The Bag Lady

Who can resist beautiful bags? Satchels, totes, duffle bags...you name them, I need them! I cannot resist gorgeous fabrics either and that includes oil cloth. These days oil cloths come in so many different shades and patterns, surely they must have more than the usual purpose of covering a table top?

I've had a long week, so I went to buy some oil cloth and ordered a beautiful vintage panel online as well. Then I followed my doctor's orders ...

And made a number of bags of different sizes..........

A big bag for a week of groceries

A smaller bag when I run out of bread, butter or eggs...

I received orders for 2 bags - one for the mum and one for the daughter

The following bag is for my friend

Then I made another fully lined bag for my camera or other knick knacks. This bag comes with a zip.

Finally with all the leftover fabric, I made two cushion covers and a mug caddy.

And more cushions

I still have some lovely oil cloth so I'll be sewing more bags. Meanwhile...

Hand quilting vs. Free motion machine quilting

There is always this fear of treading into new horizons. I'm very at home with hand quilting because you can do it anywhere and you are in full control of your stitching. Then I told myself I have to overcome the fear of machine quilting which actually looks very formidable and signed up for Anna's class last year when I went back to Malaysia. Forever ambitious, I thought I'd try it out on the borders of my hand quilted single comforter.

As with anything new, practice makes perfect. I'm rather fastidious and won't settle for anything less. So it was first try, unpick, second try, unpick, third try.....you get the picture. 

I bought some basic equipment to make the free-motion quilting easier.

(1) A wide table for my sewing machine

(2) A quilting foot

With the leftover material, I came up with 2 cushions

Having completed the quilt, I still wanted to do more free motion quilting, so I made a plastic bag dispenser. I stuff all the plastic bags into this bolster looking thing and hang it up. The bottom is scrunched together by elastic. Plastic bags can be pulled from the bottom when needed.

Christmas bags and memories

My friend Sarita mailed me some shots of creative looking bags and said, 'I bet you can whip something up as well'. So I went to my collection of paper bags (I know, I collect all sorts of things...) and tried my hand at 3. I subsequently gave them away to loving homes.

I enjoy Raymond Briggs' stories and hand drawn cartoons. So here is my version of The Snowman on a bag.

Then I tried my hand at paper folding to create a Christmas tree

And finally, a Santa suit complete with a satin bow tie and a belt buckle which can be adjusted, in case he puts on more weight what with all the cookies and milk

Once the bags were completed I moved on to create memory boxes as Christmas gifts. Beautiful memories are precious.

Graduation gift pack

This is a graduation gift pack that I've put together for my son Samuel who will be receiving his scroll on 18 May. A bit of everything - the quintessential graduate bear, hand made flowers, chocolates and cash in the bag.

The tag inside the bag

Quilting

I enjoy hand quilting because I can take the project with me anywhere, especially when I watch tv. Unless the tv programme demands my full attention, I normally multitask. This is a lap quilt that I made for my late mother-in-law. I was told that she loved it and would show it to all who came to visit her.

An example of machine applique. The quilting is done by hand.

A quilted single bed cover using the binding technique

A christmas tree quilt to throw over the back of a sofa

                      Hand sewn applique and shadow quilting

                 

 A quilt for my daughter Sonya

A label behind a quilt for my nieceny

                    A quilt made from a jelly-roll

     This is a quilt I made for charity using simple blocks and rectangles. I was told that the child in the foster home loved it.

        This is a teddy bear quilt for Michael's grand nephew

                                   A Christmas wall hanging quilt

                             Quilted cushion with  musical instrument design

      This is a cover for my sewing machine.  I embroidered the centre picture with a mixture of wool and embroidery thread. Then mount it on yellow gingham before quilting it.

                            A quilted bag for the musician

                 Three patchwork-quilted cushions using jelly roll

Hand quilted king-size comforter with a Japanese theme.

           Another angle of the quilt

 Patchwork quilt using Hawaiian batik for my newspaper editor

Hand sewn baby quilt for our grand daughter

Crazy patchwork Christmas table runner

Quilted baby blanket with dinosaur motif for my grandnephew

  

I love hens so can resist quilting this foursome!

Hand applique and shadow quilting....dozens of hearts for a cushion

My friend gave me a half done project and I completed it. Cotton lace soaked in tea to get the vintage hue.

Sun flower cross stitch on hand quilted cushion for Michael's aunt who lives in Thurles

                    A close up of the 1st patch work cushion

                       A close-up of the 2nd cushion

A quilted bag with Peter Rabbit motif to house Easter delights

                 

                                       A combination of felt-applique and patchwork

                          A close up of the third cushion