Zig Zag Bags

I got my inspiration for making my newest bags from the quilt that I had made as a gift to my daughter and son in law.
The strap is adjustable so you can carry it the way you like it. Wear is as a crossbody bag or shorten the strap and carry over your shoulder.
I have added a front exterior pocket with a zig zag going across it.  This pocket has a magnetic clasp to hold it closed.
I have added 2 interior slip pockets to seperate your things.
These bags have a zipper closure to keep your things secure.
I had enough fabric left from the quilt I made to make the following 3 crossbody purses.

Thank you for stopping by,
Kathi

Large Denim Tote Bags

Here is a post I started a while back and forgot to come back and finish it.
As I was rearranging my shop Kathisewnsew's Boutique I had realized that I had a gap in large bags, so I took some of this stone washed denim I have and started designing some large tote bags.
And here are the first 3 of my newest denim tote bags.
The first one is my lady in red tote, she is placed in a heart cutout of the denim and I used some applique technique and some heart top stitching. This bag has 2 magnetic clasps for holding it closed, it has a long knotted handle that makes it long enough to carry like a crossbody bag, or change the knot and carry on your shoulder.

This is my Lady in Red in a Heart large denim tote bag.

When I was starting the following bag I wanted to try a different handle, so I made this one with 2 handles, they are long enough to carry on your shoulder or short enough to carry in your hand. I appliqued a few of the fabric pieces from a ghastlie family reunion cotton fabric. It made me think it should be a diaper or baby bag.

I'm calling this one expecting large tote bag.

This bags identity comes from a lovely piece of cotton fabric with an Italian feel to it. I appliqued these panels onto the front of this denim tote bag.  This bag I added some hand beading to the panels. I beaded some dogs, flowers, umbrella, rain and more. I hope you enjoy this bag as much as I did making it.

And this one is guys and girls

If you would like to purchase any of these bags just click on the picture and it will take you to that bag in my shop.
Thank you for stopping by,
Kathi

Handmade with Love

As you know I have a passion for handmade.  This isn't a recent discovery, I have always been this way. So it wouldn't be a surprise to hear that I made a gift for my daughter and son in law that had to be handmade. The past 1-1/2 months I have been working on a special project, I'm making a quilt throw for their first anniversary.
Here are some pictures as I went.

The following pictures are the completed quilt.

The finished quilt front

the quilt front

back of quilt

back of quilt

back of quilt, close up.

back of quilt

back of quilt, close up. 

I hope you enjoyed a peek behind the scenes from Kathisewnsew's Boutique.
Thank you for stopping by,
Kathi

Focusing on my Handmade Bags

I have been doing some soul searching on the direction I want to take my shop of handmade items. As you know I sell purses, bags, accessory bags, jewelry and more.  I am going to start working toward the goal of handmade items that have been sewn. I am stopping work on making my beaded jewelry, the only jewelry I will continue is my jewelry that is textile based.
With this in mind I will be selling off my handmade beaded jewelry. I will be listing some on ebay, the pieces I list on ebay will be reduced in my Artfire shop. At this time all my beaded handmade earrings are reduced from the original price of $24. to the new price of $16.  I have also started reducing the prices on the bracelets I have made.
In July for my Christmas in July Sale I will be reducing all the beaded jewelry in my shop week by week to its rock bottom price. I will also be reducing the prices on the vintage patterns in my shop and the vintage books will be removed from my shop and if I decide to try and sell them They will be sold on ebay.
I will be continuing to make and sell my handmade purses, bags, totes and most of the fabric items my shop Kathisewnsew's Boutique.  I will also be focusing in on making custom bags, fabric boho jewelry, mousepads & pincushions. I am looking forward to having this focus in my shop and my sewing.

Here are some of the beautiful bracelets that have already had prices reduced.

3 strand butterfly bracelet

blue bunny Czech glass button stretch bracelet

cream glass pearls and textured Czech glass button bracelet

blue and gold peacock Czech glass button bracelet

ladybugs, hearts and a strawberry Czech glass button green stretch bracelet

Lovely Czech glass button bracelet

red and green flower Czech glass button bracelet

ladybugs, hearts and a strawberry red stretch bracelet

If you would like to make a home for any of these beautiful bracelets, just click on the picture and it will take you to that item in my shop. To see all my beaded handmade bracelets.

Have a great day, Kathi

Handmade Gifts ...

... That are ready to become a gift under your tree.
Here are just a few of the items that have been marked down 50% for this Black Friday / Cyber Monday Weekend sales event.

Sky blue wristlet.  This little bag was made using an outdated suede like skirt. it is lined with a pretty blue cotton lining. This wristlet comes with a beaded zipper pull and a removable wrist handlet.

pretty blue and white earrings

pretty blue and white necklace

Cream colored ultra suede tote bag, with braided handle and colorful braided design on the exterior of bag.

 Happy Holidays.

Thank you for stopping by,

Kathi

The Book of Good Manners written by Victor H. Diescher

The Book of Good Manners By Victor H. Diescher

1923  book The book of good manners,  A guide to polite usage for all social function, written by Victor H. Diescherand I think there is much of it that you can implement in daily life.  I am going to share some parts of it here, we can all learn from the past and I hope you may find some parts of this vintage book to your liking. 
It starts with this,
~ To The Reader ~
With the purpose of democratizing, as it were, the subject of etiquette and making its laws understandable and applicable to the daily life of the every-day man and woman by giving greater prominence to the basic elements of good manners, rather than the elaboration of circumstances never met with by people who resort to a book of etiquette for the purpose of improving their knowledge of what constitutes correct form, this work is sincerely dedicated.  Correct procedure for those formal occasions which most anyone is likely at any time to attend are herein set forth, as well as that for the most elaborate functions.  It has been endeavored to cover all details of good manners, as to rule and application.  In how great a measure this purpose has been accomplished, time and practical use can only disclose; but if the desire of the readers to improve their understanding of good manners is in any degree enhanced by the use of this volume, in such degree will be repaid the effort of compiling the work.  V.H.D.

This part is called
~ Kindness and Reverence ~
Kindness and reverence are the natural outcome of the desire for culture.  Wife and husband in their actions to each other should set the example for the children.  Loss of temper has no place in the curriculum of culture.  The gentleman is the master of his feelings, he has complete control over his faculties at all times.  Families whose hours alone are unpleasant and lacking in the display of courtesy and magnanimity will inevitably display their true colors to strangers.  "company manners" must be practiced when alone.  Good actors are limited, and even these rehears their parts untiringly before they attempt a public portrayal.  A charming mother and a kind father exert their influence upon one another and upon their children in the course of daily life in a manner more impressive and more indelible than can be done in any other way.  Complete harmony, the result of kindness and reverence, is a prime requisite in the home where the attainment of culture and good manners is a constant ambition.

The following is entitled
~ Thanks are Always Written ~
A printed or engraved form of thanks is quite as rude as using a rubber stamp for a signature.  This comparison is rather extreme, but it seems to measure in a way the feeling that one might have upon receipt of a printed card of thanks.  Only public officials may take the liberty of sending anything but written letters of thanks for congratulations, or for sympathy in a case of death of a family member.

The Book of Good Manners By Victor H. Diescher
Thank you for stopping by,
Kathi

Look at the U.S.A.

Look at the U.S.A. By the editors of Look

Take a look back in time with Look at the U.S.A. this book will give you a look at how the United States of America looked back in 1955.  This book is from the editors of Look magazine.  It is loaded with black and white photographs from 1955 all across America. 

on the inside flap
Here is a book for Americans who want to know more about their country.  The hundreds of stunning photographs have been selected from thousands by the editors of look to make a composite picture of the wealth and the dramatic variety of the United States of America.  From the rocky coasts and intimate harbors of New England across the vast and fertile plain to the lofty mountains of the West, from the lakes and forests along the Canadian border to the sandy tropic beaches of Florida and the dry ranges of the South-west, the camera has recorded the scenes that reveal most clearly the many aspects of our land.

This book has 516 pages and 6 pages of picture credits, it is packed with pictures from all across America, drawings of state maps,  it has 8 chapters:
New England
The Southwest
New York City
The Central Northeast
The Midwest
The South
The Central Northwest
The Far West

What a great way to take a look back at what life was like back in 1955.
And a bit of whats on the back flap
Here in word and picture is the living history of a new country, a civilization built by decades instead of millenniums.  Every inhabitant of the United States will find here a record of much that is new, fantastic, and challenging, and he will find much that is old, familiar, and well loved.  Here is unsentimental appraisal balanced by the warmth of tribute, a guidebook in the very fullest sense.
Thank you for stopping by,
Kathi

Tarzan the Untamed

As I start this post I retreive the book I want to tell you about, its titled Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs.  I think its a lovely vintage book, its a hardback book covered with red cloth (which is faded & a bit frayed on the edges) and its embossed in black lettering.

The spine is faded more than the rest of the book.

Despite all that I love the look of this book.
Lets start on the inside, as I open it I notice it has split partially from the spine.  On the first page it has the title TARZAN the Untamed.

This book has 1 picture in the beginning, Illustrated by J. Allen St. John.  Isn't that a wonderful drawing to start your journey into this story.

This book has 24 chapters
It has 428 pages and 12 pages of ads at the back of the book
Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs is the 7th in the series about the character Tarzan.  Edgar Rice Burroughs was born September 1, 1875 and died March 19, 1950. He was an American author that was well known for his series of books about the character Tarzan.  Although he wrote so much more than just about Tarzan. 
In either 1915 or 1919, Burroughs purchased a large ranch north of Los Angeles, Ca. which he named "Tarzana." The citizens of the community that sprang up around the ranch voted to adopt that name, Tarzana Ca. was formed about 1927 or 1928.

from wikipedia:
Tarzan the Untamed is a book written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the seventh in his series of books about the title character Tarzan. It was originally published as two separate stories serialized in different pulp magazines; "Tarzan the Untamed" (AKA "Tarzan and the Huns") in Redbook from March to August, 1919, and "Tarzan and the Valley of Luna" in All-Story Weekly from March to April 1920. The two stories were combined under the title of the first in the first book edition, published in 1920 by A. C. McClurg. In order of writing, the book follows Jungle Tales of Tarzan, a collection of short stories about the ape-man's youth. Chronologically, it follows Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar.





Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Illustrated by J. Allen St. John, published by Grosset & Dunlap, in 1920 in New York USA, first edition. The spine is pulled away from the pages, although pages are still intact. The cover has shelf wear, edges & corners are worn, the cover on the inside is torn away from first page, but is still connected to the rest of the book. I see several pages where the corners have been turned down, there is writing in pencil on the inside back cover pencil, pages are yellowed & has a little bit of smudges.
This book will be bubble wrapped and carefully packed to arrive just as you see it.
this book is 7 3/4 inches by 5 inches and 1 1/2 inch thick.
This book is one of many vintage books you will find in my shop Kathisewnsew's Boutique.

Thank you for stopping by,
Kathi

Gift Guide ~ Boho Fabric Jewelry

Today I thought I'd share my fabric jewelry.  This started when I wanted to turn fabric scraps into something cool and interesting. I started by doing some basic stitching on some colorful fabric, and the I started twisting and forming and attaching the ends together. I then stitched and beaded each bracelet. Here is the first set of bracelets I made.

Here is a set of 4 I made.  This set is made with colorful  cotton batik

Here are some other bangle bracelets that are listed individually.

This next set is one of my favorites, its black and white.

This is such a fun and colorful set.

This set is bright primary colors twisted and embroidered

This set is made with a beautifully soft purple solid and print.

Now, here are the boho fabric and ribbon choker necklaces.

All these pieces are already made and ready to ship. Maybe you would like a custom piece of my fabric jewelry made with your colors and beading ideas. Contact me through my artfire shop Kathisewnsew's Boutique with your ideas and I'll get started on making your special gift.

Thank you for stopping by,
Kathi