Happy New Years!

Well it is New Years Day, so Happy New Year everyone! I have been doing some cleaning up in my sewing area and trying to plan what to do next. I finally finished up my bias checked skirt which has been waiting for a hem and some handsewing around the lining and zipper for almost a year. It is a Burda plus-size pattern that was very easy and I even sprung for an ivory sweater to go with it.
Due to the skirt being on the bias I used Steam a Seam to stablize the edge of the hem and then top-stitiched. I was quite pleased with the results.


I have just a few hand stitches to finish up a dress I started back in early December. I am trying to finish a UFO for every one project that I start. Of course I tend to cut out multiple outifts and I don't finish them all before I start something new and there are also those things that are in various states of finish!

I have to make a new tote bag for work because even though the one I use everyday is still in good shape, but I just want something new I was thinking of the pattern below, I just have to get into my fabric and pick some out.

A beginning- purses and totes

Well at long last I have finally decided to actually use the blog I set up ages ago. I hope to share my sewing adventures for those who care to read it! To start I thought I would upload pictures of the purses I have made over the past year or two. Of course I have so many more planned, but it seemed a good place to start. I hope you enjoy the pictures and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I have also made more than one tote for others using pillow panels as they are a nice size when finished. If I can find some pictures of those I will post them.

Merry Christmas everyone!

The three pictures below are of a tote bag I made out of tapestry fabric for my sister and I was fortunate enough to have enough material to make another one for myself!


The next pictures are using the same pattern for the two purses. I made the first one for my sister with a picture of her cat. The one of the inside is my first attempt at a label, but I haven't used that style of label again. The second one is a purse for myself with a picture of an abstract painting. I have been playing around with printing images on fabric. It can be very addicting!


The next two purses are from the same pattern. The first is a deep purple velveteen that I made for my daughter and the second is actually a deep navy blue that was for a friend of my daughter's. The lining is shown for the second one and the purple one had the same patterned lining but in lilac. The linings were left over from PJ's bottoms I had made for my daughter.



This last purse is from a book whose name I forget right now. The original purse is very large which I discovered when I made the first one (out of a big black and white check) for my daughter. So we decreased the size quite a bit so it wasn't so overwhelming for her to carry. Actually all of this style were for my daughter. If I can find a picture of the other one I will upload it. I still have one more to complete which was left over fabric from a cotton blouse with a kite print I made for myself.