Flow and frustration

This is a bag I made for the little son of Pelle’s teacher, juf Hester. Baby Owen was born in February and Hester and he visited her old class today. I used an old curtain I found at a second-hand shop. The pictures are from a boy and girl called Jip and Janneke, famous characters from a Dutch childrens book. The bag is from a pattern from a Burda (nr. 2 of 2010), which I leafed through at sewing lesson and liked very, very much. And I also thought I could easily enlarge the pattern, once I got the hang of making it. Well, I was a bit optimistic. Bagmaking is not that easy. At least, if you are stubborn and want to make alterations. (Why do I do that all of the time?? These people at Burda sure do a good job at designing don’t they? But then I find some gadgets I saved, like a red square ring and a buckle I want to incorporate and I have to rethink the construction and then it all goes awry, because rethinking constructions is too hard for me).
Well, I finished it anyway and am pleased with the result, although the finish is not up to my usual standard. I sure hope Hester will like it.
And it was not all bad, because at the beginning I felt a real flow. I sometimes am so concentrated at a sewingjob which is hard, but not too hard, that time and everything else seems to disappear. It’s just me and the fabric, moving like one.
I trust I will feel it again, someday, with another piece. It makes sewing so worthwhile.

Making more presents

I made this napkin holder for a woman who gave me lots of fabrics.
It’s a version of a tissue holder I made earlier, but enlarged. I bought the lovely birds appliqué at the Hema, who are selling more and more embellishments these days.

I’m building up a wonderful collection of fabrics, and am so pleased with gifts. A curtain from my sister-in-law becomes a lining for a bag, a skirt from my mum turns into a pant for Pelle

ringo pants
Originally uploaded by oddwise

and the fabric from a friend of us is waiting to be used as wallhanging in the attic room where we meditate. The fabrics given to me are not my own choice, and that even makes it more valuable, because it helps me to step outside the box. And the things I really don’t like I give away, for someone else to see the beauty and usability of it.




Yesterday I was so happy, because I’m making a small bag (more about that later) and I can so perfectly use the D-rings of an old babycarrier given to us when Pelle was born and which I never used. Boy, these red rings are so worth cutting up the carrier and saving them, till 4 ½ years later I can use them.