First Time Ever - Market Bags at the Chocolate Claim!

You may have heard the news, Good Karma Eco Shop has closed it's doors (to be able to spend more QT with their lovely daughter). You can still get in touch with them on facebook and their website and at the Thursday Fireweed Community Market til September. Meanwhile, I've put my Market Bags and Flat Totes in at the Chocolate Claim and they're going fast! I just have a little shelf there so I haven't tried bags before.They do require some fancy folding to fit so hopefully everyone will be kind and keep it neat while browsing! Hint hint!

Backpack

I've been eyeing this pattern for a year or more and when do I decide to finally get the pattern and make it? The night before Day 2 of Summer Camp of course! It is a terrific little pattern from Made by Rae (another terrific blog for sewing for kids, and moms too!). Easy to follow and the result is a very professional looking, sturdy little back pack for your little guy or gal. It's called a toddler backpack but is easy to size up, which I did for a 5 year old. The instructions even provide tips on how to do this (which I should have read to save me adding an extra inch that I ended up chopping off...). I added 2 inches in length and a name tag sewn on the back panel. There are no pockets on the exterior which I might add on the next one. I thought a side bottle pocket too with an elastic gathered top might be nice. I cut and sewed this up in one evening. I think Rae is a science teacher, you can tell by how methodical and well written the pattern is! I really loved making this up! And Finn seems to like it too!

Market Bag Fun

I’ve officially overdone the sewing as my wrist is inflamed from cranking the wheel on my machine to raise and lower the needle so much and lifting my iron! Last night I did 11 belts in one sitting, I think that’s a record! I’m really looking forward to tomorrow – even though there are about 8 things I still want to make and 2 batches of cookies!

Sneak Peek No. 10 - Batch of Quilty Bags

Sneak Peek No. 7 - Quilty Bag

Early Bird Christmas - Sneak Peek No. 1

Another Quilty Bag that I don't want to part with. Check back today for more sneak peaks!

Reversible Bags for the Birdhouse

This is the second batch - the first batch is gone already and I didn't keep the one I liked the best! These reversible bags are organic cotton canvas in the solid colour and patterned cotton on the outside. This is another "everything" bag, big enough for an over nighter and small enough for an everyday purse. Oh, and I guess my blog entries were pretty non-existent this summer - a good sign of a hot summer and a few swims at Long Lake - amazing!

Flat Tote with Cigar Flowers

Cigar Flowers? Well, this fabric was a set of old curtains found at our local Sally Ann. It is clean, lovely fabric, incredible flower graphics... However, if you are inclined to iron said fabric, you will be looking around for someone smoking a cigar! It's actually not all that unpleasant, if you happen to have a happy memory of a nice, funny man that smoked cigars like I do.

Mini Messenger Bag - fresh batch for the Trunk Show

I started a little collection of vintage pot holders this winter while on vacation in Portland, Oregon. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them but they are so pretty, so much work went into them (double thickness crocheted) and I doubt that anyone will use them as potholders anymore. In fact I wonder if these were ever used, they're in such great shape - the owners probably couldn't bear to pick up the overflowing crock of baked beans with them. At Christmas I designed a mini-messenger bag that completely sold out. This batch with potholder embellishment turned out really nice, almost like a big flower on each flap. For more photos click on the photo to go to my flickr site.

The Flat Tote

A new batch of stylish totes for a new retail venue for me. The Birdhouse Eatery and Cafe called a few of us local arts and crafts folks to provide goods for their racks and shelves. The newly reno'd cafe is a fun, bright place to have coffee (or crepes on Sunday - yum yum!). Lara's artwork looks great on their walls and I'm happy to have Flat Totes, Market Bags, Quilty Bags and Garden Goodness bags there too. I keep forgetting my camera but hope to have photos soon!

Bend the Rules Sewing Swap

I joined another swap! For this one I had to make a Charming Handbag from the Bend the Rules Sewing book. I included some home made bias tape, made using a super fun bias tape maker. I hate sewing bias tape but making it sure is fun! I also included a little jewelry pouch with one of Lara's sticky beads inside. My swap bag is headed to Gabriola Island, BC. I'm not sure who is making me one but they have to be in the mail by March 31st. I was uncharacteristically ahead of the game and mailed mine on Monday! A phenomenon of the internet and craft books nowadays is that people that buy the books create Groups on Flickr where we post photos of our projects, for example the Bend the Rules Sewing group here. This is a great way to see how the projects turn out and to get ispired to make them. People also swap tips and hints for the patterns.
I've made these little Charming Handbags before, here, here, and here.

Snap Coin Purses

Here are a few more purses or business card holders. They're pretty small, but big enough for cards. I have a few left for the Littlest Craft Fair but they're going fast!

New Buckets for the Knitting Shop

My last four buckets before Christmas for Knit Now, the local yarn store. My first batch is practically gone and I've run out of canvas to make more. These are really nice, sturdy buckets, originally made this summer for the Greenhouse store. The more I make them the more I like them! The straps unbutton to wrap around and make a nice little packet, once you figure out how to fold them.

How about some "craft"?

I thought I should try and post some crafting to live up to the name of this blog... Here are some vintage buttons on my Garden Goodness Bags. The buttons are from either Louise, Lenora or Edna, or possibly my Great Grandmother, Georgianna! I've been lucky to inherit these lovely button collections from both grandmas and from Edna, my alley neighbour that I never met (that's another story for later perhaps!). These bags have been named for The Greenhouse, where they were first sold this past summer. In addition to the vintage button on each, they also have inside pockets made with a piece of vintage table cloth or tea towel. These will be hard to part with, I especially like the grey and pink birds - and that pink button!