Bag lady

 

A short post today as it's late and I am running behind again, but I just needed to let you into my latest exciting bit of stitching. I took my self along a week ago to a great class at My Bearpaw classes in Edinburgh to have a bash at making a Weekend holdall, or "Weekender" as these seem to have been nicknamed in the crafty world. I am not done yet as you can clearly see, but am so pleased and excited with it so far and just had to share a bit with you now. I spent until 1 am on the previous Friday making myself a giant 1.3 m square piece of "quilt as you go" for the body of the bag and that in itself was a bit of a challenge, but like a dipstick I forgot to take any pictures before it all got cut into bits for the bag. It was pretty darn traumatic cutting it up if truth be told. We do have to suffer for our art though don't we.

Huge thanks have to go to Naomi Crowley of Green Earth Beads and Bags for sharing her vast knowledge and making the class such an enjoyable couple of days. Despite me having a very late night in the middle of her class ( but no hangover!), she managed to make it all seem pretty straightforward and all that thickness in the seems no quite so scary.

I can't remember if I told you that My Bearpaw have moved to new premises, but just in case I forgot do pop by and have a look at the new shop and classes here. Jo has done a great job and I think the classes will be even more popular than ever in the new fab surroundings. I have to say too her classes are a great way to make new friends and as you can see here, some very talented ones at that ( note I had not consumed all the biscuits on this occasion).

 

As I said though, this is just a Work in Progress post . Adding the bottom of the bag is a bit too tricky for late night stitching so it will have to wait till the long weekend . Add to that curtailment of all sewing for nursing duties of the Beloved due to an unfortunate incident involving a shower mat and a bath handle and I reckon it will definitely be next week before I can head off to Paris, as Naomi suggested, with my natty new Weekender. First class of course.

Swap Sunday

 

Lots achieved today ( and a bit last night) as I have been beavering away at my make for the Modern She Made Swap Round 3. This swap needs to be finished by 24th of this month and as we are away next week to see a gig ( Jb's Christmas present from Emily), I really needed to crack on. I had a good plan but as the day has gone it has changed and evolved but I think it will work really well. I cannot share too many details for fear of giving away my partner but I think you can get the general gist from the photos. It is probably not giving too much away to say its a bag!

 

 It is based on an Amy Butler pattern, although I am not saying which one ( again it needs to be a secret for now) but I have had to improvise a wee bit as to be really honest I didn't quite "get" the instructions. Either I have got my dingbat hat on today or they were written for people that are regulars of her patterns. I adore her fabrics but this it the first of her  patterns I have used. I think I will get  a very similar effect but by a different means. One of the issues was how the bottom went on (as well as a very important detail to be disclosed at the end), but I have just squared mine off by stitching and pivoting at each corner.

 

Once I am done and its been received by my partner I will share which pattern it is and you can all tell me where I went wrong. I was reading Hadley's post a couple of days ago about the fab bag she had made and she said she didn't struggle too much with layers, even though her bag had piping. I am the contrary. I had no piping or zip, but the thousands of layers in the bag floored my lovely machine somewhat so I may have to park my plans to make a weekender, unless I get some sneaky tuition or make a more relaxed bag. As a pretty relaxed little bod I think that will suit me down to the ground!