Fashion accessory organizer !! :)

Hello!! Hope you all had a nice weekend. Thank you all for your lovely response on my mermaid purse!! :)
After completing one old project, it gave me a boost to complete other long pending projects. Although that doesn’t deter me from starting fresh ones. But I have slowed down on new ones.

I made this crochet fashion or hair clip organizer taking inspiration from an etsy product that I found on Pinterest. I added my own ideas to it. I started it, maybe, around 7 months back and then I ran out of yarn. It is made with a local branded purse thread (braided thread) using a 3.5 mm hook. It measures 15 inches wide and 20 inches in height (excluding hanger and including braids).

 

I haven’t jotted down the tutorial but I can describe basic steps to make it.

For the main body, I crocheted bands of HDCs (5 rows) alternating with bands of DTRs (1 row).

Before starting the main body, create button holes (skip 2 or 3 stitches) in the 2nd row of HDCs at frequent intervals depending on number of braids you want to hang.

Crochet SCs around all 4 sides as border and insert ribbons through the DTR rows sewing both ends on the back side.

On the top, for each hanging loop,
1. Crochet a 5 inch band of DCs skipping 1 DC (button hole) where you would like to put the button when you close the loop. I created two button holes in each loop at a distance of one inch. 
2. Crochet as many loops as you need. I made 7.
3. Keeping the main body facing right side, sew wrong side of one end of the loop on top row. Repeat for all loops at equal distance.
4. Sew buttons on the main body on the top row/rows at the respective places based on your loops.

Add multiple strands of yarn as long tassels into the button holes at the bottom and make braids. I did not level the braids as Anshita wanted it to be like that. Earlier I had put some golden ribbons on the braids but it looked cluttered so I replaced those with plain colored stretch bands. Which one do you think looks good, the plain or with ribbon?

 

I took an unused plastic hanger but it was black in color so I wounded a plain blue satin ribbon around and covered the metal loop with SCs . The center part of the hanger’s shape was not easy to wound so I wrapped a crochet square around it folding diagonally and sewed it.

I added another crochet square as a pocket and a crochet butterfly as an embellishment. The link to tutorials for these motifs can be found here.

Add the accessories and Ta Daa !! The organizer is ready!! :)

I am also on the verge of completing one cross stitch design from turtle trot SAL and hopefully will share soon :)

Have a crafty week ahead!!
Preeti :)






 

Mesmerizing Mermaid Purse!!! :)))))

I am glad to share with you all one of my favorites and longtime project …..The mermaid purse !!! :))

 

I have used four different blue shades of Anchor knitting cotton to give a mermaid like effect and believe me I did a lot of hard work making this using a 2 .75 mm hook. It’s a very slow moving stitch. The purse measures 11 inches in height (excluding belt) and is 13 inches wide.

 

The 4 part video tutorial for the purse can be found here . It is called 'Mermaid tears' purse but I don’t like calling it tears. I replaced the top part, flower and belt as per my requirement. For the top cream colored band, I used 2 strands of yarn since my yarn was thin. I worked SCs around with some decreases in between to get the correct shape.

The belt, 2 .5 inches wide and 39 inches long, is made using three strands each of different blue shade . The tutorial for this belt can be found here titled ‘Madras belt’. There are few more nice purse patterns on this site, some of which, I intend to make in future. I hand sewed a ribbon on the wrong side (underneath) of belt to prevent it from stretching.

The pattern for the flower on the purse can be found here.

In continuation with my lining stunt tutorial in previous post, I have few more steps to share. All are mostly hand sewn.

The top and bottom of purse

 

Sew the flower on the purse . Sew the belt 2 inches deep inside the purse on both the corners . Attach the lining with pins as shown in picture below. I left 2 rows from top and hand sewed the lining. This is to avoid lining stitches peeping out.

 

Sew the lining at the bottom . Crochet the bottom of the purse to close.

 

I have taken these photos in a hurry because I completed just in time for Anshita's school trip. She got into regular dress to model for me before wearing her school uniform. She loved the purse very much and enjoyed flaunting it off in her School trip :))

 

I am eagerly waiting for your WOWs and YAYs ;) Your comments make my effort worth as they come from talented crafters like you . Do write in.

Have a crafty week!!
Preeti :)


 

A Lining Stunt !!!!! ;))

I call it a stunt because I did it on my sewing machine ;) I am still a beginner as far as sewing on a machine is concerned.
I made a purse/bag for Anshita which was pending for lining for around 5 months. She raised an alarm last month to complete it because she wanted it for her school field trip to a museum.
Two weeks back, in a hurry, I had spent full day to put the pieces of purse together and adding a lining to it. I tried taking pictures to form a tutorial. This is my first tutorial on sewing. After initial ramblings, most of them are simple step-by-step images. Hope I make some sense.

Few assumptions to keep your expectations low:))
1. Tutorial by a beginner who doesn’t get her stitches straight on a sewing machine
2. The tutor is scared of pins so runs through the edges roughly
3. The tutor is a bad photographer
4. She is at times wrong in assessing measurements and does end up with few adjustments.

To begin with, let me state that the purse is closed on sides and open from top to bottom. I have used the waterproof lining material which I had won on Rajeswari’s giveaway. I liked working with it :)

Take a rectangular lining piece that would cover the entire inside of the purse lengthwise. I have joined two pieces. Take another small rectangular piece for bottle cozy enough to cover the circumference of a bottle at the bulkier part. Take an inch extra on both sides for the seam and to attach it to the main lining piece. Here, I ended up with slightly bigger bottle cozy and did an adjustment while sewing.

Attach the cozy in the center of main lining piece facing right side.

Click on image to read instructions

 

I didn't have a plain elastic, so I used the one with a frill and hand sewed it on the front by stretching the elastic to cozy's length. If you are using a plain elastic then hand sew it from inside. Add on both top and bottom.

Create a pocket

 

Attach it from the front next to lining (either left or right )

Looks fine, right?

 

Fold the main lining piece from the center.  

and sew the other end

turn inside out, this is how it will look with bottle cozy in the corner of purse to hold the bottle firmly

put it inside the purse.

I will show the purse in next post in couple of days. This tutorial has made me realize that writing tutorials is not an intimidating task . Just that while writing tutorial, you must not look before or after into the kitchen ;)

Have a nice day!
Preeti :)


 

Back with blooms !!!!! :)

Almost after 3 weeks , I am back :)  I missed the blog land very much…did you miss me? ; ) Just yesterday, I saw my blog statistics sinking down to near 2 digit numbers . Well, that tells no one missed me …he....he…..just kidding :) Couple of blogger friends did ask me and were glad to know that I am alive ;)

I was away due to some personal reasons and also busy with the work in new flat . To break the silence on my blog , I have got few photos from my tiny balcony garden to share with you .

Zinnia : California Mix  

Zinnias have grown 3.5 feet tall :)

 

The first flower,  4 inches in diameter

This is light purple but the color isn't showing up in image

 Bright orange...this one is my favourite :)

 

 

Dahlia dwarf : the bud looks like small tomato

Hibiscus : These were not grown from seeds but going great

Zinnias again ......

 

 

 

This is my first gardening experience of growing from seeds . Anshita’s room opens into the balcony so the very first thing I decided was , that everything I use , will be organic. I am using neem oil for pestcontrol . For soil , I am using Cocopeat which is good for germination and water retention . Also, I have come to know that vermiculite is not good for health . So instead , I am planning to use cocohusk or something coir based .  It is easily available in India but not online .

I love my zinnias . I have opened my blog after these many days and I am waiting eagerly to read your posts too. Hope you liked my tiny garden images:)

Happy weekend !!
Preeti :)