New Strawberry Tote Bag At the Trim Vintage Car Show

I made another tote bag with an recessed zipper.  The pattern on the fabric is really cute, it's yellow with strawberries.  I am also wearing a strawberry t shirt.  I'm feeling summery and coordinated despite the grey skies.  I also knitted the bright, emerald green sweater.

I feel that this bag came out better than last weekend's attempts.  I didn't bother adding any pockets on the inside but am hoping that future bags will have all the bells and whistles.  I am happy with the length of the bag strap.  I am actually thinking of sewing maybe a back pack or a bag that can go across from me.  I'm not mad on backpacks but I'm thinking it might be good for my back.

It feels good to use up the fabric stash.  I would have sewn more this weekend but the lack of interfacing held me back.   Wish I had an endless supply!  I sewed a little zipper pouch using an old printed sample I did in NCAD.  It turned out alright.  I hope to photograph it this week to share.

The Trim Vintage Car Show was great.  I love the festivals in Trim.  The Haymaking Festival is my favourite.  I love the little goats the best.  I love the different colours of the vintage cars.  I love the teals and the mint colours especially.  It makes me think that each decade have their own set of colours.  So many things, that we don't think about are driven by trends.  We can even glance at a car and guess its age due to the paint colour.

I have a bit of good news.  I now have printed cards in the shop.  This notecard was the first of many to come.  Just getting the cards photographed and then they will be available.  I am delighted to now be able to supply my drawings on notecards.

Happy Belated New Year

Happy New Year!  I know it is a bit belated.  Hope that all had a great Christmas.  I enjoyed mine.

Good food, good company and a load of yarn to knit and I don't need much more.

I was great at keeping the old New Year's Resolutions at the beginning of the month but need to get more disciplined again.  I guess New Year's Resolutions are not just for January.  I have mixed feelings about January- There is a great feeling of renewal but it is also a tough month.  It is really grey, dark and cold.  I will try to make peace with it.

I have been sticking to some resolutions- I have been doing a bit of sewing at the weekends and have been enjoying it.  I said I would sew on a Saturday, getting fabric ready on a Friday night so I can just sew on Saturday.  I have been just making things for myself to organise things.  I will photograph other items that I made the week before.

I have been dreaming of a giant boxbag for so long.  I wanted to make a bigger project bag that would hold a sweater.  This one will definitely hold a 4 ply sweater project.  I got the fabric in Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland in a 2nd handshop.  It is a bed sheet.  I had the same print growing up.  I thought I would just use it to practice.

The small zip bag is made with hand dyed fabric, fabric that I dyed myself.  I don't know what I will use it for. At the moment, I have some pens and a notebook in it.

My mother made me a lovely bag that I must photograph.

The knitting is the mon-petit-gilet-raye .  I have been enjoying knitting it and am going to cast on another one right after I finish this one.

Before and After Sweater

I knitted this sweater following a pattern of a seamless, top down sweater - one size fits all.  Something went wrong.  I finally ripped it out years later and just finished reknitting it the end of August.
The coloured yarn was from Hobbledehoy batts and the rest was Blue Faced Leicester.  I handspun the lot.
The new sweater used 5mm needles and was knitted top down raglan.  I am much happier with it and I am going to rip out anything that I am not happy with and reknit it.  Frog/Rip it, even though your heart is breaking!
I am posting up handmade sewn items onto etsy.  Check out http://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/EllieAndAda?ref=si_shop  Some items are hand dyed.  Perfect for organising your knitting and crafting supplies or items in your purse.  There are pencil cases as well.