Messenger bag

I made my sister-in-law a messenger bag from this pattern from Quilting Arts. The flap is constructed in the same way I made the last bag; a collage of flowers and leaves on felt, then net placed on top and the whole lot quilted. I used Swirling Petals this time.




I made her a little purse (coin purse or make-up bag) to go with it. I used the same red flower fabric and this shrinking fabric on the left to make a crinkly fabric. Becky asked me how much it had shrunk. A good question and one I had wondered about too so I took some measurements. It started out as 23cm wide and went down to 17cm. As I'm relating this to her, I was about to work out the ratio... and I realised they are both prime numbers! I have to confess, I got excited about that! Oh dear, maths is turning me nutty. So it can't be simplified and the ratio is 23:17.

This is what the purse looked like finished.

Bag back showing carrying handle and large pocket

Bag front, two small pockets plus side packets and a key swivel

Now I have to make one for my sister. She's here for another couple of weeks so I have a bit more time.

Hand-dyed fabric

I've been having fun! I've been dying (pun intended) to do this for ages! You just mix up dye and pour it down the fabric. I don't have a place I can do messy things so this is my carport.

And my work bench!

The dye has to cure for at least 4 hours and not dry out in that time. I didn't want to ruin the streaky effect and hadn't thought about how to cure it until after I had dyed the fabric. Fortunately I bought a plastic drop cloth on a roll and had the brilliant idea (no modesty here!) of putting out a length of drop cloth and laying the fabric carefully on top, then covering with the drop cloth. I left the fabric until it stopped dripping so that the dye stayed put. Hopefully it will still look good tomorrow morning when I wash it out.

Journal cover

Our band leader, Camille, is going home to Trinidad for three and a half months. We wanted to get her a present to thank her for all the wonderful work she does for the band. We thought she may like a journal for her poetry. I remembered seeing an idea for a cover (link here) and suggested that I made her a covered book. She's always on at me to make her a quilt!

Camille is from Trinidad and her husband is Samoan so I thought and island inspired cover would be good. My first idea was to buy a fabric with hibiscus and then embellish it. Couldn't find any hibiscus! So I painted a beach scene instead.  I thin the fabric paint with Aloe Vera gel. It's difficult to find the clear stuff but this green one works fine and doesn't tint the paint. It smells lovely too. Bonus when ironing!

I densely quilted the cover but not the flaps.

I quilted a steelpan for Camille and Samoan tapa cloth for George.

The inside flaps. The thing I liked best about this design is that the cover is removable.

I wish I had a video of this moment. She squealed! George was engrossed in his pen. He has to share the journal but we bought them a pen each.

We wish them both a relaxing time in Trinidad.


Thank you to Ms Lottie for a great project.

Becky and Josh got married

Eggs beni for breakfast

Jessie, Issac and Josh with Melanie - waiting on Eggs Beni

Mel even went to pick up the flowers

She looked after them well

Jessie doing Becky's hair - with Mel's help

The lovely couple

Oh, look who is with them

Kiwi bride - no shoes

We had to a photo of the shoes. Josh grovelling at Becky's feet.

Aren't they great!

I made a Bridesmaid!

Today my younger daughter, Becky, is getting married. Her sister, Mel, is living in Doha, Qatar and can't make it here so she tasked me with making her so that she could be Becky's bridesmaid. Here we are on Sunday when I made her.

I thought a little tutorial would be a good idea, just in case you ever need to make a bridesmaid. Here is the requirements list.

Foamboard
Cutting mat
Craft knife
Spray adhesive
Nail file to sand the edges
An email from mad daughter with a photo for the front of the bridesmaid and some instructions for the back
Car keys to go to Warehouse Stationery and print A3 colour copies
Energy drink - just because I'm mother-of-the-bride and I've still to finish altering Becky's dress, mark Year 9 exams and write 80 junior reports!!

Spray the back of the photo with adhesive and stick it to the foamboard. Cut out on the line. Spray the back of the foamboard and position carefully on the back of the message. I did this by taping the instructions to a window so that I could see the outline. With the photo side uppermost, trim the back paper to the shape of the foamboard. Buff the edges with the nail file to remove the black cutting line and any bobbily bits of foamboard.

Ta da! Here is the back. More wedding photos to follow...

Calico Christmas Quilt Show

Finally, here is 'Celebrate Onehunga'. Not the sharpest picture I've ever taken with my little camera but you get the idea. The original quilt was going to be nine panels. I will still make it - and the other two I have planned. I even have an exhibition space in mind and the word of a councillor that she can make it happen!! I warned her that it may take me a couple of years to make them.

There are some stunning quilts in the show. The highlight of the show for me was meeting the Thimblelady, Liuxin, from Sydney. She is one of the judges and does the most beautiful applique. She is also the inventor of a special thimble, hence the name. I have no desire to perfect my hand applique or hand quilting but I can admire her work. She had one small quilt on show of a tree with tiny leaves. Each leaf was about the size of a nail clipping! How on earth does she manage that?? I suppose you have to go to her classes or read her book to find out. She was demonstrating her latest tool, a stitch regulator for whipstitch piecing. I wouldn't say I have any interest in that type of patchwork either but her love for what she does is so infectious that I'm considering taking it up!

Update with a slightly better photo.

Other posts on this quilt
pukeko take 2
second cabbage tree
Onehunga Bay reserve
mosaic table and chair
first cabbage tree
Inspiration and start of One Tree Hill

Caribbeanz Southern Stars Steelband

http://www.smartnetwork.co.nz/feature/beats-our-backyard-trinidad

Our band features in this documentary. I'm the one in the purple t-shirt under our flowery band shirt. I didn't realise how grey my hair was! I used to dye the grey streak blond but that's all natural now!! Anyway, that's not important. Check out our music and the interview with my friend, our band leader, Camille.

Sorry, no quilts today. :P Here's Camille telling a joke at Larry's expense instead.