Mad as a March Hare

I realise that its apparently less than three weeks until Christmas. Well I didn't until Kirsty Allsop just told me. And in advance, my apologies. I have one eye on writing the post and one on Kirsty's Handmade Christmas. So I hope this makes sense.
The reason for the title is this:

My tasty new bag. Its what happens when you've been sitting on some sale fabric with an Alice in Wonderland theme, all white rabbits, playing cards, pocket watches; and a machine embroidery pattern of a rather dapper rabbit. Yes, the new toy is working, my purse is a lot lighter after downloading a good few patterns (thanks Urban Threads), and acquiring a good stash of coloured threads, and my patience is once again slightly tested, but its worth it as I just stand there and watch the machine do its business, creating wonderful patterns.
Anyhow, with these items at my disposal, plus some red suede effect curtains on their third lease of life, I spent yesterday evening making something for myself. I know I should be on the Christmas present trail, but there's plenty of time..!?

The Wonderland Bag Tutorial

You will need:
2@16"x10"  Main fabric
2@16"x10" Lining Fabric
4@16"x7" velvet/suede fabric
2@34"x4" velvet/suede for handles
2@16"x16" heavy iron on interfacing
2@34"x3" heavy iron on interfacing for handles
Magnetic snap.

• Pin a piece of the main fabric to the suede fabric along the long edge RSF (right sides facing) and sew together with a 1/2" seam allowance. Open out and press (carefully. I had to iron the back of my suede fabric as the iron stuck to the front, so double check on a spare piece), then top stitch a double line.

Repeat with the other pieces.

• Iron the interfacing on the back.
• Sew on any applique you might fancy using at this point.

• Pin a 1" deep pleat 4" from each side edge, then sew down the length of each pleat to the join between main fabric and suede.

• Make your handles next. Iron the interfacing in the centre of the handle fabric, fold the edges in 1/2" then fold in half and pin. Iron at each stage of folding, then sew 1/8" down each side.
• Attach your handles to the bag pieces. Line them up with the pleats, pointing downwards and make sure they're not twisted then sew in place. repeat on other piece
• Pin your two main pieces together, then sew around the edge of the main fabric up to the join with the suede. Trim the corners, turn right side out and iron.
• Now to the lining, which is made in exactly the same way as the outer panels- attach lining to suede and top stitch, put in the pleats, add a pocket if you so wish. I had another piece of material I had experimented with the rabbit embroidery on, so I used that. Now is also the time to put in your magnetic snaps too. I have found through trial and error that the best way is to back them with some extra heavy iron on interfacing and a square of card. The last thing you want to have happen is the wings of the snap tear through your material. Once all of this is done, pin the pieces together RSF and once again sew around the lining material up to the join with the suede, remembering to leave a 4" gap at the bottom for turning.
• Nearly there! Cut a small nic where the sewing of the panels together finishes. This will help it to lie flat. Place your outer bag inside the lining. Make sure that right sides are facing and the straps are tucked out of the way. Pin together, lining to outer bag, then take a deep breath, cross your fingers and sew together. It is a bit bulky in places so you'll need to tread with care, but my machine made it (obviously the threats worked!). Trim the corners, turn the right way out through the hole in the lining.
• Top stitch around the edges and slip stitch the hole closed.  You've done it!

Was a bit of a task this one, took me about three hours to do, but I was kind of making it up as I went on. I still haven't decided whether to box the corners yet. Think I'll live with it for a bit. See how it goes. Now all I need is my heart purse frame to arrive and I can make the matching purse. And now, Thank you Kirsty, I want to try my hand at some book binding. Find me some leather!

xx

Pretty Fly Polar Bear

Well you know its been a while when blogger doesn't come up on the index list on the tool bar!

So December has hit. Finally. Feels like I've been waiting for it for ages. Craft shops and magazines have you gearing up for it so far in advance that when it actually arrives, you're not sure whether you've overdone it already!

One craft fayre down, one to go, and I'm very pleased to say that the first was a big success so thank you to everyone who came along and made me a happy bunny! I've spent this last week restocking on the things that seemed to be most popular but its so difficult to tell whats going to sell. Typically, I make Christmas bunting, get asked if I have any that isn't Christmassy. Hmmm.

Never mind. Once this one is out of the way, to hell with it, the Christmas tree is going up. I used to be a bit bah, humbug about Christmas, I must admit. Then again, I was conversing with an old school friend the other evening about how my days were taken up with school run, washing, cleaning, supermarket shopping- since when did I become a housewife? That was never in the plan. The plan was, as he pointed out, to change the world and paint the town red. Well that never happened.  Likewise, the tree and decorations wouldn't see the light of day until the week before the day itself. Children are the great life changer.

A case in point. I love The Offspring. One of my favourite bands of all time. First saw them twenty years ago and quite a considerable number of times since. This small, shades wearing, polar bear sings Pretty Fly For a White Guy. Smallest daughter loves it. Played it almost continually until the batteries ran out.

She danced along with it too! Those are my boots by the way, she may be tall for her age, but her feet ain't that big yet.

I will never think of The Offspring in the same way again. And that's before we get to young Wilbsy singing 'give it to me baby, a-ha, a-ha' at the dinner table last night. Oh dear.

xx