london purple

Do you still do london purple?

2012-01-30T10:26:00.003-05:00

That's the number one question I get these days. The short answer is yes, I do. I still love to sew and I do it whenever I can squeeze in time, but it's a matter of priorities. A few years ago when I was doing craft shows and purse parties every few weekends, all I did was sew. I hardly saw my husband, I never exercised, my house was a mess, and I never made time for anything else so sewing

secret crafty hobbies

2011-08-11T20:18:00.001-04:00

I have a secret. I <3 yarn crafts. Crochet and knitting are my private craft enjoyment. My great-grandma taught me to crochet when I was about thirteen and rekindled my interest in college (lack of space in a dorm room for a sewing machine!) A coworker my senior year saw me crocheting and asked if I wanted to learn to knit. Of course! So now I do both, although I still haven't gone much past

finally, my work is complete!

2011-08-07T18:48:00.000-04:00

Well, not everything. But I did finish a few WIP in the past few weeks. I've bought a TON of new fabric lately but I was waiting to post until I had a completed project to go with it. First, the fabric-y goodness! A few weekends ago I visited a local fabric shop that I absolutely adore called The Polka Dot Pincushion. How could I not be drawn to a store with the phrase "polka dot" in the name?!

new purse design

2011-07-07T12:10:00.001-04:00

I've created a new purse design that I'm confident will be a huge hit! This one was made for my best BFF ever D$, who is also my photographer hence the awesome photo. She loves red so I used sturdy red duck cloth, of course, for the exterior and straps. The bag zips closed and the bottom has a little bit of depth to it to hold all the necessities. The patterned sections on the front hide two

projects for my home

2011-06-04T10:03:00.000-04:00

Ok, I've been a little selfish lately. While I should be making new bags for my shop, I've been only sewing things for myself and for my home. But I can check items off my to-do list and that's always good! Here are some Nine-Patch Doorstops made using Oh, Fransson!'s tutorial: I made these because in the summertime we have problems with doors suddenly slamming shut due to the slightest breeze.

New Storage!

2011-05-28T18:52:00.000-04:00

This is my accomplishment for the day. I built this storage unit (well, maybe not built...but I had to use a screwdriver and a hammer!) and I organized my fabric and filled it up! I need to find things to fill the small cubbies though. This was the last of my patterned canvas to be put away. Red, orange, yellow and green all have space on my Ikea shelving but blue, brown, grey and black were just

my first completed quilt on my own!

2011-05-07T09:05:00.001-04:00

I had to throw that last bit in because when I was in high school, my grandma helped me to make a quilt for my full size bed. At the age of 16, when all I wanted to do was hang out with my first boyfriend and drive around in my very own car, I was forced to spend many hours hand quilting with my grandma. Of course I had no patience for it and gave up, but it was a nice quilt anyways. So onto my

quilts galore!

2011-05-03T18:44:00.000-04:00

Ok I have to admit I have been a little bit obsessed with quilts lately. I browse quilt blogs at work (during lunch only of course!!!), spend half my evening pairing up my stash fabrics for possible future quilts, and I have been slowly finishing a couple works in progress. Here is one quilt that made it to the end this weekend! This was a baby shower gift for someone at work. Can you tell it's

sigh

2011-04-18T17:28:00.000-04:00

It has been that kind of month. At least Key Lime Pie is just as delicious upside down, although considerably more difficult to eat. I am sad finishing off this particular pie though, it was purchased to eat on the last night hanging out with my awesome BFF before she moved over 400 miles away! And so this leftover pie signifies that she is already gone. So sad. Also a sad day for london purple

happy things

2011-03-19T18:13:00.002-04:00

What's been going on since my last post? Been doing some sewing, I have a couple awesome custom orders in progress. I haven't been able to sew as much as I'd like because I've got pneumonia. =( Hopefully I'm almost over it though. Some things that cheer me up... Hot chocolate on a cold day with tons of marshmallows! Sure to ease a sore throat. My goofy niece who just turned four and loves to

New Design - Kindle Case!

2011-02-06T09:57:00.000-05:00

My Christmas gift from Tom this year was a Kindle! Anyone who knows me would definitely agree this is a great gift because I love to read. We spent two weeks in Hawaii for our honeymoon and my biggest complaint was that I couldn't pack enough books because of the weight! I think this is what inspired him to get me the Kindle. Well anyways, it seemed so small and vulnerable in my purse and it

london purple is BACK!

2011-01-09T18:19:00.006-05:00

Whew it has been awhile! I had a busy 2010 crafting for my wedding, but with the new year I am ready to kick london purple into high gear! My sewing machine has been abuzz for the past few months, mostly making some gifts for friends and items for around the house. I've been playing around with patchwork and quilting, and I am excited to incorporate these techniques into some of my products this

I'm in the Spotlight!

2009-08-03T20:53:00.003-04:00

This week I'm being featured in the Spotlight on lillyella's blog! Make sure to check out the interview and enter for a chance to win a West End Clutch in the color of your choice!On a side note, sorry I've been absent from the blog lately. Usually I blog while eating lunch at work, and I've been so busy that I work straight through my lunch! Then I come home and sew all evening. It's good to be

Summer Shows!

2009-06-09T17:32:00.004-04:00

Just to let you all know, I'm going to be participating in the I Heart Handmade summer virtual craft show! It starts June 19th (that's next Friday!) and runs through July 11th! The best part is it's a virtual show, so anyone can shop for my bags and items from across the country in the comfort of their own home. Make sure to check it out, there's sure to be a ton of great sellers participating!

Mmm mmm mmm!

2009-06-07T18:52:00.004-04:00

That's all I have to say is mmmmmmmmmmmm! Today I was feeling particularly domestic, so I decided to do some baking! I really really love to bake. I may not like to cook, but I can be housewife-ly in other ways!I finally baked the oatmeal raisin cookies Tom has been asking for since like, Christmas. (By the way, for ease of typing I've decided to start calling the boyfriend Tom. This is not his

Sewing machine month!

2009-06-04T21:52:00.004-04:00

It's Sewing Machine Month over at Sew, Mama, Sew! so I thought I'd answer their questions and show you all what equipment I use to create all my bags! This is my *awesome* machine!Now for the questions...What brand and model do you have?A Kenmore Model 50, according to the manual. It even has a zigzag stitch! I also use a Singer Confidence 7463 sometimes, but I prefer my trusty old Kenmore.How

I can has kitteh?!

2009-06-03T22:10:00.006-04:00

I've been a little absent from my sewing machine lately, mostly because we got a new kitteh! His name is Daniel Striped Tiger (any fans of Mr. Rogers out there???) and he is the cutest but whiniest kitten in the entire world. Who can sew when there's a teeny little fuzzball giving me those big sad eyes and mewing at me to play?He's pretty small but he has extra big paws! That must be one of his

I got to meet Amy Butler!

2009-05-24T10:47:00.003-04:00

Ok it is horrendous that I have not blogged since May 5th. I guess two in a row just wiped me out or something. Actually, this month has been a whirlwind of activity and practically none of it involved sewing. Business trips to Texas (8 planes in 5 days, whew!), so busy at work I barely check my work email, spring cleaning and planting, etc etc. I did make two bags so far, both new designs! I

Crafting Food

2009-05-05T14:18:00.004-04:00

Blogging two days in a row? Why, that's unheard of! However, I felt inspired after reading this article on msn.com today.The article is about the cost effectiveness of making your own staple foods vs. buying them from the store. It has some really interesting results. I know one way to save money and eat healthier is to grow your own vegetables. It does take time and effort for sure, but it's so

I'm all a-Twitter!

2009-05-04T13:41:00.007-04:00

I've officially joined Twitter! It seems like it is easy and fast to update, so I hope I will keep up with this more than I have my blog. *feels guilty* Check it out at http://www.twitter.com/londonpurple!In bag news, I just have one more custom order to make and then I'm onto new stuff! I've slowed down my production a little bit in order to spend some more time with family and keep my sanity. I

Yay summer!

2009-04-25T22:31:00.008-04:00

Today was so beautiful, I hope this weather is here to stay! I have great ambitions for the landscaping/patio this summer. Last year we moved in to our house at the end of May, and we were so busy just trying to buy regular furniture that the outside of the house sort of got neglected. Well, I'm not much of a gardener anyways. Whatever the opposite of a green thumb is, that's what I've got! Must

End of the Weekend :(

2009-04-19T19:59:00.005-04:00

Sunday evening is such a sad time. I always feel like I never got enough done over the weekend, and I know work is starting up in less than 12 hours and that my sewing time will seriously decrease. Looking back I did make quite a bit of progress on my custom orders, knocked out 11 bags last week and three more today!We also visited the Shaker Square Farmer's Market on Saturday. I'm considering

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T19:19:00.004-04:00

Seems like I'm coming down with the flu so this will be short. I hope your holiday was relaxing and full of food, family and friends. I will leave you with some pictures of some delicious cupcakes I made and the baby enjoying her Easter basket treats!

Is it summer yet?

2009-04-08T22:58:00.005-04:00

As the snow on my front lawn melts, I'm already thinking about my summer line! I got some great fabrics in the other day that I plan on using for new prototypes. In the past I never really did seasonal lines, but I'm trying to be a bit more structured with color/pattern availability and introducing new styles. I will also phase out some of the less popular designs (although the names might be the

News + Fun Friday Links

2009-03-27T08:31:00.003-04:00

I am sad to say I have seriously neglected blogging over the past week. Not just posting but reading as well. I think that might be why I haven't been motivated to sew for the past couple days, no crafty inspiration from my favorite blogs! Part of it might be the massive amount of crazy sewing I did last week in preparation for my show (which turned out to be a general waste of time) and the

Pretty Linen Baskets

2009-03-17T22:04:00.002-04:00

I just got the book Zakka Sewing by Therese Laskey and I love it! The first project I tried was super easy, the linen baskets. They rate it "two buttons" out of three on the difficulty scale, but I think experienced sewers would find it very simple. The most difficult part for me was figuring out the decorative stitches on my new machine, which I had never used before. The baskets turned out so

Bag of Luck Giveaway!

2009-03-13T14:13:00.003-04:00

Instead of Friday Links, I'm promoting a giveaway I'm participating in as part of the Carried Away Etsy Team! Full rules are below, but basically you browse the member's shops hunting for hidden shamrocks or the phrase "bag of luck", and however many you find is how many entries you get for the various prizes. There are other ways to gain more entries, such as purchasing an item from one of the

Fabric Overload!

2009-03-12T11:33:00.006-04:00

I keep getting news of all these new fabrics and I'm so excited! Brain...can't...handle...it...all...Jessica Jones (my new favorite awesome designer!) is extending her Amusement Park Collection to include two more colorways and also a couple new designs! The original colorway is also coming back as "Candy" and will also be available in the new prints. "Spa" colorway "Earth" colorwayThis fabric

Finally some progress!

2009-03-10T13:15:00.003-04:00

Ok I lied about the Sunday shop update. But I did post three bags yesterday, and I will do two more tonight! The problem is just that I need to sleep at least a little bit. And apparently I don't do enough of that because I was waaaay too tired this morning.Well these 5 Charing Cross Slings were complete as of Saturday and my photographer came over Sunday to take these beautiful photos of them!

Fun Friday Links

2009-03-06T09:10:00.004-05:00

So I know I missed last week's link roundup. A mini business trip meant I was not at my computer until after 10:30pm, and with the car issues there was no time for internet browsing. But we're back this week with 5 fun links on this glorious springlike Friday!1. I'm sure children all over the country are rejoicing at this article on the most beneficial amount of homework - none!2. Via Craftster's

Scrappy projects!

2009-03-03T20:16:00.004-05:00

How cute are these "scrapbooks"? This project is from Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. What a great book, by the way. I love almost every project in there, although this is the first I have made. It's definitely my favorite book to flip through!I ordered 15 of these Moleskine books so there are more to come! I love reusing scraps and I sort mine by color, so it's easy for

The face of evil?

2009-03-01T20:04:00.005-05:00

Does this look evil to you? Mostly, it isn't. It's just a regular 2000 Focus ZX3 (hatchback) in a pleasant shade of autumn orange. Very spacious, handles nicely, and it's a stick shift, my favorite! There was a minor issue with the ignition last year (if you call $400 minor) but I've had it for about a year and a half with no huge problems...until the other day.Friday night, it just stopped

2009-02-25T15:03:00.002-05:00

So many unfinished projects in the shop right now...I feel bad for those 10 half sewn bags. They just get pushed aside when new ideas and custom orders come in. Please hang on just a few days longer, you will be completed soon I promise!What was preventing me from working on those bags? Two awesome but intense messenger bags I shipped out yesterday, a Chelsea tote (which will be wrapped up

Fun Friday Links

2009-02-20T13:16:00.002-05:00

I've decided to start doing some sort of link round-up on Fridays. Hopefully I can keep up and post every week! The links I choose might be news that I found interesting, crafty projects from around the interwebs, random humor or anything else I decide to put on here!1. Why monkeys freak me out.2. Beautiful pendant jewelry from RoughEdges on Etsy. I love pendants! They can come in such different

Ok let's recap

2009-02-17T12:31:00.002-05:00

So now we are (over) a month and a half into 2009. Where do I stand with my goals? Where do you stand with yours? I'll go first.1. Be healthier. Well I have to say I have exercised more frequently than in '08 but it's still not where I want to be. I think I've actually gained weight. This is mostly due to a batch of fudge that I made and finished off in record time. We work out together now,

Chelsea Handbag Revamped

2009-02-10T12:52:00.003-05:00

Another new design! For some reason I can't stop creating, even though I should finish the bags I have already started sewing for my shop. On Saturday the boyfriend and I were shopping at the mall and I just had to duck into the Coach store. Not that I would ever buy a Coach purse (since I have my own designer handbags!) but I like to keep up on current trends. This visit encouraged me to make

Indulgence

2009-02-03T12:48:00.004-05:00

Ok so I really can no longer justify buying new clothes and accessories, especially frivolous ones. Why? I work in a chemical plant. I wear jeans and a t-shirt to work then change into a uniform. Or, I just wear my casual clothes to work and pray they don't get dirty. So I own a pair of black dress pants, grey dress pants, short black heels and high black heels just in case I have to go on a

Tutorial for Fabric Mail Sorter

2009-01-29T20:39:00.012-05:00

Yesterday my hanging mail holder design, posted here on Craftster, made it onto the CRAFT magazine blog! Since I’ve gotten several requests for a tutorial here goes! I actually made two organizers last night, one just like the original (brown/purple) and one smaller (tan) for those who are short on horizontal wall space. There is no extra space between the edge of the pocket and the binding. The

New bags!

2009-01-27T22:24:00.005-05:00

Here is the Westminster Handbag, based on the ever popular Westminster Tote. I love the way this bag turned out! It was a lot of work though. I'm not sure if that's because I was making two at once or because of all the pieces and stiff interfacing. I'll just have to make another and see! Isn't this pink Jessica Jones fabric perfect for spring? This bag uses Ikea fabric that I bought earlier in

Weekend Activities

2009-01-25T21:53:00.005-05:00

Once again, an old addiction rears its ugly head and consumes half of my evening before I even realize! I even think about it at work. What am I talking about? Internet games! Mah-jong tiles, word games, the "adventure games" with storylines, I can't help it, I just love them all. The game that has had me enthralled since last Tuesday is Diner Dash 2.This game and others definitely contributed to

Creative Endeavors

2009-01-22T21:02:00.007-05:00

There has been lots of work going on in my sewing room lately! I don't even have photos of it all. Unfortunately I gave my photographer my flu so all I have are some not so great in progress photos of my Charing Cross Slings, and no pictures of the Big Ben or Westminster Tote I finished! I still have the tote so hopefully I can get in some good shots before delivery this weekend.Well here are the

Sick = No fun

2009-01-18T09:30:00.001-05:00

Wow I guess I've just been updating every weekend, but really I meant to do it more often! I've had the flu for a week now, been really sick since Wednesday though. I mean like missing work sick. There's no need to go into all the phlegmy details. Someone told me this strain of flu that's going around is resistant to the flu shot. I was counting on that to get me through the winter! Finally

Winter Wonderland!

2009-01-11T00:53:00.000-05:00

When we woke up this morning, there was so much snow! We must have gotten at least a foot. It's beautiful outside. We admired it for awhile until we realized - the driveway needed shoveled! Of course it was cold and still snowing so our clothes got all wet and our arms are tired, but it's pretty good exercise at least!I can't wait to babysit my niece tomorrow so we can play in the snow together.

Ikea love :)

2009-01-04T20:12:00.000-05:00

Ahh Ikea. My favorite store! It's really too bad the closest one is 2 hours away in Pittsburgh...or is that a good thing? Probably 90% of our furniture is Ikea. So anyways, I have a custom order that uses Ikea fabric and the piece I had was too short, so the boyfriend and I made an emergency road trip to PA yesterday. Of course I got plenty of other fabrics too! There are some exciting new ideas

Yay for 2009!

2009-01-02T13:44:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! Although I signed up for this blog in September, obviously I've been a bit lazy with my posting. But, it's a new year so I thought I'd give this a whirl.I'd better introduce myself. I'm Brittany, I'm 23 and I'm from the greater Cleveland area. I recently started my own business, london purple! Basically I was accumulating quite a fabric stash (and a finished product stash