab and the purse sides. It looks nice enough, but it's gilding the lily, I think. These batik fabrics really speak for themselves. In using a stiff interfacting for the purse, the dimensionality of the quilting is minimized. And I'm liking the use of a lighter interfacing for the lining of the purse. I have the fabrics for Purse 7 ready to go but need to shop for interfacting and zippers.

I not only am getting the zippered pockets right, but I'm learning how to do them efficiently. This picture gives a rough idea of how these pockets look.

Purse 5

Purple is definitely my favorite color. Purse 5 is for me, and wouldn't you know that I finally got it ALL right. I figured out the bigger zippered pocket, which parts must be interfaced, and which batting I like the best. I also have Purse 1, which has a velcro closure. Purse 2 with a magnetic closure went to Paula. Purse 5 has a magnetic closure. So I'll be able to test for myself which works better.

All together it was a 6 hour project. I'll see with Purse 6 whether I can do it as nicely but in less time.

Purse 4 for a Lawyer

 
My niece Candace White graduates from Kent School of Law Sunday. There's a graduation party at a Sushi bar on the north side. Although I know we'll give her money as a present, I think Purse 4 is a great gift box.

I like a lot of things about this purse. I got the bottom and the handles right. The centered zippered pocket is still giving me fits. I hold out hope for purse #6. I used to wonder why artists would number their works rather than name them. I think now I know why.

Quilting a la Goldilocks - Purse 3

So why would I start a new project when I have 2 perfectly good ones in process? Wendy's black/white jacket is ready to be assembled, but this is a teaching model and needs to remain as is for a few more days. The India quilt - well, I guess I haven't been in the mood for the "assembly line" sewing that 48 log cabin blocks require. So doing a new purse seemed just right. A new batik (purchased on line and on sale) is the inspiration. It does have 2 zippered compartments inside. The bigger zippered compartment was still hard to do and required some unsewing and resewing. I used a stiffer iron-on interfacing and quilted the pieces with Warm N Natural cotton batting.

The result is a purse that has a real shape to it and is very pragmatic. I did include an outer pocket for a cell phone, but I'm not sure I like the overall look - kind of makes it look "too quilty."

Final Verdict: Purse #3 - it's a winner!

Purse #2

This one's complete, and I'm pretty thrilled with how it turned out. A huge thanks to Cecilia - I showed her this purse in progress and she pointed out the straps weren't right. Luckily, the straps were at a point where they were able to be corrected. There's a kind of personal dyslexia that sets in with things like straps and zippers. Although this purse went better than the first, there was still an issue with pocket facing, and I think I know what it is. Purse #3 will be the evidence.

But before I start another purse, I have to put the studio right - there are threads, scraps, and piles all over. Considering the space and storage I have, there's no excuse. While I'm doing this

cleaning/organizing, I'm preparing for my next quilt, using the big whole cloth piece from India. It will provide the backing for a front that is still in my head. What I do know is that the front will use scraps from 3 color families - red/orange/yellow, violets/purples/fuscia, and teals/green/blues. Most of the scraps will be batik, which is a great contrast to the muslin-type fabric of the whole cloth. Those terrific colors we saw in India - so beautiful, so vivid.

There are 2 zippered compartments in this purse. Towards the left is the smaller pocket. To the right there is a large pocket that goes to the bottom on the purse. I did find a magnetic closure for the strap that crosses the purse. Very clever. Very inexpensive. And I have FIVE more of these magnetic closures!

A Purse!

Maybe I should entitle this blog entry "A Real Purse." It has decent straps, two (count 'em - 2!) zippered compartments inside, and a very nice little tab with velcro that keeps the purse shut. It's also a good size - 13" by 10". Best of all, it has a symmetrical flat bottom that even has a plastic base!

This was a pattern that I actually (1) purchased and (2) followed the directions for. Just a couple of notes for the next bag. All outer bag pieces were quilted using Thermore. I used iron-on interfacing (fusible webbing) on the lining pieces. The handles were quilted using Warm N' Natural and could use a sturdier batting - maybe a double-layer of Thermore?

I think I'll make this pattern again! And I think I'll try to add an outside pocket for a cell phone on the same side as the little tab that closes the purse. Finally, the lining of a purse needs to be light for maximum purse efficiency!

Up Jumps Spring

Most of the bags I made for Christmas have been on the wintry and dark side. Even though there is 12 inches of snow on the ground, a blizzard warning for tonight, and a mean cold streak predicted for the next week, I am making it Spring in my studio. I've put away the darks. The blue bag is from a batik I bought in Paris when we were there in 2003 with my parents. Since it's a sturdy fabric, I did not line it. And it's just fine. This final bag is one made from an ill-fitting jacket (see list on previous blog entry.) I even put a couple of pockets on the inside and have already used it!