Mama’s New Bag & D & J Tote Completed

I have been on a sewing spree for the last two weeks and I love it. It’s more than what I’m used too. So far four projects done for others, I had to do something for myself.  While watching the BBC’s Charles Dickens’s Little Dorrit, I stitched something useful and quite green.
Something like a new bag. From leftover fabrics.



The outer shell is of dark blue denim with a lovely front contrast pocket. It has a very comfy, wide shoulder strap and two side tote straps. I took inspiration from my old gray/black bag.
And this beauty of a bag: Scottie Big Bags Messenger Tote Bag
 
Back to my bag, I did the lining in light blue linen and I added good, useable pocket this time. Plus I used a stiff bottom for an old baby bag to remedy my floppy bag bottom. Please forgive my stuff being in the bag while taking the pic, I’m very excited to use it.




Okay, for my next completed project, remember the Dick & Jane curtains.

Now…
Imagine that cloth made into a tote bag. I have stitched THIS:

My client adores D&J and had a lot of cloth leftover from her curtains, so she commissioned a tote bag.
Yes, I have a feeling that Dick & Jane will be reappearing in some future project yet I don’t know as what?

Zaynab's Eid Adha Wintermint Princess Frock Completed

Zaynab’s Eid Adha Wintermint Princess Frock was a success. The colors were great, the fitting was good and the Thread’s seam-and-bound finishing technique I picked up was a hit. It is an awesome dress.

I combined leftover fabrics: sea-green denim for the pinafore, pink-striped cotton (binding strips & ruffles) and cream broadcloth for the underskirt to produce this wonderful frock. I combined my Neapolitan Feliz dress pattern with McCall's M6389.

Instead of finishing the princess seams with regular seams, I used the seam-and-bound finishing technique shown in an old Thread’s Technique book. It’s an easy, strong finish for bulky fabrics plus it can add alittle spice to regular seams.

The bound-and-stitched seam

And all of us who sew knows what happens to an terrific dress: It seems to never get worn to the intended event.
Well, it’s probably just happens to me but oh well.
Zaynab was supposed to wear this dress to Eid Adha back in the Fall but I was too exhausted & sick to go to the Eid so the dress had to wait.
Then my friend recently got married and I was invited to her walima (wedding reception or wedding banquet). I had the pleasure of seeing another one of my dresses on display in all it’s beauty for a client. I got Miss Little-Bit all dolled up just so she could show her evil side in a store three blocks from the party. Unfortunately, we gave her every opportunity to improve her behavior and we could not reward her bad behavior with the benefits of the party (there was cake, ice cream plus her classmates), so Miss Little-Bit and her dress was sent to her aunt’s house.
So I’m posting the after party pics for friends and family.

     

I got more completed projects on the way, so stay tuned.