Tag: children’s bags

Here Kitty!

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I’m sorry I missed a blog post for yesterday. My day started at 5.20am when Little Miss Bossy-Boots woke me up and the early start turned me into a brainless zombie. I couldn’t even get myself to go anywhere near the computer. Hopefully it’ll be a one off.

Little Miss Bossy-Boots started pre-school again a few weeks ago and I had promised her a new bag and lunchbox. We went into town and picked out a new lunchbox, Minnie Mouse this time. She insisted on getting a matching plastic Minnie Mouse bottle and I gave in even though she has lots of good quality aluminium bottles which I think are easier to keep clean. It is nice to start the year with all new things, though, so I let her have the bottle too.

The bag, however, was always going to be made by Mummy. Last time I was in Switzerland I picked up some pink twill and light pink “Hello Kitty”cotton fabric. I also picked up a pink ribbon with an Argyle pattern in the same colours as the “Hello Kitty” fabric. I made a messenger bag with flap (the pattern is one that I have made numerous times before; quick and easy) and inside pockets for all the small stuff. I even made one for a pen in the hope that she will keep this bag for a while.

The little outside pocket is for her lunch money.

The embellishments on the flap were all chosen and placed by Little Miss Bossy-Boots. It’s a little busy for me but she loves it. She placed all the buttons on top of the ribbon except one which made me laugh. It seems so random but I’m sure she had a reason for it. When she went through my buttons she took out about 40 pink and purple buttons (oh yes, I have lots and lots and lots of pink buttons. I have no clue as to how they made it into my house. Honest!) In the end, however, she only went for a few and only one glittery one which surprised me no end.

Little Miss Bossy-Boots loves her new bag and I’m sure part of it is the fact that she had total control over the ribbon, appliqué and buttons. I have high hopes that she will one day sit next to me on the sofa crafting.

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Swimming!

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Yes! It’s the last swimming bag. I’ve finally managed to finish it.

The colours didn’t come out right in the photos. The purple fabric is a Kona solid, which is a little darker than in the picture. The red fabric is a deep red cotton/linen mix which was a dream to work with. I just completely loved the texture and feel of it and am so happy that I have some left over.

The appliqué fish was a silvery fabric I had in my stash. I believe it was used for a costume I made for our theatre group at uni. However, I cannot for love or money remember which play it was for. A sure sign of the passing time, isn’t it? Anyway, ramblings aside, the fabric has a lovely sheen to it and reminded me of sardines. Hence the longish body of this fish. There isn’t a lot of detail on the fish, which honestly was because I didn’t have the time. Looking at it now, I actually really like the simplicity of it. I feel a new trend coming on…

The eye of the fish are two buttons, a small blue one on top of a dark grey one. The brief for the bag was purple and red with a glittery fish and the letter “C”. As the fish is more shimmering than glittery, I thought I’d add a sequin “C” for the bling effect.

As with the two other swimming bags I added an inside pocket for goggles, hair ties and other bits and bobs.

In this picture you can also see the bright red zip that closes the bag. I used to be quite scared of zips before I got the “Bag Making Bible” by the lovely Lisa Lam. Her book is just so fantastic I cannot praise it enough. It is packed with tips and tricks for making fabulous bags and although I haven’t made one of the bags in the book yet, I cannot wait to find some time to make a bag for myself. I even have some fabric for the lining ready.

 

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Shark!

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Here are some pictures of the second swimming bag I made. I forgot to get more pictures of the first one, all I have is the fish from the previous post but I hope that Julie will be so kind to take a picture or two for me. The bag is for a little boy, Richard, and I think I might have missed the mark a bit. After I finished the bag I did think that maybe the colours were a little girly. A quick word with Master confirmed that the bag could not be called boyish. In fact, he thought the only thing that saved it (just about) was the shark. Well, I told Julie that if she or, more importantly, Richard didn’t like it I would make a new one in more manly colours.

Right here are the stats. The bag is 45cm by 40cm with a zip closure and one long handle (86cm). I used two of my favourite colours from the Kaufmann Kona solids range, spring and delft, which was probably why it ended up more girly than it should have.  Next time I make something for a boy I’ll get Master to chose the fabric. The lining is an off-white fabric that I had in my stash. I like using light materials as lining because it is easier to find things in the depths of your bag when the lining isn’t too busy or dark.

I took the pictures minutes after I finished the bag and literally seconds before I handed it over to Julie hence the midday, dappled shade pictures.

There is an embroidered letter “R” in the same grey colour that I used for the shark. There’s also a handy inside pocket for goggles and stuff.

I love this bag and I secretly hoped that Julie would say that it was too girly and that she wanted me to make another one that was more boyish. All I would have had to do is take the “R” off and use it myself. She didn’t.

I think I might have to make another bag in these colours…once I’ve finished all my other projects.

I’ve almost finished the last swimming bag but have to first get another zip as the one I have is too short. Hopefully I’ll have another reveal tomorrow.

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another pink bag

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Are you ready for it? Yes?

Here’s the last of three pink and girlie bags for three little girls. I didn’t have time to go fabric shopping before Megan’s birthday. My solution was to make a patchwork bag. I took all my pink scraps, added a few girly blue heart scraps and cut them all 10cm high. I varied the width to make sure it wasn’t too uniform. To calm the busyness of the bag I added a pink panel and a pink flap (Kona baby pink). And just because I can, I added a fabric flower made from a long, gathered strip of the pink fabric I used for the lining and handle.

Continue reading another pink bag

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Aimee’s Bag

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Yes, it’s another pink bag!

Isabelle’s mum asked me to make bags for her nieces too and here is the first one:

It’s pink with a big butterfly appliqued on the flap. It’s a fairly bright pink that might not always be perfect. No problem! the bag is reversible and here’s the more muted side:

I had a bit of a problem getting the pattern change on the flap and the body to line up properly and in the end just had to give up. I don’t like wasting material and therefore didn’t want to make another flap. I don’t think it is bad enough to warrant that.

The flowery side has two pockets for all the small things girls carry about.

And, of course, an embroidered name.

I just hope the birthday girl loved her bag.

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A Busy Weekend

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This weekend has disappeared in the blink of an eye. Little Miss Bossy-Boots was invited to two birthday parties and I don’t know how it happens as they only last for about two hours but they eat up half the day. She had lots of fun, though, and that is the most important.

On Sunday, we dropped Little Miss Bossy-Boots at her auntie and uncle’s for a couple of hours so that we could do a spot of shopping. I wanted to pop into the local fabric shop and just very quickly pick up some fabric. Well….

Continue reading A Busy Weekend

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