Using vintage fabrics to make some gifts ....

Thank you to all the regulars who pop by even if I have been distracted by visitors & a demanding workload lately & have not managed to update my blog.

I have had visiting cousins that I have not seen since primary school & we have had a lot of fun catching up on years of news. 

My regular readers know that I am a great life-long-learner & so have done a crochet course.  While looking for some thread in my sewing box, I came across a vintage sewing / knitting bag from my hubbies grandmother - Ethel Maud. 

The cousins were quite taken by it, but one was travelling onwards, so Rue & I decided to surprise her with a gift of a bag after we found some handles in the craft shop.

We looked through my fabric stash (everyone has a fabric stash don't they) and found fabric we thought would be suitable. She favoured a vintage embroidered fabric & I chose a colourful one for Linda.

Having never made a knitting / crochet bag, we made it up as we went along. We selected vintage buttons & some robust ribbon to attach the handles then we were ready to sew.  This is the choice for Ruellen's bag.

Hot cups of tea helped with the planning - don't you love the fabric choices? 

Linda's bag, pinned & ready for sewing ....

The lining pinned in for stitching - carefully matched up & ready for stitching ...

It took some time to decide how to attach the handles to the bag but we decided on crossgrain ribbon & vintage buttons to match.  Rueben did the hand stitching while I was at work & it was a labour of love because of the layers of fabric ...

How gorgeous is this - one finished off ....

 The vintage buttons were just perfectly matched ...

 The second one went much quicker & the fabric is just as lovely. Rue selected large vintage buttons to complete it too with a paler crossgrain ribbon ...

The two bags - side by side - beautifully finished & ready to use. One was posted to Linda's next UK stop as a surprise gift; the other will be going home with Ruellen.

While the sewing machine was out & the buttons were being sewed on, I decided to make Rue a needlebook to hold her needles ... I have made several so it did not take long because I had everything I needed. 

The felt inside pages to keep needles safe ...

Good projects done together ... 

Thank you for stopping by & taking the time to comment & read. 

Dee ~♥~