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

That certain something – Petal pouches in japanese blue

September 8, 2016 by nadel&gabel

For me Anna von from Noodlehead is the goddess of pouches and bags! One reason perhaps is that I learned the basics of sewing mostly with her pictured tutorials. Thanks to her I can sew any kind of zipper … and I am still more familiar to English sewing terms than German ones 😉 It is also, because non (really NON) of her tutorials and patterns (free or for purchase) has led me down at any time. I would say they’re foolproof. […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, Asanoha, blue, clam, easy, fabric, graphic, indigo, japanese, noodlehead, pattern, petal, pouch, rounded, traditional, zipper

The blue flower – Another rainbow clutch

May 16, 2016 by nadel&gabel

“Sehnsucht“ – one of those enigmatic German words that books were written about. In the romantic sense it means something like longing for wholeness and infinity – while being aware of the fact that this can only be a hope, a unrealisable desire. The “blue flower” has become the symbol for this feeling. It’s unreachable but in looking at the beauty of “regular” flowers we can get an idea of it.   After the first rainbow clutch from Anna’s book “Handmade Style” […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, blue, clutch, denim, fabric, flower, Handmade Style, metal, millefleurs, noodlehead, paper piecing, patchwork, pattern, pouch, print, romanticism, sehnsucht, trimmings, zipper

Modern tradition – Seigaiha tote and pouch

October 25, 2015 by nadel&gabel

When I first came across “kiseki” on DaWanda I was looking for masking tape and this shop had an overwhelming selection… I had a hard time to decide. And then I realized that Juliane, the shop owner, also sells fabrics! Imported from Japan “kiseki” offers a great choice of stunning traditionally patterned Japanese fabrics. Asanoha, Samekomon, Kanoko, Seigaiha … each of them so gorgeous! Some of the patterns are even available as oil cloth. I ordered a stack … and as always they […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, supplies, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, Asanoha, blue, clutch, denim, fabric, gingham, handle, Handmade Style, Japan, japanese, Kanoko, noodlehead, pattern, pouch, rivet, Samekomon, Seigaiha, sewing, tote, traditional, zipper

Approached and accomplished – Caravan Tote and Pouch

July 9, 2015 by nadel&gabel

I’ve announced it already – and now it is done: I can hold my first Caravan Tote and Pouch in my hands! It took me quite a time to approach this pattern. After I’ve cut all the pieces – and there are a lot – they already started to get dusty, so long did it take me to finally start sewing. The pattern – like all patterns and tutorials from Anna I’ve sewed before – is easily understood. By the […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, bag, blue, denim, echo, fabric, florine, handle, knitter, leather, lotta jansdotter, noodlehead, organize, pattern, pouch, spacious, tote

Not one but two – Double zip pouch

May 22, 2015 by nadel&gabel

Ha! Finally I found the time and mood to get my sewing machine on again. Sewing really didn’t get its fair share the last months. I guess this was what my sewing machine wanted to express as well when she stuttered making her first stiches after such a long time… Luckily she gained momentum – and I hadn’t unlearned sewing as well. But before I am going to approach Anna’s Caravan Tote – pattern already bought ages ago, the cut […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, wallets & pouches • Tags: blue, clutch, denim, double, echo, fabric, florine, lotta jansdotter, pouch, scandinavian, scraps, sew, simple, tutorial, wristlet, zip, zipper

Indigo shibori dyeing … and a tote, a clutch and a pouch

June 5, 2014 by nadel&gabel

I really do enjoy sewing. After a long break when I used my sewing machine only to trim new trousers, I realized this again. If you watched me while I am sewing you would probably not always  assume this – not seldom it is accompagnied with screams of annoyance when I’ve (again) attached two pieces of fabric just the wrong way … but then, when I finally hold a finished project in my hands, it’s all forgotten and I am […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, craft & DIY, fabric, supplies, wallets & pouches • Tags: bag, binding, blue, case, clutch, colour, Craft, dye, fabric, geometric, indigo, itajime, japanese, pencil, pouch, print, resist, sewing, shape, shibori, tie, tote, tutorial, zipper

Into the light – Côte d’Azur

May 23, 2013 by nadel&gabel

There’s much sayed about the clear and soft light at the Côte d’Azur that makes the colours pop – believe everything you’ve heard, it is perfect right! There is a reason that this coast is called the “blue coast” – the blue of the sea that ranges from dark blue to bright turquoise is stunning and is topped by a (most times) bright blue sky. The vibrant blue colours are contrasted by the warm terracotta colours of the houses as […]

Categories: around the world, Behind the camera, France, nature, On the road, travel • Tags: architecture, blue, Cannes, city, coast, food, France, France, landscape, mediterranean, nature, Nice, photography, sea, travel

Jump and relax – My tie-dye summer comfy trousers

May 29, 2012 by nadel&gabel

I know that is quite a while ago since the last sewing blog post, but some things take their time, right? And there were a few steps to make for this final piece: my new super summer trousers which are – as you can see – perfect to jump around as well as to relax in the grass and which I hence wear as often as I can.

Categories: At the sewing machine, craft & DIY, fabric, garment, supplies • Tags: blue, fabric, indigo, pants, pattern, pyjama, sewing, summer, tie-dye, trousers, tutorial