Saturday 20 December 2008

Mended Machine - New Makes!

Well! I rang the supplier about my machine and lo and behold, it was because I hadn't been threading it properly! How embarrassing!

Anyway, here are some bags I made from my recent mega fabric acquisition. There are some beautiful fabrics in there, the hard part is finding which ones go together! But these three were quite easy to make up! The first one in Antique Rose. The top is a gorgeous floral chintz in late summer/early autumn colours. And it looks just perfect with these fabulous deckchair stripes in cream and plum.

Another pretty floral print, this time teamed with a lovely, thick beige chenille - Briar Rose


Another favourite - I love this Vanessa Arbuthnot print of feathers in raspberry pink. I think it goes perfectly with this lovely, winter white, thick chenille. I couldn't think of a better name than Feathers for it!

These bags were all put onto my Folksy shop in the last couple of days and a very lovely lady bought all three!!! I have enough material left to make another one of each (two more of the Feathers one), so keep your eye on Folksy if you like them.

I have loads more to get on with, but you will probably have to wait until after Christmas to see those!

Thursday 18 December 2008

New Machine - New Makes

My new sewing machine arrived yesterday - a Janome MC4900QC. It feels lovely to use - solid and smooth. I've had a play with some of the features - overlocking and monogramming.


The boys will be delighted - a soft, fleece hat and scarf with their name on and plenty of Thomas the Tank Engine.
Only problem now is that I think I've broken it - it did all this, then decided to start knotting the thread. I can't seem to resolve it, so it's a call to the supplier tomorrow. Aaah! Not a good time for getting things repaired, or for being without my machine!

Friday 28 November 2008

Cafe Latte Tote Bag

A sumptuous tote bag in gorgeous soft shades of coffee and cream. The outer is a heavily textured and woven floral fabric in pale gold and cream topped with a shimmery pale gold shantung silk.
Lining is a beautifully soft mocha satin. Comfortable, wide straps are just long enough to sit on the shoulder.
Bag is fastened with a button tab and pretty silver coloured filigree button.
15" wide x 14" deep, 5" gusset. 1 internal pocket.

Olive Grove Tote

Lovely rustic tote bag, reminiscent of an italian olive grove. In reds, golds and shades of olive green. The outer is a woven, leafy jacquard in antique gold, with hints of red and olive green, topped by a stripey red and gold chenille.

Lining is soft, olive green satin. Wide comfortable straps will just sit on the shoulder. Fastened with a tab and antique gold patterned button. 1 internal pocket. 15" wide, 13" deep with a 5" gusset.


Tuesday 18 November 2008

New Jean Genies

I've been very busy cutting up unloved jeans and turning them into something much more practical!

Jean Genies are made from recycled jeans combined with offcuts of curtain or furnishing fabrics. They have a single, wide, soft strap that is long enough to sit either on your shoulder or across your body.
They have 2 or 3 internal pockets for those fiddly things that always drop to the bottom, such as keys and phones, and plenty of space in the middle for the rest of the junk (sorry, 'useful items') that a girl needs in her bag.

There are also two pockets on the front and rear of the bag for even more bits and pieces. Just don't forget which pocket your keys are in!
Everything is kept under wraps by a large flap fastened down with a vintage button.
Charcoal Rose
Supersoft charcoal denim and vintage cotton chintz.
Lined with the cotton chintz, two internal pockets.

Rock the Kasbah

Dark navy blue denim matched with a vibrant red floral chintz. Lining red chintz. Two internal pockets. Outer pocket on the reverse of the bag is made from a heavily embroidered denim patch.


Chocolate and Chilli - SOLD

More pics of the bags:






Friday 31 October 2008

Harvest Festival




Three totes, all slightly different, made from the Designers Guild Passiflora Collection of fabrics.
There is only one of each so these bags are unique.
Made using co-ordinating fabrics from recycled sample books, each bag comprises a variety of fabrics including prints, jacquard weaves and chenilles.
Winter Sun - in pale, wintery yellows, creams and beiges.
Autumn Leaves - in russet, chocolate and orange
Cruise the Med - in turquoise, lime and lavender.

Wednesday 29 October 2008

I've been tagged .....

This is new - hope I do this right! I have been tagged by Lazydaisy Glass whose blog is http://lazydaisyglass.blogspot.com/ and is now added to my blogroll. The rules are as follows:1) Link to your tagger and list all these rules in your blog. 2) Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird. 3) Tag 7 people at the end of your post by including links to their blogs.4) Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Now for the facts, this is difficult!
  1. My sewing machine was a 21st birthday present from my Mum
  2. My family used to run a restaurant called 'The Taming of the Stew'
  3. I've been on the top 5 roller coasters in Florida (2000): The Incredible Hulk (Islands of Adventure); Duelling Dragons Fire and Ice (Islands of Adventure); Kraken (Sea World); Montu (Busch Gardens) and Gwazi (Busch Gardens)
  4. I have 10 chickens in my back garden and run poultry keeping courses in my spare time
  5. I was Milnthorpe Ladies Darts Champion in 1987
  6. I'd love to move to a smallholding in France
  7. I gained a BSc(Hons) in Public Health Nursing in 1998.

I am going to tag the following bloggers (getting hard to find people who have not already been tagged - I should've done this sooner I think!):
  1. http://kitschenpink.blogspot.com/
  2. http://www.moonziedoos.blogspot.com/
  3. http://lomondsoap.blogspot.com/
  4. http://8thofthe8thofthe8th.blogspot.com/
  5. http://www.christianshens.blogspot.com/
  6. http://kooringa.com/
  7. http://claretblog.vox.com/

I hope they don't all have to be crafters or blogspot blogs!!

Have fun tagging! :-)

Sunday 12 October 2008

Craft Fairs

The season for craft fairs is upon us! I'm going to have stalls at a few fairs in the run up to Christmas, so if there is one near you, pop by and say hello!

2nd November, 10.30am - 4.30pm: Fleckney Christmas Craft Fair, The Village Hall, Fleckney, South Leicestershire

15th November, 10am - 4pm: Christmas Open Day at Northfield Farm, Whissendine Lane, Cold Overton, nr Oakham, Leics. (Clarissa Dickson-Wright will also be there to do a book signing!)

22nd November, 1pm - 4pm: Wolvey Christmas Craft Fair, The Village Hall, Wolvey, nr Coventry.

23rd November, 10am - 3pm: Christmas Craft and Gift Fair, The Christie Hall, Wansford, nr Peterborough

7th December, 10am - 3pm: Christmas Craft & Gift Fair, Blaby Social Centre, Leicester Road, Blaby, Leics. (Apologies to anyone who has already seen this, I got the times wrong! They are now correct - thanks for the reminders! :-) )

See you there!

Thursday 9 October 2008

Sage & Terracotta Funky Chicken Pot Holders

A pair of funky chicken pot holders in soft sage green and mellow terracotta. Space age insulating wadding keeps hands cool when man handling your hot pots out of the oven!

These chickens are very well behaved - sitting quietly where they are put until you need them, they will not go rampaging off to raid your veg patch and will definitely not leave any unwanted presents on the kitchen floor!


Saturday 27 September 2008

Funky Chicken Pot Holders - £12 pair



Decorative and useful, these funky chicken pot holders are the perfect addition for your kitchen! Hand made to order, they are available in various colours so that they can be co-ordinated to your kitchen.


Made from 100% cotton, recycled fabric used where possible, but for durability mostly new cotton will be used. Hand finished with co-ordinating bias binding and a beady button eye adds the final touch.


Wadding is Warm Insul-Bright - a space age wadding that is thin and light but provides excellent heat resistence: "Insul~Bright consists of hollow, polyester fibers needlepunched through a nonwoven substrate and through a reflective mylar. The needled material is breathable and won’t break down with washing. The hollow fibers resist conduction while the reflective mylar resists radiant energy. The energy, hot or cold, is reflected back to its source."



In addition, they contain an extra layer of poly-cotton wadding to protect your fingers!

Single pot holders can be made - but chickens get lonely on their own so two are always better than one! However, if you really only need one chicken, that can be arranged. Single chickens £7 each.

Email me with your colour preferences and I will email a picture of the fabrics available. Once ordered, allow 5 days plus posting time.




Tuesday 16 September 2008

Kyckling Messenger Bag




A friend brought this fabric back from France for me, but I think it has a very swedish look to it - hence the name! Kyckling is swedish for chicken and is pronounced 'shuckling' (thanks for the translation Diane!)





It is a lovely, linen effect fabric with a red, white and black chicken print.

This is a roomy messenger bag with a long, comfortable strap, button down flap and two internal pockets.

The bright red lining is recycled polycotton.






Bag is 14" wide x 13" deep with a 4" gusset.

Hand washable, drip dry and steam iron.

Sunday 7 September 2008

Indian Summer - £15

Made from 100% recycled fabric, this is a roomy tote bag with a flourish! Outer is cerulean blue cotton sateen decorated with crocheted coppper flowers.



The interior is plain cream cotton, with two pockets edged with contrasting blue embroidery.



Dimensions - handles 27", 11" deep x 17" wide, generous 7" wide gusset makes this a surprisingly roomy bag.

Saturday 6 September 2008

Spotty Cockerels Mixer Cover - £12



Cover suitable for a Kenwood Chef mixer or sewing machine.

Fabulous blue background featuring funky spotted, dancing cockerels.
Again the picture doesn't do the colour justice, the blue is much richer in real life! Lined with plain cream, recycled fabric.
22" wide x 16" deep.

Country Boy Cockerels Mixer Cover - £12



Cover suitable for a Kenwood Chef mixer or sewing machine in a gorgeous fabric featuring cheeky cockerels and sound bites to brighten your kitchen. In sherbet shades of pink, lilac and blue with a recycled, polka dot blue fabric lining.
22" wide x 16" deep.

Little Red Hen Mixer Cover - £12



Cover will fit a Kenwood chef food mixer or sewing machine.
22" wide x 15" deep.
The picture doesn't do this fabric justice! It is a really vibrant red and features prettily patterned, little fat hens dancing through a field of buttercups! Fully lined with recycled, plain cream fabric.

Monday 1 September 2008

Smelly Chickens - £3

Christened by my son, these little chickens are handmade from fabric scraps and scented with flowers or oils. Place one in a wardrobe or drawer to add a little scent, or string a chain across a wall to perfume the whole room!


Soft Green Chickens - scented with Carbtree & Evelyn's exotic Nantucket Briar fragrance oil


Electric Blue Chickens - scented with Orange Spice fragrance oil


Red and green chickens - stuffed with lavender flowers, picked fresh from the garden this summer.





Blue Check Chickens - gentle vanilla scented

Preston Presents



Well the weather was awful, but the atmosphere was warm and friendly! Didn't have a bad day sales wise, but met lots of friendly fellow crafters so it was a great day in the end.

Saturday 9 August 2008

Eastern Promise - £15


This is a sumptuous bag in exotic shades of pale gold and magenta, lined with a spicy red and old gold satin jacquard. Made from offcuts of curtain material, this is a plain tote design, with a single pocket inside and a shorter shoulder strap.

16" wide x 16" deep.

Dry clean only.

Wednesday 30 July 2008

Bargello Bags - £15


These bags have been made in the style of a Bargello quilt, using strips of colour that are sewn together then recut and the colours rearranged to give a fluid, shaded effect. There is one in shades of blue with hints of lemon, pink and jade; the other is in subtle stormy shades of lilac, grey, blue and dusky pink.


Both made from 100% recycled fabrics, the blue one has a plain cornflower blue lining and the lilac one a white and lilac floral lining.



16" x 16", the lilac has a shoulder strap while the blue has a shorter length strap.
Blue Bargello - SOLD

Wednesday 23 July 2008

Preston Presents

The Recycled Bag Lady will be presenting a stall at the Preston Presents Craft Fair (Preston Rutland, not Preston Lancashire!). Click on the link on the left for more information, and if you are in the area, come and say hello!

Magnolia Cream - £20



This bag is from a small offcut of beautiful woven chenille fabric in shades of cream, lined with a sumptuous black and bronze satin. It is fastened with a pretty crochet loop and fancy gold coloured button and finished with a detachable, crochet flower. Inside are two good sized pockets to stop your smaller items from disappearing to the bottom of the bag.




At 28cm x 28cm (11" x 11") it is not a shopper, more a large hand/shoulder bag. The strap is a generous 132cm (52") long so can go either over your shoulder or across the body.
Click on any of the pictures to zoom in for a closer look.




Wednesday 18 June 2008

Food Mixer Covers - from £10


Bit of a departure from Recycled Bags: here is the Recycled Mixer Cover. Exactly the same principle as the bags, ie all, or mostly recycled fabrics, taken into the kitchen! Prices will vary depending on the fabric used and time taken to make them. This is the first one, hopefully of , many - fully recycled fabrics in a gorgeous patchwork chintz, fully lined - £10
Shown covering a Kenwood Chef 901a
Will also fit over a sewing machine.
I can also do matching sets for toasters, coffee machines or any other kitchen appliance and in your choice of fabrics. Email me for a quote.