Bags of fun!

Once again I have got behind on the blogging. Oh dear. But I have a couple of excuses... one which is work related and I cannot share quite yet, and the other is that I have managed to injure my sewing machine driving foot! I have a swollen tendon on my right foot which has led to 2 weeks of lying down (not as much fun as it sounds....) and not much creative work being done. I have been walking with a stick which meant getting up the two flights of stairs to my studio was a definite no-no!

However, I am now on the mend, and it was the 4th birthday of my niece Kiah this weekend, so I forced myself to hobble upstairs and make her something special. Last birthday I made her a quilt, and at Christmas I finished my first attempt at a dress (which was a little big at the time but she seemed to love). So what this year? Well what does every well dressed young lady need - a handbag! But not just any bag... how about a bag with her own face on it!

I recently visited a craft show at the NEC and was given a sample of a new fabric product that allowed you to print from your printer straight onto the fabric, and simple iron it to heat fix it! No messy goo or letting things soak over night. The fabric has a paper backing and is ready to go straight into your printer. So I thought I would give it a go!

The product is called InkRedible and is due to be released later in the year, so you cant get your grubby little paws on it yet (I only managed to scrounge 2 sheets!).

I used PhotoShop to blur the background of a picture I took of Kiah at Christmas (sporting the headband I made her to go with the dress).

I then printed it onto the paper backed fabric and ironed it to heat fix it. Then I peeled of the backing and was ready to go!

I made the rest of the bag up with 5 pink fabrics (because every 4 year old with any style adores pink... apparently...).

I used the messenger style bag because it is easy to make, and easy for little hands to open (no need for zips!). So we had a large version of the picture on the front of the bag, and 3 small versions on the back.

 The inside is of course pink too....

It is not truly reversible because I have used a magnetic clasp on the inside, but one can still enjoy the pink fantabulousness every time you open it!

As Kiah is only 4 and, as all little ladies must, she will soon grow,  I wanted to make the length of the straps adjustable. At this point my ingenuity had deserted me, but Angela of Art & Stitch suggested the use of buttons and, voila, we have adjustable straps!

So today was the day to deliver the present. Kiah had a big party, but was allowed to open Aunty Sarah's present early because all the rest will be opened when she gets home tonight. (and I wouldn't be there!) She loved it, and much as I dislike pink, I was loathe to part with it as she is just so darn cute!

So Happy Birthday beautiful!