I've spent much of my week at various times on my hands and knees hand scrubbing every single inch of floor grout in my house. Real friends would have warned me when I excitedly talked about laying white tile last year when we renovated how much of a bitch that was going to be to keep clean. In fact real friends would have been here helping me clean the grout. I had planned to clean the grout in April and got as far as buying the cleaner and then ignored it until August. I finally finished on Saturday with a marathon scrub of the kitchen and dining room. Nobody is allowed to walk on it. We've been stuck in the lounge room for the last 24 hours and I'm making Mr. P take a whizz out the front door so he doesn't have to use the hallway to get to the toilet. Cleaning grout has to be one of the worst household jobs ever. I dont plan on doing it any more often than I have to.
Yesterday I got all fired up about the idea of making a quilted purse from this super easy looking tutorial over at Kat's. Call it avoidance of the Flying Dutchman quilt if you like but I got me a hankering to have a pretty purse and by golly I was going to make one. And it was going to be the best darn purse in the history of purses.
Most of you know I have bag-o-phobia. Some people are scared of spiders, or Friday the 13th , or murderers. I am scared of bags. Every single time I make one I screw it up somehow. Either the handles disappear inside the lining at the turning stage or something crucial doesn't line up when I pull it right side out no matter how carefully I cut and sew and follow instructions. This time I was feeling confident and full of girl power. And it all went swimmingly until I had to do the turning right side out part which appears to be my Waterloo.
In my first attempt -I sewed the entire top shut . It's pretty hard to turn a bag right side out when you do that. In my own defence I was completely surprised when this occurred since in my mind I thought I was genuinely following the instructions. Yes - I'm a complete dumbarse. I unpicked and decided to try again.
In my second attempt (during which I sent Mr. P to the shops because he was looking a little bit deer in the headlights after my first attempt) the flap disappeared into the bag and decided it wouldn't re-appear without more unpicking . Which I dutifully did accompanied by some swearing. I'm not going to lie- I did contemplate using it as a flapless pouch and pretending that's the way it was designed.
It was at this point I became paralysed by fear and decided to go away and make cupcakes because sometimes they actually turn out and because I felt like having a little whiny self pitying cry about being the only person in the universe that cant master basic bag making.
The cupcakes made me feel better so I ate 4 of them.
I also re-upholstered the computer room chairs. I stripped the old upholstery off, bleached it , tea dyed it and then hated how it looked so one emergency trip to Spotlight later this is what I ended up with.
I got some more Tis The Season stitchery blocks done. How pissed off does the snowman on the left look?
I did manage to drag up the enthusiasm to actually cut the backing for the Flying Dutchman quilt and that's as far as I got. That deadline is getting closer and closer and eventually I'll be forced to do something to finish it. Or hand my nephew a pile of fabric that vaguely resembles a quilt. He could super glue it together. It'll be character building.
Oh and that bag? I went back and kicked it's arse after my cupcake lunch. It's amazing what you can do with a staple gun and spit.
It seems I can make bags after all.
I'm linking up to Little Miss Sunshine's Pyjama Party Sunday. Click the link below for a squizz at what she got up to this weekend.
P.S. I feel like I'm dying. Someone has generously given me a cold and accompanying fever. I'm just hoping it isn't flu but I seriously doubt I'm going to be up bright eyed and bushy tailed for work in 9 hours.
First to comment! First to comment!!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE your clutch, congrats! And will be bookmarking the link.
And those cupcakes....divine. I probably wouldn't have stopped at 4 ;)
Your Christmas preparation is starting to make me feel inadequate. Being competitive as I am, I have started something from my list! Good think you are spurring me on or else it would be Dec 20 when I would lock myself in my sewing room....
The clutch is gorgeous! Success in bag-making, so what's next on your list?
ReplyDeleteUmm...can I have a cupcake? They look delish. Great finishes for a weekend of scrubbing and sewing!
PS...I would've helped you scrub the floors. I would've grumbled the entire time, but I would've scrubbed. ☺
PPS...My word verification is 'grave'. You think Blogger is trying to tell me something? Or perhaps it read your post about dying from a cold. ;)
Oh girl........you had it bad. Glad the clutch come out great in the end though. Oh and the grout, I hope you also bought some grout sealer, then you shouldn't have to scrub for sometime, keeps the dirt from getting into the grout, it is a godsend for sure.
ReplyDeleteWe just got white carpets and Dad immediately made us go out and buy mats - I kinda wonder why we bothered with new carpet if we cant walk on it. I put quilts all over the floor instead. I wasn't gunna waste valuable fabric money on mats when I had a tub of the things sitting patiently in the shed.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your purse turned out okay. I must admit, I would much rather make a big bag than a little one: in my experience the smaller they are the easier they are to screw up. I have heaps of lovely handmade gym, laptop, travel and handbags, but my purse came from kmart. Please don't judge me.
Oh my..I hope you feel better already...don´t get really sick. No, no, no!!!
ReplyDeleteI really like the clutch - good job!!!
Oh and I would have helped you clean..even though I don´t know what grout is...I would have scrubbed and laughed with you...you are just a tid bit far away..
Hi Shay,
ReplyDeleteI hate grout!!! Luckily I don't have any on the floor. You should check with your home improvement store about sealing grout. I don't know much about it, but I know it is possible. Quick while it is still clean!!!
Hugs
Oh no, you mentioned cupcakes! Someone on flickr found this pictute and this is all I can think about when they get mentioned now!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/wisely-chosen/3914125944/
Love the bag - well done.
Your weekend sounds exhausting. Cleaning grout is one of the joys of homeownership, isn't it? Get yours sealed and have it professionally cleaned every couple of years and you can save your knees and fingernails and concentrate the swearing on other parts of your life. (I dearly hope it was too cold for passersby to see Mr. P whizzing on the porch!)
ReplyDeleteThe bag looks lovely, and good work on getting a back for the FD.
So sorry you have a "code".
ReplyDeleteI love the clutch but know that I would lose that in a minute! I mean it, I need a strap, and over the shoulder too. But it's too cute for words dahlink!
Get better soon!
I know totally what you mean about having a clean grout floor or any floor. Looks great till that first step!
That is a very gorgeous bag!! I'm glad you got there in the end. Quilts I can do but 3d things are weird and tricky. Tiles sound like hard work. Those snowmen make me laugh because theyre so cute. Get better soon!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you use to clean your grout? I was looking at mine today and thinking it could do with a deep clean.
ReplyDeleteBy the way the purse is beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteI've been fighting off a sore throat for 4 days now, I survived talking all day yesterday by eating lots of lollies. Bit of a sniffle this morning but I think it won't be much, hope you don't go down in a big way there is so much of it around this year.
ReplyDeleteThe purse looks pretty cool even though it was a bastard to sew I probably would have thrown it in the corner. Don't worry if sewn a few bags shut in my time. Looks like you accomplish a lot in your PJ's this week.
That's a pretty little bag, when you used staples and spit you forgot fencing wire....fencing wire will fix everything in the universe......hope the cold doesn't turn out to be to bad. Germs can come through the computer, you know. Much as we love you, we don't want yours.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you are not well. Hope you have stayed home from work in bed.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have produced a lovely clutch bag. You can do anything girl if you put your mind to it and you constantly amaze me with all the stuff you do. I feel like a total lazy bones after reading all you accomplish.
Cheers
Helen
I LOVE love it!!! Pink and floral and gorgeous! I now want one too... Does it defeat the purpose of a scrap busting project if I cut into my pretty florals to make it though?! Lol...
ReplyDeleteWell done you for giving it a go and not letting it beat you!
I hope it wasn't my instructions that caused such a headache! Hmm.... Perhaps I need to mention how to sew it closed without sewing it all shut... Whoops.
Great other projects too. Beam me up scotty cupcake mmmm....
Hope you feel better really soon! 2 snotty little 'dying' girls in this house too so I'm thinking my chances of avoiding getting it myself may be somewhat slim :(
I have found that my friends run for the hills when I mention grout cleaning or decluttering. I was going to use some grout colorant on mine (also white) but now I'm considering just putting vinyl over the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteYour purse turned out great. I think I have purseaphobia too as I have never made one, but have bought several patterns.
Your bag is gorgeous! Way to go in conquering your bagaphobia!
ReplyDeleteWay cute clutch - I'm sure I would have left the flap the inside - Well done you unpicking and fixing it right!Of course the sugar in the cup cakes would have made that task a lot easier.
ReplyDeleteNice chair.
Hope the germs have gotten the message and moved on already.
Enjoy your week.
Well now that you have accomplished the clutch bag (which is lovely by the way) it means I still hold the title. I make the same bag pattern for everything (as anyone who has ever bought one of my bag projects will attest too!)I justify this by trying to make the outside as exciting as possible. How I envy these clever bag makers!! Loved the cupcakes I so wanted one!!
ReplyDeleteSorry wouldn've helped out with the floors...hate housework!
You have a very short memory, I distinctly remember telling you not to get plain white tiles as they are a pain in the a*^# to clean. So there!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI may not be nice enough to come over and help you clean them though.
I think you are sick because you ate half a carrot the other night, your body has probably rejected it! I do hope you feel very much better very soon.
All the trials and tribulations with that purse were well worth it, it's absolutely gorgeous, I love that fabric, well done, you clever thing.
Hi Shay
ReplyDelete..............now I see why you needed the Keep Calm sign!
Scrubbing grout - yuck! We are just about to have our bathroom revamped. When they asked if I would like tiles I said NO. Been there done that.
Love your bag.
Cheers
Linda
Great job on the clutch, I have slate black/grey tiles with black grout which I hate and we have talked about ripping up and re doing..... think I will stay with the dark grout... Mopping floors is about as much attention as they deserve.
ReplyDeleteOnly have grout in the bathroom and the kitchen and that is a pain enough to deal with! Love that little purse, I'm waiting for my little stash buster from Kat to make my own one...hope I can follow the instructions? I followed the link Shevvy left about the cupcakes.....maybe I shouldn't have, one does have to ask WHY would you?? Maybe I'm a prude.... good thing I am off sugar :-)
ReplyDeleteYour bag is gorgeous ( i wanna make one now! )
ReplyDeleteThose cupcakes look pretty good too. Cleaning grout doesnt sound like much fun though : (
My stars you definitely DID kick it's butt - what a fantastic bag - it's just gorgeous! Thank you for the link to the tute - that bag would make a lovely birthday or Christmas gift, and I just happen to have in my stash, a ziplock bag with 5 lovely pink FQ's tucked in it that would work very well for this :) If only I had cupcakes to spur me on, LOL!
ReplyDeleteHey that bag was worth all the hard work! I've never made one, and confess to being a bit intimidated. Although I've got ideas. Yes, I do. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe chair seat is fabulous!
And your Christmas blocks are coming along beautifully.
Wait, they make special stuff to clean grout? Huh. Could have used that little tid bit awhile back. Instead, I asked BigB who said, it always gets black eventually, don't worry about it. I can just redo it. Um..okay...
ReplyDeleteI knew you could beat that damn bag. Hope your feeling better. Patients have been telling me of not the flu but the 100 day cough. Sounds like something that is not going to do the pelvic floor a lot of good.
ReplyDeleteHope your cold has shifted and you feel better. The purse is great. I like that you make mistakes because it makes me feel like I am not alone in my imperfection. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteLove the little bag! You do nice work! Your Christmas stitcheries are always so cute. And I really love that chair you re-did. You have a way with refurbishing. Everything always turns out so beautifully.
ReplyDeletexo -E
I love bags but HATE making them - too much like sewing clothing -bleck! I'll stick with quilting, thank you. Love cupcakes too...
ReplyDeleteHilarious but glad you won through even if you had to kick its A***!
ReplyDelete