New Bag

I've had an idea for a new bag design for quite a long time.  I made a larger bag from felted mohair fabric and had an idea for incorporating the handles into the bag but when I made it I went disastrously wrong and the holes for the handles are uneven.  I kept the bag as I really like it despite the wonky handles and it has been much admired when I have been out and about.  
I decided I would make more of them but find a way to do the handles properly.   One way to do this is to make the handles separately, which I have chosen to do with the bag I am currently making.
This bag is much smaller than the mohair bag, and I'm making it with linen and with a silk lining.  I have made some felt for the handles and my first attempt to sew them together looked really messy but fortunately they were also too big so I've cut them down and am hopefully going to get this bag finished today.

Here are the pieces of bag I am working on.  I've used a magnetic closure that is sewn into the lining so it can't be seen.  
While I've been writing this Monty the cat has taken up residence in his favourite chair - which just happens to be the chair at the desk where I sew.

I don't think I have the heart to move him just yet!  I'll have a cup of tea and decide what to do next.
 

Family Departure - and Claying Again

Well I've had a wonderful time with my family.  My daughter, son-in-law and 2 gorgeous grandchildren were here for too short a time.  My son-in-law was only here a few days but we packed them with outings! The children slept here,  parents at a local B&B.  We saw family and friends and did a little sightseeing too. A wonderful day out with family in Hebden Bridge included a lovely fire in the garden.

The children had a blast running round finding twigs and dead leaves to throw on the fire!
They left on Monday and the house feels very empty now.  
I'll be staying home for a while recovering my energy, and plan to get some more polymer clay beads done.  
I managed to do a little before the family arrived, so here's a little preview of some of my experiments.

A few canes used towards a kaleidoscope cane,

Not too bad for a first attempt I think!

I used this for some beads that didn't turn out too well.  Once reduced the colour difference wasn't very clear unfortunately.  I think I baked them too long and they went rather dark.

These were more successful.  I'm quite pleased with the flower cane I made.  I did a purple flower cane too, but didn't outline the petals so it wasn't so good.

I'm quite pleased with these, made up from various leftovers.  I plan to do a pair of earrings and a necklace of some sort to match.  Note the cat hairs in the photo - Monty, my neighbour's cat, insisted on 'helping' me.  (I use my neighbour's garden table to take photos).

I used some of the previous cane to make this brooch but I'm not too happy with it - too much glitter! I'm pleased with the leaf cane though.   I did make a brooch I like and that will go into my Folksy shop soon.

And here's Monty.  He gave up helping and decided to have a snooze.