My Weekender Bag - front panel

This is the front of the bag. The pockets are all sewn on (the last bit my hand, unfortunately, because the machine couldn't get in there), but the lining isn't completely in so that I can still sew in the straps and then cover up the stitches. I've only got the first bit on yet, but for now the next step is the top/zipper/sides.

My Weekender Bag - straps and hardware

I want the straps to go all the way around and under the bag, but the leather isn't long enough, so I sort of wove two pieces together, mimicking the bottom panel.

Close-up of the weaving. It took me forever to figure out how to do this for some reason, but some days are just like that.

The clasps.

Steampunk Fabric - now available!

I just got the test swatch for the steampunk fabric I designed, so it's now available on Spoonflower. For some reason, even though I designed it, the large scale still surprised me. But it looks pretty good with my pillows. I will have to think of something to do with it now.

My Weekender Bag - pockets

Here are the front pockets. They're just plain canvas, then I fused the lining on and sewed what I could get to. It's really not terribly neat, but you can't tell from the front, so it'll do. I don't have enough printed fabric to line everything, so this has plain because it won't really be seen.

The back panel is finished except for the adding the straps. The near side is lined with plain fabric and the print is on the opposite side, so you see it when the zipper is open:

My Weekender Bag - bottom

This is the bottom panel for the bag. I cut strips of the two leathers, wove them together, and used two-sided fusible interfacing to put fabric on the other side to hold it all together. It came out a little more 'racing stripe' then I might have liked, but it's growing on me.

My Weekender Bag - what was I thinking?

I've always wanted a really awesome weekender bag, and with a trip coming up this month I started looking around for one. The ones I was drawn to all said they were hand-stitched, which of course led me to the fateful declaration that "I could do that!" Plus, it would be cheaper and I could make it a little bigger (very close to max carry-on restrictions) and with more pockets. Oh dear.

I was going to do something Steampunk and put some rich, Victorian, feminine fabric on the inside. But then I found this and I really fell for it. I got it from Etsy seller Green Olive Textiles.

Instead of doing various shades of brown for the leather portions of the bag I found these old jackets at the VV Boutique, so I'll keep with the fabric colours. I think the red was a lucky find, it almost perfectly matches the fabric. I'm not sure what the final product will look like now, because the feel will be totally different, but I guess we'll see! I'm off to find some zippers and clasps and such.

Winnipeg Opening -

For those of you in or near Winnipeg, there is a show opening Thursday, August 4 from 2-midnight at Freud's Bathhouse & Diner featuring book arts and zines, and will include four of my books! I sent The Tell-Tale Heart, He Wishes for the Clothes of Heaven, Words & Letters, and The Frosted Pane.

There should be loads of great things to look at, so make sure you check it out. Visit their page for more info or share the facebook event.

He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven - New Cover

Here's a second attempt at a cover for this book. I used some silk noil I had that came very close to the colours inside the book, and a corset ribbon style binding on the end, to get something to go with the whole cloth/embroidery theme, and, I hope, a feeling of luxury and richness. Unfortunately the velvet ribbon I had wasn't a strong enough colour, so I used satin instead. It matches better but I would have liked the texture of the velvet.