Eclectic Elements Fabric Bags

Hi everyone!  Glad your here to see some of the things I made using Tim's new fabric, Eclectic Elements.
Today, it's all about bags.
This one is purse size.  I sewed pieces of the new fabric together like I was making a quilt top.  Once the pieces were together I folded the top and bottom under and sewed it to a heavy canvas base.  Do you remember when I made the sewing machine cover?   I made the purse exactly the same way...it's just right side up and smaller in size.  Next, I added the vintage buttons and the lace and trim I purchased at the flea market in France. 
The difference between the purse and the sewing machine cover is that I created a lining piece (exact same way as the bag) and slipped it inside the purse.  Of course the raw edges from the purse and lining needed to be covered so I made my own bias tape to encase them at the top.  Again, just like the sewing machine cover where I used a store-bought red bias tape to finish the bottom edge. 

The second bag is tote bag size.  Same basic principle, but this one has added panels on each side and a store-bought webbing for the handle.  A bag this size can carry a lot of stuff, so I thought the webbing handles would be more practical.

 

I worked on the pocket as a separate piece, doing all the stitching around the wool flowers that I cut out using the Tattered Floral die.  The steel rule die cuts the flower perfectly, even from wool!

  I finished stitching the flowers, then added the beads before I sewed the pocket to the bag front. 

Hope you are inspired this week by all the projects!  I love sewing so this has been really fun working with all the fabrics.  

For more inspiration visit Sande Krieger's blog tomorrow.  She made some really cute things I think you are going to love...I hope one of them doesn't fly away before you get there (hint, hint).

Tuesday, May 14th - Tammy Tutterow  

Wednesday, May 15th - Richele Christensen

Thursday, May 16th - Chelle Fowler

Friday, May 17th - me!

Saturday, May 18th - Sande Krieger 
Sunday, May 19th - Kerry Lynn Yeary

By the time you read this post I will be in Portland at Quilt Market with Tim and Mario...looking forward to a great weekend!

Cheers!

paula

oh, and ps...there are more projects coming next week...and a tutorial or two, just saying.

The one about the really big box...

I am sure many of you read Tim's announcement Friday about his new venture.  If you have followed his career, you know he is not one to rest on his laurels, so I wasn't surprised when he told me his venture would be taking him into uncharted territory.

Speed ahead to April when a giant box showed up on my doorstep (please excuse the garden hose in the background).  The poor FedEx boy looked at me in despair when I said I wanted the box hoisted up the two brick steps to the porch.  To be honest, it took the two of us, him pushing and me pulling to get the big box even close the front door.  

Since the box was so heavy, I had no choice but to get a box cutter and open it right there on the porch to reveal the what we had been anxiously waiting for.

Fabric.  Twenty Four rolls of beautiful fabric.

So one by one, I hauled each roll of fabric into the house and laid it on the kitchen table.  Wow, that's a lot of fabric!
You might wonder why I got the big box and not Tim.  That answer is easy.  Part of my job is to work with artists that will take the product and create fabulous things.  That means the next step was unwrapping each bolt, cutting pieces of fabric, packing it up and shipping it out.  All in all, nine packages went out to some very creative people.  The exciting part is that very soon, we will be able to finally share what we have been working on all month long.

 

Here are a few snippets of the pieces I worked on -

Three of the artists will be sharing their fabric adventures this week so be sure to visit their blogs on the days listed below.

Tuesday, May 14th - Tammy Tutterow
Wednesday, May 15th - Richele Christensen
Thursday, May 16th - Chelle Fowler
Friday, May 17th - me! (I'll be back to share the first of my projects)

UPDATE: many of you are wondering when the fabric will be available...it will be released this week at the Quilt Market show in Portland (to the trade only) and should start shipping to stores in July.

If you would like to see fabric samples up close you can visit the Coats website.
Time to start thinking, FABRIC!
cheers for a great week!
paula

Tokens of Love

I'm here!
yes, it's me!
Busy, busy, busy around here.  I had a big deadline this week and today I finally got to the point that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Love that feeling!
In fact, I was feeling so good about it that I had enough time to create a quick little project for Mother's Day.
For some of us Mother's Day can be quite challenging as my Mother passed away many years ago.  I don't need a card or a gift, but I can make something as a little remembrance.  Join me and I'll walk you though the steps.

I am going to use a 4 x 6" burlap panel for the base.  I wanted something I could nail into and the panels have a hard base that I can do just that.  The package comes with two panels (you will need just one for this project).

I cut a piece of paper from the French Industrial paper stash (6 x 6) and a matching piece of chipboard.  I always love something with French writing.  Adhere the two piece together with Collage Glue stick

 Set the paper aside while you paint 4 tack nails with Distress Paint.

I like tack nails because the have a flat head on them to add the paint to.  I didn't know what color I wanted so I painted 4 of each of the metallic colors so I would have a choice.
tip: I used a piece of cork to push the tacks into for painting.  They stand up and I don't get paint all over my fingers.

I decide to go with silver for this project.
Use a small hammer to nail a tack into each corner of the chipboard and right into the hard base.

Then take wire and wrap around the outside edge.  When you get to the nail make a tight loop around the nail and then keep going on around.  This will keep the wire in place.

Next, cut a piece of wool fabric (felt would do also) so that it fits inside the wire.  I stitched around mine with my sewing machine then trimmed the edge just a bit.  DO NOT glue down yet...this is just for sizing.

Next, iron Heat n Bond onto a piece of cream wool.  Heat n Bond is an iron-on adhesive.  Iron it on the back of the fabric with a dry iron.  Once cool, just peel off the paper backing to reveal the adhesive.

 I used the smallest of the Sizzix Sized Circles dies to cut out 3 circles from the creme wool.

 I peeled the paper back off and ironed the circles onto the blue wool strip.

I added a piece of tea dyed cheesecoth to the back, then hand stitched around each of the 3 circles to keep the three layers in place.

Next, I added some little tokens to each circle.  A wishbone at the top, a light pink heart in the center, and a vintage pin purchased at a Flea Market in France last month, at the bottom.  The top two tokens were stitched on with a smoky blue DMC embroidery floss 927 and the pin with creme thread.

 I cut a piece of Wonder Tape to fit the back of the wool piece.

 Then added it to the burlap panel.

Just a couple last touches to finish.

A Chitchat word for each token (inked with Frayed Burlap).  My those chitchat words come in handy.

At the top of the panel...use another tack nail and hammer it into the center.  Can you see it?

I dyed some Crinkle Ribbon with Tattered Rose and a hint of Vintage Photo Distress Stain.  Once fully dry, I cut a small piece and laid it next to the tack nail.

Then created a bow with at least 3 loops on each side and laid that on top of the short piece.   Now just tie a knot in the center to hold it on.

Make sure the short piece is wrapped around the tack nail to keep the bow in place (this picture was taken with the panel flipped over).

 Just like this.

I am so in love with this idea.
I can see it created over and over in different colors and sentiments and for many occasions.

wish - wish she was here

love - will love her always

blessed - that she was my mom

the perfect reminder

And there you go...super easy right?  Easy enough to make one just like it!

cheers for a good week,
paula

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