Handmade

There's not much to show for myself this week in the way of new finishes. The days have been full, and I've got a variety of things in mid-stream. But I do have a single little make to show off. One that I actually made about a week ago for my coworker's birthday. 



It's a Lola Pouch, made with the pattern by Svetlana/s.o.t.a.k handmade. I needed something pretty quick, and having made one Lola in the past, I thought it would be manageable, plus I knew how sweet it would be made up from my Cotton + Steel stash. Gotta say, I love that recessed zipper!

Though I was definitely pleased how the pouch turned out, what I was really looking forward to was the reaction of my coworker when I presented it to her. Our relationship is somewhat new, and I had never made her anything before. She did not disappoint, and as she opened the package she exclaimed, "You made this, didn't you?"

It never ceases to please me to hear those words. And every time, I am again thankful that somewhere along the line, I was given the opportunity to learn to sew, and I took to it like a fish to water. It's an amazing thing, really, what fulfillment I get from it, the sort of calm it gives me. It's a gift of the unexplainable sort isn't it? But then again, I know I don't have to explain that to you.

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday.

Hello, Lola!

Every now and then, don't you just get the urge to drop everything and do something totally unplanned? I sure do, and I did just that Friday night after checking out the new lola pouch pattern from Svetlana/s.o.t.a.k handmade.

I made the larger of 2 sizes offered, which measured a roomy 12” x 6.5” x 4”. Black Essex yard dyed linen was my choice for the exterior bottom, and the rest of the fabrics are Cotton + Steel. I do love fussy-cutting now and then, and it was perfect for the main print (Night Sky in Indigo) so I could get as many complete butterflies as I could, and match that 'bunting' on both sides. Sometimes I don't want a really poofy pouch, so I opted to use Pellon SF101 Shape-Flex in place of the suggested fusible fleece on the exterior pieces. (It's also used on the lining.) I think this combo makes for a sturdy yet flexible finish.

My favorite detail of the entire pouch is that recessed zipper. I'd never done one, and Svetlana's technique was flawless. I really loved the stripe she'd used on the zipper binding of her own pouches (click the pattern link for photos), but there was no stripe in my C+S stash, so I made do by cutting the Backgammonish print just so to create the stripe I wanted. Very fun!

I'll definitely be adding Lola to my zip pouch repertoire. It's a keeper!

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday.