Little Shoulder Bag

Little Shoulder Bag
Originally uploaded by Grey Cottage Studio

I am just the kind of girl who likes color. My house is actually pretty neutral (though probably more from indecision than serenity) but frankly, I find I'm drawn to color. I love the look of someone swathed head to toe in taupe or all in whites and creams, but it just doesn't feel like me. In fact, if I ever do wear any warm shade of creamy white, I swear, at least one person asks me if I'm feeling ill.  

Really, my favorite color is fuchsia. (Side note: a former colleague of mine has a daughter named Fuchsia.  She's British, so I think it works.)

So, here's the latest bag. A punchy little thing. I modified the charming bag handles to make it more of a shoulder bag, which I do prefer to the original (though, there's definitely a place for the handbag). I added some very stiff interfacing panels into both sides, and frankly, this puppy could use a magnetic snap. But, here she is. A pop of color for fall. Why not?

Swoon.

Twinkle applique
Originally uploaded by stitchindye

I love this quilt. The maker, one stitchindye, has a great etsy shop and a wonderful blog. I always love her colors. I bought some of her hand dyed fabric, but have yet to cut it, until I get better at sewing. I know, I should just go for it. I hate hoarding supplies, but I love knowing I have them around.

This quilt reminds me of framing a small precious object with a big matte, to give it plenty of breathing room.

Everything's Coming Up Mums

OK, the pillow now lives in the dining room (don't you have pillows in your dining room?) with it's new friends, the placemats.  Seems we're all about mums these days.  After all, tis the season.

I'm full out embracing the gloriousness of fall.  After last weekend's 95% humidity, we've finally hit some great high 60's-low 70's ish days.   Time to break out the jeans and perhaps even a wrap-like-object for the evenings.  I would like it to hold off just a bit longer, however, since our furnace has passed it's nine lives and the new one won't be installed for a few more weeks.  We may be breaking out the handknits sooner than most.  

Another Day, Another Pillow.

Patchwork Pillow
Originally uploaded by Grey Cottage Studio

I won a slew of fabric squares on ebay, which I bid on with no particular project in mind. They've been sitting in my little grey cottage until Friday, when I decided to make some new placemats. See, I bought some purple fabric with red dots to make napkins, but when I got home, it cried out for these fabric squares (they're from the same collection. I suppose they recognized each other).

Anyway, a few hours later (not sequential hours, that would be too much to ask), The squares formed a nice nine patch, the polka dots made a backing, a little stitch-in-the-ditch quilting, and voila. A pillow.

No, it doesn't match any of my rooms. Is it a Christmas gift? Or, do a just get a new duvet?

One more peek

Patchwork Pillow
Originally uploaded by Grey Cottage Studio

From another angle. I swear, my pictures seem brighter on Flickr. I love the polka dots. All Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

Branching out from Bags

Hurrah.

I took a breather from my bag obsession and made a pillow. It's actually a project that I started at least a month ago.  One of those things that took about a half an hour to finish, and yet it sat there for weeks. 

 I started this log cabin pillow as a way to use some of the green fabrics I had accumulated and also just to try the technique.  I went about it very roughly, just sewing on strips and trimming as I sewed.  I really didn't even have a size in mind.  I love that wonky log cabin look (and it's really easy).  I added some Ginger Bliss fabric as a border and backed it with a table runner that really was too small for my table.  I cut it envelope-style so I could take the cover off for washing and so I wouldn't have to hand sew the opening closed (I saw another week on the shelf if I added another finishing step).  Using the table runner was easy since I didn't have to hem the sides.  Anyway, I like the pillow on the black club chair, however, I was a bit dismayed this morning when I noticed that someone had actually sat on it and squished it.  Occupational hazard if you're a family room pillow, I suppose. 

Marie Claire Patchwork bag

Marie Claire Patchwork bag
Originally uploaded by ketutar

Have you ever clicked on a photo in Flickr to make a comment, only to see that you've already commented on the photo months ago? So funny. At least I am consistent.

Marie Claire Idees is one of my favorite magazines. No one seems to blog about it much but it has fantastic projects. It's a bit tricky to find (B&N carries it, but for some reason, inconsistently even at the same location). It's all in French, but not that hard to follow, or really just use as inspiration.

I Actually Made Something from a Japanese Craft Book

Well, sort of.

Like many others in the blogosphere and beyond, I love Japanese craft books.  The gorgeous photography and the sophisticated, simple projects all look so alluring.  I bought this bag book at Kinokuyiya in Manhattan one day this summer when I took the boys to the city for an afternoon.  They had to go to the craft section with me and in return, I patiently waited in the Pokemon section for them.  Fair deal.  Anyway, today I finished my first project from this bag book.  Well, project, inspired by the bag book.  I really didn't take the time to practice the red line enough (though I do think it makes the bag) and I used some ribbon on cotton webbing for handles.  Also, I tacked up the corners to give it a bottom so it would stand up, rather than just a flat magazine bag, as pictured.  I think it needs some kind of embellishment, but clearly, it's a pretty blank canvas, so I'll think of something.  

I think I like it, but it doesn't thrill me. I think it's the handles.  I'm convinced that handles can take a bag from passable to fabulous.  Consider it a work in progress, and my biggest digression from a pattern.  More bags from this book to come.