sewing another classic lunch carrier or two...

While nobody is going back to school this year,I still sewed 2 new lunch carriers for my friends:

 Last year, I sewed a fall lunch carrier

and a sunny lunch one,

so I felt I had to keep going on the tradition!

(main body and handle is Tilda Cottage fabric)

Now my friends and I can all virtually meet up for lunch with a similar lunch carrier!

What's not to love?

For both of them, I used a mix of quilting prints,

iron-on fleece for interfacing and some water resistant lining:

just like for mine!

(main body print is from Minki Kim collection)

The pattern is my favorite pattern from Pink Penguin!

I think I actually made 6 or 7 of these lunch carriers,

does anybody need one?

Happy sewing!

an updated lunch carrier

Do you pack your lunch or do you buy lunch at work?
Mon Cheri and I are lunch packing people,
it saves time and money,
and it is usually healthier.
But it means lunch box/carrier!

Here is my latest version:

(there is a large consumption of V8 in this house!)

A few years ago, I made this lunch carrier for Mon Cheri

and it worked really well, but it was really time for an update.

So I actually reused the pattern and made a new version,

with a better lining.

Last year, when I remade my lunch bag,

I used some waterproof lining and it makes it so easy to clean messes and spills.
So I did the same thing with this lunch carrier:

It almost makes it a little stiffer.

It is the same fabric that I used to line my apple bag.

I used 3 different prints for the bag, all related to wine.

The main one is quite discreet since it is just wine names

but it adds a little whimsy.

Happy sewing!

a pretty lunch bag

Well it is officially back to school today for the kids, Miss C. is a 7th grader, and Brick Master is a sophomore, all serious school years but not transition years. For me, well it is routine as usual, I only took a few days off this summer to go to the international robotic competition in St Augustine, Florida. (more about that later in the post.) But I felt like I deserved a back to school treat! The kids do not want me to sew for them anymore, so I made myself a new lunch bag.

It is just slightly bigger than the one I made for Miss C a few years ago

which she actually never used! On the other hand, I had been using it everyday,  and it was started to look less and less adorable... so time for a new one!

I used fabrics I brought back from France a few years ago, I was saving them for a special occasion, well I am special enough to use them for myself! That macaron/desserts fabric is just so lovely, I added a flowery Liberty of London print, and some solid for the handles and the cover.

Even the water resistant lining is macarons/sweets related, it was made to be.
As far as the competition in St Augustine, it went pretty well, they fought hard and well, but a team from Los Altos and another team from Austria crushed them, they were still happy with their performance, they finished 18 out of 56, not bad for a first time. Mon Cheri, Miss C. and I enjoyed visiting the town, beautiful but so hot in the July sun!
Hopefully the heat and humid of the DC summer is mostly over.
Happy sewing!

plushy macaron and 500th post!

We have survived the first few weeks of school, there have been a lot of chances at home with Miss C. starting middle school and Brick Master starting high school. Just before school started, Miss C. got her braces! 11 seems so young to wear such torture equipment but she is mostly fine... To cheer her up, I sewed her a plushy macaron, hot pink, with ears and eyes, an alpaca macaron.

pattern from CholyKnight It took me longer than I thought but it was quite doable.

She has very nicely adapted to the situation....
This post is my 500th post, I have been writing this blog for over 5 years now, it has changed over time as I have changed, some of my and my family's interests have evolved,  but I am planning on keeping it, just posting slowly. There will be much less dolls sewing as Miss C. has moved on, but there are other little girls to sew for...

Of course, the biggest change is the size of the kids,

with a teen and a tween, I will soon be the shortest one at home!

(all legs!)

Happy sewing!

doll spring outfit

Or what to sew when you run out of time! Today, Miss C. went to one of her girlfriend's Bday party, so last night, after a long day at work, I asked her what and where we were buying presents. She informed me that we did not have to go anywhere  (awesome, relaxation time for me!) she had talked to her friend, showed her my blog and they had decided what AG doll outfit I was going to make for her..... Wait....what? Now for tomorrow morning!? I was flattered that a kid would choose a homemade present over store bought, but it was late and I did not have much time or energy... So here is what I came up with:

Cute right?

Nothing really new, there was no time to try a new pattern!

The plan was to make a simple skirt, the reversible skirt that I have made many times

(from the applique tutorial to my brownie troop),

it is easy and fast, and it looks good.

I added a little bunny since it is the season!

Then I made a little knit top, it is slightly different than the many t-shirts

I have sewn but very similar this one: pink shirt, Halloween top, Breton tank top.

Pixie faire has a few free top patterns: T-shirt, tank top.

I used this pattern which I acquired for free on one of their free pattern Friday,

it has a lower neck line and 3/4 sleeves, but the shape is the same as the free pattern.

Once I had made these 2 elements,

I relaxed and went to bed, after all it was a outfit,

and it looked good together.

This morning, I realized what make a great outfit are accessories!

Now if you have sewn clothes or doll clothes, you know those take a lot of time,

which I was running out of, so I made of the fastest accessories I could think of: a beret!

Pink berets are very fashionable for dolls right now since Grace has one.

I have made a few (pink , black)  and there are very fast to sew.

I made it out of felt following this tutorial, which means no seams to finish.

I really liked where it was going but felt it was missing something,

another accessory was needed to really make it a cool present to receive.

So I sewed one more, but it was time consuming,

definitively not something I recommend when time runs out,

but I was up for the challenge: a backpack.

It is super cute, I have made one before (but did not blog about it!)

It has quite a few pieces, with interfacing and it is fully lined,

the pocket in the front adds a cool touch.

I used this pattern, not a free one like the others.

The colors of the print ties the blue and hot pink together,

and it also works with the reverse side of the skirt: white, pink and brown.

If I had more time, I would have made another top to go with that side,

but by then it was time to go and I barely had time to take a few pics!

Here are a few pics of the first backpack I made a few years go,

using the same pattern.

It was for back to school in September 2013!

Miss C has enjoyed it very much,

so I knew it was a great accessory.

She came back from the party, and her friend was pleased with the present!

Just another day in paradise.....

Happy sewing!

first aid pouch and first day of school

Yesterday was the first day of school,

we prepared for it by enjoying the summer to its fullness,

which means very little sewing done for me!

Lat year, I made a lunch box and a pencil pouch for the kids...

Well this year, I just made them first aid pouch:

I followed this tutorial from A Spoonful of Sugar.

The top one is a much more masculine version that the ones presented on the tutorial!

This line is Mechanical Genius, so perfect for big boys.

The other one is girly as it should be, the main fabric is Dress Up Days (Riley Blake Designs).
Inside, they can find a couple band-aids, lip balm and a treat,
most little emergencies require chocolate!

And here are the kids are their way to the first day of school:

No more picture together,

Brick Master started middle school and leaves before Miss C. wakes up!

She is in 3rd grade this year, and loves to walk the puppy to school.

Of course she loves it too!

Happy day!