Barbados Bag Class at Quilting Adventures

Meet the Barbados Bag- possibly the perfect sized bag for your everyday needs!

Come sew one with me at Quilting Adventures.

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Feline Friday- Japanese Knot Bag

This is an unusual bag in that the two straps aren't the same length as you can see.  It is carried by slipping the long strap through the short one.  I sewed this Japanese Knot Bag (with colorful cat faces on it!) using a tutorial from Helen Heath but when I tried to find it again, I couldn't.  Sorry!  

It is a really neat bag and very easy to sew.  It is actually reversible also.  I changed the side seams, slightly curving them out to make it easier to sew.

Purses from Old Sweaters

Here are two purses I finished recently.  I've been cleaning my sewing room and decided to use any odds and ends.  I already had the handles and the sweater was from a friend.  I wish you could feel this sweater, it is amazingly soft!  Like butter.  I'm guessing angora or cashmere?

So I washed it and dried it and used the bottom band for the left purse.  The right purse is from the neck.  Both are lined in cotton.  Here are complete instructions. 

Feline Friday

Sorting through my stash, this idea evolved.  Once I had finished, I decided it looks like a cat with an eye mask- Bandit Kitty!  The strap is reused from another purse, trim is faux suede, upholstery fabric.  I lined it with cotton.   

Happy Chinese New Year!

Here is a tutorial for fabric fortune cookies!  Great for new years and also for Valentine's Day.  I will be sewing some later today for sure.  Actually it is also my birthday today so I always feel like this is my personal new year starting.  I refuse to do any chores today!

Here are some small quilted bags I did a day or two ago.  Slightly larger than

these in this tutorial. 

The Handy Pocket

Great as a gift- can be any size to fit keys or a phone etc.  I make them in two finished sizes 7"x4" and 5"x3".  To make one: cut 2 pieces of pre-quilted fabric (include seam allowance).  Stitch a zipper on, using a zipper foot.  At the same time, stitch on trim.  There will be fabric behind the zipper. Cut out behind the zipper.  Add a small hanging loop (see above left).  The photos above show the front and back of the same piece.

Place the back and zipper piece, right sides together.  Unzip the zipper.  Stitch around the outside edges.  Clip corners and turn right side out.

Add a colorful carabiner so you can hook it to your beltloop, backpack, purse strap etc.

Needle Weaving a Purse Flap

This is the Chameleon Handbag by Shirley Adams of The Sewing Connection.  It is a great bag with interchangeable flaps so you can coordinate outfits etc.  The body of the bag is an embroidered suede-like upholstery fabric.

I used a variety of yarns to needle weave a flap.  You have to make your weaving really tight together.  I fused interfacing to the back of the weaving before lining and piping the flap.

I wanted to showcase a few of my favorite buttons.  The flap attaches with velcro to the purse back, and with a magnetic snap in front.  Shirley Adams has wonderful examples of her weaving at http://www.sewingconnection.com/  Check here to see my other flap http://catsongstitchery.blogspot.com/2010/05/chameleon-bag-with-flaps.html

Hip Pouch by Jan DiCintio

I missed the 3-day sew along at the beginning of July, but I really like this hip pouch by Jan DiCintio of Daisy Janie.  day 1 , day 2 , day 3  Very well done, Jan, thanks for sharing!  This goes on my list of projects to sew.  It would be very handy when I'm biking and walking!

More Weekend Bags!

Maryse recently purchased my weekend bag instructions and wasted no time getting to work.  I love the owl fabric and how she added a fancy machine stitch below the piping!

 This is her second bag.  A change of fabrics completely changes the look.

 The inside zippered pocket is a great idea.

Maryse, you did a wonderful sewing job on these purses.  Thanks so much for sharing your pictures!

Ruffles Add a Feminine Touch to Spring Fashions

Shopping recently, I saw lots of ruffles on tops and purses.  Thinking, "how can I add some to my wardrobe" I decided to update my sling bag .  Easy to do, I started with an old skirt.  Cut my pattern out.  I used a 6 3/4" plate to cut 2 ruffles

One ruffle is the size of the plate and the other uses the plate as the inside edge.  Play around with it until you get the effect you like.  I layered my ruffles on top of the purse front and basted them down.  My skirt has raw edges and seams so I decided to go with the look, but you might want to hem your ruffles.  I continued to follow my sling bag instructions and finished the purse.

I used an old belt for the strap.  The front uses the skirt pocket. 

The back of the sling bag has more raw edge detail from the skirt I used.  The fabric is linen.

A detail of the zipper showing more raw edges!

Most Popular Purse Pattern

My most popular purse pattern is the Weekend Bag or Lola.  She is relaxed and easy going, no hardware involved so you probably have enough supplies at home already!  A great summer bag as shown or change the fabric to richly textured upholstery remnants for an autumn/ winter bag.  I was inspired to create this pattern because a friend gave me the fabric and I was excited to make something RIGHT NOW!  So I used what was in my stash and I love the results.

Cardigan to Purse

This is a special order to make a purse from a cardigan.  The sweater is 100% wool but refused to felt, so I inserted a sturdy lining to keep it from sagging.  There were alot of holes that needed mending.

I replaced all the buttons with more substantial metal ones.  I used everything except the sleeves.

The finished purse has a large outside pocket created by the V neck (see left, below).  It also has a large secret pocket reached by unbuttoning the front (see right, below).  The strap is webbing with a strip of the lining fabric sewn on top.

For step by step instructions on how to make similar purses from sweaters, see my shop http://catsongstitchery.etsy.com/

What's New At Cat Song Stitchery-Everything Bag!

The Everything Bag #410 is a new instruction booklet

now available at http://catsongstitchery.etsy.com/ .  The great thing about this is you can customize it to fit anything you need to carry using the instructions!  This example shown is a ballet bag I made for my niece's birthday.  She needed lots of specialized pockets.  The bag is softly structured using fleece.  Fun, easy, quick plus you get the bag you need!

Needle Weaving a Purse Flap

Trying to get a jump on some fall projects, I wove some scrap yarns on a wooden frame.  Then fused interfacing to the back to help it hold together. 

I added fabric and piping to make this purse flap.  It has a magnetic closing under the flap.  Pretty interesting, but I thought it needed something else.

So I added a few buttons from my collection.  The bottom two are hand made (bird is plastic, right hand one is ceramic).  The top button is an extra that came with a sweater.

Pattern Review: Wallet & Grommet

I love this fun bag by Maple Island Quilts www.mapleislandquilts.com   The large grommets add a different, modern look to it.  It took me 1 hour and 40 min. to make (and another 25 min. for the wallet).  It is padded, lined and easy to sew.  The grommets are easy to attach- they snap on.  I was a little nervous cutting the holes in it.  Just take a deep breath and make sure you've got the placement just right!

I'm teaching a class at Quilting Adventures August 3,4.  www.quiltingadventures.com    

Quilters Need Massages and Summer Sewing Classes!

I just got back from having a fabulous massage with my FREE gift certificate that I won during Quilting Adventures' Quiltathon.  Dena over at Health First Chiropractic, Glen Allen, VA really knows her stuff.  Thank you again!

I have several classes coming up at Quilting Adventures.  Wed.June 30,10a.m. is a beginner class for 8years and older to make letter pillows.  Easy and fun, spell out initials, a name, or a word.

Tues.June 29,10a.m. is a cell phone bag class.  Simple and can hold all kinds of things!

Chameleon Bag with Flaps

So here is my Chameleon Bag by Shirley Adams, finished. Fully lined, inside zipper pocket and back, outside pocket. The flap is removable and the purse closes with a magnetic snap. I made it out of upholstery samples of polyester suede. It already had the stitching on it. The coconut shark pin was my great aunt's. The purse was fun to make and I've already started another flap- green needle weaving!

Here are flaps made by Shirley Adams, showing how different the can look. Techniques used include applique, bobbin work, embroidery, needle weaving, and wool felting. A great way to get lots of looks from one basic purse! (The flaps below actually go with a black purse and a denim purse, but you get the idea!)

Pattern Manipulation and Surface Design by Shirley Adams

The past two days I was at a sewing lecture and workshop given by Shirley Adams. She is so full of ideas! Lots of pattern manipulation and surface design was shown. The second day was a purse workshop. She designed the Chameleon Handbag that features a removable flap, so you can have several to change the look of the basic purse. I still need to finish mine, but I'll post it soon.

This is a coat she made and then used machine free motion stitching to create stems/branches. The leaves are fused on, with raw edges.
More on the workshop later.

How To: Spring Placemat Purse

I had this place mat and realised it would look great with many of my spring and summer outfits! I also had a skirt I wasn't wearing anymore, so I cut the side panels for the purse, using the hem as the upper edge.

I measured across the front to find the middle. I installed a magnetic snap and removed the shank on a button and hot glued it to the outside to cover the back of the snap.

These are my side panels. In the end, I made them narrower- 2 3/8"x6". I had to hand sew the sides to the place mat because the mat I chose has bamboo threaded through it and it is very stiff. If your mat is softer, you could probably machine sew the sides on.

I also hand sewed a cord on for the shoulder strap.