BirdBrain Designs

Archives for March 2018

hooking in the March sunlight

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It’s still cold in southern Ontario but we have had more than a week of straight sun. Marvellous. And I’ve had the chance to get back to hooking after a long while. It’s a wonderous thing, alone in the studio, listening to a good podcast, feeling the sun on my shoulder and enjoying the texture of the hand-dyed wool strips as I pull them through the taut linen. I’m working on a small piece where I’m trying out some new ideas in preparation for a larger table runner. So there is no pressure here. It’s a test piece, and I can listen to an interview with the author of the book I’m currently reading  (Jennifer Egan of Manhattan Beach) while still thinking about shape, design and colour. It’s a nice blend of listening and wandering. 

So here is the piece on Saturday as I started…

and again today. I’m working with strips and small pieces from my endless boxes of leftovers from other projects. So I have a mix of cuts from #4 to #6 and I’m working it out as I go. I’ll post again soon with some progress shots.

a new travel tote in paprika leather

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Here is a new travel tote in a beautiful leather with both character and strength.  The tote has carry handles and a removable and adjustable shoulder strap. Outside there is a large zipper pocket and inside there is another zip/slip pocket as well as a large canvas pocket–so lots of ways to organize your travel things. It has a double leather bottom, brass hardware and durable metal zippers. This will fit under the seat in an airplane and just as easily carry books to the library or rug hooking to your meeting. It’s a great versatile bag in a beautiful colour. Dimensions: 17″ tall, 15″ wide and 5.5″ deep. Shoulder straps have 12″ drop.

welcoming spring with two new bags cobalt dot leather

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This fabulous piece of leather is a remnant which I found in Savannah at Measure. It turned out to be wonderful– colour, texture and quality–and there was enough for a cross-body bag and a wrist pouch, each with outside pockets. The shoulder bag has a zipper pocket inside as well as a slip pocket; the pouch has a small pocket inside for credit cards, subway tokens etc. Both are the colour that welcomes spring! Check in the online store. today There is just one of each.

an update and a scribbly sketch

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I sat in the window of a local cafe and sketched this scribbly fragment of a great old building. It’s sunny, but still very cold in my part of the world and it’s much nicer to sketch from the warmth of a cafe sipping a hot drink. I was fresh from a visit to the dentist and it felt good to let the freezing thaw out while I traced the lines of the limestone and brick. I haven’t been sketching very much for one reason and another–but I’ve taken on a small project which will have me sketching local buildings in the next few weeks. This is just a start–but with sun in the forecast for the next few days, I hope to post some more. 

some new things–finally

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It has been a busy month and I haven’t been in the studio very much. But it’s been happy news that has kept me away–a new granddaughter and a little holiday. And now I’m home and back in the groove.

Here finally, are some new things. Most of these are orders, but if you see something you like, let me know. There may be enough leather to make another. This first is another version of this convertible backpack.  This one is in a great colour combination of smoky grey-green and black. Like the first one, this backpack converts to a cross-body bag.

And here are a few large pouches. This first one has a wristlet and the following two are waiting for shoulder straps. The blue leather is a small piece I found in Savannah at Measure and I am delighted at its weight and texture. Check in the next few days for a bigger bag out of this great leather… and some new things. I plan to update the shop and have some sale items available by the end of the month.