SUMMER BEACH BAG

Here's a bag I have to share with you...I made it for my daughter since she was enrolled in the local P&R summer fun program and they had excusions to the local swimming pool as well as the nearby beaches.  It was clear that she needed a beach bag that was functional for her.  Luckily, the local fabric store, Discount Fabric Warehouse was having another "sale" and I found some really cool vinyl with and without print.  I wanted a bag where she could easily retrieve her items w/out having to dig through all the contents so using a clear vinyl was a thought;  however, I couldn't resist the tropical printed vinyl as it was really pretty.

Went through my sewing library and dug up a pattern from All People Quilt's website here and actually made the bag using only the exterior shell of the free reuseable market bag pattern .  As it turns out, it is the perfect summer beach bag.  It was large enough for a large beach towel, xtra change of clothes, her lunch, all the other little tidbits (brush, sunscreen....).  

There's a pocket in the front ther little things:

Handles were perfect for over the shoulder....Here's a little peek of the bottom where she can see what's in her bag....

Defiitely will make more since here in Hawaii, it's always summer and there's always a recipient for a "Summer Beach Bag".

 At the end of my daughter's beach excursion day, she brought home a bunch of sand that was not invited in our home so she emptied out her bag in the yard, hosed it down clean and left it out overnight to dry....Yes!  One less thing for me to worry about.  Perfect! 

Next on my "To Do List" is to try out the pattern as it is made for, a Reuseable Market Bag....Have YOU tried it, yet?

BACK TO SCHOOL BAG

First of all, I must apologize for the lack of blogging.  We were out of state to support a youth basketball team that traveled to Las Vegas.....Yes, it was FUN, FUN, FUN!  The basketball team gained experience and exposure that cannot even put a price on it!  Although they didn't win every game, they all had fun.  There were a few that visited Sin City for the first time and they had a blast!  All the hard work and fundraisers was worth it!  After a few weeks away, it was nice to come back home.  As Dorothy of Wizard Of Oz stated, "There's no place like home.".   So true!

Back to blogging.....

Can you believe it's already August?  Most schools in our area here started on August 2nd and we all know
how important a "good" bag is for all the homework that goes home.  Well, remember the Burda messenger bag  that was posted back in April.?......This was on my to-do list for the new school year, BUT then I thought about it.  If my daughter picked her own fabrics and sewed her own bag, it would be appreciated more.  So, during my recent blogging, I stumbled upon a site http://www.sewthankful.com/ and found a bag pattern that I thought would suit my daughter's sewing skills and school needs. 

We took a trip to the fabric store where she picked her own fabrics on her own.  I went ahead and cut the pattern pieces out for her as well as fused woven interfacing to give it a little more strength for her text books.  We pinned the pieces together, she sewed, turned, etc...I gave it a good iron to smooth out the wrinkles and wallah, here she is:

Her favorite character on the fabric is this cute little girl with a pink dress and her Japanese fan:

Oh, the pattern of this bag is KWIK SEW # 3749:

This pattern is perfect for the beginner sewer as it has only four peices and zero hardware.  It fits a 2" binder and a few composition tablets amongst a few little more knick knacks perfectly!

Also, the model is "Eden".  I got her from a boutique that I frequent and is closing it's doors soon.  The owner, Lisa, was nice enough to sell her to me for a great deal!  Thank you Lisa and I wish you all the luck and success in your new career! 

I enjoyed the quality time w/my 9-year old.  With every project, she teaches me more than I could ever teach her!  It took just part of an afternoon to complete her bag.  I have a feeling we'll be making more of these cute bags together.  I can't wait!  Wadda ya think?

MORE PINK PENGUIN BASKET

Here are two Pink Penguin patchwork baskets made from my stash of collected leftover fabric bin:

Squares of denim was used from my kids jeans and since the basket was made entirely of  leftovers, I didn't have enough fabric to make the matching handles.  Instead, I used a clothesline and doubled them up, similar to the canvas bucket blogged previously for my daughter's Teacher's Appreciation Day gift.

I think they turned out well! 

HAZEL HIPSTER BAGS

Remember my Tsunami Day Bags?  Well, someone saw them and made a "special order" for a maroon and black bag.  I forgot to ask if they wanted a regular size Hazel Hipster or a mini so I went ahead and made both.  Did the mini a little different with the front exterior fabrics:

Made some minor adjustments to the pattern and added a few hardwares such as D-rings, handle clasp and an adjustable buckle:

As you can see, it is a little over a foot in height which is perfect for those trips where you really don't need everything out of your day-to-day purse:

I had enough  fabric to make another regular size Hazel Hipster:

Handles are long enough to wear across the body where they can be adjusted as needed:

Can't wait to make me one of these!  They are so cute!

THE GLAM BAG

Here's a pattern I recently purchased from a local quilt shop called QUILT PASSIONS.  My daughter found this cute pattern called THE GLAM BAG and she chose her own fabric and embellishments.

This is actually my first GLAM BAG pattern and we had enough farbric for two which we reversed the lining and the exterior fabric for each:

The directions specifically stated a few instructions that I just rushed through.  Needless to say, the flaws were obvious....too much bulk in the zipper area that made the GLAM BAG not as porportioned as it should be.  So remember, read and follow directions to make it worth your time. But I don't think no one would notice this unless they look closely. 

The fat quarter it called for had enough for two glam bags plus this cute little cell phone holder.  Also made another from an up-cycled favorite T-shirt:

Added a hardware hook:

And it has cute little pockets in the back for earphone storage:

FREE PATTERN - SINGLET STYLE SHOPPING BAG

I love bags, even re-usable shopping bags!  They are saving our landfills from being overstuffed w/more unecessary rubbish....Today, I am showing you a fabric shopping bag that I recently made.   This shopping market bag pattern was found here and it is so easy, so simple and so cute!

Again, here's the local favorite PALAKA fabric, red on the outside and blue on the inside.  Heavy interfacing was used to accommodate those heavy gallons of milk my family go thru week after week.  Best of all, it folds up very nicely in my tote bag.

Thanks, Michelle for making the pattern available for FREE!  Visit her wonderful tutorial and make more shopping bags!

HANDLE THIS! ART IMPRESSIONS BAG

Here's a pattern I purchased from The Fat Quarter Shop here.  The pattern is called Handle This! which offers three handle options from http://www.artful-offerings.com/  The chic style utilizing a large ring with a tied handle captured my interest and of course, had to make one.  I got my 2" O-Rings from here. 

When you have a chance, check out her blog called You Sew, Girl!.....Nicole  "Nikki" shares lots of great information not only on bag making but techniques for any project.  Thank you "Nikki" for sharing your ideas and patterns!

Grey and handle fabrics are from a local fabric shop called Discount Fabric Warehouse and the Amy Butler fabric trim, pocket and lining is from Kilauea Kreations, a cute little quilt shop on the East side of the island.  If you are ever visiting, gotta go there.  It is in a refurbished old plantation style house.  Next time I go there, I'll take a picture of it for you.   It's just a neat place to visit and the people who work there are wonderful!

I had fun making this....!  Next time I'll try a different handle...maybe a bamboo one..seen some cute bags with bamboo handles lately and I've been wanting to try them out!