Hi everyone,
I hope you are all well and still in the crafty holiday mood 🙂
I’ve been making a bag to use up the rest of the plain charms that I’d put away for a rainy day in my fabric stash. I haven’t made a bag before. I suppose it was only a matter of time….
For now, there is a pin where the wooden toggle closure will go. The body of the bag is quilted with variegated thread and there are patch pockets in the patchwork lining. The whole thing is a stash-buster!
Here is the back view.
Then, it occurred to me that I’d had a whole lot of fun making this bag. Soooo…….I made another 🙂 This time using the blue patches from a predominantly pink charm pack. I’m not keen on blue with pink so I stashed the blue ones. I’ve added a few squares of other coordinating fabrics to make up the numbers.
Once again, I’ve put a pin where the big button will go. The main part is quilted with pale blue King Tut thread. Here is the back.
Then……….I got totebagitis…….or some other disease which made me want to do another bag. This is quite ridiculous (you’ll find out why below).
Next, a purple and blue “quilt as you go” style bag.
And the reverse.
So, there you go. That’s what I’ve been up to 😀
Next, I’ve been nominated for another award.
My friend Yvonne, over at A Wee Bit Random has nominated me for this 🙂
Thank you very much Yvonne 🙂
A Wee Bit Random is a relatively new blog that contains something for everyone. Go and take a look! There are lots of rules of acceptance as usual……but, you know me……I like to break with tradition. I won’t be nominating other bloggers as I know and understand how some of you prefer not to get involved. However, I will provide links to some of my favourites and if the blog writers wish to take the award, they can. That way, everyone is happy (I hope).
A few random things about me (just to conform a tiny weeny bit)
I love anything purple 🙂
My favourite place to have a holiday is in Scotland, the more remote, the better.
I hate hats!! When I was a child, my Mum used to knit me hats of all colours and designs. For every outfit, there was a matching hat. I used to be dressed immaculately, with a hat, and sent off to school every day. At the top of the street, just around the corner, I would remove the hat and put it in my bag, whatever the weather. On my way home, the ritual was reversed. I still won’t wear a hat. My Mum is now in her 80’s and she still has no idea about this, so no telling 😉
I like Brussel sprouts 🙂
I never make New Year resolutions.
I don’t have a handbag. I don’t remember ever having a handbag and have no need for one. I believe most people have no idea what is in their handbag. Now you know why me making bags is ridiculous 😆
Now for a few links of reeeeeealy good blogs in alphabetical order.
Enjoy! Bye for now! Quilting calls 😀
Avis x
Oh Sew Tempting 
tartanpants
/ December 27, 2012lol – I can’t imagine how you can manage without a handbag! I am loving your bags, if I had one though it would be a riot – I need small neat handbags that keep everything in order otherwise I get confused! We have a lot in common, I think we must be lost sisters – we share 4 out of 6 of your facts!
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012Well, you won’t believe it but I didn’t read your details before I wrote these ones. Nice to meet you sister 😉
Avis x
tartanpants
/ December 27, 2012🙂 😉 I believe we were separated at birth!
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012He-he! These bags have 5 pockets plus the main bit. How many pockets does a woman need? I suspect you don’t care for sprouts. Do I know you sooooo well Yvonne?
tartanpants
/ December 27, 2012I love sprouts! I often have them drenched in olive oil, black pepper and lemon juice, a whole packet of frozen ones to myself for dinner! It’s the hats and the handbags we differ on. Although when I was wee, I used to remove my hair baubles on my way to school and replace them on the way home!
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012Ugh, hair baubles, that’s something else Mum doesn’t know about!! The boys used to steal mine 😉
tartanpants
/ December 27, 2012I got caught out when the school photographer took our pictures and there was me all wild and bauble-less lol!
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012Oh no! 😆
Teje
/ December 27, 2012Hi Avis! You can carry a beautiful bag even you don’t have anything in it! I know how often women have their bag full of things and they don’t find anything from it. My bag is in order and everything is important + space for little knitting or shopping.
You have made so wonderful bags! If you enjoy making them and don’t know what to do you can open etsy-shop! Then you can make as many bags as you like!
Congratulations for the Award and thank you so much for including my blog in your list!
x Teje
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012He-he! That is another problem with bags Teje. You have to carry them around 🙂 I already have an etsy shop but the shelves are empty at the moment. Maybe that is an idea. I only ever sold two hand embroidered cushions. It was a very romantic story which you can read in my post here
Avis x
Teje
/ December 28, 2012Thanks for the link! That was a sweet story. x Teje
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 28, 2012You are very welcome 😀 Avis x
mtetar
/ December 27, 2012Love them All!!! I love bags. Mtetar
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012Thank you very much Mtetar 😀
mtetar
/ December 27, 2012Please know that you’re always welcome. Mtetar
Jodi
/ December 27, 2012The purple one is my favorite!! Believe it or not Avis, I’m contemplating making some coasters. When/if I do, I will be sure to send you some photos. 🙂
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012Wow! It is lovely to hear from you again 😀 Great news that you WILL begin to sew 😉 Did you ever get the cover for your reader? Avis x
redheadedstitcher
/ December 27, 2012Well done I hope to win that award one day
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012Ha-ha! Didn’t you see your name on the list? The award is all yours 😀 Enjoy! Avis x
redheadedstitcher
/ December 27, 2012I feel a bit dippy now lol thank you xx hope you had a good Christmas
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012I had a lovely time 🙂 Hope you did too!
kjwinston
/ December 27, 2012I really like the blue, white and pink one. I totally understand about “totebagitis.” I’m in the middle of sequined-ballitis. SOUNDS SERIOUS, DOESN’T IT?
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 27, 2012Oh no! That one sounds much more painful than mine 😆
I love your decorations 😀 Avis x
treadlemusic
/ December 28, 2012Next to having a lovely time reading your post, the comments were equally entertaining! LOL! Yes, “bagitis”….such a serious malady! As is “yarnitis”, “fabricitis” and a whole lot of other “itis-es”…LOL!!! But….the question really is—-do we want a remedy or to recover???? I say NO! Hehehe! OK, enough;-D (I think I am really tired…sigh!)
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 28, 2012Ah well, you see, the only thing which helps to relieve the symptoms is to always maintain your stash. So when you get the fabric “shakes”, a quick dose of quilting will make you feel a whole lot better! Thankfully, a cure has not been found 😀 Avis x
treadlemusic
/ December 28, 2012You are so right! A “cure” would definitely NOT be embraced by yours truly!!!!!
witchylin
/ December 28, 2012Love the bags Avis. Of course you can always take them to one of the quilting shows and fill at least two of them with goodies. The handles look long enough to carry over your shoulder so that is no problem. I don’t like handbags either but I do lug about a shoulder bag when I think I maybe buying stuff and there is always a little folding bag inside it, just in case I spend up big. Back to your bags. The colours are great and they look fabulous. Next year you can give them as gifts. 😉
I too love purple and Brussel sprouts. However I do wear hats, knitted ones that hold my earphones on when I walk my dog in the cold wet weather. Besides that I have very, very short hair and my head gets cold. LOL.
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 28, 2012Ha-ha! That is exactly what I said to my sister, trying to estimate how many jelly rolls and fat quarters could fit in 😉 They are all shoulder bags and are an inbetweeny size, just nice. They would definitely make great gifts. It is surprising how much work there is in a bag! As for the hats, I have a great mop of hair which keeps out hail, blow and snow, a bit like thatch 😉 I’m wondering how all your projects are coming along, especially the big metal one! Avis x
rutigt
/ December 28, 2012Bags….my latest obsession! I´m collecting and trying to sew different patterns 🙂 bags and pouches and purses, any size you can think of. Your bags looks fine!
And thank you for linking to my blog 🙂
Gun, Sweden
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 28, 2012Hi Gun, Yes, you and a few other bloggers have inspired me to try making bags. They are great for using up scraps. At the moment, I don’t have any zips but when I do, I’ll make pouches too 🙂 Avis x
Occasional Crafter
/ December 28, 2012You’re going to have to start slowing down! How can you *be* this productive? Looks like it could be time to get your Etsy store restocked 🙂
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 28, 2012Ha-ha, well basically I never relax or sit still. I’m always making something. I’m taking a couple of weeks off work so it is time to craft as much as possible. Etsy, maybe….. but the items would have to take a lot less hours for me to give them up. Hope you had a fab Christmas! Avis x
quiltingpiecebypiece
/ December 28, 2012Love the bags. I would just use vintage buttons for the closure (but then again, that’s because I have a ton of buttons of some “vintage.” (I used the smaller ones for a folded fabric flower project so I was left with the bigger ones.)
I got “bagitis” several years ago and just made tote backs (no inside pockets) now I use them at the grocery store so I don’t end up with three billion plastic bags. (We used to get a nickel per bag used back, but they stopped doing that.)
p.s. Not a big brussels sprouts fan, but I can’t seem to keep a hat on either. I try, but I always end up taking it off within minutes and then putting it somewhere I can’t find.
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 28, 2012Thank you! I’m one of the very few crafters who doesn’t have a box of buttons. I agree, vintage buttons would be lovely. It will take me a while to decide which ones 🙂 Our shops do encourage customers to re-use bags these days but I don’t think they offer money off here.
The last time I was “forced” to wear a hat (just recently by a very well-meaning person who shall remain nameless), I took it off to carry it (as I do) and unknowingly dropped it on my client’s drive. When I got home, “what a shame I’d lost the hat” 😉 only to return to the same client the following week when they produced the hat and asked if I’d lost it. Sheeesh!!
Patch
/ December 29, 2012Oh wow lovely bags. I especially like the blue and purple one… I’m with you all the way on the purple 😉
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 29, 2012Thanks Patch! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas 😀 Avis x
skalabara
/ December 29, 2012Well done, Avis. Congratulations on your blog nomination! And thanks for having me on your list. Your bags are just beautiful, looking forward to see more of your projects!!
Barbora
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 29, 2012Thank you Barbora 🙂 I wish you a very happy new year 😀 Avis x
skalabara
/ December 29, 2012Wishing you also all the best for 2013 !!
claire93
/ December 29, 2012I don’t use a handbag either Avis, and have all my important bits in a banana bag round my waiste when I go out BUT I still love bags and think your last one, with diagonal stripes is just great
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 29, 2012Thanks Claire 🙂 It was your lovely cathedral window bag that made me think about trying one myself. I’m building up to it 😆
Life on a Dirt Road
/ December 30, 2012Well, Avis, since you don’t use bags…I would be happy to take the blue or the purple one off your hands!:) LOL. Truly, they are lovely. I think I would like to make one, but my stash is too small to want to donate some to a bag. I am actually a “bag” lady. I LOVE bags and seem collect them always looking for the perfect one!
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 30, 2012Well, they may end up on Etsy. Could I part with them?? I don’t know what they are worth except the in the time it takes to make them. Decisions, decisions…
Yes, it does take more fabric than you would expect if you include the lining and pockets which, of course, are a must in my view 🙂 Avis x
1marylou
/ January 1, 2013I really like the blue with pink bag…Actually, they all are beautiful!
Oh Sew Tempting
/ January 1, 2013Thank you very much 🙂 I like them too 😀 Avis x