Saturday, February 6, 2016

The Stockholm Bag - Pattern Testers Wanted!

I'm so in love with this bag! It turned out exactly how I had envisioned it. Which actually is highly unusual, normally most of my original ideas develop a lot during the creation process, and turn into something differing more or less from the original plan as I move along. However, Stockholm was such a good baggy and stayed it's course to the end <3

The beautiful focus fabric is from the Moonshine line by Tula Pink, the print is called "Lantern". The fake leather is "pre quilted" and comes from Ohlssons Tyger & Stuvar in Sweden, but Fabric.com has similar ones if you're curious =)



Backside, simple with just a small zippered pocket. Please pardon the stains on the left, I'd just put on lotion when I took these photos but didn't realise it left a residue until I saw them big now *lol*

I don't have any great inside pictures yet but it's simple, with a zippered pocket in the lining and a couple of open pockets on the other side. More photos will come! =) The turquoise lining fabric is a Bella Solid, however, I can't recall the exact name, I'm sorry.


Size comparison with the Daytona Bag =)


Pattern Testers Wanted! Edit: - Pattern tested and finished, available here.
Now I'm looking for a couple of more pattern testers to add to my awesome group of lovely testers, it's fun and easy to make, a fancy beginners pattern really =)

If you're interested in test sewing this pattern for me, make sure it contains no inaccuracies, check my spelling and grammar (as English isn't my first language ;) )  and let me know if anything is unclear or hard to understand? I would like a few testers for both the English version and the Swedish version.

If you would like to test the pattern, I would like to ask you that you have time to make, comment on the pattern and photograph the bag before February 16th. I'm very sorry about the short timeframe, however, I need it tested before it goes to the printer on the 17th =)

The english pattern is ready for testing on Sunday, the Swedish one should hopefully be done Monday, Tuesday at the latest. As soon as it's finished, I'll email it to you so if you're interested in testing the pattern, you should have sewing and preferably some bag making experience. Please email me at maria@pinkponydesign.com with a short description of your sewing experience or link to your blog or photo sharing site if you have one (or just attach a photo of some things you've sewn in the email). You if you're approved, you'll be added to my pattern tester group on Facebook where we can discuss the testing progress and share photos with other testers =)

All pattern testers will of course get the finished pattern for free, as well as my eternal gratitude and two of my other patterns of their choice as a thank you. <3




And I'm so ridiculously excited, the one and only, Tula Pink herself shared my bag on Instagram! <3 If I have any non-quilters reading, that's like having the queen praise your work =)

Without a doubt the coolest thing ever in my sewing career! =D Look at all those likes and her super sweet comments! How insanely cool isn't that!?! 




This is also my first finish for the 2016 Finish Along! Here's my first post about it: A new bag in the works.


Wednesday, January 20, 2016

The much requested: Fancy Folded Star Pillow Pattern!

If there's one question I've been sent more emails about than anything else, it's if I could possibly make a pillow version of the Fancy Folded Star Potholder tutorial. And I've been meaning to do so for ages, but you know how it goes, other things get in the way and boom! Suddenly 4 years have passed! ;D

But better late then never right? So here it is! It's available on Craftsy here!


This pillow is so much fun to make! And it's the perfect gift for the person who has "everything" =)



Linking up with awesome Lorna over at SewFreshQuilts for Let's Bee Social! =)

Sew Fresh Quilts

Sunday, January 17, 2016

A Facebook Page!

I'm super excited to invite you to my brand new Facebook Page


I realise not everyone is a fan of Instagram, or maybe you like both, either way, you can now find Pink Pony Design on Facebook too! =D

I will share what's going on over there too, so you can now easily follow what's happening here, both behind the scenes and on it =)



On another note, my Stockholm Bag is coming along very nicely! Love the whimsical Tula Pink print with the stylish black! <3 And that metal "handmade" sign is really just perfect! Love it!


Bought the sign over at U-Handbag, who managed to get my order to me from the UK to Malta in 3 days, super impressive!

Saturday, January 16, 2016

A New Bag in the Works!

Sometimes you just need an extra kick in the butt to get working on a project right? I found the 2016 Finish-A-Long to be the perfect such kick, or, should we call it inspiration? ;) I decided on two projects for this, which hopefully should be doable.

I've been sketching on a new bag, namely a bag I can use when going to Stockholm. I needed a bigger bag with room for a sweater or a thick scarf, while still not too big to lug around all day while out on the town =) So the working name will be the "Stockholm Bag".

This is the sketch I settled on, a simple but stylish design with big pockets and not too much fuss, as us Scandinavians as you know, usually like the stripped down, simple but stylish, and that is just how I wanted this bag to be.


I've been pulling fabrics for nearly a week now, going back and forth, changing my mind a million times and more, but now I've finally decided on this pre-quilted fake leather and some Tula Pink, you can't go wrong with Tula right? ;D


The turquoise is actually a perfect match with the turquoise in the Tula print, however, it did really not photograph like that for some reason... I was actually inspired by my pattern tester for the Daytona Bag, Cate Sjöman to use the pre-quilted fabric =)



I also have another project in the works, one that has been a WIP turned UFO since 2014 to my great shame!

I got this adorable tiny charm pack by my mother, here. And it never got further due to my strong dislike for hand sewing... But now I decided that it will be done before Valentines day and I started working on it again. It'll be a table runner.


So, both of these projects are on my list for the 2016 Finish-A-Long! 

So much fun this! Can't wait to see everyones finishes! =D
There's still a 13 hours left to join if you haven't already! 


Thursday, January 14, 2016

A Pink Pony Zipper Card Pouch!

I made myself a card holder from some of the lovely Tula Pink scraps I got from the super sweet @sewtiffany on Instagram, in the #getyourquiltywishesgranted event <3

I chose to combine my Nightshade scraps around the Pink Pony Design fabric I ordered of Spoonflower a while back, and it matched beautifully! So did the Michael Miller Cotton Couture solid. The pattern is from Craft Passion. I'm not 100% happy with this, the corner was darn near impossible to get nice (I only managed "acceptable"), the instructions where at times a little unclear and hard to follow, and I had to really zoom in on the photos to try to understand what I was supposed to do. As I actually tried to follow the pattern this once *lol*



The bulky visible seams takes up a lot of space. Also, the little fold that allows the bag to open up, tends to catch in the zipper when opening it. However, they have posted a new version of the pattern which shouldn't have these issues, but it involved a lot of hand sewing - so it wasn't for me ;)


Front:

The back, lovely big Nightshade scrap <3

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

The Craftsy Mystery Bundles

Some of you have contacted me about the Craftsy Mystery bundles I purchased before Christmas, and I'm finally back in Malta and have unpacked them =)

They where as I suspected not many "feature prints" or "focus prints" or what we should call them (you know what I mean, the pretty racoon print in Tula's Acacia line for example) but more of the fillers and blenders, which are absolutely great to have! But greedy me would have loved one or two more focus prints, and more pink, always more pink ;)

The Joel Dewberry Bundle!


The Tula Pink Bundle!



They came pre-packed from Freespirit actually to my surprise.


I was overall happy with my bundles, and I'm sure I'll make good use of them =)

On a side note, I took my newest pair of boots (oh how I love after christmas sales!) out for a spin for lunch today in the sun. And my original Bring The Basics Bag was just begging to be matched with them, so as I didn't need to bring a lot, it got to come along =)

Please forgive the poor photo quality, cellphone photo. 

Friday, January 8, 2016

Presenting: Daytona Bag Pattern!

I'm so very excited to finally be able to release this pattern! It's such a fantastic bag, so professional looking (if I may say so myself ;) ) and so much fun to make! I'm already itching to make a summer version!

Despite its relative small size, it has so much interior space! And the zippered divider pocket is fantastic, as it makes the interior split up and your things so easy to find. And it's perfect for holding passports and boarding passes when you fly, I just tried it :)

The exterior is made with just a single fat quarter, so its a great way to use that favourite fat quarter you've been saving for a chance to really display it.

Pattern available HERE on Craftsy!


And for those wondering, yes, the exterior is made with the same fabric I used as a focus fabric for the Circles of Time Table Runner =)

It matches one of my favourite pairs of boots perfectly! <3


Don't they look great together? ^^ You can read more about the first version (the black one) here.



It's fits so much more then you'd think, the iPad with cover fits nicely, or a pocket book, however I naturally forgot to bring both for this photo session  =)




Thank you!

I want to give a big shout out to my wonderful pattern testers! They did amazing work, corrected issues, helped me with spelling and grammar, made fantastic versions of the bag with and without tweaks and personalisation. Please enjoy these beauties!

By Anne Verberckmoes - She made her divider pocket 2" shorter then in the pattern (like suggested in the pattern step 22) and got this lovely result! That pink plaid is just so stunning!



By Cate Sjöman - You can find her blog here. Who made note one but two bags, one basic and one really cool over the shoulder version too! Love the use of the pre-quilted fabrics here, such a cool look!





By Jennifer MacWilliams - You can find her on Instagram: @thisgirlissewdestructive and on Facebook. She also made her divider pocket 2" shorter for the equally gorgeous tucked in sides look, such happy colors, lovely!  I also love her use of rivets for the handles and the side tucks. =)





By Saar Mertens - Made a lovely all black version with a lovely, contrasting red inside! Love the black zippers contrasting so nicely against the red.



By Noor Raats - She made a gorgeous brown and mustard one, it's so classy on the outside, but so happy and colorful on the inside, I love bags like this! Look at all the lovely little details, like the matching  fabrics and the little lace zipper!




By Jill Dalrymple - She made this lovely Tula Pink version, I love her fabric choices, as a big Tula fan myself it was right up my alley =) I am so involve with the moss green vinyl, I had to pick some up myself when I was in Sweden. she left her sides un-pinched, and that's a great look too!


By Gun Ottosson -  She made her great bag from a thin home dec fabric with books on (such a lovely choice says book lover me) and fake leather, and I love her choice for decor hardware, such a nice addition.





Thank you lovely ladies, your work was so very appreciated!

Linking up with SewFreshQuilts:


Sew Fresh Quilts

And with Crazy Mom Quilts for the very aptly named "Finish it up Friday" linkup =)