The Sewing Mom

I have designed a small name badge for each of us to wear at our booth next week.  I created the design on my embroidery software and have transferred it to my sewing machine.  It really should be a very simple thing to create.

Instead, I spent 4 hours fighting with my embroidery/sewing machine.  The machine would tell me what size hoop to use, I would place that hoop on the machine and would tell me I was wrong.  I battled with it until I couldn’t take it anymore.

I am concerned that perhaps the embroidery arm of my machine has somehow gotten out of whack.  There is a sensor inside that tells it which hoop is attached and I’m not sure it’s reading it correctly.  This could be a costly repair.  I think I will be taking the entire machine to the store and ask them to look at it.

I really need my machine this week, so if it needs to be sent off for repair,  it will have to wait.  I can still sew on it, I just can’t embroider.

Tags: embroidery, embroidery machine, sewing

Well, I wish I could say that I did this work today, but as I said in my previous post, I wasn’t that productive today. These are bags I actually complete a couple of weeks ago. This is my favorite bag pattern to make and I tend to make them in between my larger projects. These three are made from very summery fabrics and all are great little totes, about 10 inches tall and 8 inches wide.

Tags: fabric purse, fabric tote, purse, sewing

I had so much fun making this bag. I wasn’t really sure about it when I first saw the fabric, but once I got it cut out and was putting it together, it seemed like it was meant to be. This bag is approximately 10″ h x 8″ w with a 40″ over the shoulder strap. The front has a zipper and the back is a pocket. This is a great travel bag for keeping your small items and identification for quick access. It’s also handy for carrying ipods, gameboys, cd players, etc.

This bag is $15 + shipping.

Tags: fabric, sewing, western

Okay, it only took me two weeks, but I’ve completed this project and I have to say, I’m very happy with it. The only reason it took me so long was that I kept procrastinating when it came to the quilting part of it. You see, I’m a sewer, but I’m not a fan of quilting, at least not when I’m the one that has to do it. I love quilts, and my mom is an expert quilter.  I’m just not comfortable with. And, because I expect all of my bags to end up perfectly, quilting can be frustrating for me. I just haven’t done enough of it to be good at it.

However, in the end, and with a lot of moral support from my mom, the quilting came out just fine. I love this bag!

This is a “medium” sized tote, approximately 8″x10″x13″. The entire bag is made from 100% quilters cotton, except for the backing of the main tote fabric which is a muslin. The muslin was only used as a quilt backing and is not visible in the bag as it is covered by the interior lining. This bag is padded with an all natural cotton batting. The larger pockets are supported with a fusible interfacing, as are the straps.

This bag is so nice and roomy inside. Besides the two exterior pockets, it also has 4 interior pockets. It is deep and wide and will carry many, many things. It’s even large enough for a laptop. I’ve added a magnetic snap closure to the top for security.

Due to the amount of fabric (almost 4 yards) and the time involved (even ignoring my procrastination), I will have to charge $48 for this beautiful tote bag.

Tags: cotton, fabric tote, quilting, sewing, tote bag

One of two purses I finished recently. It is 9″h x 12″w with one exterior pocket and 2 interior pockets. It has a metal tubular closure mechanism that pulls open and then “snaps” closed when you apply pressure. It is fully lined and the handles are reinforced for comfort and security. This bag sells for $40.

Tags: fabric purse, purse, sewing

I just have to share this with you. My sister Karen just completed this bag and it’s so cute I knew I had to post it here too.

There is quite a bit of detail on this bag including the prairie points with decorative buttons, the loop and button closure and the rick rack. She has done such a super job on this bag! It measures 10″ w x 7″ tall and is made from the cutest cowgirl fabric and butterfly bandanna fabric accents. The bag is fully lined and has interior pockets that can be seen in this picture.

She is selling this bag for $40 (that’s a steal considering all the detail work she did!).

If you would like to see more of her sewing work, including her quilting, check out her website, Winding Threads

Tags: cowgirl, fabric bag, sewing

I have been busy sewing and I took a break to try to catch up here a bit. I’ve started and finished several small bags, this being one of them. It measure approximately 8″x10″, has a zipper closure and an open back pocket. The over cross shoulder strap is approximately 42″ in length. The interlining is a natural cotton batting. Selling price is $15 + $2 shipping.

Tags: fabric bag, sewing, zipper

These blocks were a gift to my grandbaby who was here visiting over the weekend, she’s not quite a year old yesterday. She loves building blocks and the best thing about these is that when she knocks them down or throws them on the floor, they’re soft and don’t make any noise! She had a lot of fun with them and I loved being able to make her something personal.

Tags: sewing

I created this bag not too long ago. It’s a simple over the shoulder strap bag with a back pocket and a front zipper. This style of bag is great for carrying just a few items at a time like a small wallet and sunglasses. Perfect for taking to the amusement park. My daughter has one that she uses to carry her Nintendo DS in.
I’m happy to say that this one has been sold. These are fun bags to make though and so I know I’ll make more. I need to see if I can find more flip flop and beach ball fabric. It’s not shown in the picture, but I added a flip flop charm as a zipper pull.

Tags: sewing

Several of my readers have asked to see what bags I have for sale. As I’m just starting to get them listed in my Etsy shop, I’ve decided to post what I have available here. If you’re interested in anything, leave me a comment and I will contact you via email with specific detail of the bag you are interested in. I have several more in the works that I hope to finish in the next day or two and will post those pictures when I’m finished.

Tags: fabric bags, sewing