Large Pouches

Hello again, 

Here is my report from my DIY Block Print experiment. Verdict: I LOVE IT! I am ordering more wooden blocks and can't wait to make more! 

Many asked me if the color stays after washing. I tried washing a small piece and the color stayed. The thing is you have to follow the manufacturer's instructions. I waited for 24 hrs before start ironing the fabric.  Yes, good things come to those who wait, Bon Jovi said so :D. 

So what did I make? 

I made one large pouch with the red floral one and I really love how it turned out. Even my boys loved it! The rest are all ready to sew but after I finish a couple of custom orders. 

This time I am using my metal zipper. I always feel wary to sew with metal zipper, but I think maybe I just lack practice. After a couple of pouches (scroll down for more photos), I can confidently sew metal zipper without breaking my needle. 

  

The above photo is to show the approximate dimension of the pouch. The phone is 6.5" phone and all those fit in nicely into the large pouch. 

Isn't that great, I mean we always need a pouch, small one, medium one, a large one, quilted, waterproof, cute, etc. I always picked up a few pouches whenever I travel as a gift and keepsake. And everyone loves it. More so if it's handmade, right? 

So, the past few days, I've been making few pouches using different of material and they all turned out unique and beautiful. I used heavy interfacings for these pouches and love the result. The pouch feels sturdy and you can carry it as a clutch, like when you go out for lunch or going for an errand. 

The yellow pouch is made using kalamkari mud cloth fabric. I prewashed the fabric and really love the vintage look of it. 

This chevron fabric is one of my faves. Sometimes I feel that fabric also has its own destiny. Just like this one. The Chevron Pouch has 2 different print on each side. 

The above brown Ajrakh pouch is another story. The fabric was a gift from my facebook friend, Madhu Mathur of Betukbandi, when I visited her in Jaipur.  She is one talented lady, I really admire her quilts and quilting innovations. Really inspiring. I am so happy to finally able to use it. I still have few more of the fabrics with different prints. Can't wait to use them!! 

Stay tuned for more pouches from my Indian Fabrics collection. Sometimes, you don't need a fancy pattern to turn your fabrics into a pretty pouch. Let the print speaks for itself! And making simple pouches can be a skill-building project for a beginner. I really recommend it. Don't be afraid to make mistake and experiment with new materials. 

Until then,

Happy Sewing

Linky Party: Bagmaker Tuesday on Sotak Handmade

Block Print DIY

Hello,

Do you remember this song?

"Celebrate don't you wait, never hesitate

Celebrate while you still got time

Celebrate, yeah it's great, do it right away

Turn your back it's celebration time"

Well, today I decided I will try the block printing!! Afterall I got the wooden blocks and fevicryl fabric paints a few months ago. 

I saw this tutorial on youtube (it's in Hindi) and decided to try it. And I did! 

So, here's few things I learned:

1. First, soak the wooden blocks in a cooking oil. She suggested til ka tel a.k.a sesame oil. I used whatever  I have in the kitchen. she suggested to soak overnight, I soaked for about 3 hours or so. 

2.  While the wooden blocks are being soaked,  wash the fabric that you are going to use. I used linen, the lady in the video used mulmul or voile cotton. 

After the fabric dried up ironed it nicely. I used layers of newspaper and flannel fabric as a base and laid out my piece of fabric there.

3. Now, take one kitchen scrubber, the sponge one, and a small plate to mix the colors. Transfer the paints onto the sponge. Wipe the wooden block with a paper towel first then press it onto the sponge and start stamping. One at a time. 

And here is the result.

 I love this bicycle print. 

 The Ship and Bell, more or less the same size as the bicycles. 

and I love the red florals and bells here. 

Now, I have to wait for 24 hours before I can sew them into something pretty. A wallet, sling bag, or maybe a pouch? 

If you ask where do I get the wooden block from? I bought it from Amazon India. There are lots of sellers who sell them in a set of few pieces. I think I am going to buy one more set. It's kind of fun. I will let you know how it is after 24 hrs. Subscribe to my blog if you don't want to miss the post. 

Yes, it's a small achievement today that worth celebrating. 

It was not perfect but then that's the beauty of handmade, right?

Until then,

Happy Diwali!!