Another Carpet Bag - Cath Kidston clocks (again)

I finished a bag yesterday. I have a few too many orders to cope with at the moment - fortunately I've had a bit of extra time at home waiting for people to fix the boiler, so I managed to get this commission completed. 

Emma saw my previous carpet bag, and wanted the same Cath Kidston fabric, but with a black polka contrast instead. I found some pu handles on etsy, and they arrived yesterday morning just after I told her I couldn't finish it until they arrived!

There is an inner zip pocket as well as slip pockets and a front pocket with a magnetic fastener and polka piping.

The tabs are to help pull open the frame. 

Anyone wondering what it looked like before finished: this is before I  put the handles on 

This is it held together before I sewed the lining to the outer. It then all gets pulled (handles and all) through a smallish hole in the lining (birthing!) to get it right side out.

Also I realised yesterday I was wearing the same print but in green!

Bag of the Month - Companion Carpet Bag

This year I decided to join the bag of the month club. Basically, its a bag pattern download club - you don't know which patterns you are going to get in advance - its all a bit secret (although you do know which designers are contributing)

I am already behind, but I did finally get the January bag finished!

January - Samantha from Sewing Patterns with Mrs H designed this Companion Carpet Bag (mine is in the smaller size)

I used some of my Cath Kidston fabric for this. Clocks for the outside, floral for the inside.

There is one zip pocket and two slot pockets. There is also an external pocket with a magnetic closure.

I used premade bias binding to make the green piping. 

Looking at it, I think maybe I should have put it along the top edge between the contrast and the main fabric, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. The straps are pre-made. I've not used those before so this was a first.

Overall I'm really happy with it. I love the frame feature and I already have taken an order for another one of these (this one sold straight away)

10 years wed, jewellery making, Cath Kidston dresses, and Anglesea Abbey

Yesterday, it was our 10th wedding anniversary. Time flies doesn't it? We just went out to our local restaurant Cinta, because whilst in an ideal world we'd fly off for a weekend - in the real world there is no-one to look after our kids (and we'd miss them anyway). I wore my peacock dress that I made last year, with my new necklace (also me-made) and my new vivian that I just finished that morning. John looked in the wardrobe (gasp - he never looks in the wardrobe) and found a shirt that is just a little tight these days :)

Also earlier that morning, I finally finished assembling some resin jewellery I made. Its not great, but  I'm new at this. I really wanted a sewing machine necklace, and I couldn't find one I liked. So I made some. 

Noah proved himself a literary genious (so proud of my baby) It still stuns me how fast children can go from scrawling just their name, to being able to read and write sentences. 

I bought a new dress from the Cath Kidston outlet. I've been waiting for this one to come in for ages. It was in the online sale, but its always cheaper when it gets to the outlet. Its a bit of a gamble, because they don't always come in, and they aren't always in my size (actually they are never in my size, but they are generously sized which works to my advantage as I can squeeze into a 16) I just love this fabric in the green. I am currently making a bag in the dark red version of it, which will be posted once complete.

Its a lovely comfy dress. They make the armscyes (armholes) big enough for bigger arms - there is nothing more uncomfortable than armpit rub. It doesn't cling to my tights either. Bonus.

We also took the boys for a bit of fresh air at Anglesea Abbey, which is about a 25 minute drive from us. It was more succesful than the trip to London. You can't climb stuff in the Natural History museum (although there was plenty of climbing on the pirate ship in the Diana Memorial Park) 

Give a boy a tree and some sticks and he is a happy boy.

Two bags, one tree, lots of decorations and a little bit of in-cinema puking...

First things first - I completed two bags this week!

Quite a while ago, I won a pattern from Emmaline bags, called the Spring Sling. I love the shape although the patchwork panel on the front was never something I was going to attempt, so I used a piece of my Cath Kidston toadstool fabric instead.

 

I did partake in some quilting though, which is something I've never attempted before. It went ok. Slightly wonky but nothing major. I love the look of quilting I have to say.

The top of the bag is supposed to have oval grommets for the straps to slot through. I do have the oval grommets. Infortunately I was unaware when I bought them, that I'd need the tools as well. I haven't got 20 quid spare right now, so sadly I've had to leave them off.

 

I've had the lining fabric for ages and I can't remember when or where I bought it, but it seemed like the right one to use with the cotton linen I got from Doughtys online. The entire outer edge of this bag is bound with hand made binding and then hand stitched on. Took a while! I really like this bag and I will probably make another whenever I get the chance :)

Second bag was this alexis mini satchel style. I'm sort of pseudo happy with it. I wish I'd done piping around the main bag area and not just the flap, because it feels a bit meh without. This is also made from Cath Kidston fabric - there's an outlet near where I work and I'm always popping in on the off-chance there's something bargainous to be had. Its all relative of course but I'm happy to pay £6 a metre for this lineny stuff (instead of £14)

The lining is purple polka cotton. I've attempted to home-make some side tags/labels. I'm not hugely enamoured but they are ok. Do you think it looks kind of wierd sticking out there?

 

 It was decoration day at school this week. You go in for two hours and help the kids make decorations for the school. They do a morning and afternoon session, but I only had half a day off work, so I had to split a session between both of them.

Noah was first (he's in reception) He made a very. VERY glittery angel. He wouldn't wear his christmas pudding hat because he is five and he decided it was beneath him.

Then I popped over to help Joey and we made a felt bauble with beads. Which looked kind of like ravioli, but he was happy! He wouldn't wear his christmas pudding hat as apparently there was a splinter in it at break time. No idea how that happened. (its a wooly hat made by nanna Maxey)

On Saturday morning I was awakened (as I am every single morning) by a bouncy Noah demanding we get the christmas tree down from the loft. I could only put him off for so long, so we did get  it, and we decorated it. Joey was feeling off colour, so he stayed out of the chaos.

Sunday we went to our local garden centre - they have animatronic polar bears this year. Noah was v. happy. 

They both liked this display, which is up every year.

Then Noah noticed the ice rink. We weren't going to take them skating as its exorbitant, but when Noah gets excited its hard to say no. So £34 later we were all on the rink. 

Ten minutes later there were tears and blisters and aches and pains. Hire boots are DREADFUL. Even Noah wanted to leave. Lets not bother next year.

Sunday afternoon I took them to see Paddington. Which is a great film. Unfortunately Joey started coughing and then did a bit of vomit, which I handily caught in his popcorn cup. Lovely. Took him home and packed him off to bed. He manages to look pretty even when poorly sick. Wish I could say the same about me...

A twin glasses case, and the perfect bag for me (Swoon Charlotte)

I'm very happy to report that I've made some progress on the sewing front. 

My mother asked me to create her a twin glasses case as she always has to carry two pairs. I obliged and came up with this one. (She has terriers hence the pattern - although if anyone can find a fabric specifically with Cairn terriers I would be glad to know!)

Its not perfect, but its ok for a prototype.

I've had some interest so I might make a few more, less wonky ones this time!

This bag is for me. I bought this fabric from spoonflower. First time I've worked with faux leather and it was hard work, but worth the slog. The pattern is Charlotte by Swoon.

  

 

I love the fact you can pull in the sides, or leave it more tote-like

 

and in other news...

I went into the Cath Kidston outlet on the day they got a remnant delivery! I was as restrained as I could be, but got this lot for less than twenty quid. Bargain!

I attended the school quiz night. We did not come last! Some of us brought healthy snacks. And some of us did not ;)

We nipped to Cambridge and the boys climbed soggy logs!

I popped into the One Direction London office for a Voodoo Vixen fitting.

 Hopefully their new plus size dresses and cardis will be on sale before christmas.

This is such a lovely fitting dress. Looks awesome on.

I got the boys started on christmas cards :)