Mary Jane, the antique version

The unofficial European Bag Lady Club is launching today their newest bag. This time we have made the Modern Mary Jane bag by Loft Creations. Simone won the pattern in Stephanie's giveaway (you can see three version in this link!), and Stephanie was so generous that she sent the pattern as a gift to Melanie and me so we could all make this nice and useful bag as a "Bag of the Month". Simone already made one version using the kit she won, but today we'll see her second Modern Mary Jane.

I decided to use an old, stained tablecloth with torn hemstich and a hole.

This is my Antique Mary Jane:

I used the best part of the tablecloth for the panel, and cut the remaining embroideries for the squares around it, adding some colours of the stitcheries for fun. Inside I added a zippered pocket:

I remembered I had a vintage button from Stephanie, and the size and colour were just perfect for the bag.

This is the backside. I had some old linen for the back panel and the handles.

Finally a closer look at the front. Many of the embroideries are worn from use and washing, so this has been a well-loved tablecloth. I'm happy to give it a new life.

Thank you Stephanie, this was a nice and easy pattern. I like roomy bags with something special, just like this one. Now everyone, pop in to see what Simone and Melanie have put together!

A while ago Stephanie told a sad story about an empty robin's nest in her garden, so I thought I could cheer you up with these pictures. We have three couples of pied flycatchers (ficedula hypoleuca) in our birdhouses, and they are all busy feeding their young babies.

I just read that the babies eat about 15,000 insects during their 16 days in the nest, so we should be really grateful for the mama and papa birds. Above is the mama bringing a mouthful to the babies, and below  the papa looking for new prey.



Have a nice Midsummer!

2nd Anniversary Giveaway

Today is the day. Two years ago I wrote my first blog post, and soon I noticed that I had entered a whole new world full of nice people, brilliant ideas, beautiful pictures, inspiration, challenges, treasures and great friends. (If you are curious to know about the name of my blog, it is explained in the second half of that first post.) To celebrate the two first years I'm having a giveaway. Like I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I wanted the giveaway be like me and my blog. Therefore I'm giving away an apron,
A) because I wear aprons every day,
B) because it is vintage from the 60's
C) because it was an UFO I inherited from my mother
D) because it is recycled: my mother started making it from a summer dress she had sewn for my grandmother

I finished it last night, and here it is:

What is even more typical of me is that I misplaced the second item I was going to give away, the Stitchers' Angels rose string bag. If I find it during the weekend, it will go to someone as well.

To replace the missing gift I pulled some Marimekko scraps from my endless stash. I will give two sets, and the first winner to answer my e-mail gets to choose. The one set is blue:

The other set is green:

I will be away in a meeting almost all day, so you have all day to participate. I will draw the winners tomorrow  and contact them by e-mail for the mailing address. You have one ticket for every post you have commented on since the beginning of my Advent Calender. No-reply comments don't count.

Thank you for being there.

Special Sewing Projects

Today I received some lovely mail, from Stephanie. She promised to send me a plastic ring I wasn't able to find anywhere here, so I knew the mail was on the way. But look what she packed for me with the ring, so nicely wrapped:



One of her vintage patterns she has been showing recently, from her mother's stash. I'll never manage a big blanket, but there is a pattern for a cushion as well. It is also nice just to have old stuff, isn't it? There was a spare ring for another bag, I think I'm going to make one using recycled fabrics like jeans and shirts together. More vintage stuff: a wooden spool with brown thread, and several buttons still on the cardboard. I have started a wintage button collection just now!

The reason I needed the ring was that last month I bought her West Linn Bag pattern and used for it the charm pack she sent me earlier. I couldn't finish the bag without the ring, and while I kept looking for one here, she promised to send me one just in case. I don't think you can try this with your usual suppliers! Anyway, a couple of hours after the mail arrived, I can already show you the finished bag. It was very fun to make. This is the front, notice the lovely chocolate colour giant rick rack she also sent me with the fabrics!

I used unbleached linen for the solid, and a marimekko brown and white print for the lining. The back

And this is what it looks like on my shoulder. The big orange button came from my big sister P earlier this summer.

I want to show you something very different I have also sewn, a couple of years ago already. It is a fly fishing west for Mr. K, fulfilling his tiniest wishes.

There are 19 pockets in all, tailored to the size of his fly boxes, spectacles and phone. Ten zippers, some pockets with Velcro type fastening. I don't remember how many D-rings, flaps and loops there are, but they are there for a purpose. The clothespin hanging from a D-ring in the neck is for the net; he can easily snatch it loose when he needs it. The curved pockets were for reels and other bigger items. Under them is a large pocket with openings on both sides.

Watertight inside pockets are for phone and fishing permits, and other items not so important for the active fishing. Much thought was given to human engineering when we placed the pockets for easy access. There is a little tip to hang the pliers he uses to take the fly from the fish's mouth when he releases them.

I no longer remember the purpose of all the pockets, but luckily he does. The snap lock is there to hold the west closed when it is too warm to keep it zippered up.

This was the second fly fishing west I have designed; the first one was for DS1, who started fishing when he was only about ten years old and way too small for the vests available.

This is what the flyfisherman is waiting for, tiny circles on the water from the insects above and the fish below the water surface.

And the flyfisherman's wife watches the sun set behind the calm lake, hearing only the water running down the rapid. Peaceful relaxation.

EDIT: The garment my husband is wearing is generally known as a fly fishing vest. I seem to have trouble making a difference between V and W, as well in writing as when speaking English. Both letters are pronounced the same in Finnish, but we only have the W in old writing or Swedish names.