Have bag, will shop (hopefully)

This bag is a gift for a friend who lives in a major city and who does not own a car and I hope she has use for a shopping bag with a stuff sack (bravo to her for existing without one for nearly a year after her Honda with totaled by a drunk driver).

I used the shopping bag pattern (tutorial) from Lisa Lam's U-handbag. Since she’s a UK girl I had to call a friend of mine and ask for help with some of the metric to Imperial conversation. Yes, yes, I know, it’s so stupid that the US is not on metric.

It was surprisingly difficult to find fabric to match the ladies. I shelved the fabric I initially bought and while I do think the handles and bottom are a bit overbearing (like the maker), red is always fun. Using fusible fleece for the handles is a great idea, soft and cozy--good thinking Lisa Lam!

This was my first go-around with a one-way directional print which means I had to think really hard about how to cut the fabric because twice I ended up with upside down kabuki ladies. I'm also a lazy sewer and didn't mark the fabric correctly so it's actually not a gusset but a curved bottom.

When will I stop giving prototypes as presents?

Fabric:

Sisters of the Golem Temple by Alexander Henry from JoAnn Fabrics

Daisy by Kaffe Fassett for Westminster Fabrics purchased from Sowing Sisters

The Eyes Have It

I am such an Amy Butler groupie. I used the free Lavender Eye Pillow pattern to create this birthday gift for my sister. Actually, it was supposed to be a Christmas present for her but the cleaning for her arrival took precedence over handmade gifts. And perhaps more importantly, I didn’t like the first set of material that I purchased and I didn’t want to work with it—amazing how fabric really does matter.

I found fun fabric at Jo-Ann Fabrics and about eight hours later, voila, an eye pillow was born. I struggle with matching fabrics (I don’t think I’ll ever learn to quilt for that reason) but think I did ok with this project.

While making the carrying case I ran into some trouble a few times where I had to rip out the same set of stitches twice but then I remembered the advice my older sewing sister gave me when I first bought my machine: “Follow the pattern. It may not make sense but it will all come together in the end.”

This is my first project in a long time and when I added the pin to the carrying case, I actually giggled with excitement. I think I’ve been reluctant to send it off (her birthday was the 23^rd) because I wanted to look at it some more.

materials:

pattern: www.amybutlerdesign.com > free patterns
eye pillow and carrying case: 100% light-weight cotton with a heavy sew-in interfacing
slip cover: washable satin
eye pillow stuffing: dried lentils, brown rice, and dried lavender
pin: $ .75 at a thrift store
total project time: 8 hours