new bags and a giveaway!

 

 

 These first three bags have just been added to the shop.  

I have been sewing away every spare moment,

not allowing myself to start Christmas decorating

or cookie baking,

until they were done.

{Oh, and 'miss scarlett' has a new special price.}

~

In the spirit of Christmas,

I would like to offer a giveaway

of a similar bag ~ it was made up as a sample

of the new spring-loaded frame closure bag style.

It measures approximately 14"w x 9"h x 4.5"d,

is fully lined,

and has 8 inner pockets,

plus,

it is embellished with a vintage button front & back.

My perfectionist side will not allow me to sell

this prototype in the shop,

but my practical side tells me it's a perfectly

useful bag that will serve someone well as a 

knitting/crochet/project bag or handbag.

If you have any interest in giving 'her' a home,

please let me know in comments

and I will enter you in the giveaway~ international

readers are welcome to enter.

I promise to pop a couple little surprise gifts

in the bag as well.

Be sure you leave your email address

so I can notify the winner.

I will accept comments until Friday, 11/16/11

and will announce the winner sometime Saturday.

Best wishes to all,

Deb

a table runner for the dining room

A couple yards of burlap have been sitting on the

shelf waiting for just the right project.

So, when I saw this I knew that a table

runner for the dining room was just the thing.

It was very quick to put together

and inexpensive...and just in time for 

some Christmas decorating

soon to take place...I hope.

on a Wednesday...

For those who might just need a gift that

is both practical and pretty,

or maybe you would just like

to treat yourself...

some new clothespin bags have

been added to the

shop.

Much time has been spent at my sewing machine lately,

several more carpet bags are in the works...hopefully

to be finished soon,

and

I have made a new table runner

to show you next time.

Lots of knitting happening too,

for Christmas gifting.

But with all this creating

there has been no decorating done at all,

well, besides the little poinsettia on the table...have you

started decorating yet...or are you already done?

~

By the way, if you check out my sidebar under

Finding Inspiration,

I will be listing some links

for clever holiday crafts

and recipes...

Happy Advent ~ Week 2,

~Deb



22 november 2011

We woke up to a frosty morning today

and

going out for my walk warranted

some woolly layers:

wool sweaters,

wool socks,

handknit wool cowl,

and handknit wool gloves.

Everything in the field was covered

with glistening crystals of ice.

I hated to come in,

and yet,

the warmth of the woodstove was very welcome.

~

The rest of the day has been

a bit dismal,

but was perfectly spent sewing

some clothespin bags for the shop

while watching Elizabeth Gaskell's

North and South

via Netflix. 

miss scarlett & friends

Meet Miss Scarlett,

made from a vintage barkcloth curtain panel...

She has an old button front and back,

loads of inside pockets,

leather handles,

and a spring-loaded metal frame opening.

She has high hopes of becoming

a knitting/crochet/project bag,

or an overnight bag,

or maybe even a large handbag.

Though it will be hard to see her go

she's been listed in the firefly farm shop

along with a couple new clothespin bags...

Thanks for taking a look,

and hope you have a beautiful fall weekend!

walking, reading, knitting, sewing...

The last few days have been spent,

~enjoying as many walks & nature as possible

~finding some new books at the library:

Getting Started Knitting Socks (Getting Started series)

Vintage Modern Knits: Contemporary Designs Using Classic Techniques

10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters: A Guide to Holistic Knitting, Yarn, and Life

~and, indulging in the urge to knit that always strikes

this time of year

~starting on a Baktus and making a resolution

to dutifully record all knitting projects

in my little notebook from this time forward

~planning more drawstring pouches for firefly farm goods...

thank you to all who purchased a pouch last week!

Hope your week is off to a great start :)

knitting notes

After a string of sunny Indian Summer days,

enjoying walks along the canal and through the woods,

washing windows outside,

harvesting what's left in the garden,

and enjoying an evening campfire making popcorn

and drinking hot cocoa,

today's rainy gray weather is a change of pace ~

perfect for a bit of knitting at teatime

and enjoying a pumpkin spice latte cupcake...

These cupcakes are wonderfully moist and good,

and keep perfectly in the fridge for several days...

I gave mine a cream cheese frosting as I didn't

have any heavy cream on hand.

The knitting is a bottom for a drawsting pouch,

several of which I hope to have in the shop

by the end of the week.

~

My first sock complete, I have not gotten too far on the

second.  It's been on the back burner of late...

For years I have had a knitting needle case on my

          to do list ~ a project that I never ever got
           around to. Meanwhile I had to sift through
        a basket of needles to find what I needed ~ and
every time I would think that I really needed to get sewing
                       something for them.
         Then I saw this needle case and knew it was the
               perfect one...plain creamy colored

canvas and twill tape and some

number stamps...everything I already had

on hand.

Once I got started it didn't take long to make,

and now all my straight needles are organized.

You can find the tutorial here.

~Deb

random notes

Some recent cool rainy days have been

perfect for sewing drawstring pouches.

~

We lit the first fire of the season 

in the woodstove on Sunday

and it was quite cozy.

I pulled out a sweater I started

last year and, determined

to get it finished for this winter,

I sat and did some knitting.

~

Now that we're indoors more,

I've noticed some Fall Cleaning is in order,

...I found the "Mother of All" Fall Cleaning

Checklists here or check out the

'finding inspiration' links on my sidebar.

~Deb

new bags for fall

   So happy to finally have my sewing machine 

back from being repaired, 

I've been stitching up a storm...here are

a few bags in the fall shop line-up...

 

{ Beacon feed sack tote }

 

{ Washburn's Gold Medal tote }

 

{ Washburn Crosby tote }

 

{ upcycled military tote }

 

{ upcycled military shoulder bag }

Thanks for taking a look!

~Deb

waiting PATIENTLY!

Desperation is setting in--my sewing machine

went in for a minor repair on May 26th

and I still do not have it back.

The part needed was not even ordered until

weeks after I dropped the machine off...

I have been very polite on the several

occasions I've called them,

but secretly I did feel like screaming...I must

work on patience...:)

Thank goodness I have been loaned a

sewing machine, which is getting me by

for the lightweight projects ~ drawstring

pouches and some clothespin bags are in the works.

~

On a happy note, the workroom has a

lovely 'new' wastebasket, found

at a barn sale for a dollar...

I suspect the farmer had been keeping

tools/parts{?} in it,

but it cleaned up nicely.

{ Did you know that homemakers of old

would wax the inside of the wastebasket

to keep things from sticking and help it

to be easily emptied out? }

~Deb

a coffee sack tote for the shop

With a half dozen or more bags in progress,

my sewing machine broke.

I am miserable without it,

but

luckily this bag was completed before

disaster struck.

It's in the shop

if you're interested.

A huge thank you to all who are patiently

waiting,

~Deb

making the best of rainy days

The sunshine did not last long--only enough for

us to desperately catch up on the lawn mowing and weeding

and to think perhaps summer had arrived.

But just as well, the gloomy days have forced

me to keep at the sewing machine and

work on some more recycled coffee sack

and military duffel totes for the shop.

{Old glass insulators and sad irons work

great for holding fabric in place, by the way :)

~

And, here and there, I've fit in a tiny

bit of crocheting of granny squares...

The best part is seeing it

all come together.

~Deb

spring sewing

Before:

After:

~A cheap bedroom update for spring~

• duvet cover sewn from two thrifted sheets~a queen size floral on one side, plain white on the other
• cushion covers sewn from a green polka dot {fabric on-hand} on one side and floral on white {from a thrifted pillow case} on the other

It's dark and rainy outside,

but definitely feeling brighter inside!

~

Deb

sewing grainsack totes

Just finished the last of this set yesterday.

All made from an old grainsack,

cowhide leather handles,

two lined with Waverly stripes,

one lined with a vintage floral tablecloth fabric.

Just listed them in the shop today.