Diamond EPP

This little EPP panel might become the outer section of the next purse.  Or it might not.   

The whole thing contains 140 pieces and is about 5 inches wide  and 10 inches long. Here it is near a banana for comparison.

Not entirely sure why I embarked on this ridiculous tiny thing in the middle of winter when the light is so terrible that I can barely thread a needle.  Excuse to sit still for extended periods drinking coffee and listening to the radio, I suppose.

It is a complete mixture of some favourite fabrics - Kaffe Fassett, Oakshott, Architextures, Botanics and (just to show I'm up to date) Doe.  Oh, and the little black diamonds are Gramercy.  It's big enough for a purse if I add some filler pieces to the edges.  It would have a dark side and a light side.  I might make the inner part dark and light too - could help me to find things in there.

The idea came from this 1950s ceramic tile (the one on the right).

The image has been sitting on my Pinterest board for months if not years, waiting for the right moment.  It is a ceramic tile from the 1950s (possibly from the Carters Tile Co in Poole, Dorset). 

I do find Pinterest really useful, not only for "parking" images which catch my eye, but also for storing things I am tempted to buy.   If I go back to them I often find I don't "need" them any more.  You can look at my boards through the link on the right. Instagram is great too, but I find I can't get back to the older things as they are swamped by the new.  

If you look through my Geometric Patterns board, you will see that these Middle Eastern tile designs are my next obsession.

When America wakes up, I will link up with Life Under Quilts Monday Star Count, and with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Liberty Coin Purse 2 - finished

Last week I posted about the outer part of this purse.  The inner part was just as fiddly.  

The inner pieces were totally unlined and without interfacing - there are enough folds and layers to make it strong enough.

I was a bit worried that the inner part would be too big, and it was very tight.  I would shave half an inch off the credit card and purse part if I make another.

I wanted a metal zip and there is not much choice of colours (does anyone know a good UK supplier of zips?)   Getting the zip in was just as time consuming as I thought it would be.  The only way to do it was by hand.  The zip was a bit too short and that didn't help.  First I stitched the zip to the outer pieced hexagons using a very small half back stitch.  It took a couple of goes to get both sides even.  After that I slip-stitched the inside in place.

The finished product has a soft feel and appearance that I rather like - the stitches show and the fabrics look a bit fuzzy because they have been handled so much.  Oh Ok, I admit it is covered in cat hairs and sweater fluff too. 

Okay, okay, the photos are blurry too.  There is not much light at this time of year.  Roll on Spring.

Overall I'm pretty pleased with this.  The Peltex worked. Definitely a step up from the first trial (see about that one here, as well as the £196 leather purse from Liberty that I was trying to copy).

Miss Ted's already asked if I will make one for her.

As it's a Friday Finish, I'll be linking up with Crazy Mom; and when Monday comes along, at Scraps Monday.

Liberty Coin Purse - prototype 2

I've found it hard to settle to a new project after finishing the big EPP quilt.  Some knitting has been done but nothing blog-worthy. Yesterday I got going on making a second liberty purse.  The first one was much too floppy and the zip insertion was poor.  I have been using the purse though, and decided it would be better if it hinged at the bottom.  Although I like some of the patterns available, particularly Sew Sweetness's Greenbacks wallet, I still want to avoid a bound edge as I know I can't do those very well.

Here's the piece I decided to use for the outside - it's all Liberty fabrics.  I used tiny scraps so did not have to buy anything.

To make the purse firmer I ironed on a bit of heavy duty Peltex. There were three pieces to line up, the gaps are there so that the purse will fold properly.  I had trouble lining it up, as the Peltex would not stay flat.  I pinned it to the ironing board and beat it into submission. 

It seemed to stick quite well.  Next I turned over the edges and sewed them on to the Peltex.  When I got to the corners I gathered up the excess fabric like this:

Now it looks like a little book.  

Next to tackle the innards - I want some credit card slots and a small zipped compartment for coins.  I still have no idea how I'm going to insert the zip. Glue might be involved.

Linking up at Life Under Quilt's Monday Morning Star Count and at A Quilting Life's first Scraps Monday.