Patchwork – Another baby blanket

January 21, 2018 by nadel&gabel

Another newborn – another baby blanket. This time the idea I had in my mind was a clear, yet colourful blanket out of geometric shapes, patched together. So I went through my stash of fabrics, layed out different options, rearranged them again … until I was satisfied. I worked in blocks that I – step by step – put together. I also added some topstiching in corresponding colours. The patchworked front then was complemented with a light, but cuddly cotton […]

Categories: accessories, At the sewing machine, children • Tags: baby, blanket, color, elefant, geometric, gift, handmade, molleton, mustard, newborn, patchwork, present, quilting cotton, scrap, sewing, topstiching

My ‘Summer of Basics’

August 3, 2017 by nadel&gabel

During the last summer weeks – although (or because?) they were packed with a lot of work – I found some time in between for some sewing and lately as well knitting. The “Summer of Basics” proclaimed by Karen from Fringe Supply Co. together with (among others) Jen from Grainline Studio – two of my favourite resources and sources of inspiration – gave me the last push to sew not only small pouches, bags etc. but also again some clothes for me […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, craft & DIY, garment, knitting • Tags: basics, closet, comfy, grainline studio, handmade, knitting, linen, minimal, pants, sewing, shirt, signature, stripes, summer, T-Shirt, tee, top, trousers, wardrobe, yarn

Neat – Knitting needle book

July 16, 2017 by nadel&gabel

You may have recognized on Instagram that there has been a lot of knitting going around here lately. I was taught knitting by my grandmother, actually both of my grandmothers were knitters. They especially perfectionated sock knitting. When they died some years ago I inherited – among some other things like a recipe note book – some of their knitting needles. They build the base of my collection of needles that keeps growing. Growing step by step, cause as much […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, craft & DIY, crocheting, knitting, wallets & pouches • Tags: book, canvas, case, community, crochet hook, designers, interchangeables, knitpro, knitting, magazine, maker, needle, roll, sewing, storage, store, supplies, tools, tutorial, yarn

Well equipped – Knitters project bag

May 21, 2017 by nadel&gabel

I had bought the Cloud9 “Wound Up” fabric already with the idea of sewing a knitting bag in my mind. And then … nothing happened. … Until I wanted to take my recent knitting project with me and it didn’t fit into my small project bag I made a while ago (btw one of my most popular blog posts these days). After some measuring to find the perfect size – the hight fits circular needles and small double pointed needles […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, wallets & pouches • Tags: bag, drawstring, easy, equipment, knitter, knitting, maker, needles, pouch, project, sewing, tutorial, wool, yarn

Jassa – Summer tote

March 16, 2017 by nadel&gabel

Ok, summer still is some months ahead, but spring is on its unstoppable way, trees are getting greener from day to day, blue crocuses, white spring snowflakes and snowdrops are sprouting and are heralding the new season (although they still carry ‘snow’ in their name). So, kind of naturally I feel torn again to colours. No better time for IKEA to launch their limited collection JASSA, a collection inspired of asian materials and techniques: rattan and bamboo furniture, colourful batik print […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, supplies • Tags: anna graham, asia, bag, batik, collection, colour, ethno, exotic, fabric, gingham tote, graphic, Handmade Style, ikea, indonesian, jassa, noodlehead, pattern, print, sewing, summer, tote

All black – Oilskin Explorer Tote

March 1, 2017 by nadel&gabel

When I saw Annas new pattern, the Explorer Tote, she – again – got me. I immediately could imagine the large version as a great weekender bag. I was thinking about sewing myself a new travel bag for a while. I was kind of fed up by the one I sewed about two years ago (similar to this one) which I use for smaller trips. It now felt just too much: too many colours and patterns, too floral. The new […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, supplies • Tags: bag, black, explorer tote, handle, merchant and mills, noodlehead, oil cloth, oilskin, pattern, recessed, sewing, stable, strap, sturdy, tarpaulin, tote, travel, waxed canvas, weekender, zipper

Girls only – Discrete little pouch

February 19, 2017 by nadel&gabel

This weekend I attempted a long overdue task: Tidying up my sewing materials. Bias tape, rivets and eylets, zippers and cotton webbing, velcro and cords – it had all become quite a mess lately, in which I had slightly lost orientation. No wonder that I made surprising discoveries during the cleaning up 😀 After this first step it was time to go through my collection of fabric scraps. Pleasant surprises here as well. The scraps reminded of former sewing projects of […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, wallets & pouches • Tags: discreet, easy, fabric, female, girls only, KAM snap, pouch, scrap, sewing, snap, tampon, trimming, tutorial, women

The flow – Trail tote

January 29, 2017 by nadel&gabel

Panta rhei. Life is a flow. Most times it’s a steady flow, we’re floating in familiar waters. Perhaps you would prefer some more movement, a slight change of directions, but somehow it doesn’t happen. Are you even moving forward, is there any progress although you’re working for it? You can’t see it. But suddenly it’s there: It starts with a small swirl, you can sense some kind of acceleration … and suddenly things happen! Is ist just luck? Some kind of […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, wallets & pouches • Tags: bag, blue, easy, fabric, free, gütermann, long island flower, multipurpose, noodlehead, pattern, piping, pouch, sewing, SnapPap, tote, trail tote

Efficient – Origami bento bag

November 20, 2016 by nadel&gabel

This may be the fastest and easiest thing I’ve ever sewed. Ratio of time invested : outcame = unbeatable! Although this origami bento bag isn’t difficult to sew, it is helpful to have have pictured tutorial of the folding steps at hand when sewing it for the first time. (I have lot of experience in sewing things wrong sides together, it’s some kind of logical problem.) These pictured instructions f.ex. are helpful. (Optionally you could box the corners to create […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes • Tags: bag, bento, easy, eyelet, fabric, lunch, market, origami, reusable, sewing, tote, towel, tutorial, wrap