Zips galore!!!

Last Saturday I went along to a Zippers for Bags workshop with Nikki at You Sew Girl. It was so much fun. Nikki is a fabulous teacher, and having done a few of her classes now I can highly recommend them. You will learn heaps! So what did we do in the class you ask - different techniques and applications of zips in bags! I love pockets and zips in bags. I'm a list person, so a bag like this is right up my alley!

In the class I completed 4 different type of zips. The first is the zipper closure for the top of the bag.

This is the zip on the outer front of the bag.

This is the hidden zip on the outer back of the bag

This is the inside divider zip piece. Here it is flat, but it will fold along the zip line to be inserted into the bag. 

I also added this zip to the lining when I got home.

The fabrics I have used are from Amy Butler's Lark range, and the charcoal on the back of the bag is from Ikea.

Here is the finished bag!!! It's Nikki's large tote pattern. It's a bit hard to see - my photography skills aren't great, but I used silver nickel oblong rings on the straps. I really like the look of silver on the webbing. 

This pocket is fantastic for putting car keys in - I hate rummaging round in my bag when my hands are full, so now I can pop them in here and find them easily!

And a pocket on the bag to hide more goodies!

I used seatbelt webbing from Auswebbing for the straps this time. I haven't used it before, but I really like it as it's softer than the polypropolene webbing. This is the top of the bag ...

And this is the inside of the bag. Oooohhh - so many and pockets! Now I have places to store everything! 

If you have ever thought about making a bag, Nikki's patterns are great, the instructions are very comprehensive and have lots of pictures in them. I love my new bag! Can't wait to make some more!

Teaching my daughter to sew...

My almost 6 year old daughter has decided she wants to sew. She received a felt easter egg kit last year for Easter that had sharp needles in it, and no holes punched to make sewing easy.

We put it away for a while and over the holidays we decided to give it a go. I am so impressed with her. I showed her how to do an over stitch to sew the middle strip on, then I showed her how to sew on sequins. One sequin was all I had to show her and she had the hang of it straight away!

I next taught her blanket stitch so she could join to pieces to stuff. She really didn't take long to grasp it at all! I really don't get people who say they can't sew a thing. If a 5 year old can blanket stitch, anyone can sew on a button or take up a hem. I think I can't = I refuse.

I can't find the finished egg now - she is at school so I will try and post later. I am so proud of her. I have decided to get her a little sewing machine like Nikki's little assistant from You Sew Girl  received for Christmas. I managed to pick one up for $100 at Metro Sewing Centre, not bad for an  Elna Mini sewing machine perfect for kids. I think this is an old picture of the one I bought. 

2011 - where did it go?

Wow, that went fast. My first year of working as a midwife has flown by, and consequently all the things I had hoped to do in 2011 like keeping my blog up didn't happen. This year I plan to be different!

I ended the year with making a quilt in secret for my husband for his 40th birthday. A business trip to the USA in December got him out of the house for nearly 2 weeks leaving ample time to get on with this quilt. It was machine pieced and hand quilted with perle thread.

I am also determined that this year I will finish my Japanese Quilt. My mother in law bought me back 10 pieces of real indigo from Japan a quite a few years ago. It took me a while to decide what to make with it but I have always loved the postcard quilt in Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Road. I am foolish enough to be hand piecing it which is why it is taking so long! I am now up to the second last round. I want it finished by April so I can buy a backing at the AQC for it.

My husband thinks it's crazy but I really enjoy hand piecing quilts!

Last week I received a parcel from Amazon! My mother in law gave me a voucher for my birthday last year and I brought these books.

I am planning to make the bag on the front in an Amy Butler fabric I've had for a year or so to make a skirt that never happened. I think it will be a great overnight bag! And I love the colours that Gwen and Freddy use! I wish I had a stash like theirs!

Now back to sewing before work! Have a 70th birthday quilt I need to get completed start to finish in 2 weeks! Yikes!!!