Pattern

Purchase Fields On Camera Pattern

I was travelling in Sweden a few weeks ago. Alongside all the travel preparation, I decided to make a bag only a few days before leaving. I am a fairly light traveller and I always take a specific set of things in my hand bag in preparation for a long flight. I wanted the bag to be just large enough to fit those items. I knew I didn’t need a very complicated bag with lots of pockets. I am not very advanced at sewing and I had to make this bag very quickly if I were to take it with me. With all that in mind, I started looking for a simple bag pattern.

Camera Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies

Purchase Fields On Camera Pattern

I was very excited to finish this block from my camera quilt pattern and I really wanted to use it for the bag. I looked at a few bag patterns, but none of them were designed in a way that would enable me to use the camera block. Most of the patterns were also too complicated for me to finish in the given time. In the end, it was easier for me to write down the measurements and design my own bag rather than editing and retrofitting my needs onto an existing pattern.

Cross Body Bag With Zipper | Whims And Fancies

When I got around to the zipper, it was actually a lot easier to sew than I had expected. I was going to use the outer blue fabric around the zipper, but not having any more of it, I ended up using the lining fabric instead.

When I attached the strap holders and rings to the bag, I stitched over them a few times for extra support. I use cotton webbing for the loops as well as for the straps as they are much sturdier than cloth. I used a set of silver strap hardware this time instead of my usual black.

Zippered Cross Body Travel Bag | Whims And Fancies

Earlier, when I made the bag for Dixie, I liked this blue fabric so much, I bought a little extra. Since this bag would see rough use, I needed a dark shade of fabric. The blue fabric was just right for that.

The bag has a large back pocket and two inside pockets, which is just right for me. The bag proved not only extremely useful during the many long flights from San Francisco to Kiruna, it was wonderful for day trips in Sweden as well. It even holds two big water bottles along with all the other necessities.

Abisko, Sweden | Whims And Fancies

Abisko, Sweden

As for Sweden, it is a very beautiful country. We hired a car there and travelled extensively every day. Before we knew, it was time to head back home again, wishing for one more day there. If Lara and Mary are reading this post, I promise I haven’t forgotten about writing a full post about our trip to Sweden. I am still sorting through photos, I took an overwhelming number of them!

-Soma

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Viking Penguin Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies

Purchase Viking Penguin Olaf Pattern

I have had this idea of creating another penguin quilt pattern for months now. I recently got a set of loose colour pencils and I desperately need to make a new pencil case. That provided a perfect excuse to draw my little Viking Penguin Olaf. Viking helmets didn’t really have those horns, but Olaf insisted that I put horns on his helmet. Although I think he looks very cute, he thinks the horns make him look more formidable!

I couldn’t resist taking a short break from the stained glass flower blocks to make him. The penguin pattern is for a 10″ block. I scaled it down to make a 7″ block for my pencil case. Originally I was going to give him a green vest, but the red looks so much better on him against the starry background. Olaf is available in my shop if you want to make him for yourself.

Penguin Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies

Purchase Little Penguin Polaris Pattern

It all started with Little Penguin Polaris. I have a gimpy and chubby kitty cat called Charlie, whose photo occasionally surfaces here. He would like nothing more than for people to take him seriously. Except it has never worked since he was a baby. He just gets picked up and cuddled, and he just sits on your lap with all of his claws tucked in.

When I was going to make a little winter-themed block for a friend, I knew I had to make a chubby little disgruntled penguin in a scarf and a hat. So if Charlie were a penguin instead of a cat, this is what he would look like where all the other grown up penguins are just not taking him seriously enough!

Polaris and Olaf have become great friends already. They are busy planning all sorts of mischief together.

Thank you for staying with me until the last set of cards from this set of 61 index card paintings. Here are the last five –

icad 2015 Sunrise Painting | Whims And Fancies

Sunrise

I like to look toward the west during sunrise where the first rays of the sun light up the mountain ranges while the full moon sets behind them.

icad 2015 Affair Of The Hearts Painting | Whims And Fancies

An Affair Of Hearts

icad 2015 Edinburgh Tenement Painting | Whims And Fancies

Edinburgh Flat

I really like moss-covered stone buildings.

icad 2015 Explore other worlds | Whims And Fancies

Cross the boundary and explore other worlds

icad 2015 Telescope, Stars And Blake Painting | Whims And Fancies

I had to make this one as my final card. I love William Blake’s work and I love the stars. I see William Blake’s words come to life every time I look through my telescope.

I will share another post about the index card painting experience along with photos of all the cards together. It has been a lot of fun sharing these cards with you. Thank you again for your encouraging words.

I will leave you with a photo of the lunar eclipse I took last Sunday. We are surrounded by mountain ranges, and there was also a thick layer of cloud right at the horizon. The eclipse occurred right around sunset for us, so it was low in our sky. I really wanted to see it during the maximum eclipse. Just as I was losing hope, a faint, eclipsed moon showed up, shortly before the maximum eclipse and right above the cloud layer.

Lunar Eclipse 2015 | Whims And Fancies

Enjoy,
-Soma

Travel Bag For Sweden

Viking Penguin Olaf, Paintings And Eclipse