Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Sewing for Spring!

My boys have been away, leaving me for my favorite type of vacation: one spent here at home, alone! It is amazing what can be accomplished when I am not tending to their needs---hours of the day are freed up! I have been studying, working on school projects, an exam, and a term paper. But I also had time for a special visit with a friend from afar, a couple of walks, and some sewing! Now I am thoroughly ready for my boys to make their way homeward.

In case you felt I stiffed you on pics of my recent Alewives purchases, here are a few.
If I have cute notepaper, I write notes! How could I pass up Amy Butler notecards?
So I had in mind this bag that I had seen on the Made by Rae blog, a small purse, and very cute. Sort of the algorithm that translates to when your kids get bigger, your purse gets smaller. I had never made pleats, but what the heck. AND it takes just a couple of fat quarters! I chose this home dec weight fabric for the outer, because I wanted a little bit of "body" to my purse.
And, sorry for the awful indoor lighting:
I wore it out for its debut today in the super market (right, those boys will be eating when they return and I will be feeding them), and I felt so very hip and adorable as I trolled the aisles. It fit my wallet, phone, and checkbook, really the bare essentials...but so Spring-feeling to be unencumbered by stuff. Now that I am hooked on this easy and quick pattern, I have to return to Alewives for more magnetic closures and perhaps more home dec fat quarters. Sigh.

The great part is I feel kick-started back into sewing! And my fabric-hungry tiki from Mary Anna is beginning to fill his tum! (Click on that link to her blog, she is making this totally chic trench coat right now.)
Atop Beech Hill, looking eastward. The sun was sunny, but the breeze was brisk. Soon, it will be green.

11 comments:

  1. YEAH! There's your badge! I'm so excited! And I saw where you added your buttercup bag to the pool on flickr. That's so rockin, Iris! Such a cute bag. I love the fabric you picked out for it, including those adorable buttons. Sweet, sweet!

    XO,
    Ana

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey lady,

    That's it... I have GOT to make a buttercup bag. I've seen them all over blogland and now I can't rest until I get it out of my system. Yours looks so good I cannot resist anymore.

    Thanks for the inspiration!

    XO,

    Rhea

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, that bag is FAB. I love it! The sewing looks impecable!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the fabric combinations, the buttons, the thread color AND the notecards! The little spring bag is PERFECT!

    I have to pick out some fabric for a cushion cover and so wish you could duck out to the fabric stores with me...it's been on my 'to do' list for a couple of weeks, but doing it with you would make it so much more fun!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Iris, this bag is adorable. And can I say how jealous I am of the time you had to create it. So good to love them when they are there AND when they are gone.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the bag, it's sooo pretty! I love having some quiet sewing time once in awhile! :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. So happy to hear that you had some time to yourself to do so many things! I saw this pattern too. It is super cute and yours turned out wonderfully!
    ~Emily xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. LOVELY!! What an adorable purse and I so desperately want your vacation...Now, I just need to find a place to send my dear husband and our darling girls so I can play in my studio without interruptions!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great bag Iris ..am proud of you, that's some great sewing there!

    Love bags with pleats..my very very favourite thing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. That bag is beautiful! It was so nice to talk to you the other day. It turns out Ani comes to the Pines every other year, so next year its a plan. Love, love the bag!

    ReplyDelete
  11. So in LOVE with your new purse Iris! Its amazing. Just like its creator.

    I am so excited about seeing you all this coming weekend! I am just working on manifesting one more baby, and I am good to go. I think it should be quite possible.

    I love you! And please give my love to the boys, Hannah

    ReplyDelete