sewtakeahike

shrooms in and outta my stash

not one, but two

I hunkered down yesterday for a couple hours and got the inside of this bag finished.  When I first started it, I thought I might make a tutorial for it, but now that I've completed it, I don't believe that will happen.  This bag looks so innocent but really did challenge me. 

I had two goals when I started the bag.  First, I wanted to try to figure out how to measure correctly when making a pattern so I could embellish it as I made it instead of waiting until the bag was finished and THEN thinking, "oh!, maybe I should..." and end up having to sew through the lining to embellish the outside of the bag.  I did accomplish this goal by only sewing minimal "stuff" to the outside of the bag. 

The second  goal, to figure out how to sew a zipper as an opening to a bag that I could not fudge on like I did here, and make the lining look nice.  I did accomplish this as well, but could not write a tutorial for the "how" part at this point.  There was a lot of repositioning of materials and the zipper before I eventually sewed it together.  The only time I had to use my seam ripper was when I basted the lining to the inside of the zipper and had the lining turned around so the tag was at the front of the bag.  Not too shabby.

Anyway, once I started the lining, I decided to put a row of three pockets in the back of the bag for cell phone, lip gloss and pens.  At this point it becomes a little blurry because I think I must have gotten hit on the back of the head only minutes before I decided to do a divider zip pocket down the middle of the lining.  You know how some people block out certain times in their past because it's just too painful to remember?  All you have to do is spell the word z.i.p.p.e.r. and it sends me into convulsions.  Not really, but the process of two "good" zippers in one bag required me to consume three energy drinks within a matter of hours. 

One last thing that I learned which was NOT on my list of goals, was how to insert corded piping around a zipper.  I'll save that story for another day...... or not.

~Penny

i'm nicked, tuckered and zipped

Whew!  I finally finished the outside of this bag this morning.  It has been in the works in my head for a month or so (trying to figure out how to do the zipper mainly) and in the works in my sewing room for a week.  I know you all probably just whiz through zipper installations, but not me!  I drafted the pattern for this bag and then just went for it.  I still have to make the lining for this bag and have come to the conclusion I will make it and then just insert it inside and probably sew it in by hand?!??!  I know there has to be an easier way, I'm just not sure how to do the whole lining thing when the main closure is a zipper.  hum. Any ideas?

I thought I would use this as a purse this spring (still a possibility) but the more I look at it, maybe using it as an attache for church or casual meetings may be better.   

Some of you may remember at Thanksgiving I went to the yard store with my dad and he bought a huge piece of leather for me for all of about $25 or $30.  I used a piece of that leather to make the handles for this bag.  I am thinking of posting a tutorial for making leather handles for handbags soon, so let me know if this would be something any of you would be interested in!

~Penny

it's Japanese to me

I was just looking at my crochet books recently and thought I'd share this book with you all.  Here are a few of the designs I'd like to try along with the one on the cover:

Even though it's written in Japanese, the diagrams are very good.  I've only crocheted once from a diagram and found this link to be very helpful.  In case you're intersted, the book is isbn4-579-11068-4.  You can find it here at Modern Craft!

~Penny

bubblebread on the rise

*****here's an update on the bubble bread*****

*a very good recipe*

                                                                         

The last few weeks have been a little go, go, go.   I decided to take a some time to myself this morning and enjoy one of my first loves.  Baking.  I have to admit, this is a really easy recipe I found here, but it does fill my love tank nonetheless. 

Right now there is glitter sized snow falling outside with a little bit of fog "falling" with it.  I have never seen fog fall like this before, or maybe I have never just taken the time to notice it.  I guess I have seen it fall from a distance, once on a backpacking trip.  We were in Rocky Mountain Park and I woke up EARLY with aching kidneys (the sleeping pad I used was NOT good for me.  It was sort of a mummy-shaped thing and right at the kidney area, it pouched up and out, almost like it was supposed to cradle you as you slept.  There was no cradling going on with me and I will never use it again.  It was one of those "let's go ultralight on our next trip" purchases.  Never again.  If I could, I'd carry cast iron to cook in as we backpack.)  and just could not lay in our bivy

                         

(that's my sweetie still curled up in the bivy, can you see 'em?)

any longer.  I got up and sat outside on a log and watched as the fog literally did a very graceful touch and go dance in one spot about 1/4 mile away. 

Here is what I mean.

                      

These photos were all taken within 1-2 minutes of each other.

Hum, I had not planned on sharing all that with you, so now we return to our regularly scheduled program. 

I recently decided to crochet a blanket to use when I sit in my chair.  Here are the first 12X12 blocks I have finished.

                                                       

I'm thinking of 4 across and 5 or 6 down.  I'll know better when I have at least 20 of them completed.

Have a great weekend!

~Penny