Holiday Sewing Fun

I've just had a week and a half off and apart from a visit to Ikea, where my credit card took a battering, I've been sewing..... how unusual!!! I've created 8 new slip covers for  the chunky (200 page) A6 Visual Journals and Notebooks. And collaborated on one with my sister.... or rather  she designed the cover and I put it together. 

Here's what I've created

This was the first one it carried on from the last series of covers that I created and uses the inset pleated panels front and back. I call this one Belt Up # 2

 
I followed on with this one, inset panel and belt closure using a 100% Cotton Canvas. I found the wooden buttons in my botton collection. This one is Belt Up #3

 This one again has the inset pleated panel and a pretty satin ribbon to keep it all together.

Next I had a play with a denim offcut, a cute printed cotton fabric and some buttons and created the Buttons and Bubbles cover.

Then I played with insetting strips of the fabric and again incorporated buttons. This one is known as the Buttons and Bubbles cover #2

The last cover had me thinking about panels and contrasts. This one incorporates the inset panel  pintucked blue denim in a contrasting black denim.

inset pleated panel and two different shades of blue denim.....

This one features the fabric from the "Dotty Pouch" along with a mid blue denim. It's the same front and back. It reminds me of an old novel.

And finally the first slip cover designed for iheartcharlie by my sister, Catherine
Hopefully this is the first of many

This cover features, black hemp denim along with german wool felt from B&M Felt. This one is a definite favourite and aside from the amazing colour choice and the cute button, part of it's beauty is in it's slightly deconstructed appearance.

Yet again these covers have offered me some great ideas for future bags. I my last post I shared a series of Journal covers from which great ideas were born.

Here's the first Tote bag that was inspired by these 

This is the Chloe Tote Bag and it's currently for sale in my Etsy Shop

Great ideas come from small things

After a weekend of creating journals  I've come up with some great ideas. It all started with a simple idea from my sister, cut a strip of fabric gather it and stitch it down.... here's the result

I added some buttons and my own artistic license to the idea and voila ..........The Tuxedo Ruffle A6 visual journal slip cover.

This got me thinking about the gathering strips so I tried another one with different denim... that wasn't as successful so out came the quick un-picker and I headed off in the direction of pleats but this time with a twist, I added a zippper and the Zip It A5 visual journal slip cover with fully functional cover pocket was born.

I followed the path I was already on and the Pleated Denim A6 Visual Journal cover was created

Then finally the pleated panel evolved into a pin tucked pocket  for the final cover of the weekend

The Belt Up A6 visual journal cover, the pin tucked  panel is a pocket and I've added the button and belt closure for a little added detail.

All of this had led to some great ideas for bags. I've just finished a new tote bag. Which idea do you think was my inspiration?

All will be revealed soon.............

iheartcharlie retail launch

The latest designs from iheartcharlie were recently launched at 'love the beast' in Margaret River. These are some of the latest Tote bags and Pouches available.

Tote Bags:

 

April Messenger

Darcy Pink

           Darcy Chocolate

   Jennifer

      
 

Gerty

  

  Valentine (dark blue)

 

Valentine (light blue)

 

                           Harriet                           

Pouches:

 

Pouches in order of appearance :- Amelia , Dotty, Fanciful, 

April, Marnie & Valentine

All of these designs have been individually hand crafted by me. I love what I do and take great pride and care I all my creations. They are all designed as one of a kind or limited additions.

New designs will be appearing soon in my etsy shop.

love the beast

 

Last Friday saw the opening of a new shop in Margaret River. love the beast is the creation of Susan Elton. This amazing store will stock the work of Australian designers, artists and craftspeople. I'm ecstatic that she has chosen to stock the creations of iheartcharlie. I captured a few photos at the opening party to share with you. 

This is one of my favourite parts of the shop... check out those awesome hand bags and journals.

Another favourite fixture is this one. The window in the old door is the perfect space to display those iheartcharlie pouches

I can't claim any credit for these very cute critters.

 

And introducing the very talented Mr Oliver Hull.

 The lady herself, Susan Elton, thanking all those who helped her with the fit out.

A cow of a day

Cowparade heads to Margaret River this year and my sister has been chosen to participate along with one of her friends. I've been lending a helping hand doing something I've always wanted to do.... that is paint a cow pink. Here's a sneek peek

 Sorry shes blushing!!!

This is Eco Rave Cow. She'll be on display in Margaret River along with 79 other cows. I'll show you more later once the cows have been unveiled at the official opening on February 27th. Until then you'll just have to try and imagine what she's going to look like. Here's a hint ... mirror, glitter and something else that you'll never guess.

Stay tuned..............

It must be Christmas !!

My sister and I found this little scene on the back roads between Margaret River and Busselton.

It kind of speaks for it self

Bag Addiction

I love handbags.... actually I love big handbags. They're so useful for storing and carrying some of the contents of your life. No matter what the bag size I always seem to be able to manage to fill it. I usually start out with very good intentions when I get  new bag, "this time I'll only carry the bare essentials". But before you know it I'm out of control and the bag is full again..... I love to collect them

Occasionally my bag fetish extends to making them. This week has been one of those weeks, I've been busy sewing bags. I've made a promise to myself that they will not end up in my collection and that they will be sold in my Etsy shop.

This is the first of the bags. It's created using off cuts from previous projects. The outside is hemp denim and it has an interior lining of a brown stripe poly cotton blend. It has a pin tuck detail on the front and a centre seam on the back.  It's a good size you can fit the essentials and a few extras in it. This one is listed in my store iheartcharlie.etsy.com

This is number 2, it's the same style bag but this time with pleats all the way around and it has a band.  This one will be Etsy listed soon.

Number 3 still in my head I share it with  you when it comes to fruition.