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

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

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

Small things – Beeswax food wrap

December 13, 2015 by nadel&gabel

Alright, christmas is coming closer and I am busy getting all my presents ready. This year will be very much a DIY christmas. It wasn’t intended like this from the beginning, but then I stumbled upon interesting projects, one after another, and thought that not only I could like them but also my family and friends. The pillow spray is one of them, this beeswax food wrap is another, and some more to follow up. Let me also say, that there […]

Categories: accessories, craft & DIY, digital design, fabric, storage • Tags: alternative, bee, beeswax, biodegradable, cloth, cotton, design, ecological, fabric, food, kitchen, label, natural, packaging, plastic free, reusable, sandwich, snack, storage, sustainable, tutorial, waxed, wrap

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

Precious – Umbrella Prints Rainbow Clutch

September 4, 2015 by nadel&gabel

While we’re unpacking our suitcase, washing stashes of clothes and sorting travel pictures – some of them found soon on this blog – I wanted to show you this small sewing project I’ve finished already a few weeks ago. This clutch is already the second project from Anna’s “Handmade Style” that I’ve approached. I made it as a birthday gift for a special friend of me … and therefore finally could bring myself to use some of my most precious […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, clutch, fabric, Handmade Style, metal, noodlehead, paper piecing, patchwork, pattern, pouch, print, sleek, trimmings, umbrella prints, zipper