Handbags & Totes Class

I'm so excited because today I am going to the 'Handbags & Totes' class at the Stitch Lab!  I signed up ages ago but due to 'life' getting in the way of my hobby I had to wait and wait and wait... but no MORE waiting!

I can choose from 9 different styles of bags to make and I think I'll make the diaper bag because it has the lining, inner pockets, outer pockets as well as a snap closure.  Seeing as I don't have a baby... I do not need a diaper bag but a tote always comes in handy... as long as the fabrics I choose aren't too crazy.  I guess I can always gift it later.

This is the diaper bag style of bag that I plan to make tonight:

Check out the Stitch Lab's flickr page for bag samples and completed student projects. 

Jewelry Making Class

Now that I finished the big Christmas bag order I decided to take a break from sewing and take a class on jewelry-making at the Stitch Lab here in Austin.

In this class, I was supposed to learn easy techniques to make stunning chandeliers, dangles, hoops - just about any style of earrings I'd like to make. I can also make strung beaded bracelets with a variety of clasp options, memory wire bracelets or elastic cord bracelets.

I'd love to learn to make earrings, bracelets, charms and zipper pulls!

Here are the tools I used:

Here are the earrings I made:

In class I decided to focus on earrings since I've been thinking of my Pandora earrings that I rarely wear... my goal is to make pendants that I can attach to my hoop earrings:

  

These are the Pandora pendants that I have that I add to the earrings: