I HOPE THAT WE CAN FIX ALL THAT WE'VE DONE
(Emeli Sande)
Right then...I sincerely hope that someone...anyone..can see this blog! After changing Internet providers, I tried to alter the email addy in Blogger settings - all without the aid of a safety net or large gin!! So, fingers crossed...here's hoping :-)
Bunting making is like buses - you don't make any for ages then three come along at once! These are for a friend to give to twin girls. The ribbons have been sewn on, now it's time to part with some buttons...
Choices, choices.....
These two photos make me happy - sad, huh?!
I loved this combo of fabrics so much last week, that I'm using up the leftovers to make a craft tote...I am so mean when it comes to fabric, cutting really carefully to ensure maximum output per metre! There was JUST enough to get all the pieces needed. That yellow paper has my calculations from when I first worked out the pattern - I daren't lose it now!
A bird's eye view down into the construction - it always amazes me how backwards bag making is! How you have to do pockets and embellishments first and the actual putting the bag together is the very last thing. That took me a while to get my head around and also how the fabric is usually inside out and back to front! Scary stuff :-)
The nearly finished article! See, I still get things wrong - should have sewn the buttons on the pockets before attaching them. I can still do it now, but it won't be as easy. Doh!
I'm ploughing through my granny squares to make a blanket for Crochet for Kidneys. Just another 18 to do!! It keeps me out of mischief, doing these...cough.... Why are you laughing? Are you insinuating something? I can be good, I CAN.
Ok, you're right, I can't! Full of mischief and getting worse each day. Wahoo - it's like a switch went off in my head after turning 50. Grin. Watch out world.....yeah!
49 comments:
Reading you loud and clear Jan! I think all your internet setting thingeys are fine! Gorgeous stash of buttons and another lovely bag
Have a happy week
Lynda B no number yet! x
Lovely bag - loving those granny squares too - crocheting is my new passion and I am working on a hexagon blanket now! Sunshine Girl #6
You stay just how you are Jan...thats why we love you :-)
Love the bunting and that bag is just gorgeous....really love the colour combos.
Hugs,
Annie x # 25
I love the tote bag. You are so lucky to be able to make a bag up to suit your outfit:)
I am drooling over your beautiful buttons and bows:)
Happy WOLYWW
Sue #36
Love the projects you have made, that bag is great. Those are lovely buttons. Have a great day.
ah just love your makes as usual LLJ ... and the bunting well why wouldn't folks love to give it as well as that tote, superb indeed!! : Happy WOYWW Shaz in Oz.x #35
Oh Jan, what a lot of fab makes and what a lorra lorra buttons (sorry, got hooked on "Cilla" on tv). That is button heaven you have there.
I'd have buttons on that bag - and everything.
Hugs, Neet 34 xx
Stay that way being in mischief all the time is the only way to go, the depth of trouble you get in only varies and really people like you and me have all the fun regardless. Woo hoo party on girl. Another little tote, gosh you are really pumping them out and if I could sew then I would be scrimping on the material too, you've got to maximize. Have fun.
Hugs Eliza, Yoda & Flat Susan
Happy WOYWW #2
Pleeeease - don't go all good on us! we love you just the way you are.
Love the bag and all those buttons - great work cutting out the fabric so carefully. Makes sense - fabric ain't cheap stuff, and the more we can get from each metre, the better!
Take care. God bless.
Margaret #7
Mistress of the machine here!! You use such gorgeous fabric I don't blame you for using every scrap - at least that way your drawers aren't packed with odd bits! Ooer now that sounds weird too. I love the bags and bunting - you do make a lovely neat job of it all.x Jo
HIya Jan. Only just realised its Wednesday today- had to write a fast post! Re the getting as much from fabric as possible, I'm the same with card and paper- I'll spend ages working out dimensions to waste the absolute minimum. Love the bag, colourful little birdies. I just know I'd end up with one piece sewn in back to front/upside down or inside out! No matter how much I plan, I always manage to do that sort of thing. Have a great week, Love & hugs to you all, Shaz xxxxx
Yah, drawers packed with odd bits...prolly a hazard!
More lovely fabrics and yarns..you like a bit of white with a colour doncha. And I can be witness - when crocheting, you sometimes sit still and get up to not much other than wicked gossip....
As usual, a lovely riot of colour and pattern. ALWAYS such a joy to visit. Another crochet post (at least in part) which makes that the thing Ive seen most in my handful of visits so far. Like buses too - they al seem to come at once. :)
Happy WOYWW!
Mary Anne (1)
Love your posts, you always make me smile! And your totes are so gorgeous, I really wouldn't know where to start! They'd end up sewn together inside out. Yummy buttons, I do have a bit of a thing about buttons....... Happy WOYWW Cindy x
Oh Jan you make me feel so much better because I was thinking that I was the only one that had that particular switch!!! ;D
Gorgeous tote bag and so clever to make the most of every piece. Very crafty (hehe did you see what I did there?)
Happy WOYWW to you... have a great week
Neesie #22
Hi Jan, Thanks for visiting my page.
I love yours and that lovely bag you made. It's gorgeous material. I love it! Is it a present for some lucky person?
Mmm that switch.... I don't suppose you realize there's another switch when you get to 60! Things just get a bit madder!
Thank you for letting me look over your shoulder. Have a good week.
Lisca#31
Ooh pretty bunting and lovely buttons - I really like the buttons with the text and the rabbits - very unusual. I get great pleasure in having my buttons and beads colour co-ordinated in little boxes - sometimes it's the little things that brighten a day! I love the crochet squares - you've certainly got stamina - I'm crocheting red poppies at the moment, and our group are going to yarn bomb the local park with the poppies on Remembrance Sunday (all with the Councils blessing I hasten to add!) - I've discovered I can't crochet over a hundred of anything without getting psychologically deranged! I'm obsessed with them and I'm even dreaming about them! Hope you have a great week and finish your last 18 off!
Diana xx
Hi Jan happy WOYWW....I just love your totes!!!!! You colour combos are brilliant and oh yes I know about the working backwards, made a few mess ups with various items, like pillowslips. The bunting is lovely and your crochet square bright and cheerful. Have a terrific week Cheers RobynO#40
Lovely bunting Jan and those button photos are definitely happy inducing on this end too. Gorgeous tote, love it to bits! Do your wrists ever ache after doing a lot of crochet? For some odd reason, if I knit a lot my elbows ache! I must be holding my arms in an odd way or something, lol!!
Hugs
Brenda B 54
Such a colourful blog post - your buttons all beautifully organised makes my heart sing, you can't beat buttons that are sorted by colour and shape. Beautiful bunting and the blanket will be fab when finished. Well done for using your fabric scraps for making such a lovely cheery bag.
KraftyKaren #65
Hi Jan, busy as usual, I see. Love all your projects ... I'm so impressed that you managed to squeeze a tote bag out of the leftover pieces of that pretty fabric. Your crochet squares keep you out of mischief ... surely not!!! :) Hugs, Elizabeth x #51
Oh girl...my switch went off when I turned 50 too!! And my stitching tends to keep me out of trouble...well, most of the time. I'm just glad we can see your blog! I don't know even know how I managed to ever create my blog, because I really don't know what I'm doing. I just hunt and peck around and try to figure it out. But I'm glad we have blogs or we wouldn't have each other! You are right that bag-making is trickey dickey business! But your bags always turn out beautiful and professional looking. Amazes me! That is a wonderful fabric combo too. When you visit me, you'll see that I'm weaving this week! I don't purposely try to do something new every week...but lately it seems like I have been! Good Lord, I need to focus and stay with something longer than a week. But I am hooked on making these woven granny squares. Hugs to you dearest!! Sandy Leigh #56
I love the contrast between those last two photos, LLJ. You've got your exceedingly modern and gorgeous tote and then your exceedingly timeless and classic granny squares. It's nice to see the longevity of the squares! So seriously, do you sell your totes? What would the cost be, with postage, if so? They really make me smile. My hat's off to you as I could never wrap my hamster-filled head around how to do it!! Happy WOYWW! Have a wonderful week and thank you for the visit to me!! Sometimes I put my tuba in the bath, too. There's nothing like a good soak once in a while to clean out those pipes! Hugs, Darnell #23
Try being dyslexic like me and doing the inside out back to front thing...I always get a seam on the wrong side somewhere...as for adding gin to the Blogger problem...that could make things interesting! #20
At 50 I figured what could they do? Let er' rip! Gin would have helped....if only to numb the frustration level. Hopefully soon I'll be able to update mine and clean up all the issues I'm having. And I do so love your totes; so very pretty fabric combos.Have a great week.
right, let's try again, I was about to hit publish on my comment when something happened and I lost you! I was saying, do you think you have enough buttons?! The bunting is gorgeous, and so is the tote. Won't be able to take you up on your challenge to use all the stash in the box in 6 months - 6 years maybe! actually, strike that, most of it's been there longer already.... Helen 5
Hello Jan. I'm very late this week but at least I'm here this week!!! Love the bunting and oh the buttons are FAB U LOUS Gorgeous bag as well - like the fabric you've used very much!! Well must dash. Anne x #78
This post makes me so nostalgic! My grandma made afghans with granny squares, and I used to know how to do that! I also used to sew, and know exactly what you mean about working inside-out! In fact, I've mentally crafted a bench cushion that I may or may not try to make myself. Ha, we'll see. Leslie #73
Your post is just as eye popping as mine! Color!- buttons! STASH! that interests me more than skin! LOL
Ooooh, you've seen Julia's creations- the rest of us have to wait!
Thanks for visiting and your kind words.
Robyn 4
Hi LLJ
should we be scared.... should we ... the thought of you being good LOL
Oh so many choices, so many buttons ....what to use.
to answer your questions .. I didn t have an extra bag but as we took presents for our friends I had space ....and some and then wished I had brought more than the 12 YARDS I did buy(remember those ). I even brought some fabric by the INCH.... yes really ... it was some elasticated girly stuff for Erin that you just join at the back to make a dress.... that was a first even for me.
Have a fun week ( but don't be good ! )
janet #8
What super bunting, some little girls are going to be very pleased with heirlooms when they grow up.
And those buttons and the craft tote are gorgeous.
Thanks for sharing
Chris (no post)
Hi Jan! Lovely banners. And I love the name Freya. And I am in lust with your button collection. Bags and lined vests both scare me. I'm so afraid I'm going to get things inside out or backward and have lots of ripping in my future. Pretty colors in the Granny squares. You are very busy. Creative Blessings! Kelly #60
Oh Jan...all those buttons!!! It's fun taking a peek at them all! I am still SO in love with your tote bags!! It seems like you have a new one up every week!! And they just keep getting cuter and cuter!!!
So now wait a minute....I'm about to turn 51 (gah!) which means I've been 50 for almost a year, and I NEVER got the memo about it being okay to get into mischief!!! You mean to tell me that I've wasted a whole year?!?!?!
Happy WOYWW!
Amy E. #9
Scrapthissavethat.com
It's all just gorgeous Jan, buttons, lovely; bunting, very nice; bag, fantastic; crochet, love it.
Hope you have a great week and happy crafting, Angela x 39
No sheep, no shearing : D.Love those buttons and the bag is gorgeous! And that blanket looks like it will be so much fun. Thanks for visiting me earlier today.#55
Hey LLJ - thanks for the visit earlier - I did have an amazing birthday. Sorry for the late visit work is cray cray. You have so much going on right know, love all your gorgeous projects. I am mean with fabric too. I do x2 things with mine 1) use too small items on cards 2) patchwork them together and make things - scarves, mini purses. Happy WOYWW. Cx #67
Hi Jan - gorgeous tote (love the fabric), gorgeous bunting, gorgeous grannies - in fact, gorgeous everything! Have a gorgeous week, Chris # 16
I just love that little 'daisy' in the middle of the crochet squares. The blanket will be sure to raise many smiles.
Fiona x
Those buttons are making me drool! And such lovely colours on your tote and bunting
Hope you found the Sheena Douglass tutorial for the faux leather notebooks
Thanks for your kind comments
Debs xx
You can keep all your precious measurements in your special notebook! I have lots of bits of paper too, none of this ipad business for me, give me a pen and paper any day :-)
Buttons or no buttons, love the tote!
Why DO buttons make us so happy? Even as I was down sizing (just a bit) the button boxes were left untouched....LOL
Thanks for stopping by me blog this week, and for the comment.
Krisha #58
Hi Jan, I bet Freya and Maddie will be thrilled with their bunting whichever of those buttons you use. Love your tote even without it's buttons. If you were a shop I would be placing an order for some of those buttons and the tote right now lol. Great job with the crochet blanket too.
Thank you for paying me a visit and your comment
Hugs Lottiex #61
Love the crochet and another scrummy bag! Karen #33
Oh what a lot of loveliness - the crochet, particularly .... and all those beautiful buttons. Thanks for sharing. Sorry I’m late commenting. Hope that you have a lovely crafting week to come. Hazel, WOYWW #81 x
That's a sweet looking bag, and I definitely agree that the fabric pattern combination is fantastic. I love your button collection too. Blessings, my friend!
Beautiful Work!! I used to make bags for a local designer - lot of work, not doing it any more! Thank you for sharing, Have a great week Ginny M #63
Love your comparison between bunting and buses, LLJ!! Hilarious. I know which I'd prefer to have hanging in my window, that's for sure. (I mean to say, there's nothing like a big red London Bus for blocking out the light, is there.) Gorgeous buntings, both, and what a pretty bag!
Happy belated WOYWW,
Shoshi #37
Thanks for your lovely comment, Jan, and I'm glad you like my recent projects, especially the Zentangle one. I've got some more in the pipeline once I get the video edited!
Shoshi #37
great looking desk this week. Love the bunting but the buttons take my vote every time! I have tons of buttons and it is so hard to let go of any of them!! Love the bag too! I need to relearn how to sew and I think your crochet is coming along nicely. Thanks for stopping by earlier this week. I enjoy hearing from you and all my WOYWW friends each week. Vickie #21
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