carrie girl

bags!

 

since finishing up the first batch of the penelopes i've moved on to some three pleat bags using this blue fabric that i absolutely love. i actually made up a calendar to keep me on track with my inventory production. it is dorky, i know, but it has been working pretty well so far. i turned in all my info to renegade--my boothmate, jessica, got into another fair closer to home, so i'm flying solo this time. i'm really nervous, but i have a good friend in chicago who agreed to be my number one sales girl and moral support (thanks, kate!)

moving right along.

 

 

i thought i'd take a break from clutches and re-visit the three pleat bag (i need to come up with a proper name for it...any suggestions?) it really is a huge bag that holds just about anything, so i added a bigger pocket on the inside that is divided in two as opposed to just the single pocket on my first version.  the inside canvas is this amazing print i found at that quilter's guild garage sale--i have enough of it for about 3 or 4 bags. the outside of the bag was looking a bit too brown, so i made the strap with the contrasting pattern on the reverse side. 

i've been collecting vintage wool for some fall/winter clutches, so this weekend i thought i'd start putting it all together. i decided to use the body of the clementine, but use a simple curved flap instead of one with scallops. i figured plaid and scallops might be too much...no?

i have about a dozen more in the works, which is good because i found out on friday that i'm going to be sharing a table at the renegade holiday fair in chicago. it feels good to have a goal to work toward--something to channel my energy into. needless to say i'm really really excited.

writing a blog is difficult because i never quite know how much of my personal life to share on here. i shared enough for you all to know about the wedding, so i feel like i should share (with all 5 of you who actually read this) that there isn't going to be a wedding anymore. i'm sad...really sad, but i know that whatever happens or how our story eventually ends up it is for the best. so that is all i am really going to say about that. one day at a time, right?

after work on friday i went to the garage sale of the local quilter's society. i live for these garage sales. they usually happen once or twice a year, and i almost always walk away with tons of vintage fabric and notions.  this time i got a box of vintage wool for some winter clutches and huge box of 2 inch fabric scraps. friday night i sat in front of the tv with a glass of wine, sorted through the box and started making big buttons to put on my natural linen clutches (which are still not fit to be posted...still)

trial and error

i've been sewing quite a bit this week, but have nothing to show for it yet. i'm working on a new clutch--a bit smaller and sleeker than the clementine and made from metallic linen (which i'm really loving.) i've been through three trial runs, but i can't quite get it right. i'm going to give it a rest tonight and start up again this weekend--maybe i just need some time away from it to figure out what i need to change.

this week i stumbled upon the avett brother's new album, and have been listening to it non-stop. this is definitely my album for autumn. you can listen to the whole thing over here.

work in progres

i bought this cynthia rowley pattern, simplicity 2953, last spring to make a summer top or two. well, summer is about over, but i figured this would look cute under a cardigan this fall. and on top of that i needed a quick project to get my sewing mojo back.  the last thing i have left to do is add the twisty collar and hem the bottom. this pattern was super easy (i say that now before i have attempted to baste a twisted collar to the neckline, but i'm hoping for the best.) assorted notions has a good review of this pattern--i'm always inspired by her prolific sewing!

i'm slowly but surely getting my act together on the craft front. i've applied for the renegade holiday fair in chicago with my friend, jessica, so hopefully that will come through. it is my first renegade application, and i'm a bit intimidated to be honest. not only is it nerve-wracking to wonder if you're going to get it, but it might be scarier if you do because then you'll have to make the inventory. (is it too early in the morning for an unnecessary anxiety attack?)

happy wednesday!

this weekend was so lovely. the weather was perfect, delicious brunch was consumed, a potluck was attended, karaoke was sung (or watched!) and a little sewing even happened under the watchful eye of bill cosby.

here's to an equally lovely week!

leavin' town

i'm going to take a little blogging vacation while i'm in upstate new york. i will be sans sewing machine and have spotty internet access until the 13th, and i know you don't want to look at a bunch of nature shots of the adriondacks for 2 weeks, so i think it might be best just to lay low.

the last bit of sewing i did before packing today were these two clutches. the purple one is a custom order for a really sweet girl who was interested in a couple clutches and a bag. she actually came over and picked out her own fabric and we talked about the project. it was a really cool experience working with someone start to finish on a bag. the pink clutch is for a bag contest/silent auction which supports the breast cancer 3-day through home ec. workshop, a really amazing fabric/yarn store in iowa city. so if you're in the area go to home ec. and bid on a bag for a good cause!

my new best friend

let's get personal here. i sweat...sometimes i even sweat when i'm just standing very still in an air conditioned room. so when i found a cute vintage dress last month that was cut super close under my arms, i thought that there was no way i could wear this out in public let alone during the summer months. vintage dress plus sweat doesn't make for a pleasant afternoon for anyone. *but* just as i was putting the dress back on the rack, i remembered my brand new shiny french curve that antoinette sent me, and decided i could tackle the lowering of the armholes.

i emailed antoinette asking for her expert refashioning advice, and she wrote back the same day with easy to follow instructions that didn't scare me too much. in a nutshell i was first supposed to unpick the facing, then i was to use the french curve to mark a new armhole 1/4 of an inch lower. after basting the new armhole i was supposed to turn it back inside and press the dickens out of it. if it fit, use a regular stitch and go on my merry way perhaps tacking the facing back down.

and i tried it that way, and it was going very well until i realized i needed to move the armhole down not 1/4 of an inch, not even 1 inch down, but like 3 whole inches down. this is when things started to get a bit wonky. when i basted the new armhole and tried to turn it inward and press, the dress just wasn't having it. it kept sort of warping and resisting, so i started trimming the facing...then trimming became straight up cutting...then i started to panic (and sweat!) i thought for sure that i had just ruined the cutest vintage dress i had ever laid eyes on. then i had an idea to just cut the armhole out to the size i wanted and apply single fold bias tape to finish the edge.

that is exactly what i did, and that is why single fold bias tape is my new best friend. it saved my new favorite dress, and my sanity.

now i can confidently wear my vintage dress out in public thanks to my french curve and lovely blogging friends like antoinette.

*edit* ted would like me to tell everyone that i'm not the "dripping perspiring beast" that i've made myself out to be. i quote him, "you're not that sweaty."

i just finished up a custom order for a fellow bride-to-be who wanted an eco-friendly gift for her bridesmaids. in the first round of travel jewelry wallets i was using organic cotton canvas and vintage fabrics, but regular batting--in this batch i've started using bamboo batting which is made from 50% naturally antibacterial bamboo fiber and 50% organic cotton. if only they made organic interfacing then i'd be totally earth friendly! it is just such a shame that organic materials are so much more expensive and harder to find than "normal" materials.

on another random note, has everyone out there discovered the wondrous joy that pandora can bring to your life? i have been listening to their bubblegum oldies station for the last 6 hours straight while sewing/doing laundry, and have been so, so happy. i also have a station based on the musical genius of lionel richie as well as one based on the song bernadette by the four tops. gimme some lovin' by the spencer davis group just came on...need i say more?