My new bag: a minha mala nova

Krista started to comment on my blog long ago and she was always incredibly sweet. So, when one of her dresses was the most voted on StraightGrain sew+show I sent her a short email just to congratulate her. Since then we have been sending emails back and forth and finding out that between us there are so many things in common it's amazing! I love our email exchange, it seems like she's just next to me and we are chatting while drinking coffee and eating cake...

In one of those emails we talked about our love of fabric and we decided to send each other a fabric that would represent our country, our culture. The other one would do whatever she wanted with that fabric and our fabric choice would be a surprise also. Guess what!!!...I received an amazing Marimekko fabric!

The colours are fantastic, so bold and bright. At first I didn't knew what I was going to make with it, I always have the same problem when I love a fabric that much. I want to make something FABULOUS with it and cutting the fabric takes me a long time. (I have a problem, I know...) But then, I decided on a bag. A bit of sewing for me, because Krista brings a good feeling into my life and I wanted for that good energy to be next to me in some good moments. Still, I didn't wanted to make just any bag, I wanted a HUGE bag to take to the maternity and, later, on long weekends. See? All special moments! ;-) 

I searched for the right pattern for almost two weeks and then I decided on the Noodlehead Cargo duffle bag (which by the way is a free pattern). I didn't make it exactly as the instructions recommend it because I felt my time running fast (I'm almost 38 weeks pregnant). I did much less quilting, some parts have more and some have less, it's not an even process (I know, I'm not very pacient), I did one big leather pocket in the front because I had never used leather and I had some small scraps my father gave me (it went so well!) and the straps are store bought instead of made with the same fabric as the rest of the bag. As a final personal touch I decided to do a dark blue lining for the bag. 

I just love it... what do you think? 

Don't forget to visit her blog, Helmoja ja hepeneita ,to see what I send her and what she made of it.

(This was the light coming through my bedroom window this morning. Welcome back dear sun... )

A Krista começou a comentar o meu blogue há bastante tempo e sempre de uma forma extremamente querida. Por isso um dia enviei-lhe um email a dar-lhe os parabéns por o seu vestido ter sido eleito o mais votado no blogue Straightgrain num dos seus sew+show semanais. Desde esse dia que andamos a trocar emails e parece-me sempre que estamos as duas numa amena cavaqueira enquanto bebemos um café e comemos um bolinho.
Num desses emails, enquanto falávamos do nosso amor pelos tecidos, decidimos trocar tecidos que de alguma forma representassem o nosso pais, a nossa cultura. Eu recebi um tecido da Marimekko, fabuloso, cheio de cor e vida. Primeiro fiquei muito indecisa sobre o que fazer, quero sempre fazer algo fantástico com um tecido especial e custa-me muito cortar um tecido de que goste mesmo muito. Mas depois decidi que queria uma mala. Uma mala para levar para a maternidade e para uns quantos e bons longos fins de semana. Acabei por me decidir pelo molde da Noodlehead, a Cargo duffle bag (um molde grátis!!!).
No entanto, fiz-lhe algumas alterações. Sinto o meu tempo a apertar, afinal estou quase com 38 semanas de gravidez! Não fiz o acolchoado por igual na mala toda, usei um pedaço de pele castanha que o meu pai me deu para fazer o bolso na frente da mala, não fiz as alças mas comprei-as e fiz-lhe um forro em azulão que adoro!
Na verdade, adoro esta mala, toda, por inteiro!.... Agora não se esqueçam de ir ao blogue da Krista,  Helmoja ja hepeneita , para ver o que ela fez com os tecidos que lhe enviei. :-)