tote bag goodness

I've been wanting to add bags to the DF line for a while, but hadn't had much of a chance to play and come up with something that was easy to do... yesterday I took a day off from the packing-to-move project, and popped out to town for a few bits that I needed. Dangerously also popped into TK Maxx, and as well as bringing home two dresses, fell in love with the print on a pillowcase... bought it thinking I could make it into something when I got home... and then on the way back it occurred to me that pillowcases would make the loveliest bags!

So I chopped and I sewed and I turned inside out (and I must confess, I stole the idea of stitching the triangle at the corners from the bag-making class I went to the other evening with the girls from work) and I sewed it together and this is the result :)

I'm rather pleased (although it's a terrible photo and definitely needs ironing) and am already experimenting in my head with putting a pocket inside. Will be keeping my eyes peeled for lonely pillowcases, or perhaps just plain pretty coloured ones that I could applique...

I put it on Facebook last night and lots of people have liked it and commented on it, which is encouraging. See, time off work IS useful :)

a bargain of a camera

I've spent even more time than normal in charity & thrift shops recently, hunting down exciting things for the new flat. I'm trying very hard to stick to housewares and 'useful' things, but when I saw a little beauty of a camera for £3, I couldn't resist. After texting Chloe over at Slightly Triangle to make sure I had the right end of the stick, I bought this:

Yep, it's a Kodak Brownie! I have no intention of using it with film in it, but she'll look very pretty in my new bedroom and will add to the vintage vibe I'm trying to create, and more importantly for Ducking Fabulous, I hope to experiment with some TTV photography with her and my Canon... again, watch this space! (Although I anticipate this taking place after the move, all my photographic equipment is being lovingly wrapped up so it doesn't get damaged in transit...)

results of my attempt at sewing

So I mentioned I'd inherited a sewing machine and was determined to try it out. Until my Sidewinder arrived, I only had black thread wound onto a bobbin, so I loaded it up, picked up what was going to be a book bag, and turned it into a cushion cover...

I'm rather proud of it considering it's my very first attempt at sewing anything at all since I was rather younger :) Apologies for terrible photo, just wanted to get it online. Now trying to work out how to get/make a cushion to fit inside it, so I may dig out the handles and make it into a bag after all... watch this space :)

a sewing machine and some sausages

How on earth is it May already?

It's all go at the DF studio... the move to the new flat is scheduled for 19th June, I'm so excited I can't think straight! Just trying to sort out all the boring paperwork stuff, and I'm spending most of my lunchtimes sneakily buying (mostly vintage, and all vintage-inspired) things to put in it... today's acquisition was a gorgeous patchwork throw for my bed... photos when I'm home in daylight :) (I seem to say that a lot - must get more organised!)

Actually, talking of organisation, once I move and the internet etc is all set up, I've decided I'm going to have a bit more of a schedule for Ducking Fabulous... a day each week to blog, a day each week to update my shop, and so on. It was going really well until I decided I was moving, and now everything's in disarray and chaos, lol!

I haven't introduced my new sewing machine yet, either, have I? Her name's Vi, and she used to belong to my Gran - having had my confidence boosted by a bag-sewing class with some of the girls from work, I asked if I could borrow her, and Gran told me that as long as I looked after her, I could keep her :) Which is wonderful! She's perfect to learn on, and the only down side is that her bobbin winder function is currently refusing to work. I have solved this by ordering a Sidewinder, which arrived today - as I was working late I've yet to try it out, but it looks fab! Thanks to SewCraftyFox for the tip!

Have so far made one cushion cover and a lot of mess, but have many things planned once I've got space & time to myself :) I haven't given up on the jewellery side of things either, just taking the opportunity to explore new crafts while I have spare money, as once I'm paying full rent there's no way I'll have any left over :S So hopefully that'll be when my productivity goes into overdrive and lots of weird but wonderful things will emerge from the Ducking Fabulous studio (and into the Folksy shop, which has sadly had to be put on holiday as I've packed away all the stock, listed and unlisted, until after the move :( sniff.)

In my non-crafty pursuits, work has been insane but very funny recently, although I've not had a lot of time to blog about it, and I spent some of the bank holiday weekend barbecuing sausages in the rain, and the rest of it under the front of Poppy (my car), taking off her brake discs and discovering that
a) I need new ones; and
b) I am clearly never going to be a mechanic!

Right, on that note, bed, I think...