The Hobo Bag

The Hobo bag is the August bag for the Style Stitches Sew-Along on the My Crafty Crap blog. I also discovered another blog (Jem Jam) doing the same sew-along, so will post my pics on both!

The Hobo bag is my favorite bag to date. In keeping with my idea of using this book to do some stash busting, all fabric used is left overs from other projects. The black and white for the main part of the bag was used first for a skirt. The inside handle ( 1" black and white check) was used in a Vogue dress. The small check is about to be a blouse, the Colette Pattern, Violet blouse. All cut out and ready to sew. The plain black is a pair of cropped pants, again all cut out!

Just hanging around!

I saw many finished Hobo bags on line without the tassel, but to me it makes the bag. I found this trim at Fabricland on sale (always a good thing!), I think it goes well with the black and white bag.

Close up of the tassles

This bag was easy to sew, easier than the Cosmo bag, even though the book says this is an intermediate level and the Cosmo is meant to be easy!

So I will be getting ready for next month's bag which is the Blossom bag, that one does look more difficult so I should start early!!

The Playsuit and the Cosmo Bag

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged that I had been at the beach (Turkey Point, Ontario) and had seen several playsuits and decided that I had to have one. I looked around a settled on a McCalls pattern  M6083, because it was easy and I haven't had much time to sew recently.

It was easy to sew. I chose a blue crinkle cotton (not sure the correct name!) and chose to underline the shorts as I thought they might be a bit see through. I also added a snap fastener as it gaped open a bit at the front.

My only problem is that it is not easy to get in to. The shorts are fine and then you really have to squeeze your arms and shoulders through for the top. But it will be fine as we are running out of summer and I can wear them on our camping trip next weekend. Which will also be a Self Stitched September opportunity!

So cute together!

Then my other sewing this past week has been another Amy Butler Cosmo bag. Exactly the same as my first one. A friend had admired mine, loved the colours and now she will her own as soon as I drop it off with her! The fabric was from the second of two curtains I bought in a charity shop on a trip to the UK a couple of years ago. They were going to be for blinds in the kitchen, but that never happened!! Mine is lined with green and my friend's is lined with mauve, so we will be able to tell them apart!

Self Stitched September

I had to think long and hard about signing up for this challenge. I really enjoyed Me Made March and Me Made June. But I haven"t done as much sewing through the summer as I had planned, so am concerned that it"s going to be the same items being worn again and again. But then I thought to myself that it's not meant to be easy, it is a challenge after all. Plus I am hoping it motivates me to finish a few items I have started and not got round to completing (ha, ha, ha....)

I am also going to be away camping for a weekend and taking a week vacation as well, so if nothing else, my daily pics won"t be in my hallway with the beaded geckos as back ground!!!

So here goes: 'I, Debbie,http://debbie-sewdebbie.blogspot.com/ sign up as a participant of Self-Stitched-Sept '11. I endeavor to wear at least one self stitched item of clothing each day for the duration of September 2011.

The Lonsdale Dress

Finished!

I finished my Lonsdale dress on Friday night and had the perfect occasion to wear it on Saturday night. A friends summer garden party/BBQ. Unfortunately it rained so not too much in the garden but it was a lovely evening, and the dress wore well. My husband took these pics in our back garden before we left.

It was easy to sew, Tasia's sew-along instructions were as usual very comprehensive. I used a cotton print that I had picked up for $10 at Value Village. I used the size 8 and it fits perfectly.

I handpicked the zipper because I like how nice and neat that looks. For the hem, I only wanted to turn up about 1/2 cm, so I used a lace seam binding, and that looks nice if the bottom of the skirt flips up.