Topic: So Do You Sew?.....8

[landofoz]

That looks great, Triss!  I really wish I had one of those when Lindsay was little.  Sure would have made grocery shopping with the girls easier.  And those sailboats are adorable!!

I've recently been working on making a messenger bag for girl scouts.  I started it yesterday and here is the finished product.  The first two are of the front, the front has 2 large flat pockets, one is sewn into strips for pens.  The next two pics are of the back with a hidden zip (for permission slips and girl info).  The inside has 2 box pleated pockets, a elastic holder thing for bottled water or bug spray/sunscreen, and a large open folder/pocket for fund raiser info or letters home for parents.  There also are 2 clippee things that hang into the bag for the Kleenex holder thing and for the butterfly bag, which is where badges will be kept and small craft items. The shoulder strap is adjustable, too.  The flap closes with a magnetic clasp which I put in the wrong place but it works where it is at, so I'm not moving it.  The fabric is extremely strong for my tastes but it is a brownie troop and this is the best fabric with a main color of brown that I have been able to find. 

       

[Triss]

That looks great Sarah!  I need to figure out how to do a summer purse like that so that I can have spaces for all of the things I think I need to lug around all over the place.

[Tina]

That does look really good, Sarah. If it doesn't fit in my pocket, I don't lug it around. I got tired of being a pack mule years ago. Hardly anything in my purse was mine. The old man's glasses, little girl barrettes and  boys matchbox cars and other mundane items start weighing you down.  I got smart. 

[landofoz]

Triss, check out this website, lots of tutorials here on how to make a ton of different purses/bags/wallets.  I'm sure you could find one you need. 

Tina, as a rule I do not carry a purse.  In my life time I have only had 2 purses and one just just butchered so I could have it's clips for this messenger bag.  I took my purse on vacation last year and wound up carrying my husband's toothbrush (because he thought it might get dirty in the luggage), his allergy stuff, regular meds, his hairbrush and comb, plus his tissues and then he had me taking stuff for the kids.  Completely ridiculous stuff like a million hair bands, another brush, etc etc etc.  I really don't like purses and do my very, very best not to have to carry one.  I don't blame you for not carrying one either!

[Triss]

There are some awesome things in there.  WOW!  I could get lost for a while at that site.  I love the messenger bags.  Might try my hand at one of those to replace Lys' backpack this year.

[landofoz]

I know, Triss! I got into that site around March and not only do I check out the bags every day but I also make several of them.  I recently started looking at the clothing and have since made the girls several pairs of shorts.  Then I saw the stenciling stuff and we've stenciled some shirts, they came out sooo cute! 

The jordy bag is an awesome bag -- it's super easy and works well for purses, grocery bags, and totes!  It's my favorite pattern. 

[Tina]

And Joannes sells actual GS fabric. I made Jonni's uniforms because she was such an odd size and too small for the store bought ones.

[landofoz]

Do they still sell GS fabric?  I wanting some GS fabric for the bag but everyone kept saying that they no longer make it.  If only there were a JoAnne's in town!

[Tina]

Try looking at joanne's online. I think they were the only company to carry it.

[Triss]

I have started to work on Christmas presents during the day between classwork and stuff.  Still reserving the night times for my crochet but I did manage to finish up my first jean lap blanket.  I think this one may be for my SIL Becky.

[Bonnie]

That is very nice, Triss. Looks real cozy too.

[Triss]

They are really warm.  I need to cut up more jeans though before I can make the next one.  It will be for my brother and Cleo and I want it to be bigger.  I ran out of the right size squares that were already cut.

[Jim]

Previously in one of these sewing topics I posted some pics of my mom's quilts.  While we were there a couple of weeks ago she brought out her latest project.  She was real proud of it and it was definitely beautiful.  She was even showing off the back side!

Front	Back

Then she brought out the old quilt.  I think this is the oldest and most unique quilt she has.  I'm not sure exactly how she came to have this but it was in the Hall family which ties into the Bradleys.  My mother's maiden name was Bradley.  Anyway this quilt has names or initials sewn into the blocks and it looks like it was just thrown together with whatever shape scraps they had.  Some of the blocks have some really fancy stitching.  There is a date of which I got a pretty good picture of.  This is a treasure! 

[Bonnie]

I sure wish your mom lived closer to me and Dianne. That is a treasure, JimBaby.

[barleychown]

Oh, wow! The old one is awesome. So is the fan one, though...

Does your mom have a stash of scraps she pulls fabric from for the quilts like the fan one? There are sooo many different pattens in it.

[Tina]

Those are both awesome. The heirloom is priceless though.

[Jim]

Does your mom have a stash of scraps she pulls fabric from for the quilts like the fan one? There are sooo many different pattens in it.

Oh yeah, she has scraps of material all over.  Both her mother and my Dad's mother used to quilt quite alot.  There used to be lots of shirt factories back in the day and they would go there to get the scraps.

I sure wish your mom lived closer to me and Dianne. That is a treasure, JimBaby.

Yeah she said if she was going to teach Dianna how to sew she was going to have to stay a little longer! 

[Tina]

Does your mother quilt on a rack and by hand, Jim? Or machine most of it?

[Jim]

She has a rack, and I can remember her having lots of ladies over when I was a little one.  Now she mostly pieces the tops together and then takes them to a quilter where they do it all by machine.  She says it takes about 30 minutes to do a queen size quilt. 

I'm not sure if she uses a machine on the patterns or not.  I know my granny did it all by hand but I bet Mom is using a machine now.  I'll ask her next time I talk with her.

[duh]

My mothers maiden name was Bradley too.  That's interesting isn't it.  My mom had some old quilts but they finally fell to pieces about the time the grandchildren got them. 

[Jim]

My mothers maiden name was Bradley too.  That's interesting isn't it.

Sure is.  We need to start us another topic on Genealogy and see if we can cross lines.  I have done some hobby level genealogy.

[Triss]

How beautiful.  What amazing work!

[Tonya]

Absolutely gorgeous!! My mom has all of my mamaw's old quilts. I had a blanket that she had made for me and some old roommates took it. 

You do have a treasure there, Jim!!

[Jim]

I'm not sure who will get the old quilt when Mom decides to pass it on but you can bet I will be asking for it.  All my other siblings live in Tennessee though so who knows.

I have lots of quilts that are handmade.  My Mom gave those for graduation, wedding, and births for many years.  They are not only functional but heirlooms as well.

[landofoz]

My latest project is a duffel bag for Rachael to use on our girl scout camping trip.  We went to walmart and they wanted 10-15 bucks for these UGLY duffel bags that looked so flimsy.  The black butterfly material Rachael found at a fabric store and kept going back to look at, a couple months ago.  They only had fat quarters of it, so I bought one for her.  The black material is ducking/canvas type, very sturdy and it actually matches better than it seems in the pictures.  Everything is backed with fusible, very heavyweight interfacing.  The only item I purchased was the pink inside lining (I already had everything else), which I kinda thinks it looks like we killed the cat and can unzip him now .