Tokyo Mishap turns Reversible Gift Tote

Well as for the adorable combo I shared with you yesterday... I set out to make the "Tokyo Tie Bag" feature in S.E.W - Sew Everything Workshop, by Diana Rupp (great book!). My mother is teaching this bag in her class "Sew What?" (for young sewers, teens - twenty-ish) and I am to be her assistant. This Saturday, Oct. 25th will mark the debut of this class, and I wanted to have my own bag stitched together in advance...I planned to alter mine slightly, to be reversible. The original pattern teaches a French seam for the bottom of the bag and although it has a nice clean look from the inside, when turned out it's not quite right.
So my reversible method worked out great but while focusing on this quality I accidentally stitched my bottom seams in the wrong direction, ending with the ties directly in front and seams on either side. The result, while not what I was going for, is very sweet. I think it would make a great reversible gift tote for that extra special touch.

The bonus is that it went together super quick. I think I'll attempt it again tonight only with the seams in front as Diana intended.

Oh also... while I'm here I must share the newest arrival.
Delivered just today - Michael Miller Organics. Absolutely luscious! The feel of these new fabrics is indescribably soft. I just love the sweet neutrals of the Gingham and large Herringbone Check. We had to hold ourselves back from unrolling the whole bolt of fleece and wrapping ourselves in it. That would have been fun... :)
Till next time,
April

Hello, long time no blog! / Washed and ready to SEW

Hey friends! It has been far too long since my last post... over a month... wow, how time flies. There has been lots of great things keeping mom (Anita) and I busy.
The most notable is our newly walking shoppe girl. My daughter, our darling Aelyn, started walking about a month ago and has had me running ever since. Therefore, I haven't had much time to sit down and blog. And it certainly doesn't help that every time I pull up to the computer my little munchkin waddles over to me, points to the screen and sputters "baybay, baybay" witch means she would like to sit on my lap and watch baby videos of herself :) Sooooo cute! but not at all productive.
Here's one of the most recent videos I've taken... Check out those facial expressions, so silly.


Other than that we've both (Anita and I) been busy on our machines. My mom has sewn several new samples for the store and just finished an awesome cape, sorry no pictures, you'll just have to stop by the shoppe and see it. As for me, I finally finished a pillow project for my dear friend Tracy and can't wait to start my next little project. The beautiful fibers have already been washed and are longing to be cut and sewn . . . .

"Nouveau Bouquet" in rose, from Anna Maria's Drawing Room and a gorgeous red cotton velveteen. mmmm... yummy!!!

. . . more on that soon to come (and I promise not to leave you waiting a whole month this time).
Sincerely,
April