You Need a Ta-Ta Tote

Yes, you do!   It's a bra purse, only more like an evening bag.  They're cute, really!   Now before you get too weirded out on me let's take a look at some and you can decide for yourself.

As you may recall, the Jan. 14th blog was about the "C" cup bra purses and showed you some of the details that go into making them.   Well, it takes about 8 hours to design and sew one.   I started getting a little weary of the lengthy process and was looking for more instant gratification.(Like that's a surprise to anyone who knows me!)  One day I picked up an "A" cup bra so I could experiment with it, and boy, did I ever have fun.  

The more I looked at the bra the more I realized it, too, could be a bra purse.....just more of an evening bag because it would be much smaller than the original bra purse.  After tinkering with the design for a few days the "Ta-Ta" tote was born.  

Ta-Ta totes still have the gorgeous dangly fringe hanging down and are embellished with Swarovsky crystals like her big sister, the Bra Purse.   But there is no base or drawstring bag on the Ta-Ta Tote and its smaller size makes it perfect for holding your keys, cell phone, lipstick and credit card while out on the town for the evening.  

 I like to use as much of the original bra as possible in each design, so I came up with the idea of using the hook and eye closure as the way to hold the purse closed.   Then I decided to emphasize the closure with huge Swarovsky's.....remember, when it comes to embellishments I always say more is better!

 How do you like this zebra number?   It's one of my favorites.

And believe it or not, the pink closure and metal strap pieces were already on the bra.   I think I might faint!    Black and white and hot pink.........be still my heart. 

So, as you start thinking about what to wear for Valentine's Day and your date with your special someone, don't forget about the accessories.  Think about it, you need a bra purse to complete your outfit!  Simply contact me at 727-348-4013 and I'll "hook" (get it?  bra hook?  Ok, ok, I'll stop it now.) you up.

Ta-Ta for now, (sorry, I couldn't help myself)

Debbie

Tick Tock, Tick Tock....

Yes, I'm still waiting, not so patiently, for my camera to be repaired.   I didn't realize how often I pick it up to capture a spontaneous image in the lens.   Yikes, it feels like my life is on hold.   Sigh...so as I wait for the camera guru to finish up, here are some more "oldies but goodies" photos from my archive.  

If you "double click" with your mouse on the images, you will get a closer look at the quilt.   This quilt was made for a client who brought her niece's t-shirts from various stage shows and asked that they be turned into a memory quilt for her.   The shirts were simply cut into the same size rectangles and sashed with black fabric.  

 The horizontal sashing in between the rows was machine quilted in handwriting listing the names of famous theaters on Broadway in N.Y.C.   Can you see the writing in white thread?

Then, find of all finds!    I came across this orchestra fabric and used it horizontally for the top and bottom borders and finished the quilt off with black fabric that had musical notes and scales in white.

I struggled to think of an interesting way to create a quilt label for the back of the quilt until I hit upon the idea of duplicating a Playbill like the ones handed out at Broadway shows, only with the quilt recipients own special information on it.  I simply sewed together yellow, black and white fabrics and imprinted the wording from my computer printer directly onto the fabrics. 

Theme completed!

Still waiting,

Debbie

Past Designs: Bra Purses

I had the best of intentions when I started this blog a couple of weeks ago.  You know, post a new entry every day or at least every other day.   And then my camera died!   Yikes!   So now I'm awaiting a shutter repair and hope that there is nothing else wrong wih it.   In the meantime, I thought I may as well post some of my pics of past designs.

I began making bra purses a few years ago and after much trial and error I finally came up with a way to make them look an act like a "real" purse, with a bottom so they would sit up nice on a counter and be fully functional so you could really use it as a purse.   When you put 2 "C" cups of a bra together, they form a gap at the top that just didn't look right to me.   So I puttered around with a few ideas and came up with the design you see here.....a drawstring pouch that is attached inside the bra cups.  

Well, I couldn't just stop with a drawstring bag, I needed to embellish all the little details to really put these little bags over the top.   That is what lead me to the Swarovsky crystals.   Oh, mercy!  I was having way too much fun now.  A few on the ribbon that holds the drawstring in place and many more on the exterior of the bag itself.   

Sometimes I used the bra straps themselves as the carrying handle and sometimes I found lucite handles that seemed more appropriate for that particular purse.  Then I got a little carried away with beaded fringes for the bottoms.   Oh, did I ever get carried away!  

Crystals, fringe, fabrics, more and more bras.....this was becoming a bit of an obsession.  As a matter of fact, I still have an enormous bin of bras in every color of the rainbow, just in case I need to make another purse.

Not to mention the fuzzy, feathery, fluffy stuff I used to adorn the heavy ceramic weights that held down the bottom of the drawstrings. 

My stash of bra purse "makings" had definitely taken over a good portion of my studio but it sure was fun!   So if you're ever in the mood for a fun conversation starter at your next dinner out on the town, just give me a call and we'll design one together for you to have as your very own.

No camera, but lots of bras,

Debbie

Welcome to my Studio

Studio:  a fun, fanciful title for the repurposed bedroom I use for my sewing.   Yea, nothing fancy here, but it functions pretty well for me.  So check it out....

Color, color everywhere.  I am obsessed with color, I love color, I dream in color.  These are just some of the almost 400 embroidery threads that I use when embroidering designs on my Viking sewing machine.  Aren't they luscious?  Also, 3 of my favorite "sewing" candle houses (part of the Blue Sky collection by Heather Goldminc)  are right where I can see them as I sew.
 These threads are used for garment sewing.

 And buttons, they're pretty important, too.  Here are just a few jars in my collection; some are vintage, some are new, and some are just funky.

 I like to surround myself with all my favorite things while I work and this seasonal candle holder is one of my favorites.   It's another Heather Goldminc piece.

Here's another one entitled The Thirsty Flamingo.

 This is where the real work happens, two sewing machines surrounded by loads of natural light.  

 Of course there has to be room for reference books and patterns stored in the drawers below.   Every little nook and cranny in this room has to be efficiently organized.

Thank goodness for the computer armoire, desk and my little tv that keeps me company.  Hope you enjoyed the tour.  It's a space that makes me happy and always puts a smile on my face when I'm in there.

Time to get back to work,

Debbie

Numero Uno

 It seems only fitting that the first quilt featured on my new blog would be one of the few that I have actually kept for myself.   It seems that no matter how many quilts I make, most of them are for other people in my life and I have very few to claim as my own.  I love the fabrics for this quilt and most of them are Kaffe Fassett's wild and crazy mixed up prints in blues, greens and browns with a few pastels thrown in to provide contrast.    

  The quilt design is an "S" block that was featured in one of his books and I could hardly wait to make it up once I laid eyes on the original.

 Of course, I had to have a cappuccino in my favorite mug by my side as I pieced the blocks together.

 And, ta-da, here is a peak at the finished quilt.   This is my River Quilt that keeps hubby and I cozy in our bed in our Tin Can Cabin on the river.   The quilt is kinda quirky with all its funky prints and seems to fit in nicely with all the odds and ends furniture in the cabin. 

 Stay tuned as I attempt to chronicle the unfolding of all manner of sewing projects in different phases of development.  Some days I'll show you things I've created in the past as well as works in progress.   Come along for the ride....it should be fun for both of us.

Sew Happy,

Debbie