Happy Holidays with Happy Recycling!

If you are like me, you may have a stash of fabrics in variety of sizes and colors. Many are too small to be made into a garment, or not even to a bag, yet we can't just toss them. Right?

So I decided to make a reusable gift wrap at the last minute. Cut a random but pretty fabric, large enough to wrap a gift. This one, about 9 x 13. Serged three sides. 

Made two quasi buttonholes. (Awg, don't pay close attention.  Was just trying to get to know my Rocketeer. )

Sew the top ribbon casing. 

It's basically done. 

Found just the right length pretty pink ribbon in my ribbon stash. Threaded it. Well, in retrospect, I could have done it with just one buttonhole. 

This ceramic microwaveable container is going inside the sack. It's filled with chocolate dipped homemade shortbread. My son chose the container. It's for a music lover. 

It's for someone who can't eat wheat, so I made it with almond meal and rice flour. Turned out pretty yummy. Half of them are Matcha (Japanese green tea powder) flavored. Here is the top layer. Just a little tease. 

That was quick and easy. I shall make more in the future. The recipient can reuse it to wrap a gift and give it away, or keep it and use it as a knitting bag, as a lunch sack, or whatever. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone! 

ZeroLandfill Event - Fabric Bonanza!

I went to this event called ZeroLandfill a few Sundays ago. I'm telling you, it's worth finding out if they have a local chapter in your area!  It's an event where local architectural firms and design firms donate their unwanted samples and materials of all sorts (otherwise destined to a dump) and you can go "shop" free.  That's right.  They want you to take them all away, as many as you want.  I just got to know about it about a month ago. What a fantastic idea!! What was I after? FABRICS (what else?!)

It opened at 11am, but I had a prior commitment and I wasn't able to get there until several hours later. When I got their with my friend, Jillian, people at the front desk said; "Come earlier next time -- it's mostly gone now" What?!

Well, I think everything is relative. There were still PLENTY of stuff there, especially if you were interested in fabrics and textile materials.  That's all I was interested in. I wasn't looking for paints, building materials, tiles, or anything else.

OMG!  All the fabric samples and leftovers!! Since I love making bags, these upholstery fabrics are perfect.  There were fairly large size pieces, too. Large enough to be the base of a canvas market bag. Lots and lots of small sample size fabrics, just perfect for embellishments of bags, purses, garments, and what else?!

I can't imagine what they had when they just opened the door that morning. Anyway, we overshopped, stuffed my car, and happily went home with lots of ideas and inspirations.

I got home, and immediately unpacked and organized the pieces I picked up!

Look at all these 'books' of fabric swatches.

I took SO many. I have enough materials to make hundreds of bags, or whatever little things I want to make~! Many, many beautiful pieces. Colors, materials - oh, so pretty.

Some are larger than 10 x 10, some smaller.  These are all samples that interior designers and furniture makers show to their clients for custom furniture and home deco.

I picked up --- maybe 10 big fat 'books' of fabric swatches.

Many high quality fabrics. Wool, chenille, brocade, canvas, cotton, nylon, and, and, and....  Not pictured here, but there are also larger, thicker materials (probably intended for curtains) that are perfect for bags. These photos I'm showing here are all, well, mostly for embellishments.

My head was spinning with inspirations. Oh, I so wish I had all day and everyday to play with all this. I have already made a pretty market bag with red accent fabric pieces for a friend's birthday gift. What else can I make besides bags????

I made a foot pedal bag for Jeri Bee, my New Home sewing machine. Here are the two pieces I chose. They are each about 10" x 10".

I just noticed that I've been attracted to the color green lately.  Hmm, interesting.

Here is a pouch to hold Jeri Bee's foot pedal and her tin of goodies as there was no place inside the case to safely keep them without risking scratching Jeri Bee's beautiful exterior.

And here is how the pouch sits just perfectly and snugly.

And when I put the case cover/lid on, I can't help noticing this cute little detail. The handle is made of plastic trying to look like leather.