Route 66

 


 


 My host-sister, Maria,  is visiting the USA from Finland. She and her boyfriend are running motorcycles down Route 66 - from Chicago to LA.  She's been to the states before but never to Oregon.

She's coming in September and I am way past due on getting something out to her in time. One of these pouches is leaving Monday trying to get to her in time to use on her trip. On a good note, my last three international packages took only five days to Europe and Japan (faster than the normal 8 - 10 days).

I was an exchange student to Finland back in high school for an entire year.  When I visited Sweden and Finland a few years back, I stayed with both of my host-sisters.

 I sewed the turquoise atomic age bag first and then cranked out the two Route 66 pouches. I raided stash for everything except the Route 66 fabric. I bought this two months **cough** ago.

Unlike the turquoise Atomic Age bag, the Route 66 fabric is clearly not my normal colorway so I jazzed it up with pink candystripe lining and pin zippers.

One to mail and two for the etsy shop.

 Out in my garden this morning BEFORE it got hot, I weeded and watered and took these photos of one of my Swan Island Dahlias and my favorite rose; Just Joey. My great-aunt Ruby swore this was the best-smelling rose of all-time, so when I found one,  I jumped on it.


The Swan Island Dahlia Festival is cranking up for it's Labor Day festivities with Fun Runs and Photo competitions and etc. If you're nearby Canbyland, this is a wonderful, free event. You don't have to wait for the festival - the flowers are blooming their heads off already.

I tried to get Rusty to pose and he barked at me- telling me to stop pushing him around.



SALE continues in my friend's Etsy Shop;
CraftyTokyoMama on etsy. Use Coupon code AUGUST20 throughout the month of August to get 20% off your purchase.

Don't forget about Etsy Love - even if you don't buy anything - just hover over the heart on each listing and tap on it. (thanks!)

Rope Tricks

 No. 4 Rope Bowl

Omg, I made a sailor's hat!    Is this too cute or what?
These bowls are totally reversible.

I sewed this one in shades of turquoise with just white on the outside. Believe it or not, I ran out of every bit of my tiny supply of off-white thread. White works too.

I was aiming for an ombre effect.


Then I used up the last of my 3/8" wide cord.
I had just under 10 feet of the 7/32" left and added it to the top of the bowl.

This ombre bowl measures about 8 inches across by 3 1/2" high - a medium-small size.
All scraps used up!

In the photo below, you can just see that change of color cord in the last two rows at the top.

I added a knot for the join and to finish the bowl off organically and hand-tacked it in place.

This is No.3 -- A Study in Orange.
This sold within a day of listing it in my Etsy shop.

I thought to add some loops to the outside and it worked quite well. This was in the 3/8" wide cording. I had to go back and re-do several spots that didn't quite catch.

 I actually quite like the heavier 7/32 on the top - it acts as a rim to the bowl.

 Rope tips;

1. I liked the 7/32" wide cotton clothesline to begin with. The 3/8 (6/32) was a tad more fiddly. It was a different brand as well.

2. In my little town, I have four stores that sell cotton clothesline. Varying in price, thickness, and strength. Buying for me and a few 'skeins' for friend in Japan has emptied the town. Yes, I could buy online. For cheaper. But I feel clothesline is one of those staples that if we buy online, we help close another brick & mortar store. {opinionated} I made four bowls out of what I bought. I'll wait until someone re-stocks to have another go at it.

3. A wide zigzag of 4.0 to 4.5 is good for catching both cords as you sew the bowl together. Again, the larger 7/32 cording was a great starter.

4. Your white or off-white thread disappears into the clothesline weave. If you wobble off your join line, go back and have another go at it.

5. I have a Pinterest board to help focus my 'organic' rope sewing.

6. While out researching my town, I was tempted by some turquoise para-cord but -- I don't like the feel of the polyester stuff and I can't imagine having a para-cord bowl sitting on my counter unless a grandchild made it and I had to. Neutral, organic, cotton clothesline gave me the feel I was after.

7. Have fun. Use up some thread spools.

I'll leave you with this.

Pendleton 2ZH

I started this bag - the Two Zip Hipster last weekend.  This is designed by Erin of Dog Under My Desk (DUMD) and features a cross-body strap and a recessed zipper.
I made one before out of Orange Ikea fabric:



On my first one, I followed the directions with only one minor change. This time, I changed a lot.
First off, I wanted to use Pendleton wool fabric and the purse needed to be a tad wider. Having only 1/2 yard of this turquoise and brown Pendleton print meant I had to be creative in the cutting layout.
I found a great thin suede to use as an accent piece (faux piping) and as trim on the front pocket.
Like the first time, I ironed the pocket lining to peek above the edge
 
Other people have enlarged the pattern 110% but not me. I only wanted the width to be larger. The depth of the bag was just about perfect. That meant I had to study all the pattern pieces to make sure I was adding the same amount to each abutting piece. I added just less than an inch to the width.

I want this tassel on my zipper but I'm not sure how to attach it. I need me some jewelry findings. I'll go ask creative girl tomorrow. I'm sure it involves a bead header cap, a jump ring, some glue . . .

I had a thrifted cross body strap that matched well enough - so I had to change the connecting hardware.      {...but this meant I did not have to sew a 60" strap}.

Purse hardware is very spendy. I  find purses that don't look great at garage sales and cut off the metal hardware - usually a buck in my neck of the woods. The hardware on this purse could easily be $15-20 at the fabric store.

 My limited fabric meant I had to piece the front piece. Because it's hidden by then front zip pocket, no big deal - just measure against the pattern piece to make sure the end result is the correct size

I think I will hand stitch that label on more securely, or not.

Love how the recessed zip looks!

 I wanted a two-way zip, based on my last 2ZH, but I think that was because that purse was a tad narrow in width. It's nice, but it meant I had to mentally do my zipper installation a teeny  bit different.

I just received these metal zipper ends from Emmaline Bags. Best bling ever!
Looks so much less home-sewn.

Turned inside out. I added the long strappy thing to hold a double sided coin purse (not made).
I read some advice on traveling in Japan about their coinage. Some coins are best to get rid of right away, and to separate your change as you receive it so you can move it on.

***Side note: I heard the best joke at work today!
When does it rain money?
Whenever there's a change in the weather.

 I, of course, had to add an inside zip pocket for secure storage. And lined it with some airplanes  ;-)      The white background is easier to see things inside a purse.

 The opposite side holds a standard (with pattern) slip pocket. I decorated it with my trimmings.

I have two weeks to go before my trip. Tomorrow I'm shopping for a lightweight, but warm rain jacket as well as other assorted travel doodads.

I had wanted to sew a pendleton carry-on but that's too ambitious for my limited time. I can board with a carry-on and one personal item. In the ways of air travel, this purse will be in my giant black airplane purse.

I am very happy with how this turned out,  even if my seam ripper had to rip out some stupidity occasionally.


I first used this pendleton fabric on this big shopping tote bag:




***April 2015 update:
This worked terrific on Japan trip. I received many compliments.
The two-way zip actually worked very well. Just the right height for my water bottle, sometimes the bottle placement meant using one zipper pull-tab or the other. I think I'm on a mission to put two-way zips in all my bags from now on.
It was easy to manage multiple showings of passport wallet, change purse (Lots of japanese coinage!) and regular wallet. Japan is very cash-based, unlike USA & Europe.
This bag had the right amount of pockets for traveling.