Monday 29 June 2015

The first foldover clutch of many

Any slightly treasured scrap of fabric is no longer safe if there is enough to be made into a foldover clutch bag. And I get to see the fabric rather than it be precariously balanced in one of the teetering piles!

I first saw a how-to for a delightful doily foldover clutch on skirt as top blog (and have been intending to make one for me for an age) and then the equally delightful addition of a faux leather accent on the equally delightful you and mie blog. Perfect present making!
 I remembered this fabric being somewhere in a pile and wanted to pair it with a colourful leatherette - difficult to find. This came from an Etsy seller TaimarsGlitter - if anyone knows of other places to buy leatherette please let me know! Oh gosh, just to add that I had no problems with this seller, in fact postage was rather speedy, but I would like a greater range of colours. And heavy weight jeans zips!

As the lining is made from a heavier weight mustard fabric I chose not to add interfacing, and I added some zipper tabs in the same mustard. Other than that I think I followed the tutorial.
So easy, so nice to use I may have already made three and am planning to make them as P's thank you  gifts for school this summer. You will be seeing many more...

Monday 8 June 2015

A noodlehead trail tote

As soon as I saw this lovely pattern - noodleheads' trail tote - I have wanted to make it for lovely Linda. And yet I didn't... a pouch and some hankies were made instead, until this year I remembered those plans and finally made it. And oh what a pattern - the detail is amazing and results in a bag I am most certainly proud to say oh yes, why I did make that!
 The pattern is easy to follow yet with those great details... piping, internal and external pockets, adjustable strap and magnetic snapper. Oh, and this is the smaller of the two sixes available. And oh, did I mention that this pattern is free!
 I think the only change I made to the pattern was to use some strong webbing for the strap instead of fabric
Both of the fabrics were purchased from fabric rehab. The house fabric is a slightly heavier linen (still available here) and the modern neutrals' oval here
I seem to have been on a bit of a bag making frenzy at the moment. Well, maybe not a frenzy as five doesn't perhaps constitute a frenzy... and one of them is certainly more of a pouch and the others
 clutches, but that is what I have been spending some rainy times doing. Any sunny times have been spent persuading the garden that it really does want to look pretty and not be a field anymore, so my time for making has been a bit limited. Happy birthday dear Linda! We are so looking forward to seeing you and your bag rather soon!