Fabric hunt and a new clutch for the summer

On my last fabrics and supplies hunt I came across a shop in Besançon selling mostly decorative upholstery fabrics and curtains. After I explained to the owner what I needed fabrics for, he invited me into the back room and showed me cardboard boxes, full of scraps, leftovers and fabric swatches. He told me local schools often come to him looking for smaller, inexpensive scraps to make different sewing projects.

I happily dug into those boxes and found some interesting, large enough pieces of upholstery jacquard and other sturdier fabrics, mostly in neutral colours with plenty of potential. There was also a vibrant palette of chenille swatches and couldn't wait to get home and start mixing and matching the colours.

The result are these three large clutches in cotton corduroy, decorated with stripes of chenille - as there was only a small swatch of each colour, these clutches are one of a kind. All three are now available in my shop.


Lov na tkanine in nova torbica za poletje

Pred kratkim sem na lovu za novimi šivalnimi materijali naletela na trgovino z dekorativnimi tekstilijami in zavesami v Besançonu. Prijazni lastnik, ki sem mu razložila, za kakšen namen kupujem, me je povabil v skladišče in mi pokazal kartonaste škatle, polne ostankov in odrezkov. Menda k njemu pogosto hodijo šole, ki iščejo poceni materijal za šivalne projekte, jaz pa sem se z velikim veseljem zakopala v škatle in našla precej uporabno velikih kosov v nevtralnih barvah, ki jih bom zlahka uporabila. Kot prve sem razrezala pisane vzorčke šenilje, ki sem jih uporabila za proge na novih torbicah iz rebrastega žameta - vse tri torbice so že na voljo v moji trgovini.

I'm back

It was fun spending two weeks in Slovenia but I missed sewing a lot so I am looking forward to having some time to sort through all the new supplies I bought (plus I had a lovely package waiting for me with some amazing ribbons I had ordered just before I left).

I also brought with me boxes of yummy comfort food that I can't find here in France but reminds me of home. Like pumpkin seed oil, pickled cucumbres (I find french ones too sour), wind dried prosciutto or pršut as we call it on the Slovenian side of Karst and some special grains and other little things I use in my everyday cooking.

But first the house needs to be tidied, fridge restocked and children need to resume their daily routine (which gets challenged each time we are on vacation :).

I will have something new to show you by the end of this week - I was thinking of a smaller version of Luna messenger, everyday satchel for those who prefer a smaller cross body bag...

See you soon!

Reset!

New Year's inspirations, clockwise from top left: 2011 calender from camillebellet, zippers from zipit, buttons from dizzyizzysupplies and the inspiration jar from thedancingwren.

I'm back from family Christmas holidays in Slovenia;

I brought home some new sewing supplies, some fresh ideas and hopefully enough motivation to start working on some new designs for 2011!

But first I have to sort out the inevitable mess the house gets left in each time we go away for a long time - and then: sewing. The shop needs some more Valentine's day items and after that it's time for spring inspired bags.

Ready - reset - go!

Organizing my workspace

I have finally managed to tidy up my sewing corner. I was putting away the new supplies I have purchased recently and realized all of my stuff needs better organizing so I always know what I have to work with and can get inspired quickly - I was amazed at all the supplies I have "in stock" but they were so well hidden that I have already forgotten about them...

Following an advice I once came across in an Etsy forum I put all my ribbons and trims

in big glass jars where I can easily see them and at the same time they provide a nice decoration for my shelves (pictured is my lace trims jar). I organized all my metallic charms, hardware (magnet snaps, loops and split rings) and large beads in smaller glass containers (which we have plenty of thanks to our love of preserves!).

I keep smaller jars in a drawer but before starting a new project I can always take them out and arrange them on the table so I have a clear view of what I have to work with. At the moment I am making some new, smaller zipper pouches / pencil purses in warm and elegant autumn colours.

Stay tuned as I list the new items in my shop very soon!

Buttons and ties

Returning back home from my vacation I took with me a few things I had stored at my parents' house when I moved away (there was no way I could have taken everything with me and it is nice to keep coming back and discovering forgotten treasures...).

On top of all the sewing supplies my mother has collected over the years, I myself have never thrown away an interesting button, a piece of ribbon or a leftover piece of fabric - one never knows when they might be the very thing that puts a finishing touch to the design.

On this last visit I've discovered a box of my father's old ties from the 70's I have once saved from being thrown away - they are a collection of amazing vintage patterns and colours, some wide, some narrow (early 80's, no doubt), some have stains, some traces of wear and tear, but I'm sure I can incorporate at least a part of them in one of my next projects. The other box contains my collection of buttons; some I've bought over the years, some were cut off items of clothes that were too worn to be given to charity and some are the "backup" buttons from clothes I've purchased (and have long ago left my wardrobe).

Aaaaghh, so many ideas, so little time! I have to reopen my Etsy shop first and then it's back to the sewing machine!