Thursday, April 15, 2010

Diane’s bags completed!

Yipppeeee! I completed both bags on Saturday morning! I put in the buttons at about 9.00am! I am so happy and relief! Now I can pack them up together with Diane’s goodie bag from the NNC 3rd Anniversary celebration and wait until I could find a time to go to the post office!

However, Diane, you might have to wait for at least another week before I could get to the post office as I will be travelling again this week. Patience, my dear, patience! *wink*

So, do you want to see how both bags look like? Here they are......


I think they are both lovely, don’t you agree? I did not design it, and so I can praise it. LOL! *wink*

Here's a close-up of the small clutch.


I had followed the pattern that Diane sent me almost to a T! I did make some very slight modification, but it was just because I thought it would look better.

Like I said in my earlier posting, the fabrics that Diane sent for the bags aren’t colours that I usually work with and so, it was quite a challenge to put them together to make sure that they turn out okay. I must say that I am quite pleased with the results. I think the colour combination is really nice! Diane made all the right choices in choosing her fabrics! I just made them work better together! *wink*

The big bag was fun to make! I learnt quite a few new techniques, and I was also introduced to this awesome Pellon Fusible Fleece which I find so amazing and a breeze to use! I must get more! If only they are made available here in Malaysia...*sigh*

I also love using the Sewline pink pencil lead that Diane sent me, and the square rulers Diane sent as part of the payment for the bag is really awesome! I love it! Thanks again, Diane!

Although the two bags are not part of a set but the fact that they were made using the same colour combination fabrics, they look like they were designed to be together, and they look great together!

The small bag or pouch was supposed to have some decorative stitches, but I decided to quilt it the same way that I had quilted the big bag so that they look like a part of each other and a set.


I think I had made the right decision. *wink*

The pattern calls for the three sides to be machine sewn together like an envelope, but I had hand sewn them together instead, both on the outside and on the inside as I thought that had I machine sewn the sides together, at least a 1/4in would have to be sewn in as allowance from each side. That would have made the bag smaller and bulkier, thus the reaon why I decided to hand sewn them together.


As I had hand sewn the sides on the inside and the outside, I think the bag should be able to handle the normal wear and tear. It also looks neater.

I love the pockets on the front of the big bag, and Diane had asked that I put another pocket on the other side even though the pattern only calls for a pocket on only one side. This method of doing the pocket is something new to me, and I might use it for future bags that I make.


I also like the way that the pattern calls for the inside pocket to also be made from 4 pieces of 5”x5” charm squares. I decided to quilt the pockets the same way as I did the front of the bag so that they complement each other. And, of course, you can’t miss my Aznique product tag. LOL! *wink*


I had used an overdyed threads for the quilting in two colours. The front is an over dye in browns, while the inside is an over dye in blue. Though the colours are different, but they do look good together as I had picked up the colours from all the fabrics used for both bags. I don’t know if you can actually see the subtle change in colours of the over dyed threads in the photo, but, I am quite pleased with the results.

Diane had sent me 3 pairs of buttons of different designs and had asked that I pick a pair that best suits the bags. You can see from the photos that the buttons don’t match in terms of designs, although they almost do match in colour. That is because, instead of 2 pockets as called for in the original pattern, Diane had asked that I make a pocket on each side of the bag, and so, I suddenly realised that I am going to be short of a button.

I wasn’t sure if Diane would want me to go out and buy a totally different button in matching sets to make the 3 buttons, but, as I did not have time to ask Diane when I sat down to finish off thge bag, I hope that Diane doesn’t mind that the buttons don’t match in design.

Luckily Diane had sent 2 pairs of buttons in almost similar colour though different designs. I think had Diane not sent 2 pairs of almost similar colour, I would have gone out to buy 2 new pairs.

What do you think, Diane? Shall I go out and buy 2 pairs that match or, is what you see acceptable to you already? Let me know, okay, as I can still unpick and repack everything up before I make my trip to the post office next week.

(I eventually got an email from Diane telling me that she does not mind having the buttons different on both bags. Thanks, Diane!)

I had fun doing both the bags and I must thank Diane for giving me the opportunity to learn something new from making the bags. I hope that Diane likes what she sees here.

Would you like to send me more patterns and fabrics to make more bags for you, Diane? LOL! *wink*

7 comments:

zarina said...

I love the bags and the color combination. Good choice and great craftsmanship.

Za said...

Thanks, Zarina!

Salmi said...

very pretty and neat works :-)

snazzynsuch said...

very neat! good work nik..

Astrid said...

Lovely bags and great work Nik! I'm sure Diane will be thrilled!

Za said...

Thanks, Salmi, Astrid and Tini, for the compliments!

Emily said...

refreshing combo!