Just for a change

Just sidetracking a little with the sewing!!!

Some years ago I used to make ‘poke proof’ pouches for shuttles with hooks or picks. These proved very popular when I sold them in Etsy but then I ran out of my secret material that I used inside the linings to make them truly ‘poke proof’. There’s nothing worse than your shuttles either escaping from your table or (when put in an ordinary bag) having the hooks/picks poke through and into something else.

There’s a laugh here too. I managed to get some similar material for the insides of pouches the other day from a shop that’s closing down and decided to start making a few more. 

Now I needed two shuttles as ‘models’ for the proposed prototype pouch so found an Aero and another. When I’d finished the project I wanted to take a photo (see below) but had ‘lost’ one of the shuttles. I went to find another shuttle to use with the remaining one and put them both in the pouch. I discovered the ‘lost’ shuttle inside the pouch (where that prankster BC3 must’ve hidden it) and suddenly realised (light bulb moment) that the missing shuttle was already there!!!

After the photo the pouch went through a two hour wash in the washing machine to make sure that the new material was suitable and would stand up to rigorous washing. Success!!!

Juliana round 3

No, this won’t do. It’s a disaster.

Just as I thought - those rings at each end of round 2 are a problem. In fact round 3 made them even worse. Back to the drawing board and a small modification of the pattern!!  I've done it as the designer suggested but even hers tended to overlap slightly.  I think that with a little thought I can ditch two of those rings at the end of round 2.  

See the ‘sort of’ clovers on the outside of this round? I’m not happy with those either. They flop around as they’re not attached to each other. Time for BC3 to fix that problem too.  My favourite designing technique is going to come out to play here - I don't call myself (secretly) the 'Queen of the vsp's' for nothing!!!

Question is - do I cut this back to start round 2 again do I start from scratch? Answers to this question would be interesting!!! 

What would YOU do?

Juliana round 2

Here’s round two of Juliana.  I’m wondering if anybody ‘out there’ and who is from The Netherlands can help me track down the designer of this pattern/book as I would like to know if the pattern still has a copyright owner.  I’m particularly concerned that if I don’t do my best to find the ‘owner’ then I’ll not be able to publish the pattern for others to use.  It would be such a shame to lose this forever.  I guess I could publish it with the acknowledgement that it isn’t my pattern but who knows.  

Round two had me a bit puzzled for a while but BC3 persisted and eventually got it sorted!!! Can you see that the chains at the ends are pointing inwards and the others point outwards? You can only see that on the picture - no mention in the pattern itself.  Thank goodness for scanners and being able to enlarge pictures - I’d never have spotted it otherwise.

I’m not happy with those four end rings - they seem a little crowded and on the original image in the book they also seem to overlap quite a bit too. I’ve a feeling they’re going to be a problem but they MAY sort themselves out when the next round is worked. I’m not very optimistic about that, though.

I completed this round a few days ago so will hope to get the next round finished for tomorrow. That’s if I don’t get sidetracked!!!!

A new craft bag

Now this is a new craft tote bag I’ve been making. I’ve got enough fabric for several and will be taking them to Palmetto to try and sell.

Why ‘craft tote bags’? Well they’re different from shopping totes as they are padded and therefore stand up on their own. I use mine a lot for carrying round my tatting projects (or other crafts too) and also use a handbag hanger so the bag can hang under the table I’m sitting at. Here are some hangers like mine.

The bottom of the bag is reinforced with heavy duty stiffener too so the bag keeps it’s shape.  It’s taken me a while to make this one so I’m hoping the others maybe a little faster.  The black trim was a small bit of inspiration to make the bag look a bit ‘posher’!!!!

What do you think?