Grafitti Art at Christmas Fair

Christmas Fair, second one of this month, down in a part of town that has seen better days......

Purses and stockings hung in the window, hoping to find good homes at last........

Loading dock in back alley. By day it's okay here, but by night, the walls are decorated with so much grafitti that it speaks for itself.

It's kind of cool..................don't think I would want to hang around though

More art, a dumpster, "stuff"......I wonder if anyone sleeps in that dumpster...wouldn't be surprised.

For K. Wicks ( commissioned Oct 2010)

Front sewn with satin, leopard print, fringe, buttons, chains, beads, sequins........Purse is 13 " x 10 " and strap is approx 43" long. Interior is lined and has a single pocket.

Purse reverse, sewn on bias and angle

Freyja's Stocking

New Stocking, just finished for a new baby, whose name is Freyja. Added pearls, lace, ruched fabric to make it a little more Victorian, than just a pink stocking......

It says on the bottom: "Welcome to earth little Angel"

Kailey's Quilt

Kailey Deleeuw's wedding quilt. She's marrying Josh Berghuis in May. Have had it under wraps for a while, but they finally opened up the package I sent. Just a simple quilt, not too fancy. The pattern's called Amish Maze.....strips of fabric sewn together....you're supposed to find the way to the centre of the Maze. I don't believe there is an actual solution though! This pattern is an offshoot of the Trip around the World quilt. Just a nice throw quilt, not too heavy and not too light.

In Elegant Change

Have decided to tie in this blog with the stuff I'm making for my small business. Not a website yet....in time....but not right now.

Stocking prices start about $50 and go up from there, depending on the intricacy.

Messenger bags are the greatest....they start about $40 and can go up, but not by much
.

Some small pieces ...............love doing runners. Don't take too long and can do ltos of detail

Tea cozies...kind of old fashioned, but still kind of cool
They start at$15 and go up to 25, depending how big they are and the detail This one is about $18

Messenger bag.....this run is about $50....used faux leather

Another stocking...can be for birthdays, holidays, etc. Who says a stocking has to be for Christmas?

Last two totes

Last two of the 16 totes for the Christmas fair. Tired of making totes...glad these ones are done. Top tote pattern is called "Italia Platter". Used to be a small quilt, I made years ago, but never used for anyting, so I cut it up and now it is useful.

This is a simple patch pattern. This was also a flat quilt I made some time ago, and never used. Now it is also useful.

In the Pink

Left ( Front)

Right ( Reverse)

Cut on teh diagonal, used a lot of silk strips, and pleate fabric. Added some addtional chains and so forth. Kind of neat.

Ad Lib

Front and Back Views. Now, THIS is what I love to do.....Took pieces of boas, felt, lame, cording, netting, ribbon, felt, fuzzy wool and just let it all fall. So fun. So rewarding . Makig more of these, in different colours. I think they are different, and a little wild. And we all need to be a little wild, now and again.........don't we?

Re invented Bags

Purchased bag.....didn't like the flap, so remade it with hand sewn pieces. Was in cream stripes before...really dull.....love this.

A tote that I did a year ago, but the seam ripped, so had to remake it and put new straps. May add trim at the top. Not sure.

New Messenger Bag

Decided to remake the Messenger bag pattern. Downsized it to a more manageable existence. It is now 13 x 11 inches....give or take. Still has the flap, but not such a large interior. I think they will be more marketable this way .....especially for the Christmas fair.And a little less expensive to decorate, and less time consuming. Still takes about 3 hours to make just one.

Detail from the flap. I've twisted fabric, fibres, wool, netting, trims, all the rough edge to make the overlaps unnoticeable. So fun to make. My favourite of all. Added just a few beads, and that is a good thing. Going to try out this one tomorrow, and see how it works. The strap is about 50 inches long, and can be slung over opposite shoulder....much more comfortable. I think I'll sell these for about $45 at the fair. Still labour intensive, but worth it.

Walls and Corners

Music room. Lotsa old stuff here. Far wall needed something on it to give it some warmth and depth. Right now I have the fall grown quilt. Big thing. Bulky. The fabric is really patterned with brown pointsettias...gives a hint of Christmas to come.

I absolutely adore this Sari. Used it in a play, once or twice, as a costume, but then it just sor to of got shoved to the back of the closet. Found a great place for it draped and dropped over the bannister. Now I get to enjoy it all of the time...

This is a very big quilt. Moved some of the heavy furniture so I could finally hang it on the wall. Irish Chain in various reds and creamy buttery yellow. Love the visual effect of the squares.

Mixed media quilts. Batiks on the closer wall, do not match, in any way, the more traditional flying Geese behind the piano. And that's okay by me. Eclectic is way more fun than anything else.

Sizzling Business Card

New business cards....bright and bold....all ready for Christmas Fairs. Eeek, still a lot of work to do. Must sew, sew, sew.

Messenger Bag on the Wild Side

Trial run for a new messenger bag style. Used fake-leather for the main body, then did a haphazard deconstruction of various fabrics for the flap, twisted wools together to outline seams, added fringe and coins. No beading just yet. May add later. May not! Have a few more to make. These take more time than any other bag. Long strap perfect for slinging onto opposite shoulder, leaving hands and arms free. Lined with lining and fleece and four pockets. So worth the time to make.
I think I love this one the best.

Tea Cozy Countdown

I like these tea cozies. Still have some beading to add.....later......I like the haphazardness of them.

This is the back of the first one. No two sides are alike. NOt sure if people coming to our fair at Christmas will buy them. Oh well, more prezzies for someone else.

Did this as a mini quilt. All paper pieced. Really a pain in the neck. Did all the little squares then put the little squares together, ripped out the paper.....and then still had to sew backing and lining, and etc lots of work. Pretty though.

This is the back. Just needs some sequins I think.......a throw back to the 80's!

Christmas Stocking Countdown

First stocking out of Santa's bag...a plain version to start....no beading, no buttons, no chains, etc. This is the front.

This is the bag. I distressed all the edges, and did them in ragged fashion. Really fun.

Floral Tote

These were pillow sham covers I took apart, because I never used them, and make into a tote. Used the other sham to make a second tote.

This is the back of the totes...just simple squares. Easy. Made separate handles out of part of the shams, and lined it. Even ironed on my own label.

Small bags

Trying to get down to smaller purses......These are 8" x 6". Haven't added beading yet, may not, but fo rnow they have a long strap to sling over, a velcro closure, lined, and a small inner pocket. Couldn't decide on round edge or square edge, so have done some of both to see .

This looks bigger, because of the camera angle. Still only 8 x 6".

I think some of these will definitely get some beading to zap them up.

Bagged

LIttle Black Bag. The pattern was kind of complicated and fiddly. But I persevered and it made sense at last. I finally gave up on the written directions and just followed the diagrams. Much easier. This is made from a 12 1/2 inch by 16 1/2 inch piece of patterned silk scrap. Lined and has flat fleece as a liner. I think next time I'll make fabric handles, though. These were $7.00 handles, and that adds to the cost.

Tote made from desden plate patterned pillowcase slip covers .I cut them apart, took the edges to make as handles, and lined it. Easy. No pattern.

Where's Bo?

Crazy Cat made a nest out ofmy fabric strips for the purses. She is almost the same colour. See if you can find her.....

Black is the new Colour

Black and more black. I like this trend. Making these for the Christmas fair in November. Easy to do, as well....no filler required. I've wrapped wool with other types of wool to stitch along seam lines, to add a different texture. I think I will also try netting and other sheer fabrics, twisted with the wool. My next batch will have leopard prints and stripes. That whole jungle thing is really something.......

Black and White Purses

New. Black and white theme. For the Christmas fair in November.

May add beads. May not. Just depends. Don't want to get too fancy for the craft fair. maybe just a few to give pizzazz.