An update on my bag progress

  I have finally finished hemming the 25 squares for my bag and am now beginning to stitch them together. I may be sometime, the finished bag will materialise at some stage.

Bagstories

Basic bag

Wrapping cloth

I am following India Flint's Fb group for people who have purchased her book Bagstories. There are extra lessons on the page, one of which involves hemming 25 squares. I have started doing these with hand stitch but have had to give up for a while. I really wanted to make a bag so have made the easiest one from the book, mostly machined but hand finished. It is made from Indian cotton tab topped curtains I bought in a sale. The handle is made from one of the tabs and the button is one I kept from a 1970's coat.. I have more fabric and buttons so may make a larger one as well.
The wrapping cloth is also based on a Japanese concept and is made from another curtain I bought at the same time. I like to wrap presents in cloth, it is reusable or can be made into something else.

Recovery

It is nearly three weeks since I had my operation for carpel tunnel. I have found it frustrating not being able to do very much but now gradually I am able to spend small amounts of time weaving. This piece was started last year and I have added a couple of inches to it in places this week. I have even managed to do a little hand hemming of squares for India Flint's 'Bagstories'

project, the first time I have been able to hand stitch for nearly six months which is very exciting.
Hopefully I may even begin to be able to garden soon, lots of weeds and the fruit trees need pruning and get back to driving myself around.

Pipe cleaner people

I haven't been doing any making for a while, now back to doing a bit though this will be slowed down by an operation to rectify carpel tunnel syndrome tomorrow. I am making pipe cleaner people for my second piece for the Bristol Guild exhibition in April. I have the idea for the completed piece in my head, just hope its going to come out looking good and not a bit naff.

More pages

More pages from the Book of Trees, the top one will be the cover. These were done a couple of weeks ago only just got round to posting them.
I am hoping to make some more books but maybe on Khadi paper which I really like. Have had lots of fun doing these, especially making the stamps. Maybe I will have a finished version some time next year to share.

Tits

I was so pleased to capture these images of long tailed tits, they very rarely come this near the house or stay still. A bit hazy as the photos were taken through glass. Such pretty little birds. Took loads of photos but only managed to get three in focus, or even in the picture.

Good things come in two's

 Two posts in one day.
 Life seems to have been a bit crazy recently but I have found time to have a bit of fun. I have been doing an online course with Roxanne Evans Stout called "A Book of Trees" which is slowly coming together. Have been having fun, getting very sticky and learning new techniques.                                             
I don't think I will get much more done before Christmas but have now done the front cover, not shown here.

Finished pages