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

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

Splash – Free printable calendar 2016

December 16, 2015 by nadel&gabel

Yes, I’ve made another one! Obviously a lot of readers were interested in the calendar I created for 2015, the year that’s now nearly gone already. So here it is: A brand new calendar for the upcoming year! Reduced in colour and based on different splashes and brush strokes on the one hand and vintage illutrations that lead through the seasons of nature on the other hand, completed by two of my alltime favourite fonts. And again in two versions, an English […]

Categories: craft & DIY, digital design, freebies, paper • Tags: 2016, animal, black&white, bodony, botanical, brush, calendar, clipart, clipboard, collage, download, font, free, freebie, gold, graphic, Kalender, ostrich sans, paint, paper print, printable, scrapbooking, scribble, splash, splatter, typography, vintage, watercolour

So practical – Carry-all pincushion from “Handmade Style”

July 31, 2015 by nadel&gabel

 When I first flipped through the pages of Anna Grahams sewing book “Handmade Style” I had a hard time to decide with which project I would like to start: A tunic for me, another bag or perhaps a quilting project after I’ve mastered my first steps? I’ve decided to start small … and practical! A pincushion that carries everything a sewer always needs at hand? – What a brilliant idea! I gathered a few scraps in black, grey and white […]

Categories: accessories, At the sewing machine, supplies • Tags: anna graham, black&white, easy, equipment, gift, graphic, Homemade Style, monochrome, noodlehead, pattern, pincushion, present, sewer, sewing, storage, stuffing

Temporary solution – Fabric storage buckets

June 3, 2015 by nadel&gabel

This sewing project evolved from necessity. As I have started to do some more sewing again, I also had to face the chaos that had gained the upper hand in my jam-packed drawer as well as in my sideboard filled with fabric. And I had just bought a stack of beautiful Japanese fabrics from here, that I can’t wait to sew with … but that also need space! Aargh, it’s a constant managment of space shortage! It was time to […]

Categories: accessories, At the sewing machine, bags & totes, craft & DIY, decoration, fabric • Tags: basket, bucket, crafter, decoration, design, desktop, easy, graphic, pattern, plant pot, print, sack, scraps, sew, sewing, stamp, stash, storage, style, toys, tutorial

Into a structured new year – Free printable calendar 2015

December 14, 2014 by nadel&gabel

Christmas is coming closer and closer, final preparations are made, holiday menus are planned, cookies baked, last gifts bought and nicely wrapped … besides a lot of work and christmas party and market appointments. I’m happy that I nevertheless managed to get this calendar for 2015 ready before the new year begins and just in time to serve as christmas gift – for me and for you, my constant readers! Buy some heavy weight paper, turn on your printer, buy […]

Categories: craft & DIY, digital design, freebies, paper • Tags: 2015, arrow, calendar, clip, collage, design, digital, download, font, free, freebie, geometric, graphic, hue too, paper, pattern, print, printable, scrapbooking, structure, texture, triangle, tribal, typography

My work space III: Geometric felt coasters

March 19, 2014 by nadel&gabel

Hey, I am just hopping in for a quick and easy DIY and a brief insight into my working space – where at the moment most of my life takes place. 😦 So, in case you’ve already wondered what a tutorial for coasters has to do with a working desk … well that’s the answer. Staring at the computer or the mountain of exams to be corrected – the sunny weather outside always in sight through the window, but unreachable […]

Categories: craft & DIY, interior • Tags: coaster, Craft, decoration, design, easy, felt, geometric, graphic, grey, hexagon, puristic, shape, tutorial

So hip(ster) – Drawstring backpack made from handprinted fabric

January 22, 2014 by nadel&gabel

After this recent fabric printing project I went a bit further. I wanted to try some more geometric patterns, my own patterns. … and I turned to the classic of handprinting: potato stamps! After a bit of cutting, I had made my (sadly non-permanent) “3D” stamp. Jute fabric, (black) textile colour and method of heat sealing were the same as here. And what better use for a hip geometric pattern than a hipster “Turnbeutel” (drawstring backpack)?! Even better: Why not […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, Behind the camera, black & white, craft & DIY, fabric • Tags: backpack, drawstring, fabric, geometric, graphic, hipster, jute, pattern, potato, print, sewing, stamp, tote, Turnbeutel, tutorial

Travel gear – Improved

May 11, 2013 by nadel&gabel

All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go … to Nice for a few days. Actually it’s me together with a colleague and a bunch of students … hopefully no trouble but relaxed days for all of us. Of course there will be some pictures on the blog in a while. My preparation – except of listening to the old and the new album of Zaz trying to refresh the sad remains of the French I learned at school: […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, wallets & pouches • Tags: bag, black, camera, graphic, handbag, mustard, pouch, sewing, strap, toilet, tote, travel, tutorial, white