Finished!!

 The bag.

I have just finished sewing the lining into the Weekender Bag!

I was glad to set it aside for a bit because I was having to unpick a few bits that I wasn't quite happy with and then - well I don't know about you, but if one thing goes wrong, then it's a bit like dominoes  and everything goes wrong.

Anyway - Marmalade made (it is very good) cakes baked and homely chores completed and I looked at it again with renewed enthusiasm.

The zip went in well when I changed to a cotton quilting thread. It held well and coped with the thickness of the cotton duck fabric that I had quilted my scrap fabrics to. 

 I did try pinning the pieces together, but my nice long fine silk pins just bent when I used them. Wasn't prepared to loose those pins so I used some Clover Wonder Clips. They have a really firm clasp even if they are a bit expensive and did just the job.

 I have also got some of the Sew Easy clips and they are just as good (if not better) and quite a bit less expensive.

Anyway all clipped up and ready to sew. 

 It was a bit of a fiddle getting these panels together. The cotton duck is very stiff (but not hard) so it is not very malleable when feeding through the machine.

But it is done.

And I really like it.

empty bag - stands by itself

patched panels using scraps

I do have some "special" fabric that I am going to make this bag from, but as I had read a few negative reviews of the pattern I thought that I would make a prototype to see any problems for myself.

Nothing that I couldn't actually handle, though I can see what some folk mean by calling this pattern "tricky".  I will make another, and there are a few little amendments that I will make to try to avoid problems. 

I only broke one needle (Schmetz 70 Microtex which I should have changed before I started!) and completely blunted a Schmetz Jeans 90, and I so understand why.

  So all I need to do now is book a Weekend away to test drive it!

Now - where to go..........

I have been dibbing and dabbing between projects this week too
I did finish the Aran cardigan for Little Miss

its so soft and really cute!

And then started a knitting project for myself using this pattern
Its growing quite quickly and I am using some Alafoss Lopi Icelandic wool that has been packed away in my loft for ( I am ashamed to say ) probably 28 years!!!


 It was my Mums wool, and then she decided that she wouldn't use it, so it went up into the loft and was forgotten about till a friend showed me a pattern for some hats that she was going to make for her Grand-children. 
Out the said wool came and had made several hats, a jacket and the one that is in progress.

it's still perfectly fine!

 And I have also been asked to make a quilt to be raffled or sold at a MS Clinic that my daughter works at.
 It's a Charitable Trust and they have to raise  - well - a HUGE amount of money annually to keep the place running.
They have an Art Exhibition at the beginning of March, which I will be going to, as I have heard that it will be worth the trip.

I have started the top using the "Plus" pattern  that I read about here and am using some rather bright fabrics from Moda designer Malka Dubrawsky From Outside In. 


It will not be a big quilt, but it will have impact!

First 7 rows - 8 more to go.

I think I will add a slim white border and then use all the scraps for another border finishing in with white. Or I may go for Grey?  We shall see.

The weather is slowly improving and although it is still cold, the last few days have been dry and bright and if the saying is right it looks like it will be bright and dry tomorrow too

Red sky at night.....

I will be computing tomorrow trying to sort out some little niggles with email accounts. I also want to know how to add a "Tutorial" page to a blog. I know how to add the page, but haven't discovered how to add a picture that opens up a tutorial. If you know - can you point me in the right direction?

We will see what happens .......