A gorgeous birthday bag.

We had a 6yo birthday party approaching and I'd been scratching my head as to what to buy as a gift because I'm trying to avoid buying crappy plastic presents, when it dawned upon me ... make her something! So I asked my Little Miss Four if I should make a bag and "YES" was the definite answer!  So here it is!

One of a kind.
Cute.
Adorable.
Gorgeous.
Kinda want one for myself but convert it to a clutch!  

This is the second time that I've made this super cute (& easy) bag, the first time was when I made it for Laney. She loves her bag, she takes it shopping all the time! (see that bag here... )

My hand is shown in this above picture for scale.  Fabric & felt from my fabric stash, wonkiness by me!!  

You can grab the pattern from this e-mag or as a stand-alone pattern here.

I utilise affiliate links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Marie

Afternoon Sewing ebook: Jillian Reversible Tote

 

A ebook called Afternoon Sewing featuring awesome bags that you can whip up in an afternoon ...heck yeah!

This lovely tote was a very easy sew ..and when I say easy, I mean ...super easy!  The hardest thing about making this bag was convincing the kids that this was in fact for me and no, not for them!  They liked the super bright colours but hey, this rainbow is for me!

I was going to use just a plain awesomely bright print but I couldn't choose one then I remembered the jelly roll sitting on the shelf awaiting the perfect project AND it gave me a chance to practice my 'quilt as you go' technique that I originally had used on my first sewn bag (here...).

I think I'll make a couple more and pop aside for gifts. What do you think, is this something that you'd love to receive as a gift?

Grab the fun pattern here.  

The bright, cheery fabric is from this new line.

I'm just waiting on a delivery of some bag hardware, then I plan to make the Night Out Clutch. The mail is a little slow lately as we've had a really, really big storm here and everything is damaged, water logged and many people are still without power (even 4 days after the storm). We were lucky and had no storm damage, even Joe's school was closed the day after because it was flooded. Once life is back to normal, you'll find me next to my sewing machine once again!

I utilise affiliate links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Marie

The Handbag that turns into a Backpack!

I recently stumbled upon the most awesome pattern, the Pavia Backpack: it's a handbag that turns easily into a backpack!  So, of course, I just had to make it!

It is easy to assemble & sew, actually, it's way easier than it looks. Those angled zippers on the front are very easy to install.

I was one of the pattern testers for this pattern and I'm very happy I signed up for it as I now have a super handbag that can stash a decent size yarn project & carry it with me out & about then I can quickly pop it on my back when I have to have my hands free. Awesome. The perfect 'mother' bag!!  

Also, can we just take a second to admire that awesome fabric. Sigh. I love it. 

Grab some of the gorgeous fabric....
Grab the pattern here.......

For more great crafty ideas and shoppable images, click here...

I utilise affiliate links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Marie

The Gorgeous Mermaid

When your little girl wants a mermaid, you make her one of course!

I had decided, as a spur of the moment decision, to sit down & make my daughter a doll.  She, of course, comes along & to see what I am doing and immediately asks "are you making me a mermaid?" ...umm no, so we discuss mermaid tale shapes and she draws me one. I then cut the shape out to fit the doll pattern that I was originally planning to make.
I try to add some scales but discover later on that I did them upside down ..so don't look too hard at the photos!

 

I'm really impressed with the embroidery face that I did for her. The pattern had such awesome instructions that if actually gave me the confidence to try it!  ...does it look ok to you?

I'm also pretty chuffed with the hair. You see about a year ago, I was experimenting dyeing yarn and really, really stuffed up. I ended up with a mangled matted skein of rainbow colours. I wasn't sure what to do with it but hey turns out, it makes great mermaid hair!

 

So details: the original doll pattern is this one BUT they do have a very pretty mermaid pattern in case that's what you're planning to make!   Go ahead & treat yourself as the patterns are just awesome!

I utilise affiliate links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Marie

Mothers Day inspo and WIN a $100 Etsy gift card!

Ok here it is .. your chance to win a $100 gift card from Etsy. All you have to do is comment below to enter, no strings attached!

Awesome & Easy Pants

A very quick sew today, they took less than 15minutes to actually sew!  Yep, super quick. Super easy. Super comfy and oh, boy does she love them!

The pattern are these pants. I've made them before for me and I've worn them over & over & over again. Ever since Laney tried them on for size, she hasn't taken them off!

The fabric was just some stuff from my stash, I didn't need much as I was only make a size 3-4.

So tell me, I think they look cute but I'm also thinking that I could make a pair for Joe as well. What do you think? 

I utilise affiliate links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Marie

The Bright & Cheery Blanket

Now that Laney is a 'big girl' now, she needed a new bed and of course, I took that opportunity to also crochet a blanket.

So, here it is, a big bright colourful blanket. 
Do you like it? 
Laney loves it and it has all her favourite colours, yellow, orange and of course pink.

I made this blanket with a 'new to me' yarn called Bernat Pop which I got from the super helpful shop called  American Yarns. 

I hadn't crocheted anything in acrylic for ages and was super pleased by this yarn. Yes it is acrylic but gosh, it's lovely & soft, working up like a dream.  I also loved how the colourful yarn cakes are. I didn't plan any colour changes in this blanket, the balls of yarn decided that for me!

To make the blanket, I crocheted 4 big granny squares of 8 rows each in the colourway Pop Art. I joined the 4 squares and made 8 rows to form the bed width & length. I then used the soothing creamy colourway Snow Queen to add depth the blanket (for the sides & top & bottom). 
In total, I used 14 balls of Bernat Pop, 8 for main body of it in Pop Art and 6 for the edges in Snow Queen.

Would I use this yarn again? Big fat YES!

Would I grab the yarn from American Yarns again?  Big fat YES, they were lovely to chat too with super quick postage.