stitching scraps

the new bag

2009-07-13T21:08:00.005+02:00

This time it's a messenger bag, big enough to fit an A4 folder, with a zippered pocket inside. A designer from work ordered this ages ago, and finally she's getting it. I've got more orders to deal with, so I better give my new sewing room some use. I'll post pictures of the room another day.

I've been gone too long...

2009-07-13T20:48:00.003+02:00

It's been ages since the last time I posted something. Lots of things have happened in my life in the meantime, lots of changes. I've left my single daily life behind, I've moved to a new, bigger flat, I've taken important lifetime decisions...
But as far as is blog is concerned, now I've got a proper sewing room (and a new sewing machine). That's one of the things I like most about the flat.
And all this changes also mean that I'm back to my sewing and eager to learn new things, techniques, experiment with new bags. This weekend I sewed a bag after four months, and although the heat in Madrid is not very inspiring, I really want to go back to the habit of sewing a bit every day. It helps me forget about daily stress, it brings me to a different world were I don't need to look for mistakes and spot errors. We editors are really sick.

Q. How many writers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A. Ten. One to change it; nine to think they could have done it better.

Q: How many writers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: But why do we have to change it?

Q. How many editors does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. Only one; but first they have to rewire the entire building.

Q: How many editors does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: I can't tell whether you mean "change a lightbulb" or "have sex in a lightbulb." Can we reword it to remove ambiguity?

Q: If you want to change a lightbulb, how many editors do you need?
A: This question does not conform to our documentation model.

Q: How many senior editors does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: You were supposed to have changed that lightbulb last week!

Q. How many copy editors does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. The last time this question was asked, it involved senior editors. Is the difference intentional? Should one or the other instance be changed? It seems inconsistent.

Q: How many copy editors does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Copy editors aren't supposed to change lightbulbs. They should just query them.

t-shirt for my niece

2009-03-21T12:35:00.003+01:00

I'm not sewing too much lately, my neck is not doing too well (I blame work for this, being an editor is the worst thing for your back). But I could handle a tiny project, and of course, it had to be for my niece. Very minimalistic, 3 simple and small yo-yos and a straight stitch, and voila, a cute bouquet. I'm thinking of making one for myself as well, the design works beautifully.

another day to fight for rights

2009-03-08T15:14:00.000+01:00

red&blue

2009-02-15T20:01:00.007+01:00

Another handbag. This fabric reminds me of William Morris designs. I came to know William Morris when I was 15 or so. I was in England for the summer and visited the Victoria & Albert museum, and just felt in love with his designs.

Pencil roll

2009-01-31T17:34:00.009+01:00

Hay alguien que va a quedarse tranquila tras recibir este regalo. This pencill roll is for a friend, she should have got it a long time ago, but it took me a while to gather all the different fabrics to match the colours. But finally, here it is.
It's Saturday afternoon and I hate frontiers.

Weekend

2009-01-18T18:01:00.005+01:00

The last time I made a bag for myself was in the summer, so I think I deserved one. It looks perfect for spring, but I think I'll be wearing it tomorrow.
The bag has been a bit of a challenge as I've made my first inside zippered pocket and put my first magnetic clasp (which actually was dead easy). It' the first tome I make this pattern, so that also has it's difficulties, but... I'm happy how it came out. Th small yo-yos are temporary, I want to get a different decoration but I still haven't figured it out.

A cold day

2009-01-09T19:54:00.003+01:00

It's cold today and it's been snowing in Madrid, something not too frequent. And it's still snowing. As someone very bright from the city council said to justify the chaos in the city "It's winter, and it snows in winter". The person who said that is Aznar's wife, a very bright and friendly to Bush president we had over here, so what else can you expect. It has to be couple thing.
And it feels too cold to sew. I'm dying to make something for myself but the cosyness of the sofa and my nice blanket stops me.
It's always that when I'm at work, editing a manuscript or proofreading, that I start thinking that I wish I was home to sew something. Always the wrong timing.
So I'm sitting here on my own in this freezing cold flat and I wish I could be playing with my niece, chatting to my boyfriend or walking down Kastanienallee in Berlin on a quiet spring morning.

2009-01-06T17:11:00.002+01:00

The Three Wise Men came to my house last night and left these for my aunties. Two small purses with an elastic (security bag type) and a pincushion. They also left a new printer for myself, exactly the one I wanted, that's why they are wise...

grocery bag

2008-12-21T15:51:00.007+01:00

No more plastics bags!

knitting bag

2008-12-21T15:51:00.006+01:00

I made a knitting bag for my mum a while ago. She asked me to make a long pocket for the needles and a small one for accesories. And now a friend asked for another one. I've used different scraps for the appliqués and the washing line looks cool. I have a thing for washing lines... I've made them in cross stitch, used them in my books for teaching clothes vocabulary and now it's on a bag.

Xmas pins for my work collegues

2008-12-16T21:11:00.003+01:00

27 in all, yes, you can count them up. And everybody liked them, so it was worth the effort. :)

the numbers bag

2008-12-16T21:08:00.002+01:00

This one is a cute fabric. When I bought I thought of my my work collegues in the Maths section, these people are real numbers freaks...

applique t-shirt for my niece

2008-11-25T12:55:00.006+01:00

My niece is certainly lucky to have me as her aunt. I'm always thinking of somthing I can make for her. This time it's another applique t-shirt I've made using one of the fabrics I bought in Chile. The fabric just asks to be used in many ways. Probably it would've been better on a green t-shirt, but anyway, she can get more t-shirts, at least until I have my own kids...

chip earrings

2008-11-22T09:44:00.018+01:00

New pair of earrings by the jeweller, Edgardo Cruz.

shoulder bag

2008-11-22T09:44:00.016+01:00

This one is cute. I've got two more orders of this bag, same fabric, same everything. So I guess that makes this shoulder bag a best seller at the moment!

shoulder bag
Originally uploaded by MR scraps

black and white handbag

2008-11-22T09:43:00.011+01:00

Another one... I made a pocket for the mobile phone on this one.

Grey handbag

2008-11-22T09:42:00.010+01:00

The fabric on this one is just beautiful. I made a flower using ric-rac which turned out really nice and an inside zipped pocket with some lace trimming. The person I made it for is wearing almost everyday to work, and it's great seeing it around :)

new handbag

2008-11-02T14:56:00.005+01:00

Here's another one. It's absolutely the same as the one I made for myself, but I've modified the detail slightly.

prototype of new bag

2008-11-02T14:54:00.009+01:00

I made a sketch of this bag about a month ago while travelling to work in the tube. I wanted something round, roomy and easy to carry.
This first prototype is still missing the front pocket and I finally changed the shape of the top, making it straight. Now I know a couple of things I have to modify in the pattern and some clues about the process of sewing it.
I like experimenting with patterns, messing the whole thing up, leaving it aside for a week when it's not coming out as I want to and get back to it with a clear mind.

This was the sketch:

And the first prototype:

Raymond Carver

2008-10-21T23:22:00.002+02:00

The Attic
Her brain is an attic where things
were stored over the years.

From time to time her face appears
in the little windows near the top of the house.

The sad face of someone who has been locked up
and forgotten about.

Always Carver round my mind

pear landscape

2008-10-21T19:04:00.004+02:00

And here's the bag I was supposed to finish yesterday. I did the trim thing and voila, nice pics with nice light. Crappy day was over yesterday.
I made some appliques on the straps not to have so much contrast with the lining and I think it turned up well, I like the final result.

And I still have 3 more orders to make, I got two of them today, so it really feels good. I've started trusting my sewing abilities and more complicated projects fill up my mind.
Trust, big word, trusting oneself, trusting others, trusting that one deserves good in life and that old crappy times will never turn up again. Trust and future

a crappy day

2008-10-20T19:30:00.002+02:00

Today is one of those days when you feel crap, the world is crap and anything you do seems crap. A crappy day.
I wanted to finish up a bag this afternoon to give it away tomorrow, but as I like taking pictures of them I decided to leave it for tomorrow, guess why? the light is crap today. It's cloudy and getting dark so after some goes I decided to leave it for tomorrow, when I should be back home a little earlier and I hope I won't be feeling crap and taking crap pictures.
I wonder if I will be able to cook a proper dinner instead of a crappy one...
Happy crappy day everyone!

seaweed handbag

2008-10-19T15:57:00.004+02:00

And here's one more. I'm focusing on bags lately and I still have a few more to make. It's good cause I get more practice and find new ways of solving some problems with the bags.
There are also other things I'd like to try, like skirts and things for my man. He likes the stuff I make and I like making thing for him, so I have to try another mad stitching t-shirt for him. I didn't get to take a picture of the one I made for him but the next one will be posted.
Did I mention I'm happy?

my new rustic label, MR scraps

2008-10-17T17:58:00.005+02:00

MR stands for something very important that has been happening to me for the last years, and which will be even more important from now on.

New pear shape bag in butterflies

2008-10-17T17:57:00.006+02:00

This is an order I got at the office, my first order! I just love how it came out, the fabric is just beautiful. I hope that the person that will be wearing it loves it as much as I do.

earrings from my personal jeweller

2008-10-12T14:06:00.009+02:00

My man has started learning to make jewels and I could not be more delighted, I'm an earrings freak!
He made these lapiz lazuli earrings and the computer chip ones for me, and I love them. And like the brooches previously posted, I guess we will be selling his earring production soon :)

brooches for sale

2008-10-12T14:06:00.007+02:00

I've spent the weekend making these brooches and hopefully I won't be keeping them for too long. I'll take them to the office tomorrow and I already have two possible buyers, so let's see...

Orders have started coming in lately, so I have to organise myself and start working on them. Xmas is just round the corner!

collection of fabrics

2008-09-29T21:57:00.002+02:00

I've posted most of the fabrics I have right now on my flickr site. Lots of scraps are missing...
flickr

shopping in Chile

2008-09-20T19:37:00.006+02:00

And Chile was great, it was great for the heart, great for the soul, and also great for some fabric and trims shopping.
Three amazing weeks during which there was time for relaxing, walking, laughing and taking very important decisions in life.

Some trims, I love the elephants one

latest shopping

2008-09-03T20:49:00.003+02:00

It's holidays time... but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about future projects. So, I was in Valparaíso and this is what I got. The fabrics and the trim need a wash.

Anyway, changing from summery hot Spain to freezing cold Chile it's tough, but there is a saying in Spanish that goes like this "sarna con gusto no pica". So, till next post...

another pear-shape bag

2008-08-28T14:25:00.001+02:00

And the new pear-shape bag goes to... Pame, my Chilean friend. This time I used some Ikea fabrics. It gave the bag quite a lot of body but that of course makes it harder to sew.
Anyway, fingers crossed and I hope she likes it.

a very fructuous weekend

2008-08-17T17:35:00.010+02:00

I've done many things this weekend. It was a holiday on Friday In Spain, so I had a bit more time to devote myself to some "orders" I had. My friend Marina had been asking for her bag for a very long time (she was jealous that everybody was getting something, especially my niece).
I was waiting to get some cool fabric for her, but on Thursday we went together to a fabric shop and she found some fat quarters she liked, so I gave her the chance to take advantage of the situation and fill in the order for an Amy Karol "charming bag". And here it is. I gave it to her yesterday and she loved it, and when people like the things you make for them... well, that's better than anything.

I made another bag yesterday, but that one is a surprise for my friend Pame in Chile, so it will remain scheduled to be posted in a couple of weeks, once she's got it. I'll be going all the to Chile to give it to her :)

pink kimono

2008-08-14T22:00:00.006+02:00

The final kimono wrap. I think my niece is going to be wearing lots of these...

cutlery rolls

2008-08-12T22:26:00.004+02:00

This is what I did this weekend, one for my brother and the other one for my niece, guess which one. I used Ikea fabrics for both, they're quite heavy and really suit this kind of project.

And today I was sewing the definite kimono for my niece. I will post a picture tomorrow. It looks gorgeous, and she will look cute with it.
Friday is a holiday in Spain, so I'll have a long weekend to make a couple of things more before I go on holidays. I really need a break from work and a real boost for my heart.

feeling like sewing, needing to... and a cute illustration

2008-08-09T07:39:00.005+02:00

Today I really feel like sewing. Well, I need to. There are two main reasons: my brain is asking me to, and I want to make a "couple" of things for friends and family before I go on holidays.
My "Things to do" list consists of: 1 handbag (I still haven't decided which model), a surprise something for my sweaty (which I'm not posting until he gets it cause it's meant to be a surprise), the definite kimono wrap for my niece (I'd like to get it done before my holidays), a pear-shape bag for my sister in law (she loved mine and urged me to make one for her) and two cutlery rolls, for my brother and niece. So, it's a long list to have ready before the 20th.
Rush, rush!
I don't want to leave this post only with my words, so I attach a picture of one of my favourite illustrators, Matías Trillo. Thanks to my job I get to see really nice stuff (I'm an editor for primary education textbooks) and Matías is one of the best. He's Argentinian and works hand in hand with his girl Lara Dombret. Well, enjoy!

kimono wrap

2008-07-31T22:08:00.004+02:00

The heat in Madrid is melting my brain. When I get home back from work at 4 I get into a catatonic state.
I've been trying to get this kimono wrap done for my niece for days, but working on it for 1 hour a day does not help. But I managed to finish it today. As it's my first piece of clothing ever I was really terrified, so I decided to make a model first on some canvas and try it on her before doing the final nice version on a cute fabric. Even so I think this one looks quite cute. I had to do some mad stitching on it as well... that's me, always worried about little details. So, I'll try it on her this weekend. Fingers crossed!

Handbag finished!

2008-07-20T12:19:00.005+02:00

This one took a little bit longer. I worked on the pattern during the week making some samples, first on the bottom trying different options, and I finally went for the simple one. Then I worked out the width of the pleat that could work better for the length of the bag, so on Thursday I bought some nice lining for it and started working on it yesterday. It's so hot in Madrid that I could only work early in the morning. So I did all the cutting and pleats yesterday and this morning I've finished all the assembling. I bought the main fabric some months ago on my last trip to Ikea (I can handle the Ikea shopping experience every two months, it stresses me). It's actually a cushion cover, Hedda Blom, but I just fell in love with it and I knew I could make something out of it whenever my sewing improved.
The handbag it's roomy, perfect for work. Even a set of proofs could fit.
I thought of putting a zipper, but at the end I couldn't be bothered. And... it's reversible!

P.S. 1. Thanks Beth at Sew Mama Sew for posting the bag :)
P.S. 2. And thanks Ikea Hacker for posting it as well :)

working on a new pattern

2008-07-17T06:59:00.004+02:00

I'm trying to figure out a pattern these days. I saw this bag on the web that I liked and thought I could try and get it done. So now I'm on a trial-failure experiment using some canvas. It's actually fun to start experimenting with how the mathematics of a bag work. I almost have the pattern ready and the outside fabric for it, so today I'll look for some nice upholstery lining to make the bag on the weekend.
Fingers crossed!

today's project, bamboo purse

2008-07-13T23:37:00.004+02:00

This is the Bamboo purse from The long thread (thanks Ellen for you quick response). I had this project in mind for a while. I bought the handles the other day and decided to make it for a work mate who is having a hard time. I had bought the fabric to make a kimono shirt for my niece, but there was plenty of it. So Sunday it's like a perfect day to spend sewing. I had fun. I love making little details to these thing, like the brooch I've attached. Those things always make a project more special. I'll give it to this girl tomorrow, so fingers crossed!

projects update 1

2008-07-13T23:23:00.009+02:00

Here comes a full update of all the projects I've worked on until now. I should have done it in different posts, but...

These are some luggage tags I made this week for some friends that were going on holidays.

Two grocery bags with appliques.

Summer slippers out of recycled slippers soles and upholstery fabric.

I made this t-shirt for my niece. She's year old now. I'm dying to see her with the t-shirt on. She's my little sweetie.

Brooch and bag for the brroch. It was a present so it had to be wrapped properly.

projects update 2

2008-07-13T22:38:00.007+02:00

An oilcloth lunchbag, a present for a friend.

This is Evo the scotty dog I got him a place to live and sent him to a colleague's desk, Eva, as a birthday present.

Messenger bag out of Ikea fabrics.

I made this one using Amy Karol's charming bag pattern, with some personal modifications. I used Heather Bailey's fabric for the outside and some uphosltery fabric for the lining. I'm using it all the time, I love it.

I made this bag for my mum, she decided she could take advante of her daughter's sewingmania, and asked for a bag for her knitting projects. The fabric I used on the appliqué comes from a dress I had when I was a child, so that was also touching.

This the lunchbag and picnic roll I take to work. Ikea fabrics.

I made this at Xmas for some work colleagues.

In the forest, by Edna O'Brien

2008-07-05T07:45:00.006+02:00

I read in the tube every day. I get about two hours reading that way, so in a week and a half I can read a 400 page novel easily. But then, not all novels are the same. Some flow easily, they entertain and make the journey fun, making you smile while sleepy faces around you fight the morning. But other novels get you stuck, they demand a slower reading. A three page chapter can make you close the book, and demand to let the paragraphs settle in your mind, think about what you've read, digest the rawness. That's happening to me with In the forest.

my sewing machine

2008-07-03T20:20:00.004+02:00

Allá por marzo me compré finalmente la máquina de coser. Edgardo había insistido hasta la saciedad que debía comprarme una, y le hice caso, y tenía razón resultó ser una buena decisión.
Opté por la vía segura y me compré algo sencillito y barato, por si acaso la cosa no se me daba bien y amortiguar así el arrepentimiento. Empecé cosiendo una carerita para los billetes del metro (uso dos billetes distintos a diario y es un coñazo andar sacándolos del monedero). Eché mano del instinto y la cosa salió bien (sigo usándolo a diario). Tengo que sacarle una foto.
Después me lancé a hacer una especie de funda para libros (la lectura diaria en el metro los acaba machacando) y también salió bastante bien... Y así decidí que era el momento de hacer algo un poco más complicado, y así salió el recogehilos, este ya a partir de una tutorial.

So around March this year I finally bought a sewing machine. Edgardo had kept insisting I had to get one (he believes in my creative side) and after looking around, checking websites and prices I decided to get a compact size one, with just the essential to get started. It wasn't too dear, so if by any chance my sewing skills did not exist, well, I wouldn't feel that bad. Anyway, Bender was there with me supervising everything.
One of the first things I did was that thread catcher. I found the tutorial online, and actually it came out nicely.

así empezó todo

2008-07-02T23:19:00.000+02:00

It all started a year ago before my first niece was born. Previous to that I used to cross stitch, but I had never dared to go any further.
And a few months before Irede was born I suddenly decided one day I wanted to make a rag doll for her, just like that. I made a rag doll back in primary school, but I didn't even get close to the sewing machine. I must have been 8 or 9 years old. That doll is still at my parents cellar.
So, I bought the fabrics and asked my friend Marina if I could use her sewing machine (if she could sew), and after doing some web research, I arranged everything with her to meet one day at her place and start sewing, well, I just looked as she followed my pattern.

Y de aquí en adelante me embalé. Ya le había bordado una capa de baño, y le siguió una bolsa para los pañales, la cual me descubrió en misterioso mundo de cómo coser para que cuando le des la vuelta todo esté en el sentido en que tiene que estar...

Y la niña tenía ya antes de nacer todas estas cosas
El cerdito llevaba sus cascabeles por dentro. A la bolsa de los pañales le cosi una tira de panamá en la que bordé a punto de cruz y la capa de baño también a punto de cruz.

El cerdito lo repetí para Edgardo, mamacerdo se alegró mucho.
Y después de esto llegaron más cosas, pero no antes de que llegase el instrumento principal,
la maquina...