Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Back to the drawing board...

Today I had to console myself with a little sewing. The last of my kids and grandkids left today, so I was feeling a little lonely. We've had exactly four weeks of visiting family members, 17 in all, so it's been very busy around here. We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years with five kids and their families, a three day break, and then two more kid's families arrived for another week. I'm exhausted, but I've got a smile on my face.

As I was saying, I made friends with my sewing machine today. In my opinion she's been sadly neglected this last month -- although she might have considered it a well-deserved vacation. I've been admiring some "wristlet" creations on blogs the last couple of months, so I decided to try my hand at coming up with a pattern of my own. Wristlets are versatile little clutches that one can use day or night. You can use it alone as a clutch to carry cash, a debit card, and your license. Or you can use it in your purse to organize your accessories as a cosmetic bag, sunglass case, or for personal items.

I thought I would have to tweak the pattern a few times before I zeroed in on a permanent one. As luck would have, I don't think I'll have to do too much tweaking! Maybe change the dimensions slightly. Anyway, here's the unveiling...

Most wristlets have a zipper on the top of the bag. I put mine on the front, and hid it behind the ruffle. I don't happen to think zippers are very attractive, so I never want it to be a focal point of anything I make. Here's the zipper playing peek-a-boo!

While my DIL was here, she showed us how to make these beauticious flowers out of fabric. She learned how to make them from her talented friend. I am quite sure you will all consider me a best friend forever, when I shoot you to my DIL's friend's tutorial on how to make these gorgeous flowers. Yes, I expect candy, flowers, and a kind word from each of you for that one. They were so fun and easy (although slightly time-consuming) to make, and I plan on using them in the future on a variety of my creations. What do you think? Aren't they pretty?

The dimensions of this baby Hang Up are 8"x6". It is fully lined and interfaced with fusible fleece to give it plenty of body and support. I'm trying to decide if I want to add this item to my Etsy shop, but I'm not sure it would sell very well. If you were to buy one, what would you consider a fair price? The price people are willing to pay will determine whether I want to go ahead and add them to my inventory. Just curious...


I'm linking to "Creative Cats!!!" at Poppies at Play. Also, to "Show and Tell Wednesday" at Blue Cricket Design; "Do It Yourself Day" at You Can Make This; and "Get Your Craft On" at Today's Creative Blog. Head on over to find many DIY projects.