Old Dog - New Tricks

I do love to learn new things. Not all new things of course, because trying to learn how to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle in a hang glider would not be something in which I'd be remotely interested. Similarly, should someone offer a course to teach the basic rudiments of how to build a petrol-driven engine, I can't say I'd be the first in line. Of course, if the teacher of said course was charming, handsome, funny and in possession of plenty of patience as regards dense females with the 'mechanical gene' missing, I might consider it, but ... then again, maybe not.

However, if there's a crafty thing to learn, then I'll invariably want to learn it. Thus the recent crochet experiment, which didn't go well. But being tenacious (read bloody minded and stubborn) I have continued to try to develop my talents as a hooker, and have now taught myself how to do circles and squares:

And I have further practiced the art of the crocheted flower, still with an eye on making something (though I know not what) for Mum:

(They're not quite the colours I'd choose for me, but they are 'mum colours'). I shall keep on practising until I have made something that I'm actually happy with. On current form that might be in around 20 years time.

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The other thing I am still trying to 'do' is bags. Regular readers will know that after attempting to overcome my bag phobia, I did make some tote bags at Christmas. These were well received, and I really do want to learn a lot more about bag making. I see some truly stunning bags around the Blogosphere and would love to be able to make some like it myself.

At this stage of my bag-making journey I don't want to 'waste' good fabric on very much less than perfect bags, but I'm happy to use thrifted fabric on my baggy experiments. Thus when I saw this skirt hanging in a charity shop for the princely sum of £1, I snapped it up:

No.1, who was with me at the time was appalled. "You can't buy that!" she said, her chin hitting the floor ... "it's hideous!" But all I was interested in was the fabric - the denim was of the highest quality - chunky, firm, uniform in dye, and only £1 for a gathered-skirtage. And as many of you know, a gathered skirt reaps a far better 'harvest' than a panelled skirt.

So I bought it. I brought it home, I cut it up and it started to look a whole lot better:

I found some coordinating thrifted fabric in my stash, and set about making a bag. I wanted to try making one with a separate gusset piece, and with rounded corners. The lining was made from one of dad's old shirts (which mum and I kept precisely for bit-part sewing roles). This is the finished bag:

And this is the 'gynaecological view' (term coined by Trashy):

I'm not sure I particularly like this bag all that much, although it is about the right size for me. I think the best bit is the flower brooch I pinned on - and that was made by Ginny; but I learned LOADS from making it. I learned about turning through a gap in the lining rather than inserting the lining upright and sewing both sides together that way. I learned about attaching a strap at the sides, instead of handles at the front and back. I learned about contrast fabrics. I learned about pockets and their positioning inside the bag. I learned about a gusset as an extra pattern piece, about top stitching and about curved corners. (I also learned that if you don't use the special machine needles you bought for denim, your standard needles will break).

So next time, I might try out some 'better' fabric. I might try a pattern which is a little bit more challenging. I need to try out a 'fastening' of some sort (not a zip though. Not yet anyway - still scared of those!) I think I'd like to put a facing inside the top of the interior of a bag I'd actually use, and I'd like to try the addition of differently made straps and handles.

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Do any of you remember my posting about winning a giveaway at Andrea's blog - Indigo Blue? Amongst all the loveliness she sent was a copy of Sew Hip which included the 'how to' for a pillowcase tote bag. Andrea also sent a bright cerise pillow case. No.1 made it quite clear that the resulting bag would be 'hers' - she needs a new PE bag, so that's fine. She wanted it to have a pale pink lining though - hmmmm, that wasn't part of the deal. I started making it and felt it really needed *something* on the side(s) to detract from it's square pink-ness, but no ... No.1 would not hear of any appliqué of any kind. She also asked that it be a bit less 'wide'. I think perhaps she was mistaking me for someone who knew something about making a bag from a pillowcase, instead of someone who didn't really have a clue. Anyway ... I piddled around with it for a while and the result is/was this:

No appliqué, just as Madam requested, and made less 'wide' by the addition of a couple of pleats on each side in the centre of the 'top bit' (technical bag-making term). I simply sewed a button at the top of the pleating on each side (a hand-painted silk button - a pack of them were a gift from a friend some time ago). I completed it when No.1 was out and awaited her viewing of the finished item with some trepidation - as she gets older it gets harder for me to anticipate what she'll like and what she won't. I left it hanging in the hall and was thrilled when she fell upon it declaring love at first sight. Phew!

Thanks again for the giveaway prize Andrea - x - I enjoyed the pillowcase tote so much I might make some more as shopping bags.

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So ... contrary to the popular saying, it is possible for an old dog (that's me) to learn some new tricks (that's those ^), even if it does take a while.

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