What I made, Part 2

This is the "Buttercup bag." I made this for my sister to give to her mother-in-law, and I think she really liked it.

(this is an organic button, by the way. I bought it because I thought it was cute, not for it's organic-ness. Seriously though... organic buttons??? What in the world is an organic button???)

The only thing I wish was different about this bag is that it came out a bit smaller than I would have liked. Perhaps I can enlarge the pattern or something? I really likd this pattern though- it was really easy to follow and the bag came out looking great! You can get a free version of this pattern here!

New shop, New look, New bag!

Since I'm all etsy-fied now, I figured it was time to update my blog look. Do you like it? I think it's a little easier to read. Check out LeeLou blogs! There are plenty of free ones. But don't steal mine.

Just kidding!

Did you visit my shop yet? I will be listing this bag soon, which will give a total of FOUR listings! WAhoo!

I used Amy Butler upholstery fabric so it gave it more form. I also lined it with wool felt inside so it's soft and comfy. It needs a name, so I think I will call it the "Delilah Bag." Because that's how much I love my cat. Sorry Samson, your name isn't feminine enough.

Here is the first one I made:

I messed up while putting the magnetic snap closure in (I was a magnetic snap virgin), so I just decided to keep it for myself. I needed a new fall bag anyway!

Another wristlet

I made this wristlet for my sister-in-law Chrissy's birthday last week.

I really like this wristlet. It's the perfect size for my phone, camera, small wallet, and a lip gloss.

However, you can tell in the picture above that I really need to work on my pattern. It's very lopsided. That's just good ol' me again, rushing through the pattern making. I told Chrissy that it has several flaws, but she didn't seem to mind!

Wristlet

I went to the library the other week and picked up a few sewing books. (Yes, you may call me a dork.) Most of the sewing books at the library are pretty outdated, but I guess sewing techniques never go out of style. One of the books I picked up was called "Bag Bazaar." There were a couple of cute patterns in this book. Here is one of them that I made last week:

One of the things I need to work on is being more careful when I make patterns. I am always just so anxious to get the actual sewing part started that I rush through cutting out the pattern, and I don't double check my measurements, etc. Tisk tisk on me.

The irony is that if you rush through the pattern making/measurements, you'll spend a LOT more time trying to fix it all later than you will on the front end. That's what happened with this bag. You'd think I would have learned that lesson by now. Humph.

Next time I will do better. I promise.

Oh, and I forgot to mention in my last post one other thing that makes me happy. Scroll up. All the way to the top. See my followers? 8! Eight! Wahoo! And I think only one of them is related to me :) That makes me happy, and so do your comments, so keep 'em coming dear bloggy friends.

Cat video and Post of Randomness

Happy Monday video! I saw this a while ago, so maybe some of you have already seen it. I just can't get enough of cat videos. Watch this one first!


Now watch this one:


As I was watching this, Delilah was purring and talking back too!

Ok, now that you know how crazy of a cat lady I really am, here is my post of randomness:

1. Wow, it's 9:24 AM and I have already planned my grocery list and meals for the week. Are you jealous of my amazing productiveness? Well, don't be too jealous because I don't have a job!!! ;)

(ok, I do have a job but I don't work full-time)

2. I made this bag for Sister Rachael last week. It came out really cute!

3. I had a good dose of children this weekend, and I think it will hold me over for a little while. On Friday, I babysat for my friend Becca. She has a 3 year old and a 1 year old. Julia (3) asked me, while giving them a wagon ride, "Abby, what are those green things on your legs?" To which I replied, "Oh, those are veins!" I guess my veins were sticking out. haha- Leave it to a 3 year old to point it out! Then, I wasn't sure if I could make it up a hill while pulling both of them in the wagon, to which Julia replied, "Abby, you just have to try your best and you can make it!" So cute. (I made it up the hill, in case you were wondering.)

Then, on Sunday Josh and I were the teachers for the children's ministry at church. I was with the babies, and Josh was with the older kids. The babies were very fussy. I don't seem to have that "motherly touch" to get them to stop crying.

4. On Saturday I went to brunch for my grandmother's (Mimi) birthday. I made her this purse and she loved it. It was my first time doing pleats. I think they came out pretty good.... but once again, my measurements were off. WHYYYYYYY???????? The pleat in the back ended up not being centered, hence, the reason it went to the back.




5. Then, Josh and I went to the wedding of one of his old high school buddies. The reception was at a beautiful farm with a pond and a creek on either side of the tent.



6. I am a techie. I think I just saved my computer from a virus. There was this pop-up that kept invading, wanting me to run this program, so I ran some virus tests, found the problem, and ZAPPED it. Yep. I feel like I am a techie (which is just ABSURD, because I clearly am NOT). But this morning, it seems as though the virus is gone!

7. I have lots of sewing projects planned for this week, including another shirt and some pillow cases for Sister Bekah. (I think that's how I will refer to my sisters now: Sister 'blank'. I like it because it makes them sound like nuns. I like that.)

Have a good day!!! Go hug your cat!!! (if you have one, if not, hug something else)

I made this new bag this weekend. I present, the Lotus Bag:Let me tell you, it was QUITE a challenge for this novice sewer (what's the difference between a seamstress and a sewer? I like the word seamstress better but I feel like maybe it is only for people who make clothes?)

Anyway, I used this pattern/instructions from CraftApple. I am quite proud of myself, though. It wasn't really a tutorial, it was just measurements and very broad instructions, but I managed quite well, thankyouverymuch. I was supposed to put a little arch in the bottom seam to make the bottom a bit rounder, but I forgot to leave extra fabric so I just did it straight. I think that would have given it a better shape. I like it, but it's just a little long and awkward. I also didn't feel like buying leather straps, so I just made fabric ones.

For some reason, whenever I try to measure things out, it ALWAYS comes out wrong. I was never very good at math, and planning, thinking ahead, you know, all that stuff that is essential to sewing. I am getting better, but I usually just get frustrated that my measurements don't match up the way they are supposed to and I end up just doing it based on what looks "right." You can tell that my measurements are a little off because the diagonal lines aren't quite at the same angle.

(Yes, I was wearing my pajamas when I took this picture! And yes, those are my "booty sweats" Don't judge me. Who doesn't have at least ONE pair of tiny shorts and/or sweatpants with the words HOTT, or BABE, or SEXY LIL 'THANG, or HILTON HEAD written across the tush??)

Anyway, so that's the Lotus Bag. I think I will make more of them, and at least I have had practice now with using more than one pattern on the front and back of a bag.

I also made this, because I didn't have one!
The back.

I got the instructions from Whip-Up.

And can I just say, I am the WORST person at closing seams by hand, doing a slip stitch, I think it's called. Like, seriously, my cat Delilah could probably do it better than me. It's AWFUL, and I HATE doing it. I don't know what it is. I just can't get it to lay right. On this pincushion you can't really tell because the stuffing helped fill it out, but GOSH, I am awful at it. I learned from a YouTube video, maybe that's why? Any suggestions or helpful websites would be appreciated. I am glad that usually when I have to do it (and I avoid it to no end) it is on the inside of the lining of a bag, so it's not very visible. But if I ever have to do it in a visible spot, it won't be pretty, folks.