more DIY

Hi folks.

Well earlier I read a blog about good ways to write blogs.  One of the tips was to keep them short, feel I may have been going wrong with that one, once I start I find it hard not to waffle on so, but for the interest of keeping readers interested if you see what I mean, I will try to curtail my waffles a little, which should be quite easy this week as I have nothing to report on the little brown hat.

I've been trying to read more blogs and get more involved with this online world, there are some really fascinating people out there who are willing to share some wonderful knowledge with anyone willing to read it. In truth I am feeling a little overwhelmed by it all, I seem to have so little time at present and so much I want to do, so I must try to be more patient with myself, once the house is renovated there will be lots more time.

There was one blog I read which was great and the lady had a link down the side to other blogs she has found interesting, I loved this idea and need to find out how to do this, with time constraints though at the moment I will wait for my darling daughter’s return and hope she can set me up in a jiffy, so keep an eye out for this feature as it will come, and I'm sure you will find them just as interesting as I have. Sadly I didn't keep a record of where they were and can't find them at the moment, but next time I find an interesting site I'm writing down the name.

Our lovely stain glass window in need of love and care, and very smooth plastering

Back in the real world, we had decided to put a final push on the house and get on with the last 2 rooms to be renovated and consequently I have been putting up tongue and groove for a week and a half after painting the ceiling and top half of the rooms and other half has been busy stripping paint from old window frames and other such fun tasks, one of which was his first attempt at plastering, and didn't he do well. 

I have also realised Hepcats is just over 1 week away and I have a lot of outfits to make this weekend coming. So the hat is on hold for the time being (although if the evening outfits are finished I may try to get it done too).

One of the things I have been browsing though during my lunch breaks has been images of vintage hats and bags, so I have some wonderful ideas now to go with my outfits, one being a bag made from 2 circles of fabric. This got me very excited and I decided it would be the perfect bag for my evening outfit for Sunday at Hepcats. Now I know it doesn't look like an evening bag, but imagine it smaller and made of satin.

From MissBettysAttic Etsy

Once home I got started, I cut out a circle from newspaper using a dinner plate as a template, then a second I folded in half and added a seam allowance to the centre seam.  I decided that I wanted a more substantial feel to the bag than the material I was making the dress out of, so I decide to line it with felt as well as the normal lining.

cutting out material and felt in 1 go

 And I also wanted more of a firm, flat bottom; bags of just material do tend to fall into strange shapes once you put a bit of lippy, a purse, your mobile etc into them.

milk carton to form a firm base

So I thought for a bit and then decided on a plastic milk container, the underside of a cup provided the template and hey presto a firm plastic bottom which I sewed to the centre of the felt so that it stays in position; so much better than card when you put your bag down in your spilled pint.  Holes provided by melting using a very fine soldering iron, but you could just use force and a sharp needle.

Well time ran out on me at that point, but I will let you know how the rest goes soon with photos of the finished bag, and hopefully the whole outfit at Hepcats.

Take care all and more soon.

Ally x x