Blue Denim Purses

I've been building purses for a week (12).  I have many photos to share with you now and more later.  On an upcoming post--I'll show you photos (steps) how I put them together.  

These (2) purse I made for a client.  They are 9.5" wide by 12.5" padded denim purses with 45" cross-body straps.  I've been making this style of zippered purse for several years.  I make them in upholstery fabrics, faux leather, corduroy, wool and denim.  

I like to play with polymer clay and roll beads to make zipper pulls.  Another part of decorating purses are hand sewing big stitches with No. 10 cotton crochet thread, as well as big medallions of stacked wool with blanket stitching. 

The padded purses are lined in cotton batik.  The padding is leftover batting I trim from quilts I've long arm quilted.  The first year I long arm quilted I was frustrated throwing out all those batting trimmings.  It finally occurred to me to use the leftover batting to make beautiful purses and soft luggage (big overnight zippered totes)  See below:

Olive green carpet bag.  I made the covered shank buttons with a vintage "handy button maker".  Its a big old heavy metal contraption that looks more like a tool of torture, than a covered button maker.  The contraption uses big steel shank button blanks, and works perfectly every time.

Bohemian zippered travel bag.   Made with leftover sub-assemblies from Circus Circus quilt, paired with  navy corduroy, and lined with sturdy cotton batik and decorated with silver metal beads.

Blue Circus Circus queen size quilt (totally impromptu, a more is more concept quilt).

Ok, so back to my story about the two blue denim purses I just finished.  Below is the second one.  

Both blue denim purses feature two interior padded slip pockets.  The twist is, one of those pockets is hidden and marked with a button . . . a button marker to show you where the opening of the hidden pocket is located.  The hidden pocket is big enough and deep enough to hide your passport or folded receipts you don't want swimming around in your purse.  

Since I can't do summer craft shows, I plan to spend lots of time making purses.

More photos on the way--so stay tuned.

Thank you for looking at my work.

Pin 'n Clip Cushion (photo tutorial)

I made a number of pin cushions, and put them at different locations in my studio.  

A pin cushion by the sewing machine, at the layout table, and the ironing station.  

Because I make weighted pin cushions--they are great for using 2-3-4 at a time to weight a quilt on the layout table so the quilt doesn't slip and fall off the table when I am trimming and squaring prior to installing binding.  My queen size quilts are  92 x 104 and weigh about 7 lbs.

I am late to the game using clips instead of pins.  I see lots of reasons to use them, especially when sewing vinyl, or bulk upholstery fabrics to build purses.  No finger picks, for sure!

Photo above is Step 1 - Cut two 7" squares.  

Step 2 - Divide 1 of the red squares diagonally.  Set aside.

Step 3 - Cut a strip of fabric 2" wide.

Step 4 - from the 2" wide strip, cut 7" lengths.

Then, take one of the 7" strips and turn edges 1/2" and press.  The strip is now 6" long.

Step 5 - Fold strip in half lengthwise, and Press the 6" strip 

Step 6 - Lay the 6" strip on top of

the diagonal cut of one of the red triangles.

Step 7 - Place the other red triangle on top.  Stitch 1/4" along the diagonal.

Step 8 - At left, press open.  We are calling this unit "the top".  The top unit at this point will measure 6" square.

Step 9 - 

Place the top unit evenly on top of the other red square.

Step 10 - on 1 side, with a pen make two marks 3" apart.   The 3" opening will make it possible to turn the pin cushion right side out and to stuff it.

Step 11 - stitch 1/4" around the perimeter, except for the 3" opening.

Trim excess fabric, and be sure to leave the 1/4" seam allowance.

Turn pin cushion right side out.

Step 12 - Press the pin cushion

I fill the 3" opening of the pin cushion with 12 tablespoons of crushed walnut shells, (or fill pin cushion half-full).  You may substitute dry rice, or dry beans instead of crushed walnut shells.

Good News About Walnut Shells: bagged crushed walnut shells are available from your pet supply store (reptile bedding material).  Walnut shells add weight, and also keep pins sharp.  

The remaining area of the bag can be filled with fabric trimming scraps, polyester toy stuffing, or hand torn whifs of cotton batting.  

I closed the 3" opening by hand sewing with needle and matching thread.  A whip stitch will do.  Because I am using a finer crushed walnut fill-I stitch the 3" opening TWICE.  

Here is the finished weighted pin n clip cushion.

Other designs on the internet: I especially like the longer rectangle, several strips of fabric were sewn into multiple seams. 

Look at this great mini pin cushion made out of wool.  I probably is attached with sticky adhesive velcro tabs.  I love it!

Out of the Box 1952, queen size quilt

Out of the Box 1952, queen size quilt

One solid week of rain.  Lots of mud in the driveway, which is also the path to my sewing studio.  With all the mud--I was mopping the studio floor every day.  Enough of that!

Last week I took my 400+ pile of 3.5" squares to the dining room in the house and began to sew.

I sewed  the 3.5" squares into  (100+ ) 4-patch blocks.  All of the squares were leftovers from the last two quilts: "Stay In Your Own Lane" and "Seeing Red".    DH Jon picked out the neutral sashing fabric.

Waiting for the driveway to dry up a bit--I was able to piece four rows of the quilt at my dining room table.  The dining room light isn't the best, and photographs differently than in the studio. 

Finally, I was able to return to the sewing studio to finish the quilt assembly.  9 blocks per row, 10 rows. Natural daylight in the studio shows the real colors.

I offered these 2 photos to a client, asking her which one of these fabrics she likes best for the backing fabric.  She chose the soft botanical fabric on the right, and it is incorporated into the border as well.

How I decided the working title for this quilt.  The 4-patch blocks reminded me of boxes (not hard to see that).  And then . . . 

I came across a 1952 photo of me.  Great grandma put me in a box, balanced on a metal stool, to take my picture.  In the background is grandpa at the door, ready to save me if I got to moving around too much in the box during the photo shoot.   Seeing this photo--gave me a working title for my quilt: Out of the Box 1952.  Maybe I should have called it, "I Stayed In the Box 1952".

Other Items I Sewed During the Week:  

3 hand -sewn collapsible scrappy thread catchers.  A purse--now ready to add 6/0 bead embellishments, and an example of one of 10 face masks I made.  I gave some to the neighbors, and to my MIL Betty and her friend.  Some for Jon and me.  Extras for friends.

Each face mask takes 14" of 1/4" flat elastic for ear loops  x 10 masks = 140 inches.  Divided by 36" = just under 4 yards of elastic.  I was surprised how easy it is to blow through all the elastic I had on hand.  

I ordered another 70 yards, but delivery won't happen until May 1.  I've given some thought to making "around the head straps featuring tabs of velcro.  I have lots of velcro.  I don't know if it will work--but I will try.

Also in the photo, at the left--you can see an annual stock report-booklet filled with tissue-like pages.  I was going to use the pages for a paper mache project, but I've changed my mind.  

The stock market may have faded, but I will use the pages as foundation piecing for fabric strips--to build a strong vibrant string quilt.  I shall call it, "Crazy Little String Called Love."  

Be strong in the days ahead.  Be well.  Wash thy hands often.  

Stay In Your Own Lane - a queen size quilt

I still have lots of 3.5" squares leftover from the White Star quilt.   

Quirky neutrals feature some fish, porcupines, butterflies, daisies, wheels, dots n dashes, stripes, feathers, assorted other florals, stars, checks and one that looks like black and yellow corn cob pattern).    

I combined those 3.5" squares with 5.5" and 7.5" squares and 4 similar white print fabrics for sashing.  The result is a low volume quilt.  I call my version of this multi-square quilt, Stay In Your Own Lane.

Row one:  3" sashing with 3.5" squares (17 squares).  Repeated 5 rows.  First Section.

I assembled first section, and added first row of the 5.5" squares.  Draping it over the bars of the long arm machine is a good way to check distribution of prints and  barely there contrast of colors.  

The studio lights come on in the late afternoon, hence the photos become a little yellowed.  The prior photo presents the real white background.  I added this photo, because I added a 5th row of small 3.5" squares at the top, and a 5th row of medium 5.5" squares to the bottom (fleshing out the quilt to achieve a queen size).  

Finished the long arm quilting  (free style feathers and swirls), and rolling it off the frame to photograph.  

DH Jon picked out the backing fabric (very light tan check).  I added an art panel to the backing to make the backing 100" wide to successfully clamp left and right margins to the frame.

A traffic jam of small 3.5", 5.5" squares, and 7.5" squares--all left over squares from the Seeing Red Quilt and White Star Quilt.  And get this, I still have more of these squares to sew into my next quilt.  In my brain I see 4-patch units and perhaps a light gray or blue sashing.  What do you think?  

Please notice the bottom of the quilt, where I put a row of flying geese units, top and bottom of the quilt to extend its length.  If the squares represent small medium and large vehicles, perhaps the flying geese triangles represent turn signals--commanding each vehicle to "Stay In Your Own Lane".  Ha. Ha.  What silliness, just to remember each quilt by giving them a fun name!

After trimming away the batting margins, I sewed 400+ inches of  2.5" wide folded strips for the binding installed around the perimeter.  Then about 5 hours to turn and hand stitch the binding to finish.

I shall sew on my 1992 Kenmore forever.  I keep her clean inside, and well oiled.  The bobbin race (black thingy) wore out and was replaced once.  I do have other vintage and antique machines to piece quilts.  My favorite piecing machines are: 1939 Featherweight, 1954 Singer 301, 1951 Singer 201, and this 1992 Sears Kenmore I bought new.  

The 301 is the fastest "sewing" machine I have, but it has a little bobbin like the Featherweight.  Both of those machines are light weight aluminum--the 301 about 15 lbs., and the tiny Featherweight 11.25 lbs.  The 301 is not the sister of the Featherweight as some incorrectly call it.  The 301 is the first slant needle machine Singer offered.  

I have a friend who finely cleaned, adjusted, and oiled his 301s to sew 1300 stitches per minute.  I don't know how fast my 301 runs, all I can say is--it sews like warm butter on glass.  

Update on my Sewing Machine Collection:  I had 80 sewing machines in January 2019 and by the end of the year I thinned the herd down to 50.  

The finished quilt is 94 x 102"  Thanks for looking at my work.

P.S.

My first show of 2020 is a Saturday/Sunday May 23-24 Memorial Weekend at the Rising Star Mill Arts Show and Craft Sale in Nelsonville, WI.  I will be there selling my queen size quilts, quilted 54" long body pillows, padded fancy wool and denim beaded purses, farmhouse over-sized potholders, clip-on padded cell phone carriers, sachet hearts filled with lavender buds, and more.  

At the show I'll be demonstrating hand crank sewing machines.  I have several Singer 12 hand cranks for sale, c.1884-1887, as well as a Singer 12K Ottoman hand crank dated 1898.  And,  if you are interested in acquiring one or more Singer Featherweights--please let me know.  I'll bring a couple along.  See you in Nelsonville, WI at the Rising Star Mill Arts Show an Craft Sale, Memorial Weekend, May 23-24.

A Whole Bunch of Quilts -- Made This Winter (photos)

Black and Winter White Quilt - November 2019

It is challenging to free style stitch on a busy print  (light) background.  Tough to see where I was stitching.  Muscle memory gives me the confidence to stitch feathers on a serpentine line and make them consistently uniform (shape, size, spacing).  

You see, its like driving a car in the fog--as I guide the machine with my right hand, I am constantly feeling along the serpentine line with my left hand to lay down the feathers.  

Sleep Until Noon Quilt - November 2019

I didn't have a minute to spare, and as soon as the Black and Winter White quilt was hemmed, I started on the Sleep Until Noon Quilt.  Lots of brown, blues, reds.  And I quilted a body pillow cover to go with it.  

Above is the finished quilt and body pillow. 

Then I built the Blueflower Quilt.  The dark border fabric features ghost-like images of dandelion-like flowers and leaves.  I pulled lots of dark blue, gray-blue, light gray, and taupe fabrics for the blocks with accent center squares of reds, golds, orange, etc.

Built this quilt during the first week of January, 2020

long arm quilting, Blueflower quilt

Reverse side of the finished Blueflower quilt

I finished the White Star Quilt January 23.  Lots and lots of seams and it took a long time to build.  A gazillion flying geese assemblies to make the white star and I confess I made way more geese than required for the quilt.  I chose ivory cotton print for the sashing and the backing.  

I became interested in "Low Volume" fabrics after reading several articles.  As an artist I would call it low value to be more accurate.  

So, let's just say--I think they call these neutral fabrics low volume because its like turning down the volume on your TV until you barely hear it.   

It is a light, calm, airy, quiet quilt.

Continuing on with the light, airy quilts , I built another low volume quilt (neutrals) with just enough red . . . not too much red . . . just enough showing until I could appreciate the red without over doing it.  Hence, I named this quilt "Seeing Red".  It is all that, plus it's very scrappy.  A real nice farmhouse queen size quilt.

This quilt grew into an extra wide, extra long (ample queen) with a 17" drop

Red gingham, red mattress ticking cotton print, other red prints.  And some quirky hidden critters in the low volume fabrics; 2 fish fabrics, 2 kitty-cats fabrics, porcupines, and butterflies.  

Lower right of the photo is the kitty-cat faces fabric.  A nice neutral you have to look at more than once to discover they are fun kitty cats.  

I threw into the mix some framed diamond blocks (made from leftover flying geese assemblies from the White Star quilt).  Note:  lower left of the photo is the bug-eyed fish fabric.

***

My intention on Monday this week (first week of February 2020) was to create a quilt with a range of purple accents on a gray and white field.  I build the first block and didn't like it at all.  Oh well, that happens.  I will end up making a table runner out of it by adding a couple more blocks, then long arm quilt it.

So the rest of Monday I was cleaning, and sorting fabrics in the studio, when low and behold I found a stack of 25 blocks left over from building the Blues Yo Yo quilt 5 years ago.  

I giggled looking at those 25 blocks--remembering I'd sewn yo-yos with buttons in the center of each block.

Let me show you the quilt I'm building with those blocks . . . called "Button Up" quilt.

Now then, 25 blocks doth not make a queen size quilt.  My plan worked out well to alternate with plain fabric blocks (like I did on the Seeing Red farmhouse quilt).  

Started assembling the "Button Up" quilt Tuesday.  Wednesday I had 3 rows assembled--half of the quilt. 

When I left the studio late afternoon Wednesday the last half of the quilt was nearly complete.  Three more rows pinned, fan-folded, and ready to take to the sewing machine.  

Thursday (tomorrow) I'll sew the backing with an art panel.  Then add compound borders around the perimeter to flesh it out to the requisite size of 92" x 104.  

I hope to have the quilt loaded on the frame Friday for the long arm quilting, then prep and install binding and hemming on Saturday.  

I don't want to forget to show you the quilt I built 5 years ago with the same button yo-yo blocks.  I called that quilt "Blues Yo-Yo"quilt.  Same blocks, but looks much different with white and turquoise/blue sashing.  For some reason I only have 3 photos of the Blues Yo-Yo quilt.

When I built the Blues Yo Yo quilt in 2015, I was reading Kaylee Porter's Graffiti Quilting Booking, and watching her YouTube videos. 

***

Sunday, I'd like to start "Stay In Your Own Lane" quilt.  I have two versions of it in my mind.  But, the first quilt will have to be scrappy to incorporate lots leftovers from the last three quilts.  The other version will be low volume prints, and modern.  I'm rolling my eyes, talking to myself, "can pull off a modern quilt?"  We will see, we will see.

Last, I want to say February and March I will continue to build queen size quilts.  In April I will make purses, table runners, potholders, cell phone carriers, and padded fabric covered writing journals.  Getting ready for my first show Memorial weekend:

Rising Star Mill Art Show

Nelsonville, WI

Sat/Sun May 23-24, 2020

Lots of artists selling their items, good food, live music.  A great show.

Besides selling my things at the Rising Star Mill Art Show, I'll be demonstrating sewing on antique hand crank sewing machines. Come visit and sit with me.  Try you hand at hand crank sewing.  It's a hoot.  

***EXTRA NEWS***

June 13, 2020  DH Jon and I are hosting the Victorian Sweatshop Forum Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio Sewing Machine Extravaganza at my Victorian home in Scandinavia, Wisconsin.  This is a sewing machine clinic where you can have your vintage or antique sewing machines cleaned, oiled, and fussed over by expert restorers at no charge.  Anyone can attend.  

We meet once a year for a cookout and fun.  And, if you are interested in buying a fully restored machine with history, this event is for you.  In the afternoon, we will have sewing machine races in 3 categories: hand crank, treadle, and electric.  Prizes!  Popcorn is served during the races! And great snacks all day long.  Mark you calendar.  See you there, or be square.

-Linda

UPDATE:  Due to the world pandemic, I've cancelled the June 13, 2020 Sewing Machine Extravaganza at my Victorian home in Scandinavia, Wisconsin.  We hope to re-schedule the event for June of 2021.

All my summer 2020 shows are cancelled.  I made 10 queen size quilts since January.  I guess they will sit in storage until next year's shows.  I love making and selling my quilts.  If you see one you like, please let me know.  I think you will be amazed how affordable they are.  Thank you for looking at my work.

Other Stuff:

Please nudge me, I have a Pfaff 11 hand crank sewing machine circa 1938 to show you.  I bought it last year at the Sewing Machine Extravaganza, but I haven't done any deep cleaning, oiling, and such.  I've been trimming down my herd of sewing machines, but slipped up and bought two more machines.  I'm addicted.  When I see a sewing machine I've never seen before, I just get weak in the knees.  Ha. Ha.