WOYWW 117

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE AINTREE IRON,
Thank you very much, thank you very, very, very much,
Thank you very much for the Aintree Iron,
Thank you very, very much, very, very . very, very,
Very, very, very, very.....MUCH!!!!!


Those of you of a 'certain vintage' may remember this song by The Scaffold, a group from Liverpool, which included Paul McCartney's brother, Mike McGear and the poet, Roger McGough.  It was a bonkers song, but catchy, and we still sing it in our family if indeed we are extremely grateful for someone or something.
And I am VERY grateful to JoZart for all her technical knowhow and sewing machine wizardry!! My DH took the machine apart following Jo's instructions, oiled all the little persnickety twiddly corners and...dare I say it.. the tension is fine once more.  Hallelujah!!


So, on my workdesk this morning is my new, improved, ready-to-go, lean, mean, sewing machine... I'm just finishing off a handle in this shot for Mrs Dunnit's oilcloth bag, which you can just see shyly peeking out!



The oilcloth was easier to sew than I'd thought, but it isn't very thick.  The heavy duty needle coped fine, even when there were a few layers to sew through. 

Here's the finished bag, complete with reinforced seams down the sides and top corners, as the bag seemed quite floppy before.  Now it manages to stand up by itself - I'm quite pleased with it, hope Herself likes it!!  She chose the gingham lining, in the end....


It's a Bag-tastic Blog this week, as I also finished off Lynne's book bag.  Must get it in the post tomorrow.  The black lining material is slightly corded and gives a good grip, so hopefully the bag won't be forever slipping off Lynne's shoulders!!  More by luck than judgement, that was!


I finished off my birthday celebrations last weekend with a Mates BBQ.  Various friends from different parts of my life came, having not previously met but everyone got on like a house on fire!  It dawned on me that my female friends are all:

* loud
* are..um..well.. opinionated - sorry, but you all are!!
* hilarious
* so, so generous in many ways
* completely and utterly fabulous!!

I looked around the room at everyone laughing and thought how lucky I am.  A truly wonderful moment.

Have a great week!


55 comments:

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Sounds like you know your friends. It's always good to have those special moments in your life. And those bags are amazing. Glad Jo helped fix your machine, even if it was vicariously. Happy WOYWW.

jude said...

Glad you enjoyed your birthday and was blessed to share with your friends.glad machine up and running.Happy woyww have fab creative wednesday
hugs judex 20

Helen said...

Well, I am of a certain vintage .... Lily the Pink was the first 7inch single (see told you!) I got - my brother bought it for me. Love the bags, they turned out great.

Annie said...

Great news with the machine....well done Jo [I will know who to go to next time I need her]. Love the bags.
Hugs,
A x

Sarah said...

give me lots of yummy bags over shoes anyday. more fun to look at and use... The gingham looks perfect...!
Thanks for the peek! Sarah (at 4)

Tertia said...

Those bags are fantastic! So glad you got your machine problems sorted.
Happy WOYWW.

famfa said...

Gorgeous bag for J. Love the other bag too. Your sewing machine is beautiful. I want one, I need one, time to write my Christmas list x

Julia Dunnit said...

I'm only loud becasue I'm little and need to be heard above the din. *cough* It was a great Mates BBQ, thank you. Even if I was on the losing side. We couldn't cheat as much as we'd liked to have done, Sandra's daughter was with us a while and well, you gotta set a good example to the 10 year olds, huh!!
Can't wait to get my mitts on the bag..it looks great. And of course, I chose well in terms of fabric. And it matches your machine! See you later girlfriend, coffee and ogling on the agenda!!

Cathy said...

Gorgeous bag and glad your machine is better. Happy WOYWW
Cathy xx

ScrappnBee said...

Sounds like a truely fabulous bbq! The bag just rocks! It turned out truely fabulous! The other bag looks very chic too! Thanks so much for sharing (and glad that the tension between you and the sewing machine are fixed!) Happy WOYWW! -Amanda (and too funny with the teachers and the pencil sharpener!)

JoZart Designs said...

That's a great way to say thanks to a Liverpool gal! "All you need is love" la la, lal la la! and take a look at the sign Donna gave me... "I'll get by with a little help from my friends".
However.... birthing ring !! Ha ha ho oho hee heeeeee! Try again guessing the mystery object.
Love the bags... really love them and might have a go myself.
JoZarty xxx

Sue said...

Hi hun
sounds like you had a fabulous birthday with great friends, luv the bags they are gorgeous, im far to young to know who you are talking about!!!lol. thanks for the mooch, happy WOYWW, sue,x

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

So great to have funtimes with friends. WOW, love the 2 bags..each has its own beauty. Glad you have your machine back and running, it's a great piece of mind when things work. Enjoy a great WOYWW

Di said...

Amazing bags - and your friends sound terrific! Glad the birthday celebrations went so well - good food, good wine and good friends all add up to a fun time! Di xx

Å olanje na domu-Waldorf said...

That's a fine looking machine! :) And it's already producing excelent bags. :)

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

aw, Lunch Lady Jan, just such a gorgeous post, I do so just love the bag for our Lady Julia truly a work of art!! .. and remember a song like that - dont remember the Aintree iron bit but remember the rest so maybe we adapted it a bit over here, rather irreverently! also thrilled that Jozart came to the rescue again with DH help with the rearing-to-go sewingmachine, well done WOYWW! and thanks for sharing and popping over. Happy WOYWW! Shaz in Oz.x

Hettie said...

Wow! I remember that song but did not know it was Paul McCartney's brother in the group. Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs!!
Loving those bags - I wonder if Julia will leave it somewhere!!
Bunting still looking superduper!!
Hugs xx

Sarah Anderson said...

LoVe those bags :)

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

Ooh lovely bags you've made. I think both recipients will be delighted xx

Lisa-Jane said...

That bag is truly gorgeous - I love the colourways, so vibrant!

StampDancer said...

Oooh - this is lovely! I love the luscious flower print and the gingham check liner. I am such a sewing "dunce", I envy anyone who is truly talented with machine, needle and thread.

April said...

Oooh I love those bags! love the colour schemes on both. Glad your sewing machine is now in good form :o) Thanks for sharing.

Bubbles said...

I can remember winning the 7" single of "remember you're a womble" at a pass-the-parcel game at a friends birthday party when I was little.... I guess that makes me vintage *lol*

That red bag is delightful... okay, maybe delightful is too mild a word - it's truly scrumptious! Love the gingham inner, and how it coordinates so beautifully with the outer of the bag - it's so gorgeous!

Jingle said...

Okay, so I need that red and white oilcloth bag! HA! I so love it! Awesome job and YAY for a new machine!!!

MadeByKarla said...

Beautiful bags. You're a very talented seamstress! what a wonderful birthday! I wish you many more :)

Deanne said...

love the red bag so sweet x

Sue said...

Yayy, thank you very much for bringing that song back and the nostalgia that went with it, fond memories indeed, fab bags r u, great when your machine works without snagging and building up a big reel all of its own at the back eh! Happy Crafting, Sue xx

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous bag, the lining is perfect. Great that Jo was able to sort out your machine, isn't woyww amazing, what did we do without it?? Great bbq story, sounds like you have a lot of very special friends. Isn't that the same tune/premise they used on the Roses advert??

Hugs
Brenda

Susanne said...

Love that red bag, very, very, very, very much!

Angie said...

I didnt do a woyww this week but thought I'd drop by some friends. Wow I adore that oil cloth bag ....and the other for that matter too ....infact I just love your bags ....glad you got the machine fixed

donnalouiserodgers said...

Opinionated is good,

no point in not having a point of view,

and no point in having it if you can't express it.


the bags are gorgeous, that's my opinion and i'm sticking to it...

Dx

The Crafty Elf said...

Girls rock! Couldn't survive without our friends, that's for sure! Laughed all the way through thanks for my daily giggle! Enjoy your day and thanks for the peek!

Unknown said...

Love these oil cloth bags. Glad you got your machine fixed. I do fabric collage with mine, and I'm afraid that day may come for me to get help.

Elizabeth said...

Went to a couple of Roger McGough/Brian Patten poetry readings when a student and they were always so entertaining so remember that one well. That's a very pretty sewing machine you have - makes mine look really utilitarian in comparison. The bags are lovely - couldn't choose between them for looks but a book bag always appeals. The chook cupboard: RosC named it such and it is my little wooden cupboard which sits at the back of my workdesk. It's decorated on the front with two chickens because it's original purpose was to keep eggs in and it was located in the kitchen, but when it became redundant I grabbed the opportunity to repurpose it - it now houses most of my TH & Adirondack ink pads. Have a great week. Elizabeth x #51

Lizzybobs said...

Good old Jo - sorry did not mean old old - (Dig hole bigger)! Loving the bag you have made. Thanks for the lovely comment you made on my blog earler ((LIZ))

She Who Doodles said...

happy belated birthday, sounds like you had a great time. love the bags. toyota, i didn't know they made sewing machines.

ally fiddy said...

Gorgeous bags LLJ - glad you had a fab nother birthday doo as well.
x

fairy thoughts said...

Sadly I remember that song too.
great bags especially the oilclothone. she will be glad you did double seems as they can sometimes leak if they get wet. I'm sure this one wont though, it looks too well made
thanks for the sharing
janet

Debs said...

Wow love your bags - I prefer them to shoes as I have narrow feet and shoe shopping is a nightmare!
Thanks for visiting my blog - oh gosh I luuurrrve Tim Burton's work

Mrs A. said...

You have got me at it now. I shall be humming that tune for the rest of the night/early hours. Love the bag. I said the spotty for the linning material but must admit the check does look rather fetching. Hugs Mrs A. #102

C said...

I've never seen a Toyota sewing machine so that's a new one on me! Love the oilcloth bag...I just got some laminated cotton for lunchbags so I can't wait to get started after seeing your gorgeous bags. #59

voodoo vixen said...

I must have spent a while under a rock as I don't know that song at all... and I thought I knew all the Beatle ones!!
Your bags are beautiful... especially that snazzy one you have made for Julia.. its gorgeous!!

okienurse said...

great looking bags! I love the red one you made for Julia and that combination is awesome. I was always fond of rock and roll as a child and my family was always country and western so I grew up making rock and roll sounds out of country lyrics...still do. It was a good era when British rock hit the states! Have a great week and thanks for sharing. Vickie

Neil said...

Hi there, great creative space, thanks for sharing. Never got round last week and missed it. Hope you have a fab week. Great bags there, I'm sure they will be enjoyed!

Karen said...

Gorgeous colour bag!!! Love it! All the 'reusable bags' you get in the shops don't last long and don't look anywhere near as nice as the ones you make! One shopping trip and most of the handles fall off mine....! Enjoy WOYWW!

karen said...

Both of the bags you have made are gorgeous! I love the gingham and floral combo!
Good thing Jo was able to help with your sewing machine so you could make these beauties!
Thanks for visiting me and leaving a comment!
Happy WOYWW!
xoxo Karen

Neet said...

You have some great bags there - even if you didn't use the spotty material on the inside. LOL
Trust my friend Jo to put you straight, she's a whizz on a sewing machine (and everything else). Sounds as if you have some great mates - glad your birthday went on and on.
Thanks for the good wishes and thanks for the snoop. Hugs, Neet x

Unknown said...

I remember the catchy song too. Fab bags I must ask my friend Jo about my machine too. Happy WOYWW
Carol C

Crafting Queen said...

Super bags, just love the fabric of the first one. :)

Crafting Time said...

Wow what a stunning bag! I love the fabric too. Thank you for visiting my blog, its my first visit to WOYWW and I am really enjoying looking at what other crafters are upto. See you next week.
Helen x

Sandie said...

So glad you got your sewing machine working again. There is nothing more frustrating when something won't work properly!! Love that red bag, so cheerful. Loving your blog too - so glad the bug bit!!

Sue from Oregon said...

Nothing better than a well oiled machine LOL!

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Those bags are so great, just what I needed on our trip to carry all the bottles of water etc, wherever we went. sorting out all the photos was great fun, especially when I found that each BluRay disc took 8 hours to burn - an overnight job there. Thank you for your visit earlier.

Dandelion and Daisy said...

"Old friends are gold!" Love, love, love the bag and in MY colors!

Kezzy said...

Loving the bags they are fab. Glad the sewing machine is working better now. Kezzy x

WOYWW 769

 WE'LL MEET AGAIN.... I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while - please don't worry, all is ok! - think I just need a...