Back to BookBag No7

Do you remember BookBag No7?  I made few more with similar GipsySpirit. This fabric is lively and despite I have used it for many BookBags each look different outside and most of them even inside. I really am in love with the idea of BookBags which MyFriend -DearFox- introduced Me!

To personalize them I used different kind of lining. This one is Golden...

...and this one is TurquoiseBlue.

BookBag No11

Do you remember this beautiful Summer rose I stitched and personalized with the beads? Now it decorates BookBag No9.

This BookBag has beautiful golden lining. This is one of those old fabrics I inherit from MyGrandmother.

BookBag No10

Do you remember these beautiful butterflies I stitched and personalized? Now I have decorated one more BookBag  with the stitching.

MoreTravelGoods

I've designed and made more LuggageTags and ToothbrushCases. See how I use here the button to secure the hand written address label to stay in the plastic pocket. I didn't make any buttonhole but sew the button so close to the edge secured by BiasTape that the plastic pocket can be closed under the button. And more important; even if the pocket would open the button itself would keep the address label inside.

(These were the last pieces I had left of the blueberry fabric! I made BlueBerryPie & VanillaCream PotHolder of it on January 2011. There was still plenty of fabric left for a baby dress. If you can not find similar fabric but like blueberries you can always make Gluten free BlueBerryPie.)

This LuggageTag has deeper plastic pocket so it doesn't need a button to secure the address label to stay in.

This CoffeeToothbrushCase includes a personal surprise. I have stitched this name over twenty years ago! It is from one of MyFirstCharbooks I've ever got. MyFather bought them from Helsinki and sent via old fashion postal service for Me up to the North. This design is from Zweigart's Stick Ideen chart  booklet "Reinleinen-Stickbänder". Obviously the order number is 7000/902.

Now, finally, after all these years this stitching has found its place. It was just perfect size for the personalized ToothbrushCase.

HelgaHadHeadache

Today Helga had a headache. She could not stand up and take any single step. Oh, She was so poor. I went through all the adjustments and still after it this was all She could do! I was afraid of Her leg was broken.

I realized something was wrong with Her feeding system. I loosed the screws of the plate to see more.

If you are a first timer take a pic of  E A C H  part you do so you won't get confused with it all when putting loosed parts back. When you put the plate back it is not in the right place if the screws don't go in easily. Then you just need to move it a little bit; even if it seems to be on the right place -it is not if the screws feel difficult.

The reason for Helga's headache was obvious. Even with MyOwnEyes I saw the screws of Her feed dog were loose. I tightened them proper and that was all I did before closing Her up again.

Dear Helga started to sing again. At first I heard an extra sound. It was like a small knock every time when the feed dog worked but then it eased. I assume it was because I perhaps tightened too much or She is just old and She needed to cough a bit to get Her corset more loose.

ToothbrushCase

I designed and made matching TravelToothbrushCases with the LuggageTags I made previously. Together they form out very nice and personalized gift. This is low cost gift idea and can be done by using left over fabrics. They are also washable which is very practical. I am going to make few more, you will see them later...

LuggageTags

 Remember MySecretSewing? Now that's finished. See what I've designed and sew.

(Oops, forgot to iron this one, need to do it.) 

They are LuggageTags. I have stitched names, addresses and phone numbers on them.

I am very pleased with them. LuggageTags are easy to make and personalize.

SecretSewing

Oh what a secret interesting sewing project I have going on....

If you promise not to tell anyone, I will show you almost all about it later....

GardenNews

This year a lot has been happening in MyGarden. Past years we've been just weeding the garden that has been running wild for too long before we moved in 9 ears ago. Now it has become the time to create slowly something new. One new thing is our VegetableGarden...

...and the other new thing is Sea Buckthornes we've planted. It grows here wild by the sea shores but ours are from a garden shop. Hope they like MyGarden and will grow a lot during the coming years.

Fireweed HerbalTea

Fireweed grows as a weed in MyWorld. I let it grow because it is beautiful when it is flowering all over but also in its autumn shades (see the background of the pics). Commonly it is considered as a trash and in Finnish we have a nickname for it which literally means Bum's Rose.

Despite of its useless reputation Fireweed is very useful plant. Old times it was believed to make the cows to milk better. According to modern medical investigations it is diuretic antioxidant which also eases the pain. It is calming, cooling and drying. It makes good to your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It also prevents prostate troubles. Fireweed tea which is made of young leaves is used also to prevent, ease or heal head ache, asthma, cough, diarrhea and other problems in your digestive system. This tea also relaxes and eases insomnia.

I collect Fireweed from MyGarden and make bunch of 10 stems. If the weather is good I let them dry outside at first. Then I move them indoors to continue drying in MySauna.

When the leaves are dry I remove them from the stems. The stems include a lot of liquid and it only prevents drying. We don't use the stems so at this point you can just throw them away. (I compost them in MyGarden.) After removing the leaves from the stems I place the leaves over the trays and let them dry more.

The leaves are dry enough when you touch them and they start to break down easily. You can storage them like that. I shred them to make them to fit in a smaller space.

I don't have a lot of Tupperware but I do have Chop 'N' Prep Chef and Power Chef System I use here. They ease MyLife a lot because I cook so much at home. In MyWorld there is no other cheaper similar kitchenware available. Despite Tupperware is not MyHobby and I try to avoid its materialistic world quite much I must confess they have few practical and useful things for sale. Unfortunately Tupperware is quite expensive trademark and I am sure in the BigWorld you can find similar equipment much cheaper at supermarkets' kitchen department. You just need something with blade to shred it all to small pieces.

Alternative option is something to press it all against something. When the leaves are dry enough also that makes them to be shred. It becomes dust-like so be careful not to make it all to spread around like a blow of a dust and get lost. You need a bowl or something to keep it all safe in.

I use old kitchen glass jars I inherit from HisGranny to store MyHomeMadeTea. I have many of these glass jars in different sizes. They are very practical. Unfortunately the big ones are collectible and can cost a lot at SecondHandShops. But you can use anything that is clean and dry.

I use fabric as a lid to keep it all in and safe from the dust. This also lets them to dry out more during the time because moisture can evaporate through the fabric. If you live in more wet climate the original metallic / plastic lid could be more useful to keep the moisture out. When closing up a jar by impermeable lid you must be sure the leaves are dry, otherwise they start to mildew.

MooseButton BookMark

I designed an easy, low cost and fast to make bookmark. Anyone who can sew just a little bit can complete this.

I used a home made button made of moose antler but you can use any other button. The elastic band I used is actually a hair band. Super markets sell them in big variegated packs with few euro price.

CarpetChainEarRings

He designed beautiful EarRings using the same technique He did at CarpetChairBracelet. They are made of 925 Sterling Silver Wire (size 1).

I love them a lot because they are so soft, light and HOT!!! They are so fashionable. Unfortunately these are not mine but a graduation gift for someone else. Well, He did almost similar for Me. ❤

Secret

This is MySecretProject. I use  Schachenmayr's  KidLight yarn. (38% nylon, 32% polyacryl and 30% mohair). I use the same method as in GranySquares but not making it to be a square or made of squares. It is my own design but easy to complete by anyone who can crochet GrannySquares.

DreamCameTrue

Dream of a dress has become true. The original design is from a Finnish sewing / craft magazine Suuri Käsityö (page 46, issue 5-6 / 2011) but I had to make "few" changes to the pattern.

I made the hem 24 cm wider, more space in the middle of the sleeves, more smocking at front, zipper opening at back and included lining. It meant I had to dive into the pattern, open it to pieces and make two sample dresses before getting on with the final one. But the result is great and worth of the trouble.

On these moments I am happy about My cloth & textile designer education! What ever we designed the teachers demanded us to make it all true; otherwise we failed the course! But wasn't I right in here. See how great the taft looks with the pattern! It is festive but not too much when we keep the length of the hem short.

What happens now? Well, I really would like to complete also the original design with jersey or something like that....

PS. Notice YoungLady's jewellery.