Sewing day

Last year Rickard and I gave each other alone time for Christmas. One Saturday every other month we're free to do what ever we want for a day without having to mind the kids.

Today was my day and I took the opportunity to get a hair cut and then go back home and sew.

I had cut out some pattern pieces this week so I could just sit down and sew.



I made this bag from some left-over, gorgeous Lantern Bloom fabric I bought for a quilt. I used the Phoebe bag pattern by Artsy-Crafty Babe.

I've not had a lot of experience making bags. I made a Multi-tasker tote by Anna-Maria Horner but that was about it.
But the Phoebe bag was very easy to put together. The directions were easy to follow and I made the bag from start to finish (not counting cutting time) in about 2,5 hours.

I didn't have a magnetic snap so I used a closure I bought for a cardigan I'm knitting for Sofia. I'll have to get another on Monday cause her cardi needs two.

I made some other stuff too but I'll have to wait posting about that cause it's a secret.

I have more Lantern Bloom remnants and I plan on making another Multi-tasker tote but I haven't cut out the pieces yet. I started cutting the exterior when I cut for the Phoebe bag but I never finished the job, and now it's really too late to be cutting fabric. I'll only mess it up.



This is Isabel's doll quilt, finished. I have one more for Sofia to quilt but I haven't gotten to that yet. I think I'm gonna tie that one instead.



Here's a close-up I took of Isabel's quilt while trying out the manual focus function on our camera.
I just discovered it - we've had the camera for 4 years. Yes I've run it on Automatic basically since. I'm challenged when it comes to photography.

The evening ended with delicious bulgur and kefta for a late dinner while watching Brüno. Yeah, not the best combo. That movie was disgusting at times. Mostly in regards to other people's behaviour - not necessarily Brüno's.

My Creative Space 2009 Aug 20th

I'm joining Kirsty's My Creative Space again this Thursday.



This week I'm trying to get into the spirit of quilting. I bought those gorgeous prints and I'm planning on making a quilt for our sofa.

Tonight I cut the first strips to make up the side panels.

I think the top will come together fairly quickly - I'm most worried about quilting the d--ned thing.

But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. For now I have to find the time to piece the top.

2 more Fridas

This weekend was spent in the garden mostly.

We built a fence last year that needed oil this year and since we were rained out on Saturday we spent a glorious Sunday outside oiling the fence.
Or rather the husband and my FIL - and the girls.

Saturday night after the in-laws had left after putting some sausages on the grill I started another Frida for Sofia and got it almost finished that night.

On Sunday morning when the guys were outside painting I sneaked off to the studio and finished Sofia's Frida and then started one for Isabel.



Rickard too the girls to his parents in the evening but I opted on staying home due to laundry malfunctioning. As in we hadn't gotten around to do any of it.

Sofia wore her Frida to dinner on Sunday and Isabel's was finished later in the evening.
They wore them to preschool on Monday and they looked adorable (as always ;-) )

My creative space 2009 Aug 13th

Today I got in the zone after picking the girls up at preschool/daycare. I finished a tote bag I started yesterday.

And to top it all off I made two quilt tops for the girls' dolly push chairs. Both tops are done and basted. I can't decide if I should quilt them or tie them.
I'm also short on binding fabric ... I'd prefer not to have to buy more.

The tops are made from a charm pack of "Look and learn" by American Jane. I didn't follow a pattern, just winged it and I think it turned out quite well. This one is for my big girl and I made another in blue and green for her little sister.

Still work in progress though ..

Check out other creative spaces at Kootoyoo's

Multi-tasker tote by Anna Maria Horner

I'm sort of always on the look out for the great bag.

I have one that I love and that really fits all my needs at the moment but who doesn't need another bag?

So when I saw Anna Maria Horner's Multi-tasker tote I decided to try it out.



I had the exterior fabric in my stash and I had been looking for the right thing to use it for. I had contemplated making a few funky wetbags for a friend but when I got the pattern for the MTT I knew it was the right thing to use.

I didn't feel the need to match the exterior panels since the pattern is fairly busy and I also wanted to showcase as many of the tattooed girls as possible.



The tote feels like a good size and the straps are a good length even for me. Usually tote bags don't go over my shoulder and I end up having to carry them making them drag in the dirt since the straps are too long for that.

I like the construction of the bag too. Just when you feel that you'll never get this bag together the right way everything just falls into place.

If I make another one (and I can definitely see more of these in my future) I will add a few more pockets to the interior, but for now this will be just right.



I'm trying this one out tomorrow!

My creative space - a day late

I decided to get some knitting done tonight and sit outside in the sunset instead of being inside sewing (although that's fun too).

I'm knitting the Sylvi (Ravelry link) and I've gotten 16 rows done on the back piece.

I've done cables before but never on this scale, but I'm amazed at how easy it is. Sure it takes a lot of concentration (not exactly TV-knitting) and it's rather complicated but once I figured out how to read the chart it made a lot of sense and it became easy.

Spruce it up with lanterns and bird cages

Ever since we moved in 2 years ago I've wanted to brighten up our living room.

When we moved in we had a white/off-white sofa from IKEA that looked sad. So this January we ordered a new, shiny black leather sofa with a foot stool and I had big plans to add some more colour.

I had stretched a piece of fabric over a wooden frame and hung it on the wall but the place needed something more.

Then I took up quilting and after both girls had gotten their quilts I set out on a quest to find fabric and a pattern that I could live with.

That was this winter.

I finally found what I was looking for.

The gorgeous fabric line, Lantern Bloom by Laura Gunn for Michael Miller Fabrics.

It's got gorgeous colours and sophisticated patterns that will add just the right palette to our living room.
So I ordered fabric to make the quilt and some extra prints to have room for some throw pillows and maybe to stretch over another frame.

I ordered the fabric last week from Fat Quarter Shop in Texas and I hope it'll arrive this week.

The quilt top looks easy enough to finish in a day, and since all the fabric I'll use is new I don't plan to pre-wash it but rather let it wrinkle up as it wish.

I can see the finished result before me, let's just hope it all lives up to my expectations.