My Tie Bag

As promised, I designed this little purse from the narrow leftover tie ends of my tie skirt. It is very strong and heavily quilted. The front has a little butterfly catch where the FOE (foldover elastic) hooks through to close the purse. The strap is also from the narrow ends of a tie.

I will be able to show this at our next guild meeting, as it is a quilted item. I might even wear my tie skirt to be really matching!

Art Quilt is Where It's At

I didn't sell my quilt. A good friend pointed out that it had a chance to get into the National Juried Show next year so I am going to try for that. This is the last purse I am making for a bit. I have alot in my house at the moment and don't have much enthusiasm for attending a farmer's market. I will go and see.

I have been reading articles about Etsy and how difficult it is to actually sell your product, and a quilt art group I belong to has expressed similar ideas.

But my boys are off for the summer and we have been swimming all day every day, so all other things can wait till the fall.

Kamloops is here

My friends arrived yesterday from BC. How nice to have friends from my life back there visit me. They came out when my youngest was just 3 weeks old and I was very tired. I am still tired, but my kids are older=)

I dropped in on a farmer's market today in another town, and there was barely any vendors and barely any visitors. Now I am getting nervous to attend one as a vendor. I am getting terrific ideas from people though. One friend reminded me that it was alot of the 'grey crowd'. After a minute I figured that one out. She also suggested tea cosys as an item. I had to google what a tea cosy was! And my mom said they always sold at her church bazaars. I will look for a free pattern online.

Okay, I had told you about etsy and the great fabric prices, but I have now found a great Canadian online store. It is called Pink Panda Fabrics. And till June 30th, if you place an order, any order, you get a free fat quarter. And a little tip, if you keep it 2 yards or under than shipping is only $2.75 in Canada. If you go more than the postage jumps to $9.00. They have good designer names for fabric and the prices range per yrd from $6.50 to about $8.50. I ordered their 6 fat quarter bundle and with shipping and tax it came to $17.81, and remember I also get a free fat quarter with that... so 7 fat quarters for that price! Check it out! (thanks for the tip, serger queen) If you do order, put in the message box that I told you.

Friends are Coming

11 years ago I lived in Kamloops, BC for 5 years. I went back a year and a half ago for a short visit. And now I have a couple coming out to see us tomorrow. They came 4 years ago when my youngest was just 3 weeks old. I can't wait for them to arrive.

We put a pool in this weekend and went boating and walked through poison ivy. And I did stay up late and do some more sewing. One of the ladies that runs the farmer's market has emailed me again asking if I am going to be a vendor.

I even made bread and cinnamon buns on the weekend, just to make sure I remembered how as my recipe is ingrediants only. The cinnamon buns lasted 22 hours, I only got 1/2 of one. And that was a 9x13 pan of them.

Sewing up a Storm

The studio is a total array of fabrics here and there. I get an idea so have to pull out fabric to work with that idea and leave a pile here and move on to the original task at hand. So needless to say I have a storm of fabric and patterns in my room. The sewing machine goes non stop from 9 pm till 11 pm each night.

I think I am making progress. Things are getting finished. Coffee cuffs, purses, handbags, now onto these kids colouring bags, complete with crayons and colouring book.

I have some wonderful friends, 2 in particular, I would hate to name them for fear of them thinking I actually value their opinion. But they have been giving me some great advice and tips on what they think would be some good items regarding selling at farmer's markets. Having said that, I am trying to act on their advice and am drafting patterns, searching internet, cutting, sewing, ironing, and now going to start baking as well. Whew, it is tiring just typing it=)

Purse #2

I finished up 4 purses last nite. I had been waiting on the magnetic snap closures to come in the mail and they arrived. I will post a few of them. I am now onto coffee cuffs. My art quilt is taking a back seat for 2 weeks while I try and do some other sewing.
Thank you to all who left such witty and helpful comments. Now here is another question, as some of you really seem to excel at answering them. What would you think would sell at a farmer's market on the island?

Purses, Bags and Totes

I have my grandad's neckties, well 2 of them and I want to make them into a purse so have been searching the web for a nice picture. If I find one, I can make a pattern, this is the best I have come across so far.
I got my quilt back from the National show yesterday and the comments were good, the last line was this, " your 3D technique is both a risk and an asset." What does that mean? Wait till they see the next one!

Off to buy fabric today......

Something New

I have been looking at the funky purses out on the market and thought I would see if I could make one myself. I drafted up a pattern and some instructions and went to work.

Now the big question, would they sell? Opinions wanted.

Current Project continued

Here is the second part of my new quilt! Told you it was wild.

Just got back from the rummage sale at our local church. Got some great fabric for quilts, purses and pouches. Also got myself a Padagonia quick dry hat, jean jacket and 2 skirts. I think I will go back again tomorrow, once it has been picked down a bit.