There hasn't been a lot to blog about. I used to blog to keep my mom up to date on my creative ventures while I lived 1000+ miles away. Now that I see her all the time I feel a little silly saying LOOK WHAT I DID to the few of you who still read my blog. Perhaps if I created tutorials things would be different. Today I have something close. I finally have a project that feels pretty much all me (rather than a combination of DIY tutorials I found online) and doable by others...plus I SCORED today at Goodwill and I need to celebrate it. My husband did a great job of acting excited for me...he gave me a verbal high five if ever there was one...but I know in his heart he really doesn't understand the fantastic-ness of a great deal on fabric.
First, my project. My good friend Priscilla works hard to support my creative addiction and love for made gifts. I love her so much for it. For my birthday last year she showed up with a few made gifts AND.....a large bag full of leather goods that she thrifted. I mean....good friend, right? I have had those leather goods in the back of my mind ever since, just waiting for inspiration to strike. I almost made some leather bracelets but I couldn't come up with anything cool enough worth making....that's pretty much all I had come up with until yesterday afternoon! I saw this bag years ago and loved it:
 |
| via |
I used the tutorial to make the tote but in a solid color (best beach bag ever). For whatever reason, yesterday I got this image of a bag with that fabric and saddle colored leather. I went to my bag o' leather from Priscilla and found this purse:
.JPG)
Snip snip snip....
+copy.JPG)
I cut the leather bottom pieces of the tote from the body of the bag (each 5.5 x 12 inches). The straps were long strap of purse cut in half. I sewed the finished edges of the strap to the outside of the tote and the raw edges to the inside of the tote. Each side of the tote has a finished edge and a raw edge. I cut two 11x13 inch pieces of the striped Ikea fabric. I then cut each of those in half and set them about .5 inches off and sewed them back together. Once I sewed the fabric pieces to the leather I assembled it just like a typical tote. It includes a liner.
It didn't take too long and I love it. if I had a bigger purse to cut up I would have made the bag a little wider but otherwise it is great. This morning Whitney (my 2 year old) saw it and wouldn't let it go. She took it to school with her. My girl.
On to the SCORE.
I went to a fabric store in Valdosta about two months ago and found almost all the fabric I am going to use in Whit's room. All I knew going in there was was pink and mint. I didn't have much of a clue beyond that. Brady's room, however, has been planned since before we had our house but I haven't actually bought any of the fabric for it! This is my pinterest board dedicated to B. This picture pretty much sums it up minus the blonde girl:
 |
| via |
Most of the plaids I have found are too expensive or not exactly what I want.
My mom is cleaning house and donating a ton of fabric to Goodwill. I ended up taking a load for her. When I go in to Goodwill I scan the furniture, home goods, and art. Anything made of fabric overwhelms me in thrift stores. A sea of red t shirts not organized by size...?!! I shut down. Today I checked the fabric section. Much more digestible. I'm glad I did!!!!
Just finding those three in one go would have been a jackpot. Each piece is of considerable yardage. Jackpot. Guess how much they were? Guess. $5. Total. $5!!!!!! JACKPOT!
If it wasn't annoying to have music on web pages I would insert Celebration by Cool and the Gang right here.
 |
This plaid is my second favorite plaid and was probably going to be included somehow. This is a loose woven fabric...tons of it.
This is just a bonus. How could I not? I think it is fleece. It is thick and soft.
Now I must get started.
No comments:
Post a Comment