Look, I do have something to show you!

I did quite a bit of stitching while I was away on holiday, and I found a couple of bag fronts that I completed that I had forgotten about.

 

 

 

I have used the same handpainted silk in both of these, but played off the different colours. One is more the purples, and the other is the blues and teals.

I also have a couple of custom orders. Here is the first one, half done. Just need to add the stem and leaves, and assemble

Well, I said I have something to show you, but I have very little to say....bye for now

Doily Bag mark II

and I think this is my 6ooth post, and I had promised something big hadn't I?? Oh dear, I'd better think quick..
Anyway, I have put together my second bag. This is definitely more the vision, but I played a little with the handles, and that isn't 100% right now. It not bad, just not great.

 

  

 

 

I decided to go back to the 'knot bag' style of handle, but do it front to back, rather than side to side. It works ok, but I like the handles on the other bag, and the shape the bag had.

Sorry about the picture quality, something hinky has happened with the blogger dashboard, and I seem to have lost some functions.

I will do the giveaway in the next post

quick pic

here is progress pic on another bag I have been working on.

Lovely colours in this one.

I am working on Kerry's tree skirt today.

Need a new microwave!

Giveaway draw coming soon.

Couple more keyring card holders done

here

and here

Last day of school holidays today!!

Holiday stitchin

I am not gettig a whole heck of a lot done here. Its school holidays, and for those of you who forget, it's the WINTER holiday here. Wet, cold etc etc. Stuck with children a lot, in other words.

I have been doing a bit of stitching though. Here is a pic of your block Kerry. Progress is slow, but it is going
I often get asked how I get so much done, well, in the pic below, is a small revelation, a wee glimpse of  why....

can you spot my chinese laundry of a drying rack (which has become , by default, the place to dump all crap 'we' can't be bothered putting away...). What you can't see is the  2 seater sofa that is currently housing 4 loads of dry washing. I haven't had time to put it away, what with stitching, blogging, tweeting, etsying, facebooking, baking....you see, my deep dark, shameful secret, I avoid housework like the plague. I do what I have to  to not be thoroughly horrified should someone come visiting unexpectedly.

I have also been working on another bag, which may, or may not, have a home, depending on the next bag I do...so if you fancy it, you can put in for second dibs. It still has a little more beading etc to finish it off.
I am liking these bags a lot. I think they a filling a gap, between completely plain bags (no embellishment) to  bags such as Pat Winter's, and Pam Kellogg's beautiful creations. While I LOVE their work -no doubt about it-  I think mine are falling somewhere in the middle, and while that was not by design, or conscious forethought, I am liking that idea, and it will be a conscious decision from now on. I could never compete with the style of those two ladies, and nor would I want to.

Back to stitching, with a dinner thrown in there too ( I do manage to feed my family, and Rob does the dishes)

Another one bites the dust...

Another bag completed.
Sea Dreams 

  and I have finished the custom orders, These bags are just lovely. I am so pleased with how they have turned out. I will be embarking on some more black in the near future

I now officially have only Kerry's RR to do. I did start last night with adding some tatting (of course!) I have just realised that I missed the giveaway AGAIN, so I will post that next.

Busy Day, mucho acheivedo

After beavering away last night and today I have two more bags completed and listed over on ETSY.
My Shabby Chic Green - a more casual affair

 

and this sexy little moulin rouge-esque black on red - definitely 'red'y for a night out

( bad joke, I know)

I am getting the hang of all the little tricks for putting these bags together and it is getting easier and easier each time. They are fully reversible (so no exposed seams inside) and that poses the occasionaly problem.

I have the hand finishing to do on the custom orders, and then another to assemble. Hopefully those will ready to post tomorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I thought I would post here an answer to a question on one of my groups. You might find it useful!! Here is the pic the post relates to

I just have a tip to share for colours etc. I try to use colour of a similar
shade or value in the adjoining patch. So, for the dark velvet patch, I would
use an equally dark thread/ribbon, ( or sequins/ beads for embellishment) in the
patches adjoining (above) it. That helps the lines not look so severe, as the
seams can 'flow' into each other.
I did have a hard time picturing (Leslies great isn't she!), but I thought your
lace was lovely, and is leaving some room for some lovely embellishment. I am
thinking you will do your herringbone at the botton (flat side) of the lace, up
into the lighter patches. On the lace there are three teardrop shapes above each
point, they would look great with your organza ribbon in a simple ribbon stitch
in each one. The holes in the middle of the scrolls could have a pink bead in
each to match the rose. The points could have a fan in a lighter purple, pulling
those other patch colours down into the darker patch.
All just "COULDS" to give you (and others reading) ideas, absolutely no "have
too's"

truckin' along

Here is the pic of one of the bags I got assembled. It looks very nice. The handles still need that final stitching done.

and here is the blue(ish) stripy bag

 

  

This was fun to do. Like a postcard, with the seam treatments, but I got to add lots of beads and sequins .

I got myself a small OTTlite and i am using that in the evenings. I am still having trouble distingushing colours, but i do think it is better. I could tell the blue from the green in this bag, so that is a great start.

Apart from assembling the bags, I am going to start working on Kerrys Xmas RR block next.

Wed 17th June

Gosh, I am all out of titles, but not out of pics.
Here is the red bag from the previous post. I actually really like how it turned out. I was dubious to start, as my night pieceing under artificial light was a bit dodge (the pink was supposed to be red!). If I did it again I would use cream beads to tie in with the tatting and move that lightness around the block. I have about 4 bags assemble now, so a marathon piecing effort will be required soon.

And on a positive not, my vistaprint cards arrived, from the Netherlands! They are very nice quality. On reflection I should of used "www" rather than "http://". I didn't add phone as most of these go in RR bags, or with purchased item, and I figure I can always write on the back if need be. I probably should of used a less detailed picture, but overall, they will do the job.

more work in progress

I have been busy stitching away. The embellishment on the second custom order is finished. Now I have to actually 'finish' them, as in assemble into a bag....
This is a sexy little number with its maroon

 

  

here are some other things i have been working on to

thats all for today.
Still waiting for a reply from vista print on the shipping cost and bogus offers, still waiting for the cards for that matter....

Custom Bag Progress

I have been lucky enough to have a  couple of bags requested. Although there was a plan, they have  taken their own direction, and I can only hope they are liked.

 

I really like the colours in this one. It is very elegant. The brief was originally black on black. I freaked at that. I didn't see how that particular tone on tone would work, but it does!! and quite nicely. But I do think a complimentary colour is needed to bring some life.

I am unsure about the 'silvery' looking beaded daisies, but this is a bag front, and it won't look as it does now once the bag is assembled. The beads and sequins catch the light beautifully.

Bags finished

I have finished the green bag, and also lined the brown one while I was there - just the inside of the handles to hand sew. The green one is about the size of a bucket, so enough room for ALL my crap!!

 

 

You can see the bag hanging here. I like to wear my bags over my head, across my body (gives you two free hands), so the strap is long. Behind it is the first CQ bag I made. I sewed a apnel onto a premade calico bag. Still use that everyday for Playcentre.

I forgot to tell you that the quilt show is on this weekend!! Can't wait to see my quilt hanging with all the rest. SO EXCITING!!

Just a couple more days to be in the November draw. Don't forget you get a squishy to celebrate my 3rd bloggaversary as well as the postcard.

Photo Fest

just a whole lotta pics today of the bag I am working on. Pieced from Hand-dyed cottons and tatting. All stitching, bar a tiny bit of black, is done in the Sassa Lynne perle cottons. All silk ribbon is hand dyed by myself or Pat Winter.


Just have the handles to finish. The 'pointy up' one will be long (shoulder length) , and the 'hooky over' one will stay as it is. It has turned out just as I hoped. It is lovely and big. I struggled a little with the lining as the embellishment had shrunk the sized from the original template, but alls well that ends well. Off to do some some other finishing now on ornies.

Another Knot bag

Thought I'd better post something just let you know I'm stitching...it probably hasn't been that long, but I feel that I don't post frequently enough. Thank goodness for readers/blogrolls. Hopefully not too many swing by now to find nothing new.

Anywho, the front to another knot bag complete. I have pieced the base and backing together, but don't have anything suitable (cheap enough) to use as a lining at the mo. A shopping trip is in order. Yay!!

Apart from this I have a couple of RR blocks I am working on, and some swaps. I also have the black CQ mojo back. I so wish I could do things in advance, but I work better when the deadline was yesterday..... I have enough blocks for a quilt ( I would of like more, but that's my own fault ) . I have just a few finishing touches to do to a couple, and while the mojo is present I may do a couple more and swap them out for some that are less appealing to me. I need some time at my mums (for her) to sew them together, then I need to embellish where the corners converge. If you have any ideas on this I would love to hear them. I know it will be easier when I can show a pic, but just thought if you had seen something that was really cool, you could pass it on. Ideas that can be stitched please. I think it will probably end up being feather stitch or something boring. Time will tell.

Well, thats me. Olympics closing ceremony tonight..
ka kite ano

Bag

I lined and sewed up the brown bag today. The ribbon trim was a little tricky, but lots learned for next time, where and when to put it in/on etc.

Hearts and Bags

Here is heart #54. For CoHs members, the hearts are in my album now for swapping if you have seen something that you like.
These next two pics are bag fronts. I know what you are thinking..I missed that really big bit at the top! I have some really great loopy, wide, ribbon trim that I am hoping will look great on the front of the bags. Watch this space for a finished product, but not soon, I have other things that have to be done first. YES, art meme people, I talking about you...and the RR block that I need to get done before the next RR blocks turn up. So those are my goals for the week.

Took the kids up to the local pools this morning for an hour or so. Seeing as they have been swimming every day, I want to try and keep that going. I am planning on taking them for an hour after school 2 or 3 days a week, and I am going to try to get to aquasize inbetween meetings and workshops. *sigh* and so it all begins........

The best news!

On the day I left home last week, I got a call from mum who had been window shopping. She had gone into a clothing store where she noticed that the owner had some of handmade things on a dresser down the back of the shop. She mentioned to her about my bags and card holders and the lady said "bring them in". After a couple of tries with missing her, we finally got together and.....she bought everything I had with me, for the price I was asking!!! She said she would sell the bags for about $70, which is what I would like to charge, but that is too much for markets. I am really pleased that someone will get that much for my bags, even if it is not me. The card holders she will sell for $25, which I think is too much, but she paid me $12, when I was only looking at charging $8 -$10 a piece. So, I am totally, ecstatically happy, as is my bank account. She gave some really good feedback, and suggestions for different products ,and next seasons colours. Although she liked, and bought the purses with the single SRE motif on, she wants more feminine, lacy, floaty, pretty bags. She especially like the last pouch I did with the print of the girl on. So now I have a whole lot of new stuff to work on.
The downside is that, I finished all the cardholders I was working on, but didn't take pics to post...I didn't really think she would buy them!
So if any of you are swinging past AnnahS in Orewa (NZ), pop in and take a look. I hope they sell, and I hope she will want more.

SOLD!!

I have sold 4 bags this week. A Playcentre friend (which means we have been to alot of meetings together) came today and bought 3, with a promise to order more when required, so yay! Pics are of the four sold. I have order for the origami pouches...and art meme people, you ARE NOT forgotten.

I will try to get a pic up of my stockings by the end of the week. I have 1 1/2 left to embellish, then line, turn and wrap.