Genäht: Buckthorn backpack by Noodlehead 🇺🇸

I bought the pattern and started to sew the backpack right when the pattern was first released.
I am a total sucker for Anna’s patterns, I love her style, and her instructions are always spot on. If you follow the directions, you will always have a technically flawless product.

I started it out with some muted pink canvas that I still had on hand. Honestly, I am somewhat relieved I used it up now, because even though its lovely, I am done with it ;-)

The grey straps are really high quality and sturdy, I bought them at Farbenmix last year and they are prefect.
I decided to add rose gold hardware, and I found the zippers at Matthies Gartencenter ;-) They look like metal but are plastic, what is great for working with them.

The only adjustment to the pattern  I made was to make the front pouch a zippered pouch. I often use public transportation and throw my bags around, so having a closure was important to me.

the strap connectors, buckle slides and swivel hooks are all from Alles für Selbermacher, and it took the order like 10 days to get to me - one of the reasons it took me such a long time to finish the backpack. But I think the hardware really looks amazing with the pale pink canvas. So worth the wait.

I really think this is not a beginner pattern, technically I found it way more difficult then the awesome making backpack - I hate to set in bottoms, and this oval one really made me breath a little harder and say some prayers. It worked better for the outer bag with the foam stabilizer then the lining, what is fine with me.

The worst part for me was to add the binding on top - and yes, it included like 45 minutes of taking out  stitches. The heavy canvas also was not the ideal material to work in multiple layers. 

If I would have had  dry oilskin at hand to make the backpack, that would have been a much better choice for the outside fabric. If I would make the backpack again with canvas, I would try to find a different solution for the binding. For real.

The lining is pure stash gold, a very old treasure, but I wanted to use my stash and this was the only option. I kind of love that it will get some use now.

I used foam flex for reinforcement, and I still have a love-hate relationship with that stuff: I love it in the finished bag, and I hate to work with it. My sewing machine has a pure hate relationship with it.

For the lining, I used Pellon SF 101, as always. Never skip.

I already took the backpack out on a trip yesterday, and it is really comfortable to carry and the sizing is amazing. Just perfect. 

Overall, it was totally worth to invest the time, sweat and money into this project, because I know I will get great use out of it, it is an amazing backpack.

But I am really not sure I will make an other one in the near future. And if I do, I will totally switch out the set-in oval bottom for a rectangular cut the corners out box bottom - especially because this will also enable me to set in the lining in the Aneela Hoey method. The flapping lining is probably my only complaint in the finished backpack.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by no one. 

I bought the pattern and all materials myself.

Pattern: Buckthorn backpack  and tote - Noodlehead

Fabric (all bought in Germany):

Pink canvas, all interfacing: BM Stoffladen Buxtehude

Straps, style fix and lining: Farbenmix

Zippers: Gartencenter Matthies

Rose Gold hardware: Alles für Selbermacher

I made another Lieblingskleidchen today,

but this time I changed the pattern, and instead of using bias tape,
I doubled the upper part of the dress.
I really like how it looks like now.

I used Now we are going places fabric, which I had in my stash, and I think it looks like a really nice summer-travel-dress:

My daughter was willing to be my photo model, so I think I will have to rise her allowance :-)

If you are interested, you can find the dress in my etsy-shop.

Have a nice week,
Tina

Graduation

I wanted to try a new dress pattern for girls, and as it was my son's elementary school graduation today, I made a new dress for my little daughter.
The name of the dress is "Lieblingskleidchen" (most favorite little dress) and I think, that is a good name for this dress, because:

it is really easy and quick to sew (it took me about one hour),
no buttons, no zippers, just bias tape (the only difficulty)
you can use fabric scraps or left overs - really small pieces,
it looks nicely and the pattern offers a lot of opportunities to mix and match fabrics

As for my daughter,
she loves that it is easy to put on and that is has a big pocket.
For example, you can put candies in there so that you have easy access to them:

(Yes, there was a lot of temptation to add some piping between joke and skirt, but I resisted. This was just a quick trial dress. This time I decided to go with woven ribbon.)

pattern: Lieblingskleidchen by Erbsenprinzessin
fabric: pink with tiny white dots: mode basics (?), black with birds: Stoff und Stil

sewing for boys

isn't as easy as for girls, right?

You have all these great possibilities for girls, dresses, skirts, colorful and sparkling fabrics, dress them up, everything - but for boys? Another T-Shirt in teal?

I was really happy when I saw on Facebook that Rae from made by Rae was searching for pattern testers for her uber-cool Flashback-Skinny-T, in sizes for bigger kids. I applied, and I was chosen. Lucky me!

My oldest son was the first to receive a T-Shirt. Pretty concerned about his "street credit" (don't ask me, I don't know!) he wanted to have a plain black Shirt. How exciting, really....

Unfortunatly, I forgot to assemble the last piece of the sleeve pattern, so his Shirt turned out to be one with 3/4 sleeves - what he likes, actually. He plans to wear it under bis A's Baseball Jersey. Thank you so much, son. It was a pleasure to me.

Because it was so much fun to sew this shirt, and it didn't took long time either, I decided to make one for my younger son, too. thank god, he doesn't know anything about street credit!

Yes, these are sausage dogs on the fabric!

Then I thought it would be nice to have a picture with both boys and the shirts.

not possible to take one.

Rae made some adjustments to the pattern, and I made another one. I chose to make one for my younger son again. Not sure why *g*

This is my favorite shirt ever!

I really love this pattern very much, and I can't thank Rae again she gave it to me for testing. The pattern is ideal for slender boys, it fits great, and after printing the pattern and sewing it once, it literally takes you a mere hour to make one.

I had to buy the black knit fabric at JoAnns, but it is not so bad (it actually is so stretchy that I managed to squeeze myself into it!), but last week I saw at Stonemountain & daughter that you can choose between about 10 different black knit fabrics there - isn't that awesome?

The knit fabrics with the dachshunds and the cars is from Europe, I bought it at Stoff & Stil last year (it is pretty lightweight).

The double rip fabric for the neckbands and the sleeves is from JoAnns too, I really like this quality, it works perfect for me!

If you give the pattern (and sewing with knits) a try, trust Rae when it comes to the neckband. Just follow her directions, it worked perfect for me (and I apply this method of calculating the neckband now to all my sewing with knits).

Have a perfect week,

Tina

Pattern testing - Josipa bag by Gretelies

No, I wasn't asked if I would do some pattern tasting, I asked if it would be able to get a new pattern of a well beloved German designer - Gretelies - to do pattern testing. And Anne was so kind to choose me.

As soon as I saw the pattern, I thought of some retro-style fabric for the bag. And sewmamasew came just along with an announcement, that Flea Market Fancy is on sale. Wohou!

This is the finished bag - do you see the nice shape of the flap?

Recently, I love to do piping. It just gives such a finished look

the back of the bag

Insinde:

(Yes, flea market fancy even on the inside)

This is the inside under construction

I didn't made the straps following the instructions, because I wanted the one fabric to overlap at the outside

On the flap I added some embroidery - yes, I sew euro *g*
(embroidery file: schwedische Tischdecke

The pattern includes two versions for the flap (this one an a rectangular one), directions for a exchangeable flap and a kids version of the bag.
The pattern is not available in english right now, but if you are interested in an english version, please let me know, I think we will be able to persuade Anne to make one.

I really love the flea market fancy fabric, and I think it is a great fit for this bag.
The next days, you will find a version of this bag in my etsy shop - but with the fabric of the body for the flap, and the flap fabric for the body - please come again to check it out!