http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk en-gb fromragstobags.co.uk 2012-5-7T00:00:00Z fromragstobags.co.uk http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#117850 Like a lot of people I learnt to sew on an old Singer sewing machine. The first one I used was a treadle machine that my mother was given for her 21st birthday. It was beautifully decorated with painted flowers across the machine and I used to have a lot of fun seeing how fast I could make the machine go whilst frantically rocking the large foot plate backwards and forwards. Even at school all of my sewing classes were on old Singer sewing machines. The majority were electric versions but I think there were still a few that had the handle on the side for manually turning the wheel. After school I bought a second hand electric Singer which looked almost modern in shape but only sewed in a straight line or zigzag. It didnt even reverse A few years ago I invested in a computerised Brother machine which offers 39 stitches most of which I never actually use. The majority of old Singer machines have long since been abandoned and nobody seems to want the... 2012-5-7 15:20:16 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#115674 Whether its an auction a charity shop a car boot or jumble sale I cant resist a poke about for anything that takes my interest. Needless to say I am always hopeful I might find some long lost treasure that no one else has noticed but for me treasure comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. With a few auction houses locally most weeks I am either viewing bidding or collecting something or other.This week I have had mixed fortunes in the sale rooms. I left a number of bids at one general sale mainly on textiles and managed to have the highest bid on one box of textiles. I was quite pleased as it included an old patchwork quilt which I thought would be good for cutting up and using for some bags. When I went to collect the lot the auction house were slightly embarrassed to admit that the lot had gone missing. Someone had obviously taken it with lots they had purchased and who knew who that had been. Very annoying to say the leastThankfully at a local fine art and antiques auction I viewed ... 2012-3-31 22:38:59 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#113062 A couple of years ago if you perused the shelves for craft magazines all you could find were magazines on knitting crochet cross stitch card making or beading. They all seemed to stick rigidly to their particular corner of the craft market and every other area was ignored. It was to be honest quite frustrating.I was quite surprised recently to find a whole of craft magazines brimming from the shelves in the newsagent. Before you could blink I have bought three I had never heard of before.The first Craftseller was only on issue 7 so is obviously a relative newcomer. The tag line is Make and sell your handmade crafts. Perfect for the likes of me then. As well as being packet with four pages of readers letters it has sewing knitting chocolate making crochet cross stitch beading and much more. There really is just about something for everyone in it for the beginner to the more experienced crafter. It is also a good source of information for suppliers.Mollie ... 2012-2-22 22:24:27 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#111582 My 11 year old niece was given a sewing kit for Christmas consisting of threads precut fabric squares buttons needles and other bits and bobs. Apparently she was absolutely thrilled with it all and quite excited about sewing some bits together.When I saw her at New Year she very proudly gave me two squares sewn together with a button in the middle. The items had come from her kit and she told me that it was the first piece of sewing by hand she had ever done. I was quite touched that she wanted to give it to me well I hope she meant me to keep it as I didnt give it back The sewing now sits in my study on a shelf with photos of her and her siblings.I was slightly surprised that she had not been taught to sew before. I remember learning decorative stitches at school when I was about six and sewed a cushion soft toys and a sun dress by hand at school when I was nine and ten. I guess it is a sign of the times school curriculums have changed and old fashioned home making skills have taken ... 2012-2-1 20:54:17 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#109236 Whilst I was out trawling the shops for Christmas presents a few weeks ago I stumbled by chance across a book that completely intrigued me. Fifty Bags That Changed the World is published by the Design Museum and charts the history of bags from 1860 through to 2010. It catalogues 50 bags which it obviously believes have had the most impact on our lives during that time. Some of their choices I would definitely agree with others have completely passed me by and I am sure most people who arent fashionistas.The book starts with the famous budget box that is used each year by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the UK when the annual budget is announced. I had no idea this iconic briefcase was first used by the politician William Gladstone around 1860. Apparently the case is in such poor condition that it was withdrawn from service following the budget in 2010.The book moves on covering iconic bags such as carpet bags saddlebags doctors bags bicyc... 2011-12-27 16:30:08 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#102750 Dont you love it when you make a mental note to buy something and then prompty stumble across it when you arent looking Only one word can sum it up serendipity.Having ploughed through a pile of sewing yesterday I had run out of cream thread and was virtually out of white too so made a mental note to buy some more in the week. I could have popped out to the supermarket today which needless to say is open Sundays but it really wasnt worth it. There were far more pressing things to do such as take our old mattress to the dump.My husband and I just about managed to fold our king size mattress in half and shoe horn it into the back of my car and popped down to the dump with it. As I have mentioned before in blog posts the local dump has a shop on site where they sell items on to reduce the waste going to landfill. It is always worth a browse you just never know what you will find.Guess what I found a clear plastic bagged full of cotton thread a needle thre... 2011-9-18 19:48:22 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#99510 It was such a lovely day today I decided to pop along for a rummage around the local car boot sale. There are a couple near me every Sunday and the larger one is usually 500 plus cars. I love the fact that 90 is absolute rubbish 9.9999 is reasonable but not what I actually want or need and then if I am really lucky there is the 0.0001 that I will be really pleased I found.I was over half way around today before I made my first purchase. I spotted just a little bit of some really fabulous 1970s fabric on a stall completely covered over with over items for sale. Having carefully pulled it out the fabric turned out to be a floor length curtain so quite a bit of fabric. All she wanted was 1631.00. For the benefit of my friend Michelle in the US that is about 1.55. An absolute bargainNext just as I reached her stall a lady reached into her car and pulled out a bag of 43 assorted zips and another bag of bias binding. All she wanted was 1631.00 fo... 2011-7-31 18:16:21 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#99467 I have to admit I really like oak trees. I love their size and majesty the shape of the leaves and even the acorns. I dont know why its just one of those things. Thinking back I guess it started in junior school. The school was split into four houses for school games competitions with each house named after a tree oak larch beech and fir. Needless to say I was in oak.In recent years the oak leaf in particular seems to have crept into my arts and crafts. A few years ago I collected some fallen oak leaves from a tree near my house and scanned them into my computer. I used them as templates for pottery oak leaves which I sponge glazed and gilded. They were sold at a local craft exhibition a couple of years ago.Last year I used the same scanned templates to make felt leaves which I wired together with felt acorns that I needle felted. The felt oak twig was exhibited at the local art society exhibition last year and promptly sold. Have to admit I sligh... 2011-7-30 16:42:56 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#98089 It never ceases to amaze me where I stumble across really good fabric not to mention haberdashery items. I sometimes think I must be subconsciously drawn to material I just cant stop myself buying it.Yesterday I went to the vicarage f234te in my sisters village as I was over there visiting and it was something to do for the afternoon. My nephew and neices somehow managed to empty my purse of money on the variety of tombolas and gamesQuite surprisingly though amongst the obligatory f234te cake and plant stalls various tombolas and raffle there was a stall selling fabric remnants old buttons bits of ribbon cross stitch kits and other odd bits of haberdashery. A quick rummage revealed a fabulous length of gold furnishing fabric about 2 metres long by 70cm wide which only cost me 1632.00.After another look a bit later I ended up with a packet of large sewing needles which are always useful for wool projects two skeins of embroidery silk which I had been meaning t... 2011-7-10 23:31:09 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#93926 Like most people if you asked me where fabrics come from I would be able to tell you that wool comes from sheep cotton and linen from plants synthetic fibres from chemical processes and silk from silkworms. Beyond that I dont really give fabrics much more thought. Last weekend I decided to take a trip to a historic silk mill in Whitchurch Hampshire to find out more.The mill was built around 1800 and began to produce silk fabrics in the 1830s. The mill continued its production until it closed in 1985. Following refurbishment by the Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust the mill became operational again in the early 1990s and is still a working mill today producing silk for stately homes as well as film and television costumes.Built beside the River Test a large wooden water wheel was originally used to drive the mill machinery. The wheel is still in working order and can be seen driving a large belt which fed the silk skeins onto bobbins which would in ... 2011-5-14 22:04:15 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#89898 Last week I finally managed to finish the custom wedding order I was working on. I had to make 40 lavender bags as wedding favours for a wedding this weekend. If you read the last blog post you will remember that I made them in an ivory silk with a purple tulle top and matching ribbon bow. The tulle had been sent by the bride to be and she was quite keen for me to try and use it.Whilst I was making the favours I was asked if I would also be able to make a wrap for the bride to wear around her shoulders during the photos. There was certainly enough fabric so I was happy to design something. As tulle is very lightweight I knew the ends of the wrap would need to be weighted so that it fell properly when worn. The obvious solution was beading so I decided to buy a length of beaded trim. Easy .... or so I thought How wrong could I be Whilst getting hold of beaded trim is easy enough finding the right colour proved to be a bit of a nightmare. The tulle was a deep au... 2011-3-22 20:56:20 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#88290 A few weeks ago a regular customer asked me if I would be able to make some favours for her daughters wedding at the end of March. Needless to say I was delighted to be asked and more than happy to make them.I was sent a sample of some dark purple chiffon fabric which the bride to be had apparently bought years ago and was quite keen to use. There was also a rough sketch of a lavender bag design which I felt wasnt really suitable for the fabric and that was all I had to go on. It is worth pointing out that I have never actually met the bride to be or her mother. We have never even spoken on the phone as we always correspond by email. It is actually quite strange designing something so personal for someone you know nothing about and for a wedding it has to be right.As the favours were for a wedding white or ivory was obviously a good starting point and I felt that you needed a good quality fabric as well so opted for an ivory silk slub and a slightly sat... 2011-3-2 18:33:50 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#86532 Im a believer in the universal law that if you clear something out of your life it creates a void for new things to come into your life. So it stands to reason that having cleared out a whole heap of fabric recently it wasnt going to be long before more arrived in my lifeAt the weekend I went on a very satisfying shopping jaunt with a friend of mine. I did actually need to go to the fabric shop to hunt for suitable fabrics for some wedding favours I have been asked to make but fabulous fabric finds werent actually there. I love hunting through antique shops and there is a great antiques centre where we were shopping with lots of dealers.One of them is a vintage clothing dealer and it was on her stall that I found a really bright piece of 1960s fabric. It was 2.8m long although not as wide as most fabrics these days and very reasonably priced at 16312. For some reason I toyed with buying the fabric as I thought it was quite a lot to pay but then I reali... 2011-2-8 21:37:42 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#85235 I have always had a love of fabrics and have bought remnants for years always thinking it will come in useful one day. When I started From Rags To Bags I thought I had quite a substantial fabric pile. In truth it was a very large cardboard box in a cupboard. It was nothing compared to the amount I have nowWith fabric piles mounting up around my work room the other day I decided I really needed to have a sort out. In 3 years I had gone from a cardboard box in a cupboard to a large storage box of fake fur suede leather and other oddments another of velvets another of patterned fabrics another of cotton shirts and other lining fabrics a large basket of woolen jumpers and felt a large box of ribbons and had recently added a three drawer cabinet full of vintage linens mens ties and interlining and zips. Lets not forget my work in progress pile too. Just a bit of a fabric explosionThe work in progress pile was what really prompted me to have a sort out. Th... 2011-1-22 17:38:43 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#83954 If you want to buy me a present whether it be for my birthday Christmas or any other reason for that matter then I am easily pleased .... my favourite perfume a little something from Tiffany or failing that a good book.Now I have to admit I have been truly blessed with my husband and his family. Whenever a present buying occasion looms they ask me for a list of gifts I would like. I duly supply them with a list of CDs books DVDs perfume etc that I would like and they buy me something from my list. Fabulous You may argue that there is no element of surprise in that but at least you end up with gifts you want and need rather than a pile to sell on eBay at a later dateThis Christmas I put down a couple of craft books that looked interesting. I am always on the hunt for new crafts to try and different ideas to incorporate into my handbags. My lovely inlaws bought both of the books I had on my list and I have to say they are well worth buying or borrowing... 2011-1-5 18:51:22 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#83953 For years small business owners have been working hard in their spare time to create promote and run their fledgling business. Most cant afford to take the risk of quitting their day jobs and so are left with no option but to work evenings and weekends. Im certainly one of them.I dreamt up From Rags to Bags four years ago time certainly flies when I was off work following an operation and had nothing better to do. I suddenly realised I could turn a lifetime of collecting fabric and a love of sewing into a small business. Whilst the business has grown year on year I am still not in a position to give up the day job.Whilst I do get the odd morning or few hours off in the afternoon most of my free time is in the evenings and weekends. Having said that by the time I can cleaned the house done the laundry gone food shopping done the garden you get the picture even most of the weekend is taken up with everyday living.I try to sew for a couple of hours every e... 2010-11-25 18:49:56 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#78671 I was recently asked if I would be interested in making some hot water bottle covers. It is something that has been knocking around in my head for a while anyway so I was more than happy to give it a go. In the past I have seen knitted hot water bottle covers and decided that was the route I would like to explore.As I quite enjoy knitting I could have found a pattern and knitted some covers. The whole ethos of From Rags To Bags though is recycling so it made much more sense to use secondhand woolies. I ended up trawling through the jumper racks of six charity shops in my hunt for the perfect garment. It is amazing how many are acrylic or only part wool. I needed pure wool for the idea to work. I finally managed to find two jumpers that were labelled wool two cashmere and one which was machine washable wool.The first step was to felt them all so I popped them all into the washing machine on a hot wash. It was really interesting to see the results w... 2010-10-25 00:03:47 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#77662 Finally I have managed to scrape together some time to make a new handbag. I have sold quite a few of late and was getting really low on stock and still am I have got a couple more new ones planned which will hopefully follow soon. I seem to spend all my sewing time making piles of lavender bags and door stops at the moment not that I am complaining.I have wanted to make my latest handbag for a while ever since I found the corduroy at a car boot sale back in the summer. Before my scissors got the better of it the corduroy was actually a really gorgeous long Italian pencil skirt. I loved the fabric as soon as I saw it and managed to buy the skirt for 1631.00. The corduroy is a wonderful soft cotton with alternating thick and thin furrows. It makes the bag really tactile.As I have put a zip in the top I decided to give the bag a single strap secured at each side. For added interest I have added a couple of metal rings into the sides of ... 2010-10-11 22:30:50 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#76777 I cant believe it is a year since I blogged about the last Alton Art Society exhibition Show and Tell. Where does time go This years exhibition kicked off last night with the private view and runs until Sunday.Since joining the Art Society about 7 years ago I have always exhibited ceramic pieces that I have made usually selling two or three pieces. Last year I decided to take a break from ceramics after many years to pursue my love of textiles. Last years entries into the exhibition were half ceramic and half felt. This year I have entered four felt pieces two handbags a felt bowl and a set of felt oak leaves with acorns.Despite having a whole year to prepare some pieces to enter I left it somewhat to the last minute as usual. I sent off my entry form a month ago with only a vague idea on what I was actually going to enter. Well one bag was made one bag needed altering and the other two pieces were figments of my imaginationA few weeks ago I felted a dish... 2010-9-30 21:49:04 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#74741 Last weekend I had some garden waste and a few other items to take to the local dump or the Household Waste Recovery Centre as it is now termedI have to admit if you say dump it conjours up images of piles of rotting waste with sea gulls scavenging on it. In reality our local dump is clean tidy and very well managed. There are marked recycling skips for metal wood cardboard garden waste which is composted household batteries aluminium foil mobile phones car batteries gas bottles glass textiles and even a charity bra bank There is also a general skip for everything else but even that gets sifted through by the staff for anything worth saving.To one side is the shop which is very popular. You can buy all sorts of salvaged items from books DVDs and CDs to china furniture garden tools and bicycles. I have to admit I do quite like a poke about when I am there to see what I can find. Ive found jewellery which I have broken up for the beads a brand new lampsh... 2010-9-5 16:32:38 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#74740 To be completely honest I hate sewing in zips to the point that they have become my complete nemesis. When designing handbags I find myself coming up with all sorts of cunning ways to avoid putting a zip in even though I know most people prefer handbags with zips even I doIn the past I have left the tops of bags completely open Ive designed them with flaps held secure with a magnetic clasp or Ive just used a magnetic clasp at the top. Even internal pockets have just been the slip variety or had yet another magnetic clasp.Its ridiculous really I am completely happy sewing a zip into the bottom of my door stops so that they can be posted empty and filled by the purchaser so why not handbags In my teens when I made lots of my own clothes I happily made skirts and trousers with zips in. Somehow over the years though zips have just slipped off my skills list to the point where I cant quite figure out the best way to deal with them.Last weekend though I desig... 2010-9-5 16:31:53 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#74739 If you go down to the library today youre in for a big surprise Well Alton library anyway.Generally libraries used to be musty smelling places full of dusty well read books and librarians telling you to shh Well no more. If you go to a library now you can not only borrow the latest best seller you can also borrow CDs across the musical spectrum Alton has got Bryan Adams to Metallica DVDs of the latest films computer games and surf the internet.Alton library also goes a step further than that. They are selling local handmade crafts. When I was in the library a week or so ago to borrow a book on felting I noticed a large glass display cabinet with handmade jewellery and turned wood items for sale. A quick chat with the manager revealed that they are happy to provide selling space free of charge to local craft folk and taking a 25 cut of any sales.I left my card and got an email a few days ago offering me some space in the display cabinet. From Saturday a select... 2010-9-5 16:31:09 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#74738 I seem to spend hours trawling the internet in search of fabric and textiles to use in my handbags and home wares. I much prefer to use vintage and secondhand textiles in my creations and particularly enjoy repurposing items.Of late I have been trying to buy vintage curtains as you get a lot of fabric for your money. Using clothing can limit what you are able to make as the pieces of fabric can be quite small. Curtains are great as you usually have a large expanse of flat fabric leading to endless possibilities. I have a huge pile of vintage velvet curtains in various colours but I have been trying to find some patterned fabrics to add to the pile.I have a penchant for the funky fabrics of the 1950s to 1970s. I love the geometric designs with the bold colours. Curtain fabrics are usually quite thick and with the strong designs the fabrics are perfect for doorstops. I am constantly watching and bidding on curtains on eBay but they seem to go for more than I am w... 2010-9-5 16:30:26 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#72624 I seem to spend hours trawling the internet in search of fabric and textiles to use in my handbags and home wares. I much prefer to use vintage and secondhand textiles in my creations and particularly enjoy repurposing items.Of late I have been trying to buy vintage curtains as you get a lot of fabric for your money. Using clothing can limit what you are able to make as the pieces of fabric can be quite small. Curtains are great as you usually have a large expanse of flat fabric leading to endless possibilities. I have a huge pile of vintage velvet curtains in various colours but I have been trying to find some patterned fabrics to add to the pile.I have a penchant for the funky fabrics of the 1950s to 1970s. I love the geometric designs with the bold colours. Curtain fabrics are usually quite thick and with the strong designs the fabrics are perfect for doorstops. I am constantly watching and bidding on curtains on eBay but they seem to go for more than I am willing to pay.... 2010-8-11 23:05:48 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#72622 I went to a horse racing and concert event being held at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey last week. It was the part of the Epsom Live 2010 event which hosted a number of pop acts over the last week or so playing concerts after an afternoon of horse racing with Madness playing last night.So why am I blogging about horse racing and pop concerts on a handbag blogWell I like to have an annual flutter on the Grand National and decided to throw caution to the wind last night and place a bet on the final race of the day the 840pm at Epsom. There were six horses running so you would think the odds would be pretty good.Not being a follower of horse racing and form I always pick a horse based purely on its name. I dont study the form the ground conditions the trainer or the jockey. I just pick a name that has relevence to me. Trust me I never win Well having said that I did actually win on the Grand National this year with Dont Push It sprinting home at 241. Shame I only put 1632.... 2010-8-11 23:05:00 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#71370 Anyone who uses lots of beads in craft projects will know just how expensive they are too buy. Glass beads can be ridiculously expensive and can really push up the cost of making items. Too keep costs down I try to utilise second hand beads by breaking up jewellery.This weekend I managed to accumulate quite a good stock of beads. Yesterday I bought two beaded hair ties and three bead necklaces in a wildlife charity shop. The whole lot cost just 1633.50. All the beads are plastic but they are useful colours shapes and sizes and I quite like the turquoise and white striped beads.Today I had another good haul at a car boot sale. I bought four bracelets and two necklaces. The bracelets are all glass beads so I was really pleased with those. The white bead necklace is crystal so really sparkly in the light and the black necklace is plastic but has a good tassel which I can see being used on an evening bag perhaps. All of the items were being sold to raise funds for a donkey sa... 2010-7-26 19:47:52 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#69264 A couple of months ago a friend of mine gave me a tablecloth that had been hand embroidered by her grandmother. It was in pretty bad shape with torn and frayed corners but lovely floral embroidery in the corners. She knew I used old table linens to make some of my items so thought it might be of some use to me.The cloth looked like it had been very well loved over the years so it did seem a shame to throw it away. Also a lot of time had obviously been spent embroidering the cloth all those years ago so I putting my thinking cap on and came up with a couple of solutions.The first idea that sprang to mind was fairly obvious lavender bags. As the embroidered area was quite large the two lavender bags I made were larger than usual but that didnt really matter much. My friend was delighted with the lavender bag I gave to her and I kept the other.Thankfully I didnt rush into making four lavender bags. I got waylaid by other projects and by the time I got back to the... 2010-6-30 21:14:35 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#68314 I have decided to introduce Bag of the Month on my website putting a different handbag in the spotlight each month as a reduced price. I realise that whilst people may really like a particular handbag they dont always have the budget to be able to buy it. Hopefully with Bag of the Month different handbags may become more affordable for a few weeks at a time.For June I have decided to put the Black Brocade Evening Bag in the spotlight. It is a fun over the top evening bag made from a black brocade dress with an oversized chiffon bow and a vintage diamonte pendant pinned to middle. A single strap handle runs from side to side and the central pleat front and back makes the handbag very roomy inside.The interior of the handbag is lined with a multi coloured sateen check fabric. A silver magnetic clasp holds the top of the handbag securely closed. The handbag measures approximately 20cm long 32cm along the bottom edge 22cm along the top edge and 9cm deep at the base. 2010-6-18 20:50:28 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#68121 In the depths of winter when it is freezing cold and pouring with rain I am quite happy tucked up in my study at the top of the house. I can while away countless hours sewing writing and generally plotting From Rags To Bags world domination. When the thermometer rockets and the sun shines though I dont really want to be sat at my desk looking at a wall.This week has been glorious especially for the time of year. I decided to up sticks and move camp to the kitchen table. Having thrown open the patio doors I am now sat looking out over the garden listening to the birds chirping and enjoying the slight breeze flowing in over my toes.BlissTrouble is it is so relaxing I actually cant be bothered to do very much now. 2010-6-16 18:36:27 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#62789 As it was a glorious sunny Sunday morning today I couldnt resist popping out to my local car boot sale. It has just reopened after the winter and with such good weather it was pretty packed with sellers and buyers. Im never one to roll out of bed early on a weekend particularly a Sunday so I didnt actually get there until about 10.45am and it opens at 7.30amI can never decide with car boot sales if you should get there first thing to snap up antique and collectible gems or wait until the end when people are so fed up they sell everything off at rock bottom prices. As I hit the ground running midway through I didnt really have very high hopes.About half way around the stalls I spotted a pile of fabric remnants which looked interesting. I bought a couple of useful pieces for making door stops which were only 10 pence each so I was quite chuffed. A bit further on though I thought I was hallucinating when I spotted a biscuit tin full to the brim with buttons. Not to put too fi... 2010-4-11 20:15:55 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#62038 I had an interesting question a week or so ago from a chap in the USA. He was looking for a stand for his new Apple iPad to use when he was watching films. He had found me on Etsy and was interested to know if I could custom make him a stand based on my door stops.My first response wasYes. Then I had to google iPad as I didnt actually have a clue what they looked like Having found them I noticed that the iPads do come with their own case which can be folded so that the iPad is stood on its side for viewing films. I contacted the man in the USA to check if he knew this or not as it seemd fair. As it turned out he had seen them but wanted a simple bean bag design which could be used anywhere.Having already said that I could make a stand I then had to think about the best way forward. As I was basing the stand on my existing door stop designs I felt the easiest option was to sew a strip of elastic along the bottom to form a lip which would stop the iPad slipping downwards. ... 2010-4-2 17:26:06 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#61562 I have finally got around to making another felt handbag. I have been saying I will make a new one since before Christmas but never seem to have enough time.Wet felting is nothing like sewing a handbag where you can pick it up and put it down to finish later. With felting once you start you really have to carry on until the job is done. The whole process is quite labour intensive and I know I have to set aside the best part of a day to make a handbag. That allows me time to stop and start for cups of tea and general time wasting which I am pretty good atI already had a template for the handbag as I had one made from a previous felt bag I have already sold. Having taken a look in my wool basket I was really drawn to the purple shades this time so selected complimentary Merino wool tops. I also used some blue Shetland for the bottom of the bag. As it is a coarser wool fibre it is more durable than the soft Merino wool.Having laid out the first layer of fibre I thought it w... 2010-3-27 18:06:55 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#60025 The first time I did any patchwork I was at junior school. We had to make a patchwork cushion completely by hand using squares of fabric. I can still remember making it and spending hours sewing each square together trying to make the stitches as small and as neat as possible. I still have the cushion over 30 years later and miraculously it is still just about in one pieceMy next attempt about 15 years later was patchworking my sofa. When I bought my first house I bought a large green and very comfy sofa secondhand. It was very green so I came up with the idea of patchworking all over it to make a completely unique sofa. I set about sewing on pieces of fabric by hand when watching TV in the evenings but eventually realised the task was too big and gave up.Ive always been quite partial to patchwork though I just dont have the time or patience to make anything too big such as a quilt. I wish I did Anyway I decided a patchwork handbag might work quite well so rifle... 2010-3-7 21:39:39 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#58376 I made my first frameless clutch bag yesterday. I have no idea why I havent made any before as they are so much simpler than handbags. You dont have to fiddle about making handbags and trying to get them in the same place as each other.The clutch is made up from a purple corduroy skirt a pale purple cotton shirt and the edge of a purple sari. I bought the corduroy skirt a few weeks ago in a charity shop for 1631.00. I was on the hunt for some purple fabric to make a custom order beanbag frog and the vibrant purple skirt was perfect. The frog still isnt made yet as I have yet to find the right fabric for the under side of the frog so the skirt was relegated to my velvet and corduroy stock pile.A couple of evenings ago I was having a rummage in my fabric looking for something else when I stumbled across the purple sari which I had completely forgotton about. The main fabric of the sari was quite see through and whilst the most fabulous colour not really suitable fo... 2010-2-14 11:06:43 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#56811 A week or so ago I received an enquiry about custom making a Suits You Tote Bag. I am always happy to try and make custom items so discussions began between myself and a very sweet customer called Charlotte.Having seen the Suits You Tote Bag I had already made Charlotte was happy with the style and background fabric. The only changes she wanted to make were a zip along the top instead of a magnetic clasp and an inside pocket.Having established the basic remit I emailed Charlotte photos of possible neck ties and also shirt fabrics for the lining. I knew she wanted brightly coloured ties but you also need to consider what colours and patterns will look right together. Charlotte chose the ties and lining I would have suggested so we were obviously on the same wavelength.I needed to purchase a brown zip for the handbag and remembered that the local hospice shop in town sold haberdashery items. I managed to find a new brown zip in there which was the right weight for t... 2010-1-23 22:41:06 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#55944 When I am sewing there are quite a few things that seem to make me say 163amp163In the past couple of weeks I have said it for all of these reasonsNot having the right coloured cottonribbonbuttonsNot having quite enough ribbonMaking a lavender bag inside outSewing up a lavender bag without any lavender in itNot sewing in a straight lineTrying to sew really good heart shapesLeaving an opening so small that I cant turn an item the right way outRunning out of cotton part way along a seemUsing a different coloured thread on the top and bottom in my machine by mistakeTrying to sew in a zip without the zip foot on my machineForgetting to put the fabric feeder back in place after lowering it for a buttonForgetting to change the machine stitch back to straight from zigzagSnapping my sewing machine needle by hitting a pin too hardLoading far too much of a coloured cotton onto the spoolNot matching up a pattern very wellLosing my rulerJabbing myself with a needlepinSewing a pin into a hidden sea... 2010-1-11 23:24:26 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#55847 A few weeks ago my mother asked me if I would sell an old handbag of hers either on ebay or in the vintage section of my website. Needless to say I was more than happy to do that so my mother brought the handbag over to my house in a plastic carrier bag with some other vintage items she wanted to get rid of.Apparently my mother had bought the bag in 1974 in a second hand clothes shop in Southampton called Pennywise. She thinks she paid around 1637 for it which is about 1632016325 at todays prices. Soon after my mother bought the handbag a friend offered her 16312 for it. As it was the first leather handbag she had ever owned she declined the offer and kept the bag for the next 35 years.The handbag is made by Middx England and the label reads Genuine leather. The outside of the handbag is a patchwork of rectangles in mock snakeskin held in place with zig zag stitching. Measuring 25cm wide 19cm long and 7cm deep at the base the handbag is a really useful size. Ins... 2010-1-10 17:58:23 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#55288 When is a teapot not a teapot When it is a handbag.When is a handbag not a handbag When it is a teapot of courseConfused Then read on .... Ive blogged before about my mothers teapot collection see Fancy A Cuppa in April 2009 but thought I would mention it again. As I was over at my parents house for Christmas I took the opportunity to take a few more photos.If you read the previous blog entry you will recall that my mother has a collection of well over 400 teapots which she has been collecting for as long as I can remember. When I come across an interesting teapot I know she doesnt have I cant resist buying it. The teapot which was the subject of Fancy A Cuppa was one of a number of handbag shaped teapots by a designer called Annie Rowe.As well as the turquoise Hollywood Gold design I have also bought my mother three others in the range for presents in the past few years. I know there are 3 or 4 more in the range so I will have to hunt those out to t... 2010-1-1 19:08:56 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#55254 To say 2009 has been a busy year at From Rags To Bags is probably a bit of an understatement. Lots of items have been made including new handbags designs and new items have been added such as handbag charms and felt items. Better still lots of items have been sold with sales up an incredible 70 on 2008I have been working hard at promoting the website over the year. As well as selling on Etsy Dawanda and Folksy From Rags To Bags hit Facebook with its own profile page click here which currently has over 500 hundred fans. More fans seem to appear each week many of whom leave comments and feedback which is helpful. Twitter was also added to the marketing assault click here with more than 650 people now following From Rags To Bags tweets. Again the numbers of people just seems to keep growing. I just need to try to remember to post comments a bit more often.One of the most enjoyable online tools From Rags To Bags embraced in 2009 was this blog. It has been a really useful out... 2010-1-1 00:20:55 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#54908 I have just spent a weeks holiday in Las Vegas which is not only a great place for a spot of gambling but also a great place for a spot of shopping if you get lucky on the gaming tables. The hotels or resorts as they tend to be referred to offer a huge range of shopping for most pockets. Some of my favourite haunts though are the top end fashion houses.Las Vegas offers not one but multiple Louis Vuitton stores as well as Fendi Prada Dior Chanel Hermes Gucci and Emilio Pucci. It is shopping heaven if designer labels are your bag. I found it the perfect place for having a good browse. It is not often that I get a chance to get my sticky fingers on designer handbags and have a good poke about in them so I took full advantage.On the whole I think most shop assistants these days have watched the film Pretty Woman. Whilst I am in no doubt they knew I wasnt going to buy a handbag they were on the whole helpful friendly and polite. They didnt overtly judge me on my jeans and wal... 2009-12-22 18:36:51 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#53857 With the party season fast approaching I wanted to make an over the top party bag. I was browsing through a glossy magazine a couple of weeks ago and noticed that brocade fabrics were in vogue right now. Having found a black brocade shift dress in a charity shop locally it seemed like the perfect fabric for making my lastest creation.I kept the style simple with just a single pleat front and back which offers a roomy interior without making the handbag seem too large and used a single strap made from the same brocade fabric. The oversized bow is from a chiffon remnant I picked up which I was going to utilise as a lining in a felt handbag. The diamonte pendant stitched in the centre of the bow adds just the right amount of sparkle and bling for any party.I love the contrast of the lining fabric. It is a chequered satin fabric which gives a really luxurious feel when you put your hand inside the handbag. The bright colours give a further fun element to the bag as w... 2009-12-2 22:42:34 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#53474 As you may have realised from reading my blog and visiting my website I like to recycle where possible. I hate throwing anything away that may be of use so I try to utilise items in other ways such as making my handbags.About three years ago I went to a summer wedding and bought a new pair of pale green fabric shoes to go with my outfit. Being England in the summer needless to say it rained My pale green shoes ended up caked in mud as the wedding reception was in a marquee in a field. Despite my best efforts to clean them my shoes still had mud stains and were relegated to the back of the wardrobe for the next three yearsWhilst the shoes werent particularly expensive I couldnt quite bring myself to throw them out as they were perfectly wearable just grubby. I couldnt even donate them to a charity shop for sale as they werent in good enough condition. A few weeks ago it suddenly struck me that I could dye them and try to cover the mud stains.I bought a packet of black dy... 2009-11-26 23:42:48 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#52170 I am always on the lookout for vintage handbags to add to stock. It never ceases to amaze me how many are still in circulation there is truly something for everyone. I tend to only stock handbags I like and am probably a bit on the fussy side. One style of handbag which has intrigued me for a while is Welsh Tapestry. Last week I was lucky enough to finally come across one in my local town absolutely nowhere near WalesWelsh Tapestry as the name suggests is a traditional woolen cloth similar in texture to tweed. It was and still is produced by Welsh wool mills using a double weaving process which entails weaving two cloths together. Unlike tapestry pictures which spring to mind Welsh Tapestry uses geometric designs. The double weaving process means that the pattern is the same on both sides of the cloth.It was during the 1950s that the trade in Welsh Tapestry items really took off with the increasing tourist trade. The cloth was used for a variety of small househ... 2009-11-8 16:08:40 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#51840 I have to be honest I love making lavender bags. They are such a simple thing and yet such a pleasure to make. I find the wonderful aroma of the lavender wafting around the room really therapeutic.If you have visited my online shop you will no doubt have seen the array of lavender bags I have made from vintage tablecloths etc. Whilst I really like those and will continue to make them I realised it was time to explore something a bit different in style. Gingham fabrics seemed really obvious so I wasnt sure about the idea to start with. I didnt want to follow the crowd as I like my products to be a bit more quirky. I realised that there must be a market for gingham products though or else you wouldnt see them everywhere you lookA quick jaunt to the local charity shops gave me some fabulous gingham fabrics to use. I found a really lovely deep red gingham mens shirt which soon got the sharp end of my scissors. Like a lot of crafters I have a huge tin of buttons most of which ... 2009-11-2 21:30:23 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#50361 As mentioned before in my blog the Alton Art Society annual exhibition was held from 14 October this year in the Assembly Rooms. This was the 78th Annual Exhibition and the variety of work this year was even more varied. Whilst the majority of exhibitors are amateurs the standard of work is very high. Some members have even exhibited at the Royal Academy in the past.The show consists mainly of framed worked including watercolour oil pastel and ink. However there is a growing number of 3D artists as well who work with clay wood textiles and glass in varying forms. The variety of work on show offers something for everyone. In the past I have exhibited ceramics with good sales results. This year though I thought I would exhibit three textile pieces and only two ceramic pieces.The smaller ceramic piece was a real afterthought. When I fired it the ash glaze looked really awful so I had to glaze it again and refire it. Second time around I still wasnt happy with it and... 2009-10-10 17:00:42 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#49884 I spent quite a bit of yesterday at a local auction. They are held periodically in the local community centre and are a one day only event. You drop your lots off in the morning viewing is from 12.30pm and the auction starts at 2.00pm. It is usually all over by about 5.00pm depending on the number of lots which is usually around 300 or so. The best bit about it is never quite knowing what you are going to findThis time I was selling as well as buying. I had a few handbags which hadnt sold as well as a large box of linens I didnt need so decided to try my luck with them in the auction. I dropped off my items at 10.00am and took a crafty sneak peek at some of the other lots whilst I was there.I was quite surprised to find not only another box of linens but also a lot of three vintage bags. The bags were really interesting one was a small beaded Art Deco purse in very good condition. The other two were more modern but one had a very unusual frame at the top which folded in ... 2009-9-27 19:49:39 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#49114 v behaviorurldefaultVML o behaviorurldefaultVML w behaviorurldefaultVML .shape behaviorurldefaultVML Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Style Definitions table.MsoNormalTable msostylenameTable Normal msotstylerowbandsize0 msotstylecolbandsize0 msostylenoshowyes msostyleparent msopaddingalt0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt msoparamargin0cm msoparamarginbottom.0001pt msopaginationwidoworphan fontsize10.0pt fontfamilyTimes New Roman msoansilanguage0400 msofareastlanguage0400 msobidilanguage0400 I bought a vintage hand embroidered tray cloth recently with a view to making a batch of lavender bags from it. It measured 58cm x 43cm which did limit the possibilities slightly but I got it at a good price so it was worth taking a chance.However when the tray cloth arrived there wasnt really enough plain fabric for the backs of the lavender bags. Not... 2009-9-20 17:04:19 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#48272 At the dawn of handbags a few hundred years ago bags were used mainly by workers to carry their tools food and other essentials. The noble classes didnt use bags preferring to keep their personal belongings in pockets tied around the waist. It was these pockets that gradually morphed into the handbag and became acceptable across all the social classes.However the size of your handbag still gave a clue as to your status in society. Larger bags were still considered to be for the working class. The upper classes tended to prefer elaborately decorated handbags the smaller the better This held true certainly for evening bags for a very long time. A lady of status didnt need to carry much with her for an evening out. Besides anything that couldnt fit into their evening bags could be carried by a gentleman companion.These days handbags come in all shapes sizes colours and designs. Even handbags used in the evening are often the size of a day bag and contain huge amount... 2009-9-6 18:48:04 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#47846 I have just finished my latest felt handbag so thought I would share it with you. I wet felted it a couple of weeks ago but had to hold off finishing it until I had found the right items. When I make any item I usually have a picture in my head of how I would like it to look and then have to try and find the right materials.With this bag I knew I wanted it to be in shades of brown with buttons appliqued along the top edge and also saw in my mind leather handles instead of felt ones. Belts are really useful for handles so it was a case of trying to source a belt that was the right colour and also width. It needed to be quite a thin belt as a wider one wouldnt be comfortable to hold in your hand.Having trawled a number of local charity shops I finally found a synthetic leather belt which was a chocolate brown. The belt was made up of three interwoven thin lengths which were the perfect width. All I need to do was cut the belt with a pair of scissors to create each ... 2009-8-31 20:31:11 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#47707 The first I ever heard of bag charms was a few years ago when my sister gave me one as a gift. My favourite handbag at the time was an appliqued fabric bag which worked really well with the charm she gave me.Bag charms are such a simple idea it seems surprising that nobody ever thought of making them before. Now bag charms have become really popular. If you have a plain bag a charm can be a really great way of giving it an individual look. Different coloured charms can be used to tie a handbag into an outfits colour scheme too without the need for buying a new bag. Skip that last sentence buying a new handbag is always a really good ideaI quite enjoy making bag charms and spend ages deciding which beads to use and where to place them. Charms take me so long to make they certainly arent cost effective but I dont worry about that. They are quite therapeutic to make and make a change from sewing.You can use any type of beads glass wooden metal plastic. I tend to break up pi... 2009-8-28 23:18:18 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#47428 Ive been a member of the Alton Art Society for just over 5 years and like to participate every year in their Autumn Exhibition. This year will be the 78th exhibition for the Society.For the past 5 years I have exhibited my ceramic pieces quite successfully and have achieved a number of sales. Each year I try to enter six pieces which is the maximum allowed for 3D and usually sell 2 or 3 items. Last year 3 of my ceramic pieces made front page of the local newspaper which was really pleasing.This year I am only going to enter a couple of ceramic pieces which I have ready. I was going to enter some ceramic leaves I made but I sold them earlier in the year at another local exhibition. As I am taking a break from ceramics to concentrate on textiles I thought I would enter some textile pieces instead. I have decided to enter a felt bowl felted vessel and I have also just finished a felt leaf. As the ceramic leaves proved popular I thought a felt leaf might do well too.Hopefully I shall ... 2009-8-24 09:57:35 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#46449 If you have read my blog entries From Table to Drawer or Rose Petal Scent Bags you will know that I like to use vintage linens to make lavender and rose scent sachets. I have made a number of different designs using embroidered tablecloths and place mats.Whilst tablecloths and place ments are extremely abundant finding the ones that are right for use is harder than it sounds. Firstly I look for a natural fibre as I dont really see the point putting a natural product such as lavender into a synthetic fabric. I therefore only use cotton or linen to make each sachet.The other vital part for me is the decoration. I prefer not to use a patterned fabric which is why I use embroidered tablecloths and place mats. The decoration tends to be localised rather than all over the fabric. Finding just the right embroidery is also really tricky. Some tablecloths feature ladies in crinoline skirts which are far to big to be practical and some floral designs are meandering or flower garla... 2009-8-6 19:44:47 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#46055 Drum roll please The winner of the Edward Bear Giveaway has been drawn.I was going to get my nieces and nephew to do the honours but realised it wasnt really fair to ask a 2 5 and 9 year old to draw the winner of a Teddy Bear competition as they would probably want him. Can you imagine the ensuing pandemoniumAnyway my unbiased husband draw the winning name from the hat overseen by independent judge Daisy the cat and Edward Bear himself. They can all verify all entrants names were in the hat and it was drawn with eyes shut husbands not cat or bears obviously.So the winner and hopefully proud new owner is .........Kerensa JonesHopefully Edward will arrive safely at his new home and will be loved for a long time to come.Thanks to all of you for entering the competition. It was fun and definitely something I will do again at some point in the future. 2009-8-1 21:55:27 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#44583 I spend some of my time as a fundraiser for a local wildlife rescue charity. This involves overseeing the management of two charity shops which play a vital role in the fundraising.A couple of weeks ago I was working in one branch and came across a sad looking Teddy bear which was heading for the rag bag. He had obviously been well loved as he was a bit bald in places and the felt on his paws had worn very thin. Despite his sorry state he had such a lovely face I couldnt face him going in with the rags.I decided all the Teddy needed was a bit of TLC so took him home for some refurbishment. Having been subjected to the washing machine the felt on one of his paws gave way and all of the stuffing in his leg came out all over my load of washing It took some patience picking off hundreds of bits of foam to stuff back into his leg.Once dried I gave him a good brush and replaced all of the felt pads on his paws. A new red ribbon was the finishing touch to bring him back... 2009-7-8 18:26:24 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#44582 When it comes to making handbags my absolute nemesis has got to be handles Unless I make clutch bags all the time there is no escaping putting a handle onto a handbag. They just seem to give me no end of grief though.Take today for a prime example. I made a lovely little satin bridal bag with a single strap handle but it took me three attempts to make the handle. The first one I tried to do some decorative stitching along it which ended up crooked. Second time I tried a different decorative stitch and I ran out of cotton three quarters of the way along the handle. Trying to match up the stitching again was virtually impossible. The third handle I ended up leaving plain.Having made the handle I had to attach it. Simple you may think. I sewed it on when sewing in the lining. Having turned the bag the right way out I found the handle was twisted. Having unpicked the stitching and trying again the handle wasnt on straight. Third time was just about acceptable.If you want to p... 2009-7-8 18:25:08 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#44048 A couple of years ago I bought some gorgeous furnishing fabric swatches from a charity sale. The charity rescued greyhounds so I very happily bought quite a few pieces of fabric. I have used some of it for making doorstops and beanbag frogs but have been meaning to make a handbag for months.A few weeks ago I was in a charity shop and found a thin leather belt that not only had complimentary colours in it but also had a similar design to the fabric. I realised it would perfect for a bag handle. I finally sat down today and made the handbag. I knew I wanted a single handle and a puffy style but other than that had no real plans. I didnt even have a size worked out the fabric really dictated how the bag was designed. As the fabric was a colour swatch the large piece of fabric was made up of squares in a huge array of colours which gradually blend into the next square.Each side has two pleats to give the bag a puffy shape and the belt has been used as a single handl... 2009-6-28 22:13:05 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#43756 Just as I had blogged about gold vintage handbags being the latest must have item I sold three black vintage handbags. Just goes to show I know absolutely nothing about current market trends If anyone can predict next weeks trend I would be grateful so that I can stock up.The three bags were sold to two different people one in the USA and the other in France. The French lady bought a lovely 1950s handbag with a rose design and a fushia pink lining. I have had the handbag in stock for a while and had recently reduced the price. That obviously did the trickThe other two handbags were older one was a beaded Art Nouveau handbag and the other a small round beaded purse probably 1930s1940s. Both were quite recently acquired and both needed a small amount of work on them to bring them up to saleable condition. I had never actually attempted any beadwork before so I was quite keen to see what I could do.The Art Nouveau bag had a patch of beading missing in the middle of o... 2009-6-23 20:25:49 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#43101 I upgraded my website a few months ago and I can now get more detailed statistics on visitors to my website. Before I just got a graph of the number of visitors. Now I can see which countries people are based in which I find endlessly fascinating.It never ceases to amaze me how global a marketplace we now live in. Despite being a small UK based website I get visitors from all over the world dropping by to see what I am selling. Most of my sales have been to the UK and USA but there have been some to other countries too.Visitors to my website in no particular order have come from the UK obviously Russian Federation France Slovakia Antigua amp Barbuda Canada USA Italy Belgium Egypt Finland Mongolia Croatia New Zealand Israel Germany Poland Netherlands China Singapore Brazil Switzerland Australia Czech Republic Ireland Chile Argentina Denmark Philippines Spain India Malaysia Iceland Norway and Sweden. Its like a meeting of the United Nations I quite like the live feed map o... 2009-6-10 22:10:37 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#42940 I spent some of yesterday and today wet felting a couple of bowls. I havent done any felt work for a while and really felt in the mood. The trouble with wet felting is that you cant really start and stop it you have to pretty much finish the whole felting process in one go. That means you need to have a spare few hours to make anything which is sometimes easier said than done.This weekend I knew I would have some spare time so made a note in my head to definitely do some felting. I had been wanting to try out a couple of bowls for a while so that is what I decided to make. They are really easy to make as you simply use a ball in this case a football as a mould to apply the wool to. I used some knitting wool to start with in two colours just for interest and then used a variety of complimentary colours in merino wool. Once you get started keeping the wool on the ball is actually quite easy.I gradually built up layers using the colours I had chosen applying soap and water ... 2009-6-7 19:09:18 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#42230 Last year I was lucky enough to be invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. There is quite a strict dress code involved with ladies requested to wear tea dresses and hats. As I am usually superglued to my jeans I was thrown into a bit of a quandry. I didnt actually own a dressAs the dress was the main requirement that is the first item I bought. I purchased a pretty silk tea dress in shades of pink on a white background. I was perfect. Unfortunately I hadnt actually considered accessorising a pink dress. Easier said than done believe me. I spent a long time deliberating on colour and whether or not your shoes hat and handbag need to match each other or not. In the end the lack of pink accessories for sale solved that dilemmaBy some complete miracle I managed to find a pair of dark pink suede shoes which matched the dark pink in my dress perfectly. That just left the hat and handbag. The hat came next as I managed to find a large white gauze hat which was ideal. Wi... 2009-5-25 16:34:49 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#41825 One of my favourite homewares to make although I do enjoy making all of my items is doorstops. I think I like making them because they are quite straightforward and dont require much planning.I tend to make triangular ones although I have made a couple of cube ones as a special order in the past. The cubes were definitely more tricky as there are more seams to line up with each other.All of the doorstops I have sold in the past have been filled and sewn up but as they weigh up to a kilo they would be too costly to post. I have now redesigned them with a short zip in the base so that I can post them empty and allow customers to fill them up themselves. The doorstops can be simply filled with rice lentils barley and the like and zipped up securely.Having solved the postage problem I am happily making doorstops to add to my website. Spotty ones are definitely one of my favourite designs. 2009-5-18 21:00:16 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#41684 If you are a lover of vintage bags and linens a really good place to pick them up is at local auctions. There are a few that take place around my area every month so there is often a good chance of finding a few gems.In the past I have been quite lucky managing to pick up large mixed lots of linens and textiles as well as mixed boxes of handbags. One of my best auction buys a few years ago was a huge box of vintage handbags. There was so many there I didnt really know how many so just made an estimate and left a bid on that basis. My winning bid was 16380 which came to 16394 with fees. When I got home and sorted the bags out there was 54 in all so quite a bargain. Obviously age and condition varied enormously but there was some great bags amongst them.Having already checked one of the auction catalogues online I know there is a lot of vintage bags for sale together with some boxes of linens. I am quite excited to go and view the lots tomorrow morning and will hopefully le... 2009-5-15 21:57:43 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#41049 A week or so ago I was dying some clothing chocolate brown and decided to throw in a couple of my unbleached cotton tote bags which I use for making my photo totes. I thought I could just applique a few fabric flowers on the bags for a quick and simple makeover.The resulting bags came out a pleasing shade of brown but unfortunately all of the stitching remained cream. I assume the thread used was polyester and not cotton or else it would have taken the dye as well. I really couldnt put up with the cream stitching showing around the top of bag and along the handles so I decided to unpick it all and redo it in brown thread. For some additional decoration I used a decorative leaf embroidery stitch in a gold thread.The flowers are made from suede corderoy wool and a faux suede all taken from old clothing and remnants. The flower centres are vintage all buttons. The buttons were definitely the best bit I was dreading sewing them on particularly pushing the needle through leath... 2009-5-4 21:43:45 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#40946 Whilst I love fabrics and fabric handbags I do also find metal mesh handbags alluring. The way they move and catch the light can be very appealing. Having stood the test of time over the decades if not centuries I cant be the only one who is drawn to them.Chain mail and mesh have been used for centuries just think about the knights of old in their chain mail armour for instance. The sheer durability of the materials being used made fine metal mesh an obvious choice for bags. Skilled craftsmen began crafting mesh handbags from gold and silver with their popularity rising through the 1800s. Each bag was made by hand with each individual metal link meticulously crafted. Needless to say these bags were very expensive and only affordable by the very wealthy. Today solid silver mesh bags are still highly collectable.One of the best known makers of mesh handbags is the American company Whiting amp Davis. They began as jewellery makers but started to produce mesh bags in... 2009-5-3 12:50:49 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#40554 I have decided to expand my horizons and try my hand at using metal frames in some of my bags. They come in a huge range of shapes sizes and colours so the possibilities are endless. I did have a few problems locating supplies so if anyone knows where I can buy frames from please let me knowAnyway I finally tracked down a few frames at a reasonable price so set about transforming a piece of fabric taken from an old sari which I purchased recently from Louise at Catwalk Creative. Designing the bag was the easy bit trust me Constructing the actual bag was no different to any other lined bag and I used the frame as a template to sketch out a paper pattern for it.The tricky bit was attaching the bag to the frame. You can get frames that you either glue to the bag or sew to the bag. I opted for the gluing version as I thought that would be easier. Hmm Im not so sure now. The problems started when I took the lid off the tube of textile glue. It is really runny and I had obvious... 2009-4-26 17:10:48 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#40465 When I buy vintage bags for my website I try to buy bags that are in really good condition with little damage and no stains. However there is often a small amount of where and tear due to the age of the bag and the fact that someone has used it and loved it in the past.Occasionally I will buy a bead bag with a small amount of bead loss just because I really like the bag. In that case I will do my best to repair the bag sympathetically and have a couple I am working on at the moment. Sometimes I will get a bag in a job lot which has got some staining and I do my best to spruce it up a bit for sale. Buying handbags over the internet or even at outdoor sales can catch me out as you dont always realise a bag smells of cigarette smoke. The odour is really hard to remove.When I think it will be possible I tend to gently handwash handbags in warm water with a mild handwash detergent. It is amazing how many light stains can be removed and how sparkly beads can become afterwards. Ne... 2009-4-24 20:22:39 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#40117 I have just finished the rose petal scent bags I started a little while ago. The fabric was a set of six embroidered place mats with the flowers embroidered on one edge only. As they were embroidered with roses it seemed obvious to turn them into scent bags filled with rose petals. It is a shame there was only six as it has limited the number of bags I could make.I think they are really pretty and smell gorgeous. I did have a slight issue with the rose petals I bought as they did not smell that strong. I added a generous amount of Rose Absolute essential oil to the petals to enhance the scent which has worked really well. If you want to find out for yourself you will have to buy one 2009-4-19 16:25:18 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#40082 If you read my Electric Dream Machine posting you will know that I have bought a new sewing machine. Part of my reasoning for buying it was to have a greater variety of stitches to utilise in my bags. I have been so busy sewing in straight lines with the odd scallop I havent actually had time to try out some of my new options. Until just now.It is actually really exciting trying a new stitch. I was supposed to be making some more rose petal scent sachets but I have snapped the needle I need for the scallop stitch. It suddenly dawned on me it was the perfect time to have a play instead.I tried out the my 5 favourite stitches from the ones that needed a single needle which thankfully was the ones I wanted to try anyway. From the top they stitches are numbers 32 33 34 23 and 39. As you can see from the photos they arent exactly like the diagram but they are quite effective in their own right. I will certainly utilise them all in some way in the near future. I have a... 2009-4-18 21:01:01 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#39898 My mother is an avid teapot collector with well over 400 different novelty and antique pots spread all over the house. When I first saw the fabulously quirky range of ceramic handbag teapots designed by Annie Rowe I had to buy her one and then anotherI was delighted to find a third one to add to her collection the other day at a car boot sale. It cost me just 1633 which I have to say is a complete bargain. I would have paid 16310 Each pot comes in a black cardboard box with gold braid handles thus resembling a handbag itself. The pots range in colour and style as any good handbag range.The pot I have just bought is called Hollywood Gold and measures approximately 17cm across from spout to handle and is 18cm tall so quite a practical size for a working teapot. The bright turquoise glaze and gilded handle and spout making it very eyecatching. If the pot were a real handbag it wouldnt look out of place swinging on your arm in Monte CarloI havent given the bag to my mother ye... 2009-4-15 19:37:00 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#39611 When it is an autographed cycling shirt Confused So was IA week or so ago I decided to indulge my love of handbags a little bit more and buy another book on them. All in the interests of research obviously I knew which book I wanted so happily placed my order online through a certain well known website. However I opted to buy the book from a private seller as it was cheaper.A few days later a parcel arrived that seemed somewhat squidgy to be a book. Upon opening it I found not my book on handbags but a cycling shirt autographed by singers Beverly Knight Shaggy James Blunt Gabriel and KT Tunstall as well as actors James Nesbitt and David Schwimmer A slightly odd mix but nonetheless a great item if thats what you wanted. Obviously I didnt.Slightly bemused I checked the parcel and found a delivery note for my book so at least I knew where the shirt had actually come from. There was also a letter from a London radio station dated September 2007 offering congratulations on ... 2009-4-10 23:26:26 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#39250 I spent this afternoon finishing another tie bag. I cut it out over a week ago and havent had time to make it up until now. I have to say not having enough time to make things can be really frustrating. I obviously need to see where I can make more time.Anyway this bag is made from a pale blue wool fabric I bought about 20 years ago to make a skirt. I never made the skirt so the fabric has been sat in my pile for years. The three ties came from a lady at my ceramics class. She had been into patchwork but had decided to change direction. Knowing I made bags she kindly gave me about 20 mens ties to use. I love using them on bags as I think they look really effective.I have used both ends of the ties on each side and two of the ties have also been used for the handles. The inside of the bag has been lined in a pale mauve cotton taken from a mans shirt. The front of the bag also features a vintage diamonte brooch to give it a bit of added sparkle and bling. 2009-4-5 17:57:13 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#39215 I have had two handbags stolen in the past and as anyone who has experienced this can tell you it is really annoying The first time about 20 years ago I was out with my mother having a midweek picnic. It was a fairly secluded beauty spot and we were out of sight of my parked car. I really stupidly left my handbag on the back seat although did think to cover it over with a blanket. On returning to the car I found my back passenger window smashed and my very lovely tan leather 1980s saddlebag gone.Now I did learn my lesson from that incident. Well almost. About 8 years ago I was going to see a live band with a friend. I hated taking a bag into gigs back then so when I picked up my friend from her house I locked my bag and coat into the boot of my car. I then drove about 1o miles to the venue and parked for the evening. Having taken the precaution of locking my belongings into the car away from the venue I assumed they would be safe as noone had seen me do it.Wrong again Whe... 2009-4-4 18:47:02 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#38857 I picked up a very pretty vintage tablecloth recently in a mixed lot of linens from an auction that was hand embroidered with posies of flowers. The cloth dated from around the 1940s and whilst very pretty it wasnt something that I would really use. If I had resold it the cloth would have only made a few pounds if that.Having looked at it for a while pondering what to do I suddenly realised that I could cut out squares of fabric with the embroidered flowers and turn them into lavender bags. I cut out matching plain squares for the backs of the bags and used a scallop stitch on the edges trimming the fabric to accent the stitching afterwards.I have to admit that I really enjoy making lavender bags. They are really simple to make so dont require a great deal of thought and you get to enjoy the wonderful aroma of French lavender at the same time. The only problem was that I was so relaxed I completely forgot to put the lavender in one of themThe finished bags are perfect f... 2009-3-28 19:11:53 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#38544 As I have said before I have over 30 bags. Needless to say I love bags. Whilst I have some that are mass produced High Street finds some of the ones I really love are a bit more individual. One of my favourite summer handbags I found at a jumble sale a few years ago and it cost me just 10 penceAs you can see from the photo the bag is made from butter soft tooled leather and threaded through with strips of dyed leather. As the leather is so soft it is a joy to hold in your hands. The design is very simple with the body folding over at the top to hold the contents secure. The back of the bag has a deep slip pocket which is useful for stowing away non valuables like a packet of tissues.Whilst the bag is fairly modern it has some age and wear to it which just add to its character. It was no doubt a holiday purchase by someone possibly from Greece Turkey or even Morocco. When I purchased it one of the handles had come away from the body of the bag but was easily fixed. Otherwise i... 2009-3-22 13:10:33 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#38389 I am a huge fan of mixed media and try to utilise different items in many of the pieces I create whether in my textiles or ceramics. I cant help looking at objects and wondering if they might be useful in some future piece or other. Often some strange item can inspire a whole creative train of thought. Obviously I look at clothing for fabric and am often found with my scissors in hand chopping a shirt apart. Skirts are great as you usually have quite a large area of useable fabric without too many seams. Old curtains are even better with velvet ones being a particular favourite of mine. Wool jumpers are also very useful for machine felting. Obviously old buttons can be easily salvaged and put to good use together with oddments of ribbon and lace. Recently I was given a whole bundle full of mens ties some of which have already found themselves appliqued onto a bag with another in the making.Thinking outside of the box is really important when using mixed media. The principle do... 2009-3-19 15:06:52 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#38106 Ive had my current electric sewing machine a Singer Stylist 367 for well over twenty years and I bought it second hand. The manual is copyrighted 1974 so that gives an indication of its age. I have to say it has served me well and never let me down. It was serviced for the first time a year or so ago and passed with flying colours. I have used the machine over the years to make all sorts of items from jackets trousers and blouses to handbags soft toys and curtains. Despite only having five stitch options one straight and four sizes of zigzag the machine has met my needs. Just lately though Ive had a niggling feeling that I would like a machine that could maybe do a few embroidery stitches as well. The niggle grew the other day and I found myself googling sewing machines. The range of machines now available is quite overwhelming. The price spread is from 16350 to the high hundreds they are electrical some are computerised they do stitches Ive never dreamed of stitch in reverse ... 2009-3-12 22:44:11 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#37419 The last time I bought a handbag not very long ago his nibs said Not another bag You dont need any more.Whilst I definitely dont agree with that comment how many is enough I would like to think you can never have enough handbags there will always be a new bag that catches your eye. But at some point it surely falls into the realms of obsession.I have to be honest I didnt even know how many handbags I actually had until just now when I went and counted them all. I have 27 not including the stock for the website. 27 lovely handbags that I class as mine which I use to varying degrees.They fall into 4 main categories every day evening travel and slightly out of favour at the moment. Some I bought one I made and others were gifts. They are all shapes sizes fabrics and colours. There are leather suede various fabrics and even wool bags. Some of fringed some of patchwork some are plain some are sparkly. And therein lies the root of the matter youve got to have a bag for every occasi... 2009-2-28 19:04:01 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#36910 So many vintage bags still exist because their original owners loved and cherished them enough to look after them. In todays throw away society we could all certainly learn from that. Buying a vintage bag not only offers the opportunity to have a one off handbag but also gives you the chance to connect with social history. If only those bags could talk. What stories could they tell Its quite a romantic daydream. Think of all those wonderful evening bags from the 1920s and 30s handmade and painstakingly beaded into intricate patterns with glass seed beads. They wouldnt have been cheap to buy so only a well heeled lady would have owned one. Imagine the parties that bag attended the theatre the opera. It might have witnessed a few clandestine dalliances in its time The make do and mend era of the war years of the 1940s had an influence too. Materials were in limited supply so bags were repaired and embellished to change their look. If your handbag was a city dweller ... 2009-2-19 10:50:38 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#36689 The interview I gave to Louise at Catwalk Creative has now been published on her website Catwalk Threads. Louise has done a fantastic job with the answers and photos I gave her and I am delighted that she gave me the opportunity. If you would like to read the interview and find out more about me and my work then please click on the link belowhttptinyurl.comb5vtt3 2009-2-15 16:01:37 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#36568 There are lots of jokes made about the contents of womens handbags. I think that most of us are guilty of carrying around too much. Delve into any womans bag and you can probably deduce quite a bit about them from the contents. But a handbag is a private place. A place where even long term partners fear to tread even with prior permission.Having thought about it Im not completely sure whats hiding in my bag. So I have decided to take a peek. In no particular order the contents of my handbag today arePair of black woolly glovesLetter to be postedPacket of tissuesPink personal organiser and penPink plastic combShopping trolley tokenPot of rose geranium lip balmMobile phoneFolded up shopping bagElastic band didnt know that was in thereUSB stick attached to a Mr Funny keyringUmbrella cover but no umbrellaPainkillersPurse with a few coins in plus family photos and library cardTorchBlueberry Bliss herbal tea bag unused obviouslyVet receiptAnother packet of tissuesLavender hand cream1... 2009-2-13 09:54:44 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#36440 I have been asked to do an interview by Catwalk Creative which is quite exciting. I am currently working my way through their questions which is a lot of fun and really making me think. The article will be featured in the Catwalk Creative blog in the near future with a bit of luck. For more information on them visit httpwww.catwalkcreative.co.uk 2009-2-10 22:57:30 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#36340 Having spent quite a few hours wet felting a new bag my hands are now really chapped and sore. The combination of lots of soap and water required for the felting process arent great for the skin. Unfortunately even an olive oil based soap doesnt really help. Wearing rubber gloves may help in the future but Im not sure if that is practical. Any suggestions greatly appreciated 2009-2-9 11:08:14 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#36338 Just as I had I posted a great vintage bag to the website it sold Just like that I was actually toying with keeping the bag as it was a really lovely 19101920s beaded drawstring evening bag. The quality and maybe the price obviously spoke to itself and a lucky US buyer is soon to be the happy owner. That is definitely the quickest sale to date so I cant complain. 2009-2-7 11:07:01 http://www.fromragstobags.co.uk/page11.htm#36327 The site has been up an running for a year now and has proved popular. Lots of products of new ideas for products have been developed throughout the year which have proved successful. These have included photo tote bags doorstops scent sachets and more recently bag charms. Lots of gorgeous vintage bags have also been added and sold through the year. The early beaded bags are definitely a favourite with people. Some of the bags sold can be viewed in the gallery section. Hopefully 2009 will see the site going from strength to strength. Thanks to all the customers old and new for your support. 2009-1-1 10:02:26