Stella Bag Pattern Giveaway

It was just yesterday I posted about the Stella Bag I tested for Samantha from At home with Mrs H and mentioned to keep an eye out for a giveaway of the pattern. Well today I'm happy to let you all know that the giveaway starts. Just a reminder in case you missed yesterdays post.

The pattern includes instructions for a bag and a clutch. Both have an inside zipper pocket and slip pocket.
For the bag you can choose to make an adjustable strap or a single plain strap.

                                                                           Bag

 

Clutch

Ok, details of the giveaway are really simple. Just leave a comment for this post, not yesterdays, and on the 12th November I will choose a winner using Random Org. Plenty of time this time round.

If you can't wait till then to see if you are the lucky winner then you can visit Samantha's Etsy Store and purchase the pattern there.

Nearly forgot. If you are on no reply please leave your email with your comment so I'll be able to pass it on to Samantha. If you don't then I won't be able to get in touch with and you could miss out.

Thanks
Best of luck

~ Maria ~

Stella Bag

Ok I can't wait any longer to show you the Stella bag designed by Samantha that I tested out. I actually completed it about two and a half weeks ago but was waiting for the other testers to finish theirs and also for Samantha to get the pattern ready for sale. It's a lovely pattern and you not only get a bag but a clutch too. We didn't have to test both and being as I thought I may not have enough time to do the bag I decided to make the clutch first.

It looks black in the photos but actually it's navy blue.

 

I just made mine with two slip pockets on the inside but the pattern does have instructions for a zipper pocket also. This cute clutch bag came together so quickly that I had time to make the bag version also.
The size is perfect and I love the adjustable strap which means it can be worn on the shoulder or across the body. If you don't like adjustable straps then the pattern does have instructions for an ordinary strap.

 

One of the other testers did a beautiful peacock embroidery on hers. It was stunning. Others made theirs in beautiful bright colours.

Now the good news. As usual Samantha is very generously giving away a free pattern so I'll be doing a giveaway in the next couple of days or so. If you'd like a chance to win keep a look out for the giveaway post.

Thanks Samantha.

Diamond Table Runner

I came across a free pattern for a diamond baby quilt here and thought I'd have a go at making a table runner using the tutorial. The template for the diamond was easy to make and adding the sashing between each diamond too but when I got to the part where I had to match up the sashing on the diamond strips I became stuck. I followed her instructions but they just wouldn't line up so in the end I just eye balled them.

I made the Christmas tree about a couple of years ago and then just a few days ago happened to find a mini tutorial for one on Bethany's blog here.

 

I found this floral fabric for the back of the table runner and thought it would look so pretty. Now both sides can be used giving two completely different looks. I think I like the backing fabric more than the front.

This is the largest table runner I've made so far, measuring 48.5" L x 19.5 W but am now making another even larger one with 8 matching place mats so bit by bit I'm getting to the single bed size quilts. LOLL

As you can see from the photo above I've gone back and forth to finish off the stitching on the rows but I'm not that happy with it so if anyone can offer a better method I'd love to hear your suggestions.

~ Maria ~

Woooo Hooooo I've been Featured

Hi

I was so excited to receive an email from Pam at Threading My Way to tell me my Bella Bag designed by Christine Welsh here had been featured.
Pam has a brilliant site where you can link practically everything you sew. While you're there check out all the other links, just make sure you have a cup of tea or coffee and get comfy.

                                                                             
                                                        I'm Featured Here

~ Maria ~

Link Party

Hi

I stumbled across a Link Party like I've never seen before after I was checking out the blog of my newest follower and also new to blogging herself. Check out her blog here http://www.nissamade.com/ 

I can see lots of beautiful bags and tutorials coming in the future.

The link party is called Threading My Way and covers practically everything you sew, is divided into sewing projects and what makes it different from the others I've seen is that you can add as many projects as you like throughout the year so you don't have to remember which link party to link to on a certain day of the week.
Here's the link if you'd like to take a look.

http://threadingmyway.blogspot.de/p/threading-your-way.html

                                                                                 

~ Maria ~

Seeing Circles Before My Eyes

Hi

I was just taking a look over at Christine Welsh's blog and saw she had posted a great way of practicing how to sew around curves.
Here's the link, take a look.  http://blog.chriswdesigns.com/

I thought I'd give it a try myself. I'm not a patient person so I only did this once. If it had been on a piece of fabric I would have unpicked it in a few places. LOLL

I thought this was going to be a piece of cake but actually it's not as easy as it seems. It gets even trickier as you reach the center. Do you think I passed the test? If I was the examiner it would be a fail. LOLLL
Have fun.

~ Maria ~

Ladies Wallet/Purse

Hi

Some people call them wallets others purses. I call it a purse and this is one I managed to sew up in about three hours. Pretty quick for me.

 It has six card slots.

Also a pocket behind the zipper pouch and another pocket down at the bottom.

This purse was made using a free tutorial but unfortunately the blogger has set her blog to by invitation only now.

I linked this at http://piecefullife-elizabeth.blogspot.de/2012/10/show-off-friday1600-quilt.html#.UIGbLq7TBY0

~ Maria ~

Strippy Table Runner and Toppers

Hi

I came across this fabric which was perfect for my next project.

 

 This was an order for a customer who wanted two table toppers, one table runner and coasters in stripy fabric that were dark colours. I hope they like what I came up with. It's difficult when colour schemes are left to me to choose. From this fabric I cut out the darker sections and this is what I came up with.

The table toppers measure 50cm x 50cm and the table runner 100cm x 42cm. 

The coasters are were cut out at 5" x 5".

This is just half the set. If the customer likes it I'll make the other set and if not nothing lost as it looks nice in my sitting room. LOLLLL

~ Maria ~

Antique Fabrics

Hi

I've been making bags for nearly 5 years now and about 2 years ago my MIL gave me some fabrics she had stored away to make into bags. Sadly I made a bag and purse out of one of them but there was still loads left. I say sadly because I discovered that these were antique fabrics ranging from 50 to over 100 years old.
This first one belonged to her father, this is the one that is over 100 years old. I would have been mortified if I had cut it up to make a bag. This one measures about 2 meters x 2 meters and all of them are hand woven. This one has been woven in strips of 33 cm wide and then sewn together. This is also the finest of the three that I have, it's a little thicker than a quilting cotton.

This next one is the one that I used to make a bag and purse for my daughter. Luckily I still have loads of it left. This one is a thicker one than the first.

 All these years they have been kept in a box and never used so they are in perfect condition but this particular one I washed a piece and found that because natural colours had been used to dye it the colours ran and cork, if that's what it's called, came off alot leaving the threads a little bare. The piece below hasn't been washed.

And this is the last one. Just one piece. This one and the one above are about 50 years old and this is the thicker of the three.

It's such a shame to have these beautiful fabrics that someone has taken so much time and effort to weave by hand to be folded up and hidden away. So my dilemma is what do I do with them? I don't want to cut them up or use them in any way that would cause them to deteriorate. Anyone got any ideas otherwise they are doomed to be put away for good.

~ Maria ~

Thimble Keeper

Hi

This is the second month that I'm taking part in the Sewing Room Sew along at
 http://liz-moments.blogspot.de/p/sewingroom-sewalong.html

This month it's thimble keepers/cases. Here's mine. It's meant for a thimble.

But I use it mainly to keep my small notes of paper in a safe place where I can find them.

You could even make a set of them and use them as napkin holders.

This next one I made back in December 2011 so don't know if it will count but here goes anyway. Excuse the photos, it was before I bought my new camera.

 

~ Maria ~