WOYWW 390

WHERE DID YOU COME FROM, WHERE DID YOU GO?
WHERE DID YOU COME FROM COTTON EYED JOE?

This song takes me back, it was a big hit in the UK a few years ago and when I hear it, I go straight back to when my boys were about 8 and 11, bouncing like loons around the room cos they loved it so much! Sigh...happy days....

Anyway, it came to mind as I was in a ....wait for it.....fabric shop a couple of days ago. What me? After I said about clearing my stash...cough. But I had a reason, honest! I'd been commissioned to make a tote bag for someone to give as a Christmas prezzy and it had been specified that the pattern had to be cherries! And I didn't have any cherry prints so I HAD to go searching for some. 

Don't you find that when you're looking for something specific, it never turns up? Well, the sewing gods must have been on my side because in the very first shop I found this...
Ha, the perfect print! And there was a spotty fabric that was, well, spot on for the lining!

Well I like it!  I only hope the recipient does too :-D

And while I was in the fabric shop, I looked up and saw this:

The thickest, most luxurious furnishing fabric you ever did see! I fell in love with it and thought it would make an awesome messenger type bag for my future DiL, whose birthday is fast approaching.  It was figured cotton velveteen, £25 per metre (!!) so I bought half and cut very carefully.  It had amazing selvedges which I was loath to throw away...so I didn't.

I zigzagged them onto the patch pocket for the front. And unusually for me, all seams were on show and I didn't even do lining because the reverse of the fabric was as gorgeous as the front. In fact, that pocket has the reverse facing out as it made it slightly different from the rest of the bag.

I even sewed the handle up with the seam on the outside which I then positioned in the middle and topstitched the edges to keep it in place. It looked rather like a dragon's back.

Et voila - I know it's only a simple bag but it all went together amazingly considering I winged the whole thing. Isn't it odd how some projects just fall in place, while others are like trying to get blood out of a stone.  My DiL-to-be loved it!

I've got a remnant left, just about big enough to cover an A4 book...oooh, now there's an idea......

Crop day on Saturday - woohoo, my kitchen will be a hive of industry before then. I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone again!!  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

30 comments:

Helen said...

that fabric is stunning! what a price though .. the bag looks fantastic, I am sure your DIL to be will use it often. Looking forward to the crop, am praying the trains don't let me down after all this rain, but I think I should be ok as far as you! Helen #?

misteejay said...

Wow, such lovely fabrics Jan.
Love the cherry & green spot combo - it is fabulous.
I'm not surprised your DIL-to-be loved the textured bag as it is amazing.
Have a wonderful time at the crop.
Toni xx

Annie said...

You have a great eye for fabrics Jan. I love your choices and what you've made with them. Oh how I wish I was coming to the crop....so much better than at a funeral eh? Make sure you take lots of pics cos I really do need something to make me smile.
Hugs,
Annie x #14

Kathyk said...

Oooh pretty! Love your bag

Happy WOYWW

Kathyk
No.11

Sue said...

Hi Jan, Loving the fabric for the Cherry tote bag. The bag you made for your future dil is lush.

I'm not taking part in WOYWW this week, but wanted to stop by and see what you had been up to:) Sue

sandra de said...

Stunning bags and I wish you all a wonderful crop.
sandra de @25

Neet said...

Gorgeous bag - not surprised dil to be liked it. What beautiful fabric - bet she strokes that one. Can imagine her cuddling it to her cheeks. Also like the cherry bag, how fortunate it was the first shop you went in, or unfortunate if you wanted to rummage in more places.
Hope things are moving in the right direction for you.
Enjoy the crop, shame I could not attend - once again I will say "maybe next year".Hugs, Neet 5 xx (thanks for visiting me earlier)

Twiglet said...

Oh you are an inspiration Jan - what gorgeous fabric and how you transformed it into that beautiful bag is just perfect!! Have a fab time at the blog - I am looking after ben while max does her craft fair this weekend! xx Jo

Twiglet said...

I meant crop!! not blog!!

shazsilverwolf said...

Hiya Jan, that fabric for the bag is gorgeous. Typical goth, velvet gets me drooling, lol. 'Twas clearly all meant to be, finding the cherry fabric, and then that gorgeous velvet! I think the cars boot will be chocka block, gotta get a case in there somewhere! Looking forward to seeing you all again, Huge hugs, Shaz xxxx

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Great post Lunch Lady Jan, and enjoy that crop, how wonderful are your fabric finds, well done!!
Not WOYWW-ing this week, I did a snippet post and hope to do Rudolph day in 25th and it's super uber busy this week.... eek only one more week in November!!!
Shaz.xxxxxx

Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith said...

£25 a metre? That's daylight robbery! But you turned it into a gorgeous bag Jan and you would have never got that in the shop for £12.50! Loving the cherry fabric - you were very lucky there to find just what you needed! Otherwise, there's always the internet. Happy WOYWW! zsuzsa #22

Christine said...

Superb material shop, and that bag ... to die for!
Take care and see you at the weekend .... *excited* *excited*
Take care
Christine #26

glitterandglue said...

Hi Jan. No post this week as I needed to sort everything for Step Inside tomorrow - I'm in charge - EEEK!!! Love the cherry fabric. Great finds. Looking forward to seeing you on Friday.
Take care. God bless.
Margaret

Unknown said...

Good morning Jan. Wow that bag with the cherries you are making it is gorgeous and I am sure whom ever is going to love it. Your other bag is beautiful also..she will love it and yes I do love the times when things just go so simple and smooth from the times that have there challenging moments when crafting.lol I haven't been to an awesome fabric store since I was home and went with my sister was fabric stacked to the ceiling and was over the moon but bought nothing as I wasn't able to do much shopping years back.....plane ticket there was enough to spending for me. Have a wonderful week and thanks for visiting me earlier. Hugs always ~Anne L#2

Sharon said...

The cherry fabric is gorgeous. When you said cherries I almost groaned thinking what fabric with cherries could be pretty? But you found the perfect one. Love the fabric for your DIL bag - lucky DIL. Have fun at the crop. Eat an extra goodie for me.

Sharon K #37

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh! You have such beautiful fabrics! And the bag for your DIL, uber fun!!!!
Carol N #30

Unknown said...

Oh dear, that purple zebra (?) fabric is THE BEST! WOW and that bag that you made!!! I'm in love.
Happy WOYWW!
MiSchra #6

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Great bags, the furnishing fabric worked so well but I have to say I love spots and the cherries and spotty fabric just work so well together. Hope we get to see it finished, love it. Thanks for the visit to mine and happy woyww, Angela x 18

Lynn Holland said...

Right you are in trouble missus, I'm knee slapping round the house now with that damned song in my head like an ear worm

Diana Taylor said...

Ooh Jan, I'm loving that cherry fabric - it has a real 50's feel to me, reminds me of curtains we had when I was young. I love it with the pale green spot - perfect. The bag is fab too - I love how you designed it as you went along, you very clever gal. I hope you have a great crop - I'm sorry I won't be there, but I hope there will be lots of photos to see next week!
Love and hugs,
Diana xx

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

That's a very hip bag you made for your DIL to be be. The complementary fabric to to go with the cherry bag is perfect too. Blessings!

RosA said...

Hi Jan,
The cherry print with the spotty lining is just perfect! But the purple bag is absolutely super! Love it very much!
Yes, the blueberry ink all came from the one batch but the finished colour is very different depending how and where you apply it!
I'm going to try dyeing some wool soon :)
Have a great weekend!

Lindart said...

The cherry fabric looks perfect! And what a lucky DIL - awesome bag! Have fun at the crop! Thanks for Sharing, Lindart #41

Stacy Sheldon said...

er, yes I have had that same problem. ( ran out of clear-ish glitter paper cutting snowflakes, so I "had to" stop at the ( Joann's fabric store on the way home from work today because, its on a deep discount sale in advance of "Black Friday" ) but, I really love the print of the cherry fabric you found too Jan, thanks for the earlier visit, ~Stacy #38

Kim said...

Wow! That purple bag is beautiful! How could she not love it? And I'm sure buying fabric is like buying paper, so I get the cherry luck all too well! Have a wonderful crop!
-K #43

Nikki said...

Love the purse you made it's fantastic I perfer them over store bought any day you can carry almost anything in them with out the strap busting :)
and I don't really worry about having enough time in the day it happens lol
hugs Nikki 4

Anonymous said...

Happy Belated WOYWW. That cherry fabric (and spots) are so gorgeous - and the bag for DiL looks very strokeable! I wish I could get to the Crop, but it would be at least 6 hours on the train each way. My health and finances do not allow a trip away at the moment. One year I will get there! Ali x #32

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

Lucky day, I'd say. Love both pieces of fabric you were able to come across. Your DIL bag is beautiful. And the cherry one will be loved. I'd say it's a perfect match. Have a great weekend. I'm totally confused on days with this Holiday thing.

BJ said...

Gorgeous bags, love the cherries. I have some crocheted ones on my harp as it is made of cherry wood! Just leafed through the crop photos as well, looks like you all had a FAB time. Unfortunately I'm still coughing but I guess it will go on for a while yet. Trying to rest and keep warm so only just got around to replying!! Where does the time go? Thanks for visiting me BJ#33

WOYWW 769

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