My 1st completed projects of 2009

My first completed projects are also no longer UFOs.

I finished the 2nd tote bag today.

No pic - they are both exactly the same (shown in yesterday's post), except the straps on one are 6" shorter. They were originally 28" finished length which I found really long. I made them this length on purpose in order to be able to carry it on my shoulder comfortably but it's way too long to just carry in my hand. A 22" length is much better.

Finished size - 16.5" wide x 17" tall. The corners were sewn to make a 4.5" flat bottom.

I didn't have a pattern for this. I used a tote I already own and tried to make it the same. The first one was used today for grocery shopping and held up pretty well with a full load in it.

Time now to get back to the coat. More progress to show soon - definitely decided to NOT do bound buttonholes.

YIPPEE !!!! - my January Wrap-Up

My room is done - fabric is all pre-washed, catalogued and put away. All the books are now on the bookshelves. All the itty-bitty bits & pieces are in drawers, or plastic boxes (except those in use on the cutting table. Everything now has a place and I can breathe again :-)

Final tally of fabric ? 316 m

Wanna see ?


Before:















After:
Relatively clean cutting table, Bookshelves with sorted books (sewing, cross stitch, mags-BWOF, Threads, etc)



From top down - stacks of fabric (sorted by type), boxes with buttons & thread, small boxes with various notions, patterns somewhat sorted in the baskets, pressing accessories, sewing machine & serger on a clean table, ready to go.



Plastic bins, drawers sorted by type - there is another plastic bin in the pic above, under the cabinet just to the right of the serger.




See the tote bag on the back of the chair ? Yup, I did manage some sewing this week, too. My UFO List showed 2 totes in progress - all that was actually done were the straps. Now one is done and the other only needs the second strap attached and I'll have 2 new grocery bags.



I got this fabric from Fabric.com before I had any idea what I was doing. Based on the description that it would be good for clothes (totally not noticing that it is listed in the Home Dec part of the site !), I ordered 6 different patterns for skirts and dresses.
What arrived was VERY STIFF fabric. I prewashed one piece 3 times to see if it would soften up. It did...some and I made a skirt of it (M3341 - the one I 'didn't' post a pic of). It is actually pretty comfortable and I will wear it alot but while I'll probably make 1 or 2 more skirts, this fabric will work much better for totes and aprons - my generic store grocery bags will soon be replaced with a mish-mash of fabric bags !