What I forget to show you

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Lately I’ve been showing you all a lot of finished products.  A lot of “Here’s what’s coming…” followed by “Happy Endings” =)

So I just wanted to remind you that there is work that is done in the silence of this blog.  Usually I get so caught up in the flow of sewing and cutting and blah blah blah…that I forget to take pictures and write about it along the way!

But here I am now, with just little snippets of happiness to show you!  Some days I sit and sew, others I treat myself to delicious cups of coffee, and again during others I have to map out a plan of execution so that I don’t go bonkers trying to figure out what to do first or next!

Always remembering that The Journey is the Destination =)

I hope you enjoy my little slideshow of life!

I’ll see you soon with more completed projects!

*****Each product is handmade and re-purposed from second hand clothing and fabrics and is completely one of a kind, I couldn’t duplicate any of these bags even if I wanted too! It’s my way of going green and staying in style.

As always you can e-mail me at K.Barnes@BykimB.com or leave a comment.

And if you’d like to view my complete collection become a fan
of By kimB on facebook.

Or you can follow @BykimB on twitter.

To purchase visit my (still under construction) website BykimB.com or etsy
store. Thank you for stopping by and please enjoy these designs By kimB!

Lisa’s Couple’s Tote! *Done*

When Lisa first gave me her bag of goodies she told me to make as many bags as I could!  I was excited =)  But it wasn’t until I combined all the bags and really rifled through the piles, organized the colors and re-piles the shirts and sweatshirts that I formed ideas for the next 3 totes with 3 different concepts!

This one here is the one I labeled in my sketch book as “Monochromatic.”  Funny now seeing the pictures that it is absolutely NOT monochromatic.  Yellow, tan, Green, Grey…Color seems to just sneak up on me.

I hadn’t planned on adding the green in a place it would actually show.  I was just going to use it as a layering piece.  But as you probably already know by now, my plans never ever work.  When I laid the green down next to all the other colors I didn’t want to hide anymore as a layering piece so I re-vamped it into a pocket!

My favorite part of this bag is the image of the couple on the front.  It’s as if you’re looking at an old picture, or maybe their shadow.  But it really caught my eye and it’s a great powerful statement.  It says:

“After all of this is over all that will have really mattered is how we treated each other.”

Makes me want to be nice to someone =)

I always love making totes!  I feel more and more confident with every stitch!

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy!

*****Each product is handmade and re-purposed from second hand clothing and fabrics and is completely one of a kind, I couldn’t duplicate any of these bags even if I wanted too! It’s my way of going green and staying in style.

As always you can e-mail me at K.Barnes@BykimB.com or leave a comment.

And if you’d like to view my complete collection become a fan
of By kimB on facebook.

Or you can follow @BykimB on twitter.

To purchase visit my (still under construction) website BykimB.com or etsy
store. Thank you for stopping by and please enjoy these designs By kimB!

Lisa’s “Girly” Tote! *Done*

It’s not often, but sometimes I feel really girly and really enjoy thinks like glitter, painted nails, and Pink!  And I was feeling girly when I put this little tote together.  In Lisa’s bags of  clothes the main colors were yellow’s, greens, and gray’s.  Which I love!  But I didn’t want all the bags to look the same because how anti-climatic would it be if you ordered 3 different bags and you got them back looking all the same!

So when I saw these colors popping out from the rest, I put them in a pile together and loved how they worked together.

The pink and the purple are both lower intensity, the teal really stands out from the rest, and the gray seems to tie it all together.

I made the sweatshirt pocket on the side panel a functional pocket so you can actually put items in there.  But it was a close call!  When I was sewing it together I almost forgot I hadn’t fastened the bottom end down and it nearly became an ascetically tricky fixture on the side of the tote that posed as a pocket.

Another change I made to my original tote design is for the straps I usually use a 1 1/2″ piece of canvas strapping for the handle.  But this time I was set on having the straps be a really light color, tan, off white…But I only had black at my house, and when I went hunting for some at the store the only thing I could find was 1″ canvas strapping.

I’d run into this before, when I first started sewing these, on a bag I called Yellow JACKet =) (because it was yellow and the pattern looked like a lumber Jack!)  And I really liked how it turned out and thought I should revisit this idea here and I’m glad I did.

Since the colors are so gentle I think such a thick strap would be a little too heavy for this look.  So I guess it all worked out how it was suppose to!

I’ll let you know how Lisa likes it when I get a chance to catch up with her!  Hopefully she’ll like ALL of the ones I’ve been working on for her these last couple of months!

The anticipation is gonna kill me! =)

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy!

*****Each product is handmade and re-purposed from second hand clothing and fabrics and is completely one of a kind, I couldn’t duplicate any of these bags even if I wanted too! It’s my way of going green and staying in style.

As always you can e-mail me at K.Barnes@BykimB.com or leave a comment.

And if you’d like to view my complete collection become a fan
of By kimB on facebook.

Or you can follow @BykimB on twitter.

To purchase visit my (still under construction) website BykimB.com or etsy
store. Thank you for stopping by and please enjoy these designs By kimB!

Lisa’s Big as Can be Duffel! *Done*

This is part 2 of Lisa’s 4 part order of a Backpack, Duffel, Tote, and Pencil Case.  She has another smaller duffel from a past order, this time wanted one “Big.  As big as you can make it.”

I told her I’d truly only be able to make it as big as the biggest item she gave me without it looking like a patchwork quilt.  Because let’s face it, if she wanted a quilt, she’d have ordered a quilt, and the last thing I wanted to do was hand over a bag that looked like Raggedy Ann’s preferred travel bag.

Lucky for me, and Lisa.  She’d thrown in a pair of sweats!  Perrrrrfect!  After being cut apart at the seams they were long and wide!  Perfect for the front and back face of this bag!

The rest of the pieces weren’t so hard to find since size wouldn’t be an issue and it was only a matter of color at that point.  The cutting process for this duffel took a few committed days due to it’s size and the variety of different items I had to cut, as well as needing to patchwork some of the pieces together to accommodate the size of the bag.

One day in particular where I decided it would be in my best interest to make a loaf of Apple Walnut bread and coffee and eat that the entire day all by myself with Pumpkin Butter from Trader Joes.  I must say that it did keep me motivated to keep cutting! =)

And since I’m notorious for not documenting my process to make the next time around easier I tried my best to write down every step along the way so that next time I have a better reference and won’t have to re-create the process every time!  Although I do find joy in finding a new way each time.  It keeps me creative!

Since this is my 3rd duffel now I’ve got a pretty good grasp on how these work, and by the time I was done cutting and interfacing I felt like I was home free when I started sewing.  But with my history of breaking my machine, hiring the shoe store, and taking my bags to the local alteration shop, I got smart!  I went to the fabric store, after having a wonderful conversation with my fashion school buddies David and Daniel Concepcion, about the wonders of fabric specific needles!  I bought some heavy duty knit needles and denim strength needles to see what kind of difference it made in the process.

Boy do I feel silly.  After over 2 years of frustration, crying in the fetal position over jammed sewing machines I come to find out that all it took is an upgrade in needle…That’s probably a lesson I should have learned years ago.  Clearly Google only works if you ask the right questions.

With me and my new needle, I finished the edges with slight modifications to my last patterns, with just a small sense of unnecessary anxiety because the needles worked!  I do recall there being one small jam, but it was easily fixed when I turned my machine off, and back on again.  Easy Peasy!

When it came time for the strap, in true kimB fashion, I looked to some duffels I’ve acquired along the way, because I wanted this duffel to have the proper support.  So I used the rubber padding and hardware from the other bag to complete this duffel.

I do love how this bag turned out.  Very simple details, subtle color contrasts, and an easy overall feel.  The sweats were a life saver, otherwise it’d be a teenie tiny little thing.  And hopefully this works out for everything Lisa needs, and it’ll fit perfect with the small collection she’s started of custom By kimB creations!

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy!

*****Each product is handmade and re-purposed from second hand clothing and fabrics and is completely one of a kind, I couldn’t duplicate any of these bags even if I wanted too! It’s my way of going green and staying in style.

As always you can e-mail me at K.Barnes@BykimB.com or leave a comment.

And if you’d like to view my complete collection become a fan
of By kimB on facebook.

Or you can follow @BykimB on twitter.

To purchase visit my (still under construction) website BykimB.com or etsy
store. Thank you for stopping by and please enjoy these designs By kimB!

Talk with Grandma

Caught Grandma mid sentence for this picture. I just had to get a close up of her beautiful skin! She'd kill me if she knew I had this picture =)

Yesterday I had the greatest privilege to go to church with my parents and my 82 year old grandma and sit down afterwards and talk over pastries and coffee at the cute little church cafe.  My Grandma isn’t your typical sweet little old lady.  Cute, she is.  Her smile and laugh has an amazing child like quality that makes you laugh along with her.  Although, I don’t think it’s possible for her to laugh without landing a quick smack on your arm!  I just assume it’s a love tap, but that woman is STRONG, I’m afraid one day she’s gonna laugh so hard she’s gonna haul off and really hit me!  =)

She is always decked out from head to toe, hat, matching suit with rhinestones down her jacket and skirt, with stockings and kitten heels.  I remember growing up she’d have all her shoes dyed to match every outfit.  The woman has admirable style!  Last time I went to visit her she was set to go in her skinny jeans, floral blouse and flats.  Cool and casual.

When we were in the cafe I was updating my dad on all things By kimB, my mom was engaged in an interesting conversation with Grandma.

At one point my mom interjected to grab my attention because it was really a conversation that I should be in too.  My mom filled me in on the happenings so far.  My grandma had been talking about how when she grew up on the farm, down in the south, her mom was a seamstress.  She would take the old flour sacks and make them into dresses and clothes for the kids.  She never used a pattern, measuring tape or any of the fancy modern amenities that we all swear by now days.

Grandma continued on to tell us how her mother taught her how to sew as well and whenever someone had a baby they would come to them and have them make them some baby clothes.  Sitting at the table she sipped her coffee and lifted her hands and said with her slightly aged voice and still a hint of that southern drawl,

“They’d sit the baby in front of us,” motioning with her hands, “I’d look and could tell just how big to make it,” she’d say with her hands getting bigger and smaller.

Growing up in such humble means they didn’t let anything go to waste.  They always found an alternate purpose for everything.  Everything was made themselves on the farm and the only thing they bought from the store was the flour, and on occasion, some margarine so they could use the paper it was wrapped in, to wrap their own home churned butter.

It was one of those moments when you realize that who you are didn’t happen on accident. During the conversation I was very clear that I am who I am for a reason and By kimB wasn’t just made from thin air.  I came from this family line.  And although their version of conservation and re-using everything was born out of necessity, the ways in which they implemented their creativity is something that I get to enjoy today, and everyday doing what I do.

And thanks to many women like my Grandma and Great Grandma we get the luxury of going to the fabric store and finding the perfect pattern for whatever we want to make.  Unfortunately for me, I’m now convinced it’s in my blood to be utterly confused by patterns.  I can confidently say it’s not my fault!  That’s just how we do it in my family =)

(Really great excuse, I know!)

I’m so grateful to have had the chance to talk with my Grandma.  I learn something every time I talk with her.  She’s got so many stories to tell and has been through so much.  I love catching a glimpse of how she see’s the world, it’s inspiring.

Maybe one day I’ll gather some flour sacks and flashback to the days on the farm with some flour sack dresses…maybe not, but it’s a good thing to remember where you come from every once in a while!

What a great way to start the week!

Thanks for stopping by!  And if like me you are one of the blessed few with a living Grandma call her up and let her tell you some stories.  You never know what you’ll find out!

 

 

*****Each product is handmade and re-purposed from second hand clothing and fabrics and is completely one of a kind, I couldn’t duplicate any of these bags even if I wanted too! It’s my way of going green and staying in style.

As always you can e-mail me at K.Barnes@BykimB.com or leave a comment.

And if you’d like to view my complete collection become a fan
of By kimB on facebook.

Or you can follow @BykimB on twitter.

To purchase visit my (still under construction) website BykimB.com or etsy
store. Thank you for stopping by and please enjoy these designs By kimB!

My First BackPack! For Lisa’s *Done*

I am a pretty self confident person.  But from time to time I have mini freak outs.  And when Lisa came to me with a request from her daughter for a backpack my mind went racing.  I’d never made a backpack before and was running designs in my head before she even had a chance to finish her sentence!  So when she asked if I would do it, I’m pretty sure I just stared straight ahead for a few seconds before I said

…”Yeah…Uh…sure I’ve never done one, but I’m sure I can do that.  It may not look like a traditional backpack but it’ll be a backpack…=/”

Great answer right!  haha.  Luckily she trusts my creative instinct and let me get to it!

I picked the color combination first from my bag of options, but I really had to be strategic with what I chose.  Lisa gave me two bags of t-shirts and sweatshirts and was ordering a backpack, large duffle, tote, a pencil case (which I will soon be figuring out) and if I had anything left to make another bag/scarf/accessory.  So I had to make sure I didn’t use up all of the material on one bag and make sure I had enough for the rest, because the last thing I wanted to happen was to run out before I’d started one of the products!

For the style of this bag I wanted to keep it simple but still stylish.  I mean anything By kimB has got to have personality!  So I chose colors that were different but still complimentary to each other.  Usually I go for bold colors that do nothing but contrast but maybe I was relaxed that day =)

The pink accent on the front pocket came as a last minute decision.  I formed the pocket and sewed it into the front face of bag but it just didn’t look right.  The thread wasn’t working, the color contrast wasn’t satisfying, and I was unimpressed by the visual.  So I saw a pink shirt that I hadn’t used yet and decided I would make a sort of top covering for it.

I seam ripped the pocket off of the front face and side panel, started over and formed the pink t-shirt over the top.  Finally I loved what I was seeing.  It made such huge difference to the look of the bag.

I am also a big advocate for using the pockets already formed on the item, so on the back face I kept the kangaroo pockets from the sweatshirt attached because hey, when is an extra pocket a bad thing? =)

My main unexpected struggle with this bag was the shoulder pads on the straps.  I didn’t anticipate that this would be the hard part.  I bought some thin, what I thought was thin, foam at the fabric store to pad the straps with.  It wasn’t until I completed the bag completely that I was looking at it and thought…

“Wow…those pads look ridiculously fat.”

But I started to second guess myself and basically try to talk myself into thinking the super thick padding was a really good thing!  Fortunately my boyfriend came over on an impromptu visit and quickly squashed the mental progress I’d made to keep them as is, stating…

“It looks like a cartoon.”

FINE!  So again I had a seam ripping session and took them apart.  This time around I went to the thrift store (at 8 in the morning) with the intention to buy a bag or duffle of some sort to tear apart and use the foam padding in there.  I came across this camo green colored backpack and it had just what I needed.  (I was also so tired while I was shopping that I also bought a coffee maker and couldn’t help but buy a book, that is still sitting in the bag, while I was there.)

That ended up adding just as much support at half the size.  Just what I needed!

Although the initial concept of this project freaked me out, once I got started I felt like I hit my stride!  I won’t be adding this to the By kimB menu but now I can keep it in my back pocket if it ever presents itself again!

Such a great learning experience that turned out pretty well!  I hope you and your daughter like this bag Lisa!  And I that this bag will make her the coolest girl in school =)!

Enjoy!

*****Each product is handmade and re-purposed from second hand clothing and fabrics and is completely one of a kind, I couldn’t duplicate any of these bags even if I wanted too! It’s my way of going green and staying in style.

As always you can e-mail me at K.Barnes@BykimB.com or leave a comment.

And if you’d like to view my complete collection become a fan
of By kimB on facebook.

Or you can follow @BykimB on twitter.

To purchase visit my (still under construction) website BykimB.com or etsy
store. Thank you for stopping by and please enjoy these designs By kimB!

Kelly’s Quilt! *Done*

Another quilt bites the dust!  This is my 2nd quilt order this year and the BIGGEST thus far.  The first order was for two baby type blankets but the same concept, they wanted the shirts on one side and colored fleece on the other.

And as always, a new project always brings on a new challenge.  In this particular case I assume could possibly be the first of many because I never actually met or spoke with the person who placed the order!  Normally I get a chance to sit down and chat in person and go over everything they want and we go back and forth with questions and idea’s.  (Personally one of my favorite parts!  Sometimes I just can’t shut up!)

The conversation is usually speckled with the phrase “I trust you, you’re the artist, and I’ll leave that up to you.”  Not gonna lie, it’s very flattering and I get excited when I have permissioned creative freedom =)  But everything in moderation right?

And I still somehow found my way…not the most direct way either!

My Sister in Law, who is also VERY crafty (check out her Zoodies!) came to visit after I’d finished all my cutting and had begun sewing, and began asking me questions.  Simple things like:

“How’d you cut all those squares?”

Me.

“…with scissors, a ruler and a yardstick?…”

At the sound of her *GASP* I instantly knew I’d done something terribly wrong!  Well apparently there’s this magic little gem called a rotary cutter that could have miraculously saved my life, aka…time.  Had I known it was only a small investment away I may have saved myself about a week…

Lesson learned.  Call Carlee FIRST!  Because I’m sure there’s more where that came from!

Anyhow, I think this quilt looks and feels GREAT!  Maybe it was all the man hours cutting those squares (with scissors) and applying the yarn, or because I like to toot my own horn whenever I get the chance, but I really do love this behemoth of a blanket and I’m hoping and PRAYING that they do too!

You will be the first to know if I see tears or sorrow instead of tears of joy!

Until then, thanks for stopping by! And enjoy!

*****Each product is handmade and re-purposed from second hand clothing and fabrics and is completely one of a kind, I couldn’t duplicate any of these bags even if I wanted too! It’s my way of going green and staying in style.

As always you can e-mail me at K.Barnes@BykimB.com or leave a comment.

And if you’d like to view my complete collection become a fan
of By kimB on facebook.

Or you can follow @BykimB on twitter.

To purchase visit my (still under construction) website BykimB.com or etsy
store. Thank you for stopping by and please enjoy these designs By kimB!