Patchwork Leather Pouch

Yesterday I started working on a leather pouch. It is made from scrap leather I've been saving up for years, waiting for just the right project. I'd doing all the sewing by hand. So it's going to take a while. I need the pouch part finished before Sunday though so I can sew beads onto it at the Brave demo. The dark brown strip is going to be the gusset and possibly the strap.

Sweater Magic

Today I raided the local Goodwill for sweaters to re-purpose into whimsical fairy coats. That is to say, I need to try coming up with a design and make one first. If that one comes out, who knows what the future will bring. I asked at Goodwill if clothing is washed first and she said they just hang it the way they receive it, so I'm washing everything on cold and delicate and drying them all on delicate. Anything that can't stand up to that will be set aside and used for something else. I can't expect my customers to want to dry clean their coats. So they have to be washable to be practical. I might have to find 3 models to wear the different sizes for photos. I'm happy I'll be keeping the sweaters out of the landfill for the time being. I also bought an embroidered jacket from India. It was marked 'dry clean only' but came out okay in the wash. It was marked $9.99 but there was a sale on green tagged items so I got it for half off. I'm not sure how many sweaters it takes to make a coat, but at least the 6 I got will be enough for the top half. I think $6. is a bit much to pay for a used sweater, so hopefully I can find some better deals at the swap meet or yard sales. My boyfriend bought some books too. I also went to Michaels and picked up 2 plastic storage bins for my square foot paintings and a wooden 3 cube unit for more storage for magazines or bins. It is bare wood so I think I will collage it. That should be fun. I stocked up on craft paint too. I try to buy it on sale to keep the costs down.

Pirate Patch Skirt

I rescued one of my favorite skirts from the mending pile. And I finished my PLARN hat. Details are over on my Witch, Wardrobe, No Lion webpage.

Distressed Steampunk Belt Upcycled

I'm really busy tonight getting ready for an SCA event and losing an hour of sleep because of Daylight Savings Time. But I made this cool belt to wear tomorrow. It can go well with Steampunk, Gypsy, and Pirate costumes and I can't wait to wear it. I'll share more details soon when I'm not so pressed for time.

The only parts I had to buy were the grommets. Everything else was handed down to me.

I finished the picnic blanket backpack from Threadbanger

Yay all done. Now I can take it on my trip tomorrow. I need to make the straps longer. I think the size stated is fine for a teenage body with average shoulders. But the only way to find out if I could get into it was to make it. So if I do it again I'll add 3" of length to each strap. Also the tutorial is really vague on just which squares the straps go on, and the only way I ever figured it out was to pause the video and stare at the frame where the guy is wearing the backpack. When I have time I need to unfold it all again and take a photo so everyone can see where I think the straps are supposed to go. I could be wrong, but it seems to work this way.
I added two buttons to close the 'pillow' that I turned into a bag to stash goodies. My juggling balls are in there now but it could hold a journal or a sack lunch.
Now some photos.