Project Bag Blue and Alliums

Barb, Jeanette, Poppy, and Jen1 are going to the EGA National Seminar in Boston at the end of this month. Barb needed some project bags for the classes she's taking. She planned on making all three herself but I had one made from a couple of months ago that I planned to give her on some auspicious occasion (Christmas, birthday) but I thought now would be a good time so she only has to make two herself.

I did the checkerboard pattern using Bleu de France charm squares from French General that she gave me for my birthday. 

The interior fabric is from a totally different line but it went really well with the Bleu de France beiges.

I like making these zipper pulls to match.

She prepped the fabric for her bags last weekend and sewed one of them together today. She followed the instructions I had written up a while back. I always had trouble wording the last steps and she got stuck there so we had a Zoom chat and got her sorted out. Her bag turned out great.

Not surprisingly I loved the sunflower motif.

Speaking of sunflowers - I was deadheading the spent blooms on the sunflowers in the pots on my front porch. I accidentally nipped off two buds which I brought into the house and stuck them in some water so they'd bloom.

I can't tell you how much enjoyment I've been getting in the mornings when I come down for breakfast and see these little guys right in front of me on the kitchen table.

They honestly make me smile with their sunny 'faces'.

Continuing on the flower motif, I embroidered more flowers onto the yoke of my denim shirt.

Alliums!

II want to continue adding flowers in a somewhat balanced way. As this is an oversize shirt, the outer flowers fall below my shoulder line.

Next I'll add flowers on either side of the centre motifs. I haven't decided what to add to the pockets, collar, and cuffs. Sarah Homfray has some great videos and free patterns. I have three different sunflower patterns from three different designers I'll have to decide among.

I'm not much of a designer; I'm way better at copying other designers' work so am keeping an eye out on Pinterest and in other places for floral motifs.

All of this is leading up to me starting the Cottage Garden piece which I now have put in a hoop and into a project bag. Maybe I'll start it tomorrow.