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I think I’m done with red for a bit.
I finished quilting up my simple triangle baby quilt (https://entropyalwayswinsblog.com/2014/01/16/a-modern-baby-quilt-top/) and have packaged it up along with a bag for mom (https://entropyalwayswinsblog.com/2014/01/18/a-momma-bag/) and Rufus the dog (https://entropyalwayswinsblog.com/2014/01/10/introducing-rufus/) for baby. I did some simple geometric quilting for the quilt and used a vintage cotton/linen fabric for the back.
PASTELS, HERE I COME!
I have the most amazing group of artist friends. One of my faves is Vicki who is quite the world traveler and photographer. In addition to doing graduate work teaching Spanish, she is a part time dental hygienist who spends time every year going to remote locations of the world providing dental care to folks who have never seen a dentist or a hygienist. Yep, I know how to pick friends. Anyway, Vicki just returned from a trip to India and invited several of us over to see her pictures. Her work is lovely and the subject matter eye-opening. Seeing her photos of beautiful young women dressed in their colorful saris spreading dirt and gravel to repair the roads makes me think how underdressed I am most of the time in some variation of scrubs or yoga clothing.
Travel too is one of my passions and I love the Mark Twain quote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness”. By seeing the world we gain a better understanding of other cultures and also a better insight into our own biases and beliefs.
Vicki picked up some amazing textiles on her journey, one of which was an elaborate antique shirt that she had custom fitted. Despite some extensive time fitting her in India, the shirt was quite binding and she felt that she would never wear it. Knowing my love of textiles and repurposing, she offered it up to me to remake into something she would use. With great care and delicacy, I ripped seams and cut into this 90 year old garment. GASP! I used the back fabric to make a bag strap and folded the front into a simple bag shape. I used some of my own linen which i random straight line quilted with cotton and fusible batting as the liner to give the bag some extra structure. I then used a vintage button from my growing collection to help secure the top.
I think she and I are both pleased with the result but hearing back from the person who helped her buy the original shirt gave me a chance to ponder. The town’s specialty are these handsewn textiles in which they rightly take huge pride. In the end, Vicki’s guide in India was also pleased with my repurposing but I think also a little surprised that I would alter it so. It gives me a better appreciation of all the handmade textiles I so treasure at home and overseas as well as the people and history involved in their making.
Last night I finished this bag for a new momma. It matches the baby quilt top and stuffed dog I already made. Just need to find time to quilt the baby quilt and the gifts will be on their way. Hopefully this momma likes the color red.
Typical to my way of doing things, if I like a project, I often tweak it and repeat. Thus came a new bag similar to the one I recently blogged about (https://entropyalwayswinsblog.com/2014/01/04/museum-bag/). This time I used a treasured hand printed linen I got from an Australian designer (I can’t recall which designer unfortunately since it’s been a few years. Help me out here if you know who it is.). I used a favorite linen for the lining, bottom, strap and top band. The bag is a keeper and has me pondering even more bag possibilities.
My family went on a little adventure over this winter break to visit the California Academy of Sciences and the de Young Museum. Golden Gate park and the city were in their prime. I swear few cities in the summer compare to San Francisco in the winter. Anyway, I brought along one of my latest bags. It was perfect for carrying my camera, wallet, scarf, etc. while wandering the museums. The inspiration behind this bag was one designed by Handmade Charlotte found here: http://weallsew.com/2013/01/03/leather-strap-tote-by-rachel-faucett/. I significantly adapted the design adding lining with an inner pocket, a band at the top to match the bottom, changing the handle to one of matching fabric and using my favorite Pellon Ultra Firm one sided fusible interfacing to make the bag nice and stiff. The main print is Anna Maria Horner’s Coordinates in Kelly from the Field Study fabric line. The bottom, handle and lining are denim from the discount pile at our local fabric store. ( Sidenote: I love raiding the discount piles for unusual patterns and texture additions to projects.) I am not quite sure why so many of my bags, and quilts for that matter, end up being gi-normous. It must be that I like to live large. 🙂
Wow, if there has been a theme to my creative endeavors in 2013, it has to be BAGS. Hard for me to believe looking back that I made so many of them. I certainly was inspired by a “Pay It Forward” challenge with friends and most of these have been since gifted to others. i’m interested to see what trouble I can create in the new year with my soon to arrive industrial Juki machine. Woot, woot!
A couple of years ago I stumbled across this beautiful bag on etsy and made it mine. I cannot tell you how often I am stopped in the grocery or about town and inquired about it.
Since then I have fallen in love with Hmong hand stitched fabric and embroidery and have invested in several vintage pieces. Earlier this year I converted a Hmong baby carrier into the purse above and designed a bag around a vintage remnant shown below.
Today I received a package in the mail containing new vintage pieces. I can’t wait to start creating with them.
Latest and last (?) Noodlehead Super tote complete. Made out of grey linen and “Volumes” from the Drawing Room Collection by Anna Maria Horner. You can purchase the pattern here: http://www.noodle-head.com/2013/05/super-tote-pattern.html
As I start working on my fifth Version of the Noodlehead Super Tote, I felt like this bag addict had the cred to weigh in on a wonderful pattern. Anna, the author of the nifty blog Noodlehead (http://www.noodle-head.com) is the genius behind this bag design.
The bag can be sewn in two main versions, one with an inset top zipper closure and one without. Four of the bags I have made have the inset zipper and the current version I am working on is without one.
My favorite parts of this bag are the little details. There is a useful front pocket that has a magnetic closure. Anna gives a helpful tutorial on how to insert and secure the magnetic closures that I have since used in other projects (tutorial here: http://www.noodle-head.com/2013/05/magnetic-snap-tutorial.html)
The inside pockets and the inset top zipper are other design features that I really appreciate. They make the bag appear very professional.
The only modifications I have made are to add a stiffer Pellon fusible interfacing in my later bags (I tend to like pretty sturdy bags) and in the above bag I added a fabric flower embellishment. (tutorial here: http://pm-betweenthelines.blogspot.fr/2012/07/denim-flowers-diy.html) In my latest bag, I plan to add a removable linen flower pin. You can see examples in my flicker photos. I have seen several other adaptations by others that I would love to try as well: quilt as you go cover, embroidery on the front pocket, etc.
I heartily recommend Anna’s bag pattern which can be purchased here: http://www.noodle-head.com/2013/05/super-tote-pattern.html
Entropy Always Wins