Break Out!

Sometimes, you just gotta do it.
An idea is just floating around and fabric is just too fun, that something, something not pre ordained or manufactured, pattern-wise, just has to pop out.
2G's mama was needing a summer bag.
2G'S mama loves Amy Butler fabric.
2G's mama is an appreciative audience.
So off I go to the sewing room, eager to produce a One of a Kind design.
Did I have a design in mind?
Nope.
Just stood there looking at the fabric, waiting for the direction. Thought about her needs. She likes puffy, fleece interlined, soft formed bags. Her mama needs dictate that there are lots of pockets, making, keys, pens, change, crayons accessible. Her little shoulders tell me that her shoulder strap should be narrow and strong for all the dinosaurs and dollies and books that will get crammed in for the road. A stout magnetic snap to keep the contents together when she has to throw it down to chase after an errant child bent on destruction.
But it must be pretty as well as utilitarian. Lightweight and feminine. A girly workhorse of sorts.


And so the process begins as the framework and objective is established.
The first cut is made and I follow the needed design from my heart and mind to the cloth.
From that point of committment, it all flows.
From picking out a coordinating lining, to how to finish the pockets, it just flows.
I realize that this in not much help for those of you that rely on pesky things like measuring tape, rulers, algebra and geometry (I kinda just shuddered just writing those two words) but that is how I roll. Experience, familiarity with how things go together and a clear desire to want to make something.
Crazy, huh?


But with time, patience, testing, and a lot of hopeahoping, it starts to take shape and tells me how it should be finished up.

And then the best part.
Giving a bag that has been designed specifically for her, with her needs and likes in mind...
Ah, that is the best part...

Bright and Shiny Day

Nature inspired art.
Vibrant colors and flowing design.
Almost overwhelms in it's beauty.
So you take a break. Go outside and take in the glorious September day.
There the colors, design and creation of it all, does you in again.
How can such amazing unique design from a simple, ugly seed, planted long ago in May, bring about such vibrant flowers in September?
Again, overwhelming at the Master Creator's artistry....

And if one cherry nasturtium isn't enough...

He gives me ABUNDANCE!

Thank you Lord!

Catch up

Baby Girl has a friend in Lafayette that owns a wonderful shop called, First Class Clutter. It's an amazing display of everything wonderful from the past. It's a small shop with each nook and cranny filled to the brim. My kind of clutter. Last winter I found a fab piece of fabric in one of the corners of her shop. Beautiful stuff. I waited for just the right opportunity and pattern to make it up, and, of course, Amy Butler provided...The Madison Bag looked wonderful with the fabric. I packaged the purse and shipped it off to Baby Girl's friend. I visited her yesterday and she had many thanks for the bag AND another donation to the cause; MORE fabric for more bags! Lurking in another vintage container, was GRAND buttons! Be still my heart....My thoughts could not turn off last night what with making plans for the new fabric to be made into bags, totes and purses for the First Class Clutter store! One particular fabric calls to me and maybe want to stay with me.... A dangerous habit to get into! After looking at it, you're thinking so too, aren't you??!

Lily came over today as well. More on that later, but suffice to say, WE completed a nifty little shoulder bag for her first day of first grade on Monday! It's incomplete stage is pictured above....

Another order for a hobo bag came in last week and it's makings is the other photo..

Off to work on that one now.....

Yay!

Vivien's Choice

Today, Vivien's mama, Vivien and I went to the fabric store. It seems I travel with my sewing machine these days, making London Shades, quilts or kitchen curtains at each of my progeny's homes. I cannot tell you how much I love to do it. It's grand to be allowed to be a part of their homemaking.

My daughter introduced me to the joys of Amy Butler's vibrant fabrics years ago. I made a sun dress for her for an thus began the love affair. It was only appropriate that when nursery material was needed for Vivien's room, that my daughter would look to Amy to supply the needed inspiration. And we got it in spades. The mentioned shades, the quilt, the matching bumper pads, the diaper bag and even her spit up cloths have all been adorned with lovely fabric.

And Vivien loves it.

My daughter will hear her 'talking' to the Mandarin Dots, the Morning Glory, and others of the Midwest Modern II and Lotus line. She is content to lie on her quilt made with a patchwork of all her fabrics. Her very large diaper bag, featured in Amy's book Little Stitches for Little Ones, is big enough to hold her and it catches her attention as well.

So today, when we were at the fabric store and while the clerk was measuring out several pieces of home decorating fabric for the bags that I make, her little eyes were scoping out the design and the colors. She could barely wait till her little hands could touch the appealing fabrics. Even though, this time, it was not Amy Butler, her trained eye discerned that, this indeed was good enough to give it attention. The clerk was entertained by her young interest so we explained how she has always( 4 months!) loved good design.

My daughters have been moderately interested in sewing. Vivien's mama is great with yarn, knitting things beyond my comprehension. My youngest daughter, enjoys utilizing sewing for her artistic bent. So my hope is that Miss Viv will be my apprentice in the years to come. I hope that she will follow me into my sewing room, expecting me to explain patterns and techniques every time she visits. Will she be the one to inherit my collection of vintage linens and make something very special with them? Could it be that she will out do me in every aspect of sewing?

I certainly hope so.