Organic Child's Messenger Bag | Cedar House Fabrics

{ Scroll right on to the bottom of this post to find the 15% coupon code to Cedar House Fabrics! } 

I discovered Cedar House Fabrics in my hunt for gorgeous organic fabrics for my Red Charlotte Etsy store. I had the idea to ask Lela, the owner of Cedar House, to work with me on a project for my daughter Cora. So very soon in the mail I received these two gorgeous fabrics:

Cloud9 Maman - Petite Filles, Organic Cotton fabric + Cloud9 Across the Pond - The Banks SKY, Organic Cotton Fabric for sale at Cedar House Fabrics.

And then I got to work:

We had a family vacation to go into in a couple of weeks and Cora (21 months) had become increasingly interested in wallets, purses, and bags. I could tell she would love her own so I started cutting out the pieces for this child's size Messenger Bag by Oliver + S.

I had never worked with an Oliver and S pattern but my friend Paige encouraged me to try and I'm so glad I did. Their directions are incredibly easy to follow. No hidden tricks or head scratches. They've really thought out how to talk to even beginning sewers.

I LOVE the combination of these two organic fabrics by Cloud9. When I got them from Cedar House I squealed and showed my husband who is used to such outbursts over fabric. "This fabric," I emphatically pointed to the teal color of the Banks fabric, "does NOT get enough love in the crafting world."

He nodded quietly and waited until I moved on to show Cora the pretty fabric instead. Good man that husband. He knows when to listen :)

Just look how gorgeous it is with the pink trim.

I backed it with cotton duck to make it sturdier.

So from one mom to another, another reason why I picked the darker turquoise Cloud9 fabric was to hide stains on the outside of the bag. I picked the Cloud9 Petite Filles fabric because Cora loves little pictures of girls and babies. I knew as soon as she opened the bag she would point and say, "Babies! Babies!!"

But there was one more thing I wanted to do, and I have to go back to my husband and give him even more credit, because it was his idea. 

"Why don't you embroider a motorcycle on it too?"

Now, I get it, and I know you do too.

One does not simply embroider a motorcycle into your craft project.

One must have a machine to do do that. And some know-how. I do not have either of these things but Eric thinks so highly of me that he just assumes I do. Love him, right?

And why a motorcycle? Well, my child loves motorcycles and bicycles more than anything else in this world. She calls them "bubbles." This is the word order of things that Cora talks about when she waks up first thing in the morning:

Mama? - Yes

Dada? - Yes

Bubbles? - Yes

Elmo? - Yes

Bus? - Uh huh

BUBBLES!!!!!!

And so I got together with my friend Kathy who does the embroidery for my shop, and voila..... a bubble!!

Okay, okay, it's not a motorcycle. But I wasn't ABOUT to ask Kathy to embroider a sport bike onto this fabric. Maybe a cafe racer style motorcycle, but we couldn't find any good ones. I think this looks much more age appropriate anyway, don't you?

Ready for the finished product?

Le sigh. Isn't it lovely?

Paige added snaps to the front pockets and I realize I'll have to add a good shot of the inside (there's an adorable inside pocket with three pencil holder slots).

I got the webbing for the messenger bag strap and the strap adjuster from www.strapworks.com.

A special shout out to my friends Kathy and Paige. Kathy for doing the embroidery, in oh, less than 24 hours because that's how I roll when it comes to planning. And to Paige for being an awesome friend and hand-holding me through sewing with a pattern (I've always made my own.) Sidenote: uhhhhh, sewing with a pattern is so much easier...

Paige was working on her own Oliver + S pattern, this shirt and shorts set for her daughter Maddi (also pictured above.) I'll post some pics of the finished project when she is done. 

And Cora? Well she loved the bag!

Cora admiring the bubble on the front and looking a little shell-shocked at having her own bag!

It was perfect to carry all her special things on our vacation. It is also practically impossible to get a 21 month old to stand still and pose for a photo :)

So to sum up:

LOVED working with an Oliver + S pattern for the first time. Oh, and they are offering 20% off today on their patterns with the code: FACEBOOKFLASH

Want to get some gorgeous organic fabric of your own? Check out CEDAR HOUSE FABRICS.

Reasons I love Cedar House?

They sell organic fabrics from the Birch, Cloud9, Daisy Jane, Monaluna, and Saffron Craig collections.

They now offer organic ribbon and trim and ORGANIC THREAD. Seriously so excited about that!

Cedar House also offers FREE US and Canada shipping on their orders. 

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{ C O U P O N } 

For the entire month of May you can use the code: FINCHFOUND at their site http://www.cedarhousefabrics.com/

(Add the coupon code in 'Notes to Seller' section and Cedar House will refund your 15% after purchase)

{ C O N N E C T } 

Cedar House Fabrics: http://www.cedarhousefabrics.com/

Cedar House Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cedarhousefabrics

Comments

[cindy]

Holymoly Charlotte - that bag is IT! When are you going to start selling those in your shop (cough cough)
Off to do some fabric shopping! Like I need an excuse ;)