My first sewing project

Here is my first sewing project from Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing.

The raw materials.......

Et voila - the finished article


It's the Everything Tote. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, I'm using it as my combo handbag/diaper bag, and it's pretty roomy so it fits LOADS in. I used red ticking for the body and green ticking for the binding and handles, and the coolest camo print with hearts for the lining.

Of course I made a few amendments to the bag in the book. Firstly my tote is smaller - but still huge. The book calls for 1/2 yard of inner and 1/2 yard of outer fabric to make the tote. However this is way off the mark, I couldn't even cut the bag pattern piece from my half metre, never mind cutting the handles and binding on the bias! So I had to trundle off to Spotlight and get more fabric halfway through! In all I used 1.1 metres of ticking to make the bag and it's about 3 inches smallr in width.

I also used the suggestions from this post on AlewivesGirl to change the instructions to make more sense. I only folded the binding and the handles once, and I even left the straps open so that you can see the lining underneath and so that the straps are wider and stay on my shoulder better.

All in all, I'm pretty chuffed with my first sewing project (since I was at school) and I think the bag looks pretty special! (By the way I think I "forgot"to mention that my sewing afficianado mum was here for two weeks and oversaw the whole project!)

I already have my cogs whirring on making more bags!

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Christmas in July

Look what the hubbie bought me!.......



Now I have my trusty stead I shall be whipping up projects left right and centre!

First thing - finish off the whirlygig quilt. All the blocks are finished (sewn by hand), but now I can zoom them all toghether and get the borders on in no time! Yay!!

I'm so excited, there are so many gorgeous things out there in blogland and crafty books which I am raring to make.

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I'm in the market......

...... for a sewing machine. Well I figured I've done the hard slog and completed one quilt completely by hand, and I'm halfway through hand piecing quilt numero dos, but I think it's high time I invested in a sewing machine. Told DH that I need to make some darker curtains for Possum's nursery, so under this pretence I have had the go ahead to make a purchase (but we all now the real reason - QUILTING!)

Possum has accompanied me in her HotSling on my quest, trawling around the shops in Singapore and the main brand I can find is Brother. I don't want to spend toooo much on said sewing machine, as I want to make sure I will definitely use it lots and won't lose interest in a few months (my usual style with hobbies). There are two models I've seen in Best Denki, the XL2220 (reasonable price) and the XL5700 (more expensive).

So here's where I need some advice; the more expensive model has a lever for lowering the feed dogs to allow me to machine quilt, and according to the lady in the shop the cheaper model has a thingy-mag-ig which fits over the feed dogs to allow me to quilt. So the upshot, do I go for it and buy the more expensive which I know I can quilt on, or save my pennies (sensible in the current economic climate) and get the cheaper one.

Answers on a postcard if you please (or alternatively just leave me a comment!)

(and here's a pic on Possum in her sling, outside Orchard MRT station)

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