Slash and Burn

I'm teaching a class today that features mock patchwork.  We'll be layering 15" squares of fabric, marking a grid, sewing on either side of each grid line, and then slashing on the line to make some fun chenille accents.  Then, we'll cut away four of the nine top-layer squares to make the block look pieced.  It seems appropriate to use a slash cutter the day before Halloween!  When you're using a slash or chenille cutter, remember that the blade is exceptionally sharp, and the cutter can slip.  So use steady, firm, even forward pressure--you don't need too much--and start each cut with a snip from your little sharpie scissors.  This will help prevent a jackrabbit start that can lead to slashed seamlines!

Snow!

The first flakes of the season fell last night--a cold rainy, snowy mix.  There's no accumulation, but the cold front did give us the first real hard frost of the year.  Every blade of grass was sparkling early this morning.  But tomorrow's weather is the big story--an early nor'easter is expected to dump a significant snowfall.  The National Weather Service warning sounds pretty dire.  The snow is supposed to be wet and heavy, which means power-outage and tree-downage potential!  Stay safe, East Coasters!

Getting Ready for the Dance!

I wanted to add a new bag to my line.  I knew that I wanted a bag that was very functional, and I knew it had to be beautiful. But how about a bag that could do double duty? And that's how Devon was born. Definitely a handbag, sometimes a small tote, Devon is designed with today's modern woman in mind. Devon features a center padded zipper pocket sized specifically for tablet computers. Two large flat interior pockets hold the rest of your necessities:  your cell phone keys, anything else you carry every day. But sometimes you just need a little more room. Devon is deep almost 4 inches deep, and the padded center pocket is removable with heavy duty snaps that keep it in place when you need it and make it easy to remove when you don't. But don't think Devon is all work and no play. An innovative bead-and-ring closure is functional and fun. Devon also has the features you've come to expect from a Bucklebee bag.  It has enough structure to retain its sleek shape next to the body and stays trim no matter what you put inside. And of course, sumptuous fabrics, unexpected prints and happy pops of color that have become the Bucklebee hallmark are there as well. Devon is ideal for travel.

Look for this great new addition to our line at bucklebee.etsy.com on Friday!

Devon's center padded pocket fits all iPads, the Kindle Fire, all popular eReaders, and most other tablet computers less than 11 inches in length.

Freshman Mixer

People have asked me how I decide how which prints to mix when I'm constructing bags.  There's no easy answer to that.  Most often, I just start pulling fabric from the shelf and the right combination just jumps out at me.  It looks and feels right.  Sometimes, it's not that easy.  I try to pick up a color tone or a motif shape if I can.  If the bag has a theme--a western print, for instance--I try to find a lining that echoes that theme without being too cute.  I avoid "matchy-matchy" to quote Heidi Klum.  I'd rather have a totally  mismatched lining that's a fabulous fabric on its own than something expected.  I want you to look inside your bag and smile. 

To answer another question:  Yes, my zipper color choices are random 98% of the time.