A wallet and its shoulder strap

I love having wrist straps on my larger wallets -- it's SO nice to have your hands free! But never thought it necessary for the smaller bifold wallets 'cuz they are so small. Anyways I was asked to add a shoulder strap for one. I sorta thought it would look clunky, but I was wrong (as I am many times).Basically, a single D-ring was added (figured two would be overkill) so the shoulder strap can be removable.
The strap can also be attached to the zipper pull, but it's more lopsided.

Childhood dreams

What did you want to be when you were little? I wanted to be a children's book illustrator...but reality set in and I realized I had no talent, let alone genius. It was so frustrating to see the contrast between the actual object and your drawing. One of these days, I need to take a formal class.

At the risk of sounding like a parent who is living their dreams through their child...I just enrolled my youngest in a weekly art/drawing class. She seems to have an eye for detail (though it can be frustrating at times when she's visually distracted from her chores and homework). Here's a salamander drawing as a first grader:I know I am biased but they look like ...salamanders ("did you trace them?", asks her disbelieving mother). Her peers seem to notice too -- during a class visit I saw a line of kids waiting for her to illustrate their journal entries ("you should charge them", says her greedy mother).

Another artist, I admire is binding twine. She creates these amazing miniatures of animals and trees to create jewelry and accessories. I'm honored to create these wrist cuffs as a background to her paintings!

A few custom orders

Here are a few items I had been working on:

A bifold snap wallet in a Denyse Schimdt print -- espresso dots on salmon pink. I debated whether to have the snap flap blend in with the rest of the wallet or have it contrast. In this case, it looked better with the later choice.

An slightly bigger version of my Megan bag, a soft structured pleated bag. I like the slightly asymmetrical shape and contrasting band.

A close up of my zipper gusset (???) -- this style of zipper provides easier and greater access.

Have a great week and wonderful Easter -- we will being skiing on the last of the snow!

What I have been working on

Though they require more time, I really enjoy custom orders...the challenge of designing from scratch, using fabrics on hand, and the possibility of experimentation.

This is a respirator case out of a gorgeous skull fabric with batik-y colors. Beautiful color variations with a soft yet crisp hand. It's basically one of those box bags, usually for toiletries, but larger and more square. There are a couple of tutorials floating around, but most do not have a quick construction and hidden seams. One requires sewing the outer and liner separately and then hand sewing the liner to the zipper. One has french seams, but that only works well without a liner. This bag needed to be padded (quilted liner) and sturdy (heavy duty interfacing) to protect the respirator.

The solution was to sew the seams together and then use seam tape to finish the ends. Maybe someone else has a better idea :)

I love how the handles are attached to the horizontal side seams -- so neat and centered. Unless you have double straps, it's best to keep the straps shorter or it will flip around.

Here are some sleeping masks lined with a nubbly silk (it has such a distintive scent!):
A completely different commission was this trick or treat bag (mom said no skulls or skeletons or other scary motifs). A basic (but reversible) tote bag with a single adjustable strap (I really like items that grow along with the kiddies) and a personalized label inside (I should have done the same with my girls' bags to decrease the arguing over bag identification).
And finally a business card wallet and a passport case. Both have my standard vinyl window, double card/cash slots , and an elastic band closure.
Have a wonderful weekend :)

WIP - A larger wallet

I've been designing a larger version of my snap wallets and it's going kinda slow...so many adjustments and decisions (credit card placement...vertical or horizonal, flap size, and etc...).

I love this fabric (from a sample pillow sham), but the silk content makes it slippery resulting in wonky seams and topstitching. The flap is begging to be redone, but the seam ripper usage has been exceeded (just two times per project and then I work around it or it goes in the trash).
Anyways, it remains unfinished until the new order of snaps arrives.

A toy box to share:

A few more snap wallets for the shop:

Whiplash - A bunny hat for kids and adults

When I was looking for a low-stress, hand crafted ideas for Halloween, I came up with this little flannel hat (there's also a black cat, but alas no picture). Once combined with a pastel outfit the costume is all done! Sometimes with those full length ones, it's hot (almost always all the preschoolers have changed back to their regular clothes at parent pick-up), inconvenient for potty breaks and covered up in parkas and raincoats when trick-or-treating. My daughter was able to wear it until 3 years old. Best of all it's totally washable -- a huge factor whenever I'm crafting for kids.

Someone was interested in redesigning it as a fun bike helmet cover. So working only with measurements and a picture of the helmet, here it is:
It's fabricated from acrylic/polyester fleece for stretchiness and cuddliness. There is an elastic band along the bottom edge that should curve under the helmet slightly for fit and extra security (it survived several indoor test runs with my kiddies). To create stiff yet floppyish ears (and maintain washability), only interfacing was used. Top stitching about 1/2 inch from the edge gave some dimension and visual interest. More top stitching at the base was added to give more lift to the ears. With some aerodynamics, they actually flap!
On the eve of the Whiplash deadline, the bunny hat will be submitted in the design (I guess??? I don't see many of the Tour de France participants sporting these.) category.

I love mail

A package from Craft Apple...what a wonderful surprise! At first glance I thought they were store bought, but after reading the card I realized the truth. My favorite is the bicycle one! A wonderful incentive to use snail mail! I've been loathed to throw away fabric scraps in order to make some of these great quilt cards.

Here's another full of material to finish some curtains for a fellow Etsyian -- check out the coordinating bookmark she included!

Finally, lining material (I love black and white prints) to complete a zippered messenger bag/lap top bag I'm working on. The main fabric is a wool blend with a mini houndstooth pattern. I'm thinking the extras would be used for classic handbags with a Grace Kelly/Audrey Heburn vibe.

Maybe there will be more this week!

The happiest place on earth

Thanks for the kind wishes for our trip! We went to the "happiest place on earth" where after one fun filled day, the little one succombed to a high fever and nausea. New toys from the nearby Target and cable TV (where we inexplicably became addicted to the women's collegiate softball playoffs) made the days spent in a hotel room bearable. On our last day we managed to be at the park all together for 3 hours before the older one was infected too. When those ever-attentive Disney associates noticed her slumped against a wall, they offered their nursing services. Did you know Disneyland has on-call nurses? It makes sense now that I think about it.

A wee bit of crafting...a cute 2 pocket apron for a craft fair seller. The fabric was bold and bright. Having a set geometric pattern is easier to cut (between the 8th and 9th circles) but trickier to sew (everyone and their mother can tell if it's crooked). I'm wondering if the velcro closures were a good idea...would they scratch everytime change is given? Anyways, I placed the hooks on the outer edge for less contact.

Call me Dr. Frankinstein

I've been crafting for others lately...I was asked to replicate a female version of a Zombie Kitten. It was quite a challenge to figure out a 3-D pattern for a softie (cut-stuff-adjust...cut-stuff-adjust) but I saw it as a paid internship, a fun way to try different technicues). Anyways, she turned out cute and cuddly...my girls agreed! She look a couple of spins in the Barbie convertible before she was rescued!

Another project is this messenger/fanny pack/shoulder bag. Using a channel in the back and a lengthly strap provided the versatility. The exterior is yet another hard wearing ulpholstery remnant. I love this leafy, ferny liner and the multiple pockets and divider.

Custom orders

Recently, I have realized how much I enjoy doing custom orders. At Etsy, they have alchemy listings (basically classified ads seeking handcrafted items) which makes good reading ("I need 20 crocheted skull heads") along with good business. I love the challenge of designing something that meets their requirements with what I have on hand. It's also fun to add my own spin ( "if we do this, it would be machine washable").

Above are some of the results. The first is for a soft, machine washable bag that was crafted out of flannel and a quilted interior. The second request wanted a loud and bright wrislet -- I had just found the fabric (not normally my taste). It looks so cheery!

The last is my favorite, a design for a drawstring sock knitting bag. I want one for my scarf projects, much more chic than zip lock baggies!