Something New This Way Comes...

New Fabric For Brynwood

I'm so excited about this new fabric that I couldn't wait to use it to share it! This environmentally friendly alternative to leather and vinyl has me really motivated to start sewing with it.

It's resistant to chemicals and stains, easy to clean, resists cracking, peeling and delamination, does not support microbial growth, and is animal friendly. It's soft, supple, has a luscious hand, and will be a dream to sew. There were no plasticizers, PVC, or flame retardants used in its production, making it even more appealing...and a perfect pairing with cork (or my high quality linens, cottons and designer fabrics).
 

Enviroleather and Cork Fabrics

 

I decided to start with a gorgeous, deep purple fabric to coordinate with this cork. I'm going to sew up a couple of Kirby Crossbody bags, a couple of wallets and perhaps a larger tote.

 

Cork has a rating of something like 85,000 rubs (meaning that it can withstand a lot of use), but Enviroleather has a double rub abrasion rating of 500,000! I'll be using one myself to see just how it holds up. Once I know, I'll be ordering this in more colors to coordinate with my corks.

 

So, I'll get something made up over the weekend to share with you next week. This is going to be fun!

More Work For Charity...

Brynwood Needleworks - Corgi Embroideries In Process

Having finished and listed a few more project totes on Friday, I turned my attention to my next creations. Each year, Corgi owners gather in Palm Bay, Florida to raise money for a charity called CorgiAid. This year, the meet-up is on Saturday, November 14, 2015.

CorgiAid is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization that provides money for rescue and foster efforts, medical care and financial aid (within their guidelines) for Corgis and Corgi mixes. They also help provide carts to help dogs with Degenerative Myelopathy maintain a level of mobility to enhance their quality of life. Fezzik and Taggart get the credit for my interest in the organization, and willingness to participate in their fundraising work.

I have donated items in past years, and likewise, I'm creating something special for their fundraising efforts this year.

Brynwood Needleworks - Finished Corgi Embroideries

I stitched out the embroideries (with the help of Destiny) on Saturday and began cutting out the pieces for a wallet in the afternoon. I'm also making a matching tote/handbag, but I cut those pieces as I go, because I make these totes without a pattern.

I had every intention to sew everything over the weekend, but the Green Bay Packers were on Florida television Sunday afternoon. Whenever the Pack gets national coverage so we can see them, of course, everything else comes to a halt! That means, I was knitting on my socks instead.

I'll work on this project today and see if I can't get them finished by tomorrow. Of course, Tuesdays belong to Tag here on the blog, so you won't see pictures of the wallet and tote until Wednesday! 

You will come back, won't you?

Catching Up...

 Today, I'll be working on the gifts from my giveaway.

 I'm making two table runners and a tote.

 Don't these fabrics, paired with Michelle's sweet little birds, make you smile?

I'll take pictures of everything before I send them out so you can see.

I'm also going to make more table runners over the weekend for the Boutique.

Are you planning something creative today?

Calling All Goblins...

I already had both of the embroideries completed, so all I had to do was decide how I wanted the Halloween totes to look.

I thought it might be nice to add some fall color to each bag to coordinate with the embroidery. I added vintage buttons and an acorn (of course), and it's finished. All the winner needs to do is fill it with treats and hang it on the front door until the little goblins ring!

Now to finish the rest of the pillow covers and totes today and I'll be ready to draw the winner's names tomorrow night. (There's still time to enter if you haven't yet!) Good luck to all my blog friends.

Sunday In The Studio...

Keeping my word with updates...

I'll start with a photo of my finished knitted scarf...The pattern is "Nantucket Scallop", knit in Tilli Thomas' Flurries Hope yarn. It's 100% Australian merino wool with beads. It's really soft in a sweet shade of pink. I really love this pattern.

Yesterday, I finished two machine embroideries for one of my projects. I'm planning to have six different designs by the time I'm done with them. More on these later.

Then, I chose the fabrics for the tote I'm going to be making. Aren't they beautiful? I still have to pick up cords and chord keepers for the pockets, and because I like to have all my materials together before I start, I won't actually cut fabric for this until later in the week. When I do, I plan to finish the tote the same day.

While Miss Ellie was stitching my embroideries, I started another beaded fringe scarf. It's a beautiful steely blue silk yarn with gunmetal gray beads. Talk about "multi-tasking"! (How else am I going to meet my deadlines?)

I forgot to mention that in the middle of all my holiday work, I took on a commission for a young friend. She's getting married in January and asked me to make a few wedding hankies for her.

I've enlisted the services of one of my Linus friends (Adele, a crocheter extraordinaire) to help me with the hand-worked crochet edge, but I've chosen the look for the embroidery and will do that portion before handing off the vintage Irish linen handkerchiefs for her to finish. I'll show you my work on those after I do the first final embroidery on one of the hankies. So far, I only have prototypes on unbleached muslin for placement which I also did yesterday. More on those soon.