March 08 - Twist Lock Clutch Purse & a Craft Mag Giveaway.

Holy Cow its' cold!  I went shopping in the centre of a ridiculously jammed and cold London with my sister last Saturday, it was ho ho ho horrible - what perverse thing to do to yourself!

I've finished the March  08 bag for Sewing Word Magazine. The magazine theme for March is green and the use of new techniques.  So in keeping with the theme I designed this purse which can be worn as a clutch. What is a bit special about the purse is that it has a purse twist turn lock (and up to now they were new to me as well).

**To see my tutorial on how to use Purse Twist Turn Locks click here.

March 08 magazine cover.

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I really enjoyed this using this fabric not least because it has so many reference points for getting your  symmetry right.  I used this fabric for the exterior, this fabric for the lining and this twist lock.  I  interfaced the heck out of the purse so it has a boxy and sturdy feel like a clutch bag does.  I'm so chuffed with the way the twist lock looks on the purse; it really 'lifts' the purse somehow.

Inside...

Twist button...

You can detach the handle (like I haven't) and wear the purse as a clutch - do you like my pajamas?  I'm such a slob; I'm always in my pajamas.

So, I mentioned there was a crafty mag for grabs.  It's actually a CURRENT issue of Sewing World Magazine.  To see what's inside this months issue click here. I'm not actually in this month's issue (so I'm giving it away now; narcissistic perhaps, but it should go to a better home). The reason I'm not in the Jan mag is that I buggered up the bag and my PC died at the same time...well, that was too much...so in the end I lost it a bit and couldn't submit a bag.  Hey Ho, it's still a jam-packed issue with loads of sewing help and inspiration for anyone who fancies it. 

I'll send this mag to 1 lucky draw winner.

To enter all you have to do is comment on THIS PARTICULAR POST by:

• Telling us what you're going you're going to have for your Xmas meal.  I'm getting together with friends this year because my folks are abroad (so no Chinese style feast for me).  We're going to have roast lamb & pork with the trimmings and choccy pudding mmm!

Contest (yawndom) Officialness :

• I'll randomly draw the winner in 10 days time - 27th Dec and announce the winner the following day-ish.  Good luck! 
• Sorry, I can't notify winners, so please keep an eye for the winner announcement (this is made easier for you if you subscribe to this blog so you don't have to keep checking back, although it's always great to have you pop-in for a read :0)
• Sorry, I can't reply to contest/draw comments, but I do love reading every single one :)

Comments

[Kathryn]

It's great to see this bag in all its final glory. I love the lining. It goes so well with the outer fabric.

We are having turkey, stuffing, cranberries, sweet potatoes, carrots, rolls, slaw, and Christmas cookies. All at my sister-in-law's house. This is pretty much a traditional Southern Thanksgiving meal which they also serve at Christmas. The real goodies are the snacks for breakfast and present opening -- country ham sandwiches, cheese straws, and See's candy.

[AmyP]

Love the finished bag!
I'm vegetarian, so I'll be having a Quorn "Family Roast" with traditional trimmings of Paxo stuffing, roast potatoes, Paxo, roast parsnips, Paxo, onion gravy and some Paxo.
Did I mention the Paxo stuffing?

[Coralee G.]

love the bag!

We are having an early dinner, in fact this Wednesday, so that we can celebrate with my sister. We are having maple bacon turkey, potatoes, brussel sprouts, spinach dip, hot cider and all the fixings! Can't wait!

[Thien-Kim]

Usually we have a ham the fixings that go with it, but this year we're having HOT POT! Vietnamese hot pot as a matter of fact. I haven't had it in so long (years I think) so it's going to be so yummy!

[Anina]

I love how you centered the fabric perfectly. Lovely, lovely purse!
Christmas: probably ham and mashed potatoes and carrots, etc., although last year we had Panang Curry since we're not very traditional at all.

[Tricia]

That bag is gorgeous - well done on lining everything up so precisely.

As it is summer in Australia, we will be having cold meat and salads - roast lamb, roast chicken, roast turkey, roast pork, and ham. I will be cooking hassleback potatoes and seasoning [stuffing], so they will be hot. I also will be making a Christmas Pudding with custard.

[Anna]

Christmas meal OUT this year, on Christmas Eve - I'll be having some nut-roast beggie thingy probably. Christmas Day will be in PJs, as usual, with crisps, dips, choccies, snacks, champage and lots of presents. Oh, and the in-laws will be here too.

[Lesha]

We're going to have veggie loaf, hot cider,
sweet potatoes, and vegetarian fajitas. :)

[breezily]

Yes, I think your jammies are lovely!

[Kylie]

Love the bag - green is one of my favourite colours.
Because I'm in New Zealand and it's summer we will be having turkey with new potatoes, fresh peas and salad with lots of fresh berries with meringues and whipped cream for pudding.
Hope you have a great Christmas time.

[Elly]

Lush bag!

We'll be having turkey with all the usual trimmings.. my fella's first British Christmas, with my family, should be interesting!

[Joanne]

Don't worry about the 'jamas. I've been in mine for days. I actually haven't left the house at all since Saturday.

I'm with friends too this year so I have no idea what I'm eating. These particular friends used to take ten hours (no joke) to cook Sunday lunch so maybe all we'll eat is egg nog...

[Sequana]

I'll be alone on Christmas Day, so my plans are to have some yummy pulled pork BBQ with mango/habanero sauce on french bread rolls.

And maybe a beer...

[joyce]

I'll be going to my son's for the usual turkey dinner. I love the bag.

[Garnprinzessin]

I'm a German Kraut, therefore: tofu-stuffed cabbage rolls / leaves! ;-)

[Janice]

Love, love, love the purse! For Christmas dinner we'll be having turkey, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, carrot and turnip, german stuffing, salad, all the pickles and cranberry sauce. For dessert we'll be having my mum's christmas pudding and whipped cream and all the other baking will be set out, although I'm sure no one will have any room left, we'll all be so full.

[Jessica D. Russell]

Roast duck and drippings, stuffing, and homemade mashed potatoes. We'll have deviled eggs for an appetizer, and delicious bourbon pecan pie for dessert. For Christmas morning, it's a power breakfast of blueberry pancakes and country potatoes. If we can survive...there will be tea cookies to whet our appetites for dinner.

[jenn]

Part of my family will be going to Chicago for the holiday. We will have dinner with my 94 yr old grandmother. We are having ham, roasted potato's and carrots, broccoli, pineapple, and rolls. For desert, apple pie. She planned it herself and we are going with it! Yum.
Merry Christmas, love the bag!!

[Angie]

We're going to have king crab legs with melted butter and ham and possibly a turkey.

[Jen M]

Handbag hardwear is just dead sexy. Almost as much as your jimjams ;P

Christmas day... coffee, danish, cake and tea, followed by samiches of some kind with cranberry chutney, barbecued fruits, tahini roast sweet potatoes, margaritas, and possibly beer. Christmas day in Brisvegas is habitually hot enough to fry a person's brain, so very little cooking will be involved.

[liz]

Perfect choice of lining material... it looks gorgeous. I expected nothing less. Thank you for sharing your creations, they're always inspiring! Happy holidays! ps- I am ALWAYS in my pj's. It's standard uniform when you're self-employed my dear.

[Jennie]

Cause I live in Sweden, we will have a christmas smorgasbord, with swedish meatballs, ham, ribs, mini sausages & a few other things.
I usually stay away from the pickled herring, a swedish specialty.

[Tina Poulsen]

Uh I love that purse!! :)

We're having turkey with white and sugar potatoes. Xmas sausages. For desert some sort of rice pudding with an almond hidden in it.... the finder wins a small gift ;)

[elle]

hey Lisa, another veggie here. We will all be going to my sister's this year and she cooks the traditional full-on Christmas dinner. I eat all the veggie parts and ignore the rest (I hate quorn!)so no turkey substitutes for me! I'm making the sage and onion stuffing with real sage from my garden yum yum

Merry Christmas!

[Melanie]

I love the twist lock on the bag, it really looks great. I'd love to know, when you say you "interfaced the heck out of" it, did you use a thicker interfacing, or lots of it....? I'm still experimenting with different interfacings.

So, onto Christmas dinner. I'm not sure, I would love to find somewhere that will serve some traditional Christmassy chicken and vegetables, but I'll be in the mountains in Japan, so it may be a nice traditional Japanese meal, with Japanese Christmas cake - which is actually a strawberry shortcake, but very yummy!