Above from left: This is the back of the two pieces that make up the front of the bag. The black stuff is iron on backer which we actually iron on to the back of the leather to give extra body to the bag otherwise it would be too floppy, which might be ok for some types of designs but not for this one.
The second picture shows the sections with the inserts sewn in place. All of the insert pieces were backed as well, but done separately before being placed and sewn into the gaps. Before the bag is 3D'd as in the third picture, the hidden pocket on the front of the bag will have been completed and the two front pieces then topstitched together. Attention can now be placed on making the lining which I'm very excited about because the inspiration for the exotic zip surround has inspired my next design which places an even more over-the-top frame around a chunky zip placed as a feature on the front of a slouchy T-Base bag, worn across the body with a single strap. Details on this will be loaded shortly.
I then decided to change it!
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The design for the front looked better worn under the arm so I made longer straps and decided to forgo the across body strap as this might interupt the top line and impact on the inset pieces.
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Instructions: Please note, I am not a professional knitter, I just design something and knit it, so please bear with my amateurish knitting instructions!
Yarns used: Rowan Kidsilk Haze(a small amount of a 25grm ball) Rowan Cashsoft DK two colours, each 50grm balls and approx 120cm (each ball is 50grms, loads of metres) Grundl Flamenco per each wrist warmer. (You will probably have enough wool to make 2 pairs)
Cast on 36 stitches on size 5mm knitting needles in the Kidsilk Haze.
6 rows of stocking stitch starting with plain.
Then 1 row Flamenco. (This row is worked on the reverse side of the work but appears on the front because of the roll of the stocking stitch)
6 rows colour 1 Cashsoft stocking stitch
4 rows colour 2 Cashsoft stocking stitch
3 rows colour 1 Cashsoft stocking stitch
Next row still in colour 1, reduce by 10 stitches by knitting the following stitches together: 4&5, 7&8, 10&11, 13&14, 16&17,
19&20, 22&23, 25&26, 28&29, 31&32
Now change to size 8mm needles using both colour 1 and 2 as one yarn and do 9 rows in 2 stitch knit and purl ribbing making sure that the first and last 2 stitch ribs show as purl on the right side as I find this looks neater when joining the edges as the first purl stitch of each side gets incorporated into the seam so that you end up with the join being as a two purl rib.
Last row cast off in rib.
You can make these shorter by reducing the number of stocking stitch rows, they look good either way.
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake 'Organic Cookbook' by Renee Elliott and Eric Treuille. Well worth getting the book; has loads of fab recipes, main meals, soups and salads as well as other cakes. Enjoy!
This cake is beautiful and creamy and comfortably serves 12 people, although the original recipe says 6-8!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
200grms(7oz) ground almonds
3tbsp sugar
pinch salt
4 tbsp melted butter
For the filling:
1kg (2lb) cream cheese
350grms(12oz) granulated sugar(you can use the same sugar thru out recipe)
grated zest of one lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice( I squeezed the whole lemon I'd zested from)
4 eggs beaten
For the topping:
250ml(8floz) sour cream
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice( I squeezed a whole lemon)
Essential equipment: 25cm springform cake tin
Preheat the oven to 180C Gas 4
Combine the almonds, sugar, salt and butter. Press evenly on to the base of the cake tin. Bake until crisp, 10 mins. Cool on a wire rack.
Place the cream cheese in a bowl with the sugar, lemon zest and juice and beat briefly until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs a quarter at a time until just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
Spread the cheese cake mixture over the crust. Set the tin on a baking sheet and bake until the centre wobbles slightly when the tin is tapped, about 45mins.
For the topping, combine the sour cream, sugar and lemon juice. Spread over the baked cheesecake. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 mins. Cool completely in the tin on a wire rack. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
To unmould, run a knife around the sides of the cheesecake. Release the springform clip and remove the sides of the tin. Serve chilled, cut into slices. Yum!
Creative Skills Blog:
The idea of the creative skills workshops started when I took a stall at Brick Lane's Backyard market where I was mostly selling beads but also provided random balls of wool which were remnants from my many projects along with second hand knitting needles and crochet hooks. I set up a knitting chair with needles already cast upon for anyone who fancied sitting down and having a knit. My ambition was to get the whole of my stall (called 'The Bead Tent') totally covered in my visitors knitting. This actually proved really popular with both experienced knitters and total knitting virgins and I wasn't there too long before I'd realised that I had hit upon a lovely experience where I could chat to like minded people and teach total novices how to crochet and knit while also learning a thing or two from some very knowledgeable career knitters.
My teaching skills that are honed from my years as a fitness instructor and personal trainer seemed to transfer effortlessly to craft and wow did I feel good knowing that I'd helped someone learn a new skill that they'd always wanted to but always put off either because they felt they would never have the time or that they wouldn't be any good at it. The truth is we all have to start somewhere and if the person teaching you is patient and understanding and totally passionate about making things, you can't go wrong.
So now I am setting up some great craft workshops at the end of which you'll have something fabulous to take home with you that you will have made yourself; how cool is that! Now these aren't your twee sort of classes that immediately spring to mind, but really quite unusual and very contemporary design led workshops where you learn the basics of a craft that will give you the confidence to make and even design things all on your own. I will also be setting up some drop in sessions where you can bring along your current project and just sit and work on it with loads of other people doing just the same; so if you get stuck with anything there will always be someone to help you out. All this accompanied by a nice cup of tea or coffee and homemade cakes! Sound good?
Although my teaching comes from the fitness industry, my craft skills come from being a qualified Cordwainer trained at The London College of Fashion where I specialised in hand made leather hanbags and accessories. This coupled with a lifetime of learning on many short courses with my all important foundation of training coming from my Mum, there is very little that I haven't at least dabbled with and some I have excelled at. The workshops will all be taught by people who specialise in their subject and who have an artistic and contemporary approach to the traditional craft skill.
Look forward to seeing you
Sally
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