Purse « Jane Sassaman Ideas Blog

Archive for the ‘Purse’ Category

Awesome Autumn

Monday, October 31st, 2016

It has been a spectacular autumn this year. The colors have been grand and seem to get more dramatic every day. So my next few posts will be a celebration of this wonderful time of year with the assistance of some of my FreeSpirit fabrics.

Leaf Dance is a collection that was designed for this season and inspired by the nature that surrounds me. This area of Illinois is noted for its Oak Savannas. These powerful clusters of magnificent trees are sprinkled generously throughout my daily routes. Our own property has several kinds of oaks, but mostly red oak, which is the basis of this leafy fabric design.

Our Pretty Perfect Pocket Purse is the featured pattern. I must have made a dozen of these practical purses over the years for different collections and it is the bag that I use everyday. Sometimes we trim them with rick rack, sometimes with felt beads, but for this version we added a crocheted ball trim. It mimicked the turquoise bees nicely.

I always line my bags with a light bright color so it is easier to find things inside. Triple Dots, Triangles and Color Bars are also from the Leaf Dance collection, Golden colorway. I love the mix of patterns. And, of course, the topstitching is done with Sew Sassy thread!

We have more Leaf Dance projects to share, so stay tuned!

Posted in accessories, BERNINA, Leaf Dance, Purse | 1 Comment »

Embroidery for Summer Sewing

Tuesday, June 28th, 2016

Welcome back to the Ideas Blog! It has been a very busy spring of teaching and travel, but now I have some time in the studio to catch up on lots of projects. There is so much going on here and I want to share some of it with all of you!

First of all, did you know that my friends, the HoopSisters, have digitized some of my designs for machine embroidery? These talented gals have taken some FreeSpirit fabric designs and turned them into charming motifs for stitching. They are formatted to work on any contemporary embroidery machine. So the BERNINA has been working overtime!

Here are two new outfits that have been embellished with designs from the Enchanted Embroideries collection. Each jumper has big practical pockets decorated with Sassaman posies… very feminine and very chic. As a little surprise, the pockets have been lined with the original fabric from which the embroideries were inspired.

This pretty little purse was decorated with designs from the Prairie Chic Embroidery collection. Plus we have added decorative stitches to the strap, as well. The sewing pattern is my Pretty Perfect Pocket Purse. So you can see what potential these have for other projects like linens, napkins and housewares of all kinds. I would love to see how you use them, too.

These designs are on a DVD and available in my store. If you would prefer a downloadable version, please visit the HoopSisters website.

Posted in accessories, BERNINA, Embroidery, HoopSisters, Purse | 1 Comment »

Prairie Chic Pocket Purse

Monday, April 6th, 2015

We are making tiny steps toward the greening of our world everyday. Although the landscape is still pretty beige, there are little points of color peeking through the layers of dead leaves and debris. It is an inspiring time of year!

But, as always, it is a riot of color in the Sassaman studio. Here is one of the latest projects to be made with the current Prairie Chic collection for FreeSpirit. This is also my Pretty Perfect Pocket Purse pattern. We must have made this bag a dozen times with different fabrics and it always turns out beautifully even though the attitude changes. This version definitely has the spirit of FUN about it!

And notice the hand embroidered details… little french knots, running stitches and more. I think this folk art style is perfect for casual use and would be excellent to wear with jeans and an embroidered denim jacket.

Of course, we could not resist adding sassy felt dingle-balls!

The back and strap are made of red denim and hand stitched with Sew Sassy 12 weight threads. This could also be done by machine, depending on your schedule and level of patience. Dingle-balls are also used as the zipper pull.

We used a nice bright lining so it will be easier to find stuff inside. Plus this Wild Wiggles fabric just makes you chuckle and kind of rounds out the whole “happy” concept. Next week we will show you the same pattern made with an entirely different theme and technique, so stay tuned!

Posted in accessories, Embroidery, flowers, Prairie Chic, Purse, Wearables | 4 Comments »

Back to Business

Thursday, June 6th, 2013

Dad is doing great with his new knee and Mom has her husband back home again! So I am back home again, too, and catching-up in the studio. Luckily it has been a rainy week, ideal for nesting and sorting indoors. The landscape has exploded with green over my month’s absence. As always, each year brings new strengths and struggles in the yard. This season the irises are putting on the best show ever and the ferns seem to be twice as big.

The rainy weather also made an ideal time to photograph our new Early Birds umbrella. It is made from the “Classic 28″ Umbrella” kit from Umbrella Joan. Joan provides the frame-work and the instructions and we supplied the laminated lemon Curlicues fabric from the Early Birds line. It is a real treat to see the fabric used in such an ideal project. Notice the kaleidoscope created by the fussy-cut wedges.

Since red and yellow are one of my favorite color combinations, we added a fine red edge of thread for a surprise finish.

Susan’s purse is made from our Pretty Perfect Pocket Purse Pattern. The front panel is one of the new Wild Child designs called Flower Fiesta, as is the Sassy Stripe at the top. The blue fabric is African and from my stash. I’ve always loved it for the fat threads woven through it and it goes wonderfully with denim, our “go-to” country wear.

All the new Wild Child designs come in three colorways Red, Blue and Pink. Here you can see the folk-art inspired Flower Fiesta pattern in its other versions. To see all the other Wild Child fabrics go to FreeSpirit. We have lots of projects to share as we roll out the new collection so stay tuned as we get back to business this month.

Posted in accessories, Early Birds, Purse, Wild Child | 2 Comments »

Who is the Winner?

Monday, March 26th, 2012

Here in the Midwest and probably anywhere in the States the weather is a month ahead of itself. Even the lilacs are beginning to bloom. Its wonderful, but a little disturbing, too. There are weeds we have never seen before spreading over the lawn. Their little seeds must have lain dormant for ages just waiting for the right conditions to sprout. It must be my Iowa roots that keeps me waiting for the inevitable spring snow storm to even the score.

But you have to rejoice when the daffodils come out! They seem to be the most optimistic and refreshing of all the spring flowers. So here they set the scene for some equally enthusiastic little bags. They are made from our Pretty Perfect Pocket Purse pattern and some of the Early Birds fabrics.

The wonderful details show nicely in this photograph. The pocket is lined with the daffodil yellow Curlicue fabric and outlined with mint green rick rack. The long hand stitches add to the one-of-a-kind sensibility.

The top and back panels are decorated with a fancy machine stitch in variegated colored thread. The body is made with the Berry Patch Border fabric in the plum colorway and quilted in a scalloped pattern with top stitching thread.

We chose different quilting stitches for this Pocket Purse variation. I love how the pink rick rack sets off the blue lining. The happy Strawberry Serenade fabric in blueberry makes the body of the purse. Again there is variegated thread to ornament the top and back panels. Both bags have a felt bead as a zipper pull and some fun trim.

On the left we used common ball fringe and for the other we added a row of confetti colored felt beads. Perfect accessories to celebrate spring.

This is another wonderful bag pattern using the Early Birds fabric. Look at all those pockets!!! A lot of thought and engineering has gone into this marvelous Studio Kat design. This looks like the ideal traveling bag, as you can use each unit individually or combine them into a single bag. The green lining also makes it easy to see what’s inside. Bravo! It is great to see the fabric put to such good use!

And finally, thanks to all of you who left comments this week. It is encouraging to know you are all out there! The winner of the drawing is lucky Martha Lorshbaugh of New York state. Congratulations!

Posted in accessories, Early Birds, flowers, Purse | 4 Comments »

Who is the Winner?

Monday, March 26th, 2012

On the left we used common ball fringe and for the other we added a row of confetti colored felt beads. Perfect accessories to celebrate spring.

Posted in accessories, Early Birds, flowers, Purse | 4 Comments »

Jack Frost Arrives

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

This week we had our first sprinkling of snow and the chill felt blistering. The scarves, hats, gloves and boots were put into service. I had many good work hours in the studio, but it has been hard to adjust to it getting dark so early.

For this weeks “show and tell” I’m keeping with the holiday color theme. Here are two purses made with the Pretty Perfect Pocket Purse pattern. This is the purse design that I use everyday. It’s just big enough for everything I need. These are both featuring fabrics from the new Early Birds collection. Above is the Primrose Posy and the Poka Dots, both in the Strawberry colorway accented with yellow rick rack, red ball fringe and felt balls on the zipper pull. Both bags were made by my quilting buddy Juanita Whiting.

The extra little details make all the difference. The primroses have been free-motion quilted and there is hand stitching around the pocket and top band. She has also enhanced the black fabric with a simple, but very effective, machine embroidery stitch done on the “to die for” Bernina 830. The back of the bag is also black and covered with the same embroidery.

This pattern is fun because the front panel is like a little quilt that you can embellish any way you’d like.
This version uses Prairie Poppy with gentle echo quilting with top-stitching thread. The pocket lining is made with the lime Curlicue design. Ball fringe adds to it’s optimistic attitude.

This time we chose a hand dyed green cotton for the top band and back. Juanita used a variegated thread for the machine embroidery detail. Again the hand stitches really give this little bag some class. Wonderful workmanship!

So this is your little dash of seasonal color from the Sassaman studio this week. Next week we hope to feature the Christmas tree decorated with a few Early Bird ornaments.

Thank you, too, to everyone who put in your scarf vote over at the Dragon Threads blog. Looks like the Spiderweb design was the big winner.

Posted in accessories, Dragon Threads, Early Birds, Purse, Wearables | 4 Comments »

Jack Frost Arrives

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

So this is your little dash of seasonal color from the Sassaman studio this week. Next week we hope to feature the Christmas tree decorated with a few Early Bird ornaments.

Thank you, too, to everyone who put in your scarf vote over at the Dragon Threads blog. Looks like the Spiderweb design was the big winner.

Posted in accessories, Dragon Threads, Early Birds, Purse, Wearables | 4 Comments »

Back to Basics- Three Days Without POWER!

Friday, July 15th, 2011

Oh my, what a week! I had big plans and lots to accomplish, too. So I set out early Monday morning to hit the gym and begin the week energized. A good girl! As soon as I drove off our road and onto the highway the storm began. It was wild! The wind and rain came straight and hard from the west. Leaves were flying through the air. The screaming weather warning came over the radio. But I couldn’t turn around for home because the wind was blowing at my back… I would be driving right into the storm.

So I waited out the weather at the gym. Finally things tamed down enough to run a few errands. When I got to Starbucks it was packed. “What’s up?” I asked. I was told that all these people were without power. Too bad, I thought, not knowing that our house was without electricity, too.

So for three days we lived like the pioneers. Greg was quite enjoying himself… hauling water and ice, clearing the fridge, collecting flashlights, lighting candles. I’m afraid I wasn’t as enthusiastic… no computer, no sewing machine, not to mention the toilet situation. But I will admit it was nice to have a valid excuse to take a little technological break. But everything is up and running now, at least at our house and we’re getting back to business. Thank you to all the crews who worked around the clock to make it “light” again!!

So, this blog is brought to you with a little help from my friends. Melissa Peda comes to the rescue again! Here is a pretty little pastel bag made from the Garden Diva fabrics. She has cut the fabric to exploit the symmetrical design. But it is the covered button and closure loop that add the pizazz. It is lined with the same pink fabric as the strap and middle band. Please visit her Etsy shop to see more delightful creations.

This is another of Melissa’s recent Garden Diva projects. The kaleidoscope pillow is nicely trimmed with the refreshing green Willow Wand fabric. The simple checked baby quilt is so feminine. Notice the purple backing and the green dotted binding, both from the Sunshine and Shadow line. What a wonderful combination! Thanks, as always, Melissa for your energy and your style.

Hopefully, this week I can start again with that “to do” list!