Crafters Companion June Projects - Owl Bunting using Debbie Shore appliqué die

So a couple of months ago now I applied to be a part of Crafters Companion new design team called the Inspirers and a few weeks ago I found out I had been accepted! I am so excited about this wonderful opportunity. This means I will be doing lots of blogging showing you the projects I make using the fabulous Crafters Companion products and showing you step by step tutorials too.

For my first Project for June ( I know it's now July) I was asked to make a project of my choice. I decided to go with Owl Bunting using one of Debbie Shores appliqué dies.

I had the idea in my head for it to be bright and colourful and it to be displayed in a child's room, so I Decided to use the bright felt pack of the website, I am so pleased with how they turned out!

I then came across some of this Burlap ribbon in Hobby Craft and thought this would be great to use for the string but you could use any type of ribbon.

I would like to that Crafters Companion for this brilliant opportunity.
So watch this space for lots more projects and tutorials !

To Find links to the products I used click on the photos below.

12 Piece Felt Pack- Brights

Owl Applique Die Set By Debbie Shore

My sew together bags

I thought I would update you on some current sewing projects specifically sew together bags.
I have made 2 since I bought the pattern and I've got to say it's gone very smoothly. I followed a sew along on another blog which I will link below and I found it easier that following the sew demented instructions. I think this is because the blog sew along shows more pictures.
I think all together it took me about 2 hours to make which I was really impressed with and the bags grow quite quickly.
I hope you like my sew together bag the second one I am planning to keep myself but I will show that one in my next post.

The sew along
http://quiltbarn.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/sew-long.html?m=1

More fabric shopping

Today me and my mum went fabric shopping at oh sew sweet shop again but this time at their Wombwell shop.

I went knowing exactly what I wanted to make so that I knew how much fabric was needed.

I am wanting to have a go at making the sew together bags that seem to be very popular within the sewing world.

My first choice was the beautiful metalic butterfly fabric in the first picture, this is for the outer of the bag,  I then chose three contrasting colours in a print but as you can see they are all the same print.

I then didn't know what to choose for another sew together bag as I was spoiled for choice but as I was at the cutting table I saw some fabric that they had just got in and they where cutting them into fat quarters. The fabric is by Lewis and Irene and as you can see in the second and third picture they have a Chinese new year theme to them which I thought was different and I adore the fabric with the pandas on.

Lastly, I needed interfacing and was shown a new interfacing that has diagonal quilting lines on as a guide for quilting so I thought I could quilt the outer of my bags !

So that was all I bought today but I know I will be going back for more fabric very soon. Keep popping back to my blog as I will most deffinatly be blogging about my sew together bags.

If you would like to check out oh sew sweet shop please find their online shop below.

www.ohsewsweetshop.co.uk

Debbie shore charlie bags

A couple of days ago I had a go at making the Debbie Shore charlie makeup/toiletry bag. I believe this pattern is from the bags galore cd rom but also comes free on a learn to sew cd rom from issue 1 of sew inspired magazine.

I can't belive how easy these where to sew especially when they look so effective.

I used the fabric that I showed in my last blog post and the two contrasting fabrics look fab so much better than if you where to use just the one fabric.

The red makeup bag I used a regular Wadding and because of the wide bottom it does stand up slightly. The pink makeup bag I used bosal foam and that stands up perfectly so for anyone wanting to make these I would reccomend using that.

Tomrrow I am planning on making a bag from the high style handbags cd rom so I will blog about that when I'm finished.

Fabric shopping

On Tuesday night I did a bit of fabric shopping at oh sew sweet shop in Mapplewell I went in for some fat quarters with no projects in mind but so I had some fabric in when I had a project to make. I got 6 fat quarters and some fabric for a bag I decided to make so that's what the linen is for and the green spot is going to be my lining.

I will be blogging about what I make with these fabrics so you can see them transformed into projects.

Debbie shore satchel bag pattern

I have recently made a satchel bag using a Debbie Shore pattern that came free with her sew inspired magazine , issue 2. I used a new type of wadding/interfacing called bolsal which is like a foam, I thought with it being thick it wouldn't be nice to sew with but it was quite the opposite.

I used a plain linen and then a contrast linen and then a cotton on a bright red print for the lining. The strap is adjustable and then it fastens with 2 magnetic snaps.

I always read through a pattern before I start sewing so I know exactly what I'm doing and the instructions are very clear. My only issue is that the requirements list doesn't tell you enough. For example it says quarter of a metre of contrast fabric but this is for the lining also but there wouldn't be enough but I bought a different fabric for the lining anyway which I got 1/2 metre so just bear that in mind.

My vintage button collection and storage

As I have my own businuss in making handmade bags, homewares etc I am always looking at ways to make my products different and stand out. I have always loved vintage fashion since studying fashion at college and fashion history was one of our subjects.

Anyway, I am always having to buy buttons I use them on all my bags and I use them for cushions it gets a bit annoying having to go into town just to get a button to match a certain item. Me and my Dad started to look for buttons on Ebay so I could have and collection at home so I could look for a certain  button when needed. This is when we stumbled upon vintage  buttons in large collections and in vintage tins. I found one that i loved that had had a really good selection we had to bid and it was against quite a few people but we won! (It also came with some vintage thread, hooks and eyes and snap fastners)

The parcel came on Friday I was so excited and I couldn't believe how beautiful it was packaged it made it all the more better. All the buttons had been organised into colour categories with smaller buttons icon to plastic bags and then they where all In leopard print paper bags! Everything was then placed in a lovely perfume box.

To store my buttons I wanted something where I could sort them into colour categories and have enough room in each section to move them around so I could see them. I was looking in the garage when I spotted this little tool box, the trays fan out its just what I wanted.

I hope you liked this post it's my first one I will be posting lots of different types of posts, more on vintage buttons too as I have some more on their way to me.

Check out my Facebook page www.facebook.com/emibdesigns

check out my ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/emibdesigns/m.html?item=301532361240&hash=item4634bab218&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562