Tine Sews: The Travel Tote Bag

It's been a while again, but this time I can actually show you, what I made. The past weeks I did rarely sit down and sew, because my serger is currently at the repair shop and there seem to be important parts missing that the repairman needs to make it work properly again.
So I only have my "normal" sewing machine at the moment and as I'm so spoiled with the overlocker, I can't stand unfinished seams anymore, so that's why I haven't really been sewing lately.

But this weekend I did and I made a new bag! Bags are rarely on the agenda nowadays, as I mostly sew clothes, but I'm going to Marrakesh on Wednesday and I don't have any bag that is travel friendly in a city where there are supposed to be many pickpockets. So I had to make a bag that closes with a zipper. And make some safe pockets inside the bag, so that I can store everything inside and be organized.

I knew the perfect size for a travel tote from my former trip to Portugal, where I carried a tote around and it was the perfect size. It just didn't have the safety features.

The new bag features everything that I consider to be essential safety wise. We'll see if I have to fear any pickpockets at all or if it's just a myth.

Anyway, here are the details of my new travel tote with safety features.

The bag closes with a zipper. Unfortunately I couldn't get a yellow one as I wanted, because my local fabric shop doesn't sell this colour. So I had to get orange. I could have gotten the perfect colour at work, but I was short on time and so I went to the shop on the day I was sewing.

On the inside there are two more pockets. One with a zipper and one that is padded.

Used the same orange zipper for the pocket. It's a 15 cm one and it's a patch pocket.

The padded pocket is perfect for electronics or my wallet.

The straps are 80 cm long and the middle part is padded as well.

For the bottom I used some sturdy upholstery fabric, which should take wear and tear better than the quilting cotton I used as a main fabric.

I'm prett happy with my new bag and hope to have an awesome trip to Marrakesh. Maybe I'l even get around sharing some of the travel memories later. Though I'm already three trips behind...

Tine Travels: Meet The Blogger Amsterdam 2015

Wow, this weekend has been amazing! I had the chance to visit the Meet the Blogger event that is held in Amsterdam and network with new and old to me bloggers from Germany, the Netherlands and different parts of the world.
The event took place in Hotel Casa 400, which was closeby to Amstel metrostation, so very convenient to get to from my accomodation.

On Saturday I liked the keynote of Emma and Elsie from A Beautiful Mess especially and also had my fangirl moment, when Emma and I had a quick conversation about surfing, when she saw the scrapbooking page I made during the "Crafting with the Messy Box" workshop. So sweet!

But also the other sessions about SEO and the keynote by Yvestown were very interesting and inspiring. It's amazing to see so many , mostly female, bloggers all sharing their ideas and experiences so openly. Many of the sessions were about how to make your blog more successfull, monetize it and work with brands. For me that's not inetersting as I also blog for work and want to keep my income coming from that work.

When I first started the blog I still had the idea about turning it into a professional one day, but now that I found the perfect job, where I basically do what I love (writing, styling, sewing, networking) I don't need to think about what to do with this blog to grow it. Maybe I'll think about the topic differently in a few years, when I want to work more independetly but at this stage of my life I'm happy and that counts, right?

So, after an interesting keynote by the Urban Jungle Bloggers on Sunday and a presentation on how to make viral content, receiving the not one, not two but three goodiebags, I went into town, browsed through some shops, had a nice take-away hot-dog kebab mix in the Red Light District and went back to my accomodation to get some sleep.

Today I set up my workplace in a café next to Waterlooplein and just caught up on e-mails and read some articles. Then it was already time to catch the flight to Hamburg.
I will definitely go back to Amsterdam for a proper weekend trip sometime, as I just loved the vibe of the city. And I suppose there is even more to explore, than what I've seen.

Tine Travels: Olbia 2015

I took a flight from Hamburg to Munich, had some transfer time where I tried the different flavours that the free coffee bar had to offer and then boarded my Air Dolomiti flight to Olbia. Olbia is in the Northeast of Sardinia and one of the biggest cities in Sardinia. One of the few sights that my guidebook told me to visit in Sardinia was the Basilica San Paolo, so I went there after I returned from my sailing trip. It's a pretty impressive building, though it's a little bit hidden in a side street. The inside features some great mosaics and paintings and while I was there, there seemed to be a kind of ceremony going on in one of the side wings.

The Sardinian flag features four heads of moors, though the reason why it features them has different stories. The flag consists of a plain white background, St. Georges Cross and a moor’s head in each quarter.

I stayed in a lovely Bed and Breakfast (host is Beta) that I found on Airbnb. The location was a bit away from the centre of Olbia, but very well connected by bus and the ticket for a 90 minute bus ticket was only 1 € if you bought the ticket in advance. With one bus line I could easily reach two of the beaches, that the locals of Olbia like to go to. And I had a couple of supermarkets, restaurants, cafés and shops nearby.

On one of the days before my sailing trip started I went to visit the beach La Cinta, which is one of the beaches in San Teodoro. It was about a 45 minutes drive by bus from Olbia, but quite cheap (return ticket only 4,50 €) and the beach was beautiful. Lucky me found an abandoned parasol and so I could spent the day in the shade. I was a little burnt from the previous days at the beach, so it was good to give my skin a chance to recover.

This is the coast of the Punta Istana beach, which is in the South of Olbia. The water was turquoise and so clear. It was a real pleasure to go swimming there. Also, there were only few tourists and mostly Italian speaking people. Lots of souvenir vendors too, that try to sell you sunglasses, hats, selfie sticks, boxes for your phone or jewellery.

The days in Olbia were very relaxing, probably because of the good breakfast I got at my B&B.

The last day that I spent in Olbia, before returning back to Hamburg, I went out in my favourite summer dress. I made it from fabric that I got at the Maybachufermarkt in Berlin this summer. It's a tad too short for work, so it's been a great pleasure to wear it on holiday.

I loved all the beautiful flowers on Sardinia. These pretty ones were found closeby to my B&B.

 A kind of spleen that I have is to always visit a supermarket, when I'm on holiday. I love to see what people really eat, not the food you get in a restaurant, but plain old boring everyday-food. And in Italy I have seen a variety of olive oil in the supermarket, which I haven't seen before.

Pesto and wine seem to be the alltime-favourites. The pesto is sold in kilos and the wine in five litre cans.

Especially in Sardinia you get the Sardinian bread "pane guttiau", it's made without yeast and very crunchy. You get that on your table before dinner in most restaurants.

Also in Olbia there is a handicrafts shop, where you can get made to measure sandals. It's on the main shopping street.
I hope you enjoyed the little insight in my travel to Sardinia. More about the sailing trip in a seperate post!

Tine Travels: Sardinia 2015

Once I year I go on holiday for two weeks, usually in September but due to some work circumstances I had to book my holiday for the time of end of August till beginning of September this year. This year I wanted to try something new and see a part of Europe I haven't considered going to before.

Due to the recommendation of a colleague and a quick Google picture research, I decided that going on a sailing trip around the Northeast coast of Sardinia would be a perfect mix of a relaxing holiday, as well as getting to know different areas of the island and specially the beautiful area of La Maddalena in the Northeast.

That was my dream.

The reality turned out to be a little different.

Yes, I've been on a boat. No, I didn't sail - when you deduct the half hour that the skipper raised the sails. No, I didn't see the beautiful Maddalena archipel. Yes, I travelled and relaxed so much, that I didn't even know which date it was. No, I didn't swim in a different bay each day. Yes, I got to know interesting personalities.

This holiday was not a all, what I expected, but it was okay-ish. In the next days I will try to share more about the holiday, if you like.

Tine Travels: Lignano Sabbiadoro and Venice

The way I choose my travel destinations is always led by different motivations. Once a year I want to have a nice holiday on a beach, with a bit of sightseeing and general relaxing atmosphere. Then there should always be a city trip to get to know another culture.
And then there are the travel destinations that are led by events, like in this year for example the World Champinoships in Wheelgymnastics 2015. I didn't just want to attend the event, I also applied for a volunteering position and so I helped on three days for a couple of hours with the event that took place in Lignano Sabbiadoro/Italy.

The wheelgymastics competition took place in the same week that the World Sports Games 2015 were held in Lignano. It's a sort of mini Olympic Games just for amateur sportsmen. But it had all the same ceremonys like lighting a fire, an opening ceremony with music and shows and a sports village, where most of the competitions took place.

The wheelgymnastics show was very well appreciated by the audience and in the come and try sessions that were held during the week lots of people said, what they saw there animated them to come and try this kind of sport.

This is the German wheelgymastics team. I'm very proud of one of the gymnasts whom I know from about eight years ago, when he started in my club as a beginner and now eight years later he takes part in a World Championships competition.

As I had to take days off from work, I also wanted to see Venice which is closeby to Lignano, so on Day Three of the games I said goodbye to my fellow volunteers and went on to see Venice. After a one hour train ride and a short trip by bus, I arrived at my camping ground, where I stayed for two more nights.

I immediately made my way to the old town of Venice and got on the vaporetto to explore the Grand Canal and the centre of Venezia.

I couldn't stop snapping pictures, because Venice is just so pretty.

I spent some time in the area of the Rialto Bridge and just enjoyed watching other tourists from all over the world.

On my last day in Venice I stopped by the Piazza di San Marco and enjoyed a beautiful view from the tower.

I also went into the Basicilia di San Marco, but no pictures are allowed in there.

But this is one of the beautiful mosaics at the entrance of the Basilica.

I also visited Burano, which I heard of and when I saw it in person, it was so pretty! Unfortunately stupid me forgot to charge the camera before heading to Burano, so I could take only three or four pictures there and then my camera went dead. I definitely have to come back!

I was inspired by the gondolieri who wear striped t-shirts or polo shirts and so I wore my denim pinafore dress with a stripey tee. I had a lot of me-made garments with me on this travel.
And of course I also bought some fabric. I stumbled upon the shop Benevento when I was just hanging around and of course I had to get a fabric souvenir, though at 35 € for 1,5 m it was definitely on the expensive side.

Tine Thinks: About 2014

Originally I planned to take pictures of my favourite makes from 2014 today. But then I started the preparations for a sewing weekend in January, was inspired to cut some more patterns and then, when I was ready, I realised that it was dark outside and I missed the Golden Hour.

So, I don't have a picture for you today, but instead a little review on the year 2014. It's been a busy year and the first year, that I worked full-time without a long illness, which was very nice and I hope that 2015 will be the same. Fingers crossed!

What happened in 2014? Here is my personal review of the year.

One of my favourite makes from 2014 - the biker jacket

January:
I had an awesome weekend in Bielefeld, where the first AnNäherung event took place. It was basically a weekend in the youth hostel in Bielefeld. I arrived on Friday evening, met the other participants and then we chatted, sewed, ate and sewed some more until early Sunday afternoon. I managed to finish a biker jacket, which became a staple in my wardrobe soon. Not only did I sew the jacket, but I also met bloggers from all over Germany and it was such a pleasure to spend one weekend doing what I love. I'm already looking forward to a weekend in January 2015, when the event is going to take place again. Can't wait!

February:
February passed by without any major events. I just worked, had some relaxing weekends, but nothing too busy. I also lost a little bit my sewing mojo, which often happens, when I finished a big project. I sewed for work though and produced a new sewing tutorial.

In the Blue Mosque in Istanbul

March:
March could also be called travel month. After visiting a concert by my favourite artist Frank Turner, I travelled to Berlin, spent a night at a friends place and then took an early flight to Istanbul. I spent some days in Istanbul then travelled to Ankara, where I met an old aquaintance from my Croatia-Italy trip in 2013. After a short stopover in Eskisehir, I moved on to Bursa and then back to Istanbul. From there it was back to Berlin, where I stayed with another family friend and then I was back in Hamburg. One weekend later, I was in Cologne for a crafts fair that I visited for work.

Perfect display of sewing machines at a German electronics shop

April:
After spending so much time outside of Hamburg in March, I was happy in April to just spend the weekends at home and do some sewing. But wait, I also spent a weekend in Berlin, where I visited the Maybachufer Markt and met two German sewing bloggers by chance. The weekend was perfect weather and it was beautiful in Berlin.

Source: Kitty Wong

May:
Wow, I'm just realising by now, how much travelling I did in 2014! In May I flew to London for a weekend, where the NYlon gathering, that was organized by Rachel, took place. After an early flight to London and an exhausting walk from the tube station to the hostel, where I stayed, I just had time for a quick fresh up and clothes change, before I went to the V&A to meet the others. London showed once more, that I only have to travel there and the weather will be beautiful. Still I'm waiting for the day that I travel to London and the sun won't shine.

June:
Summer was in full swing and I enjoyed time in my garden, sewing in the backyard and preparing a pattern, that should later in the year become my favourite make of 2014. Whenever I had the chance I was outside and when I could, I visited my family and we drove to the Baltic Sea to enjoy the sunny days.

Stefanie from Sea of Teal, my colleague Sandra and me on the red carpet

July:
Travelling again! This time a visit to the German capital again. So often as in 2014, I haven't visited Berlin before and there are still some parts, I haven't visited yet. I was there for Fashion Week and together with a colleague and a German blogger, I visited the Designer for Tomorrow award show. That was also where Ioana Ciolacu presented her first collection, a designer that one the award the year before and whom we worked together with before her collections production. Unfortunately we did have a massive rain shower before the show, which made the day a bit uncomfortable, and I also had to realize that wearing heels ain't my thing anymore.

August:
The first weekend of August a good friend from study times, came over to visit and we spent a weekend sewing. I cut a waistcoat, some shorts and sewed a black shirt, which is also on the favourite list of 2014.
I also went swimming in the Baltic Sea and had some nice weekends on the beach.

True backpackers style

September:
Second travel month of the year! I love to take my holidays in March and September, as there are good deals and the most of the travel destinations are not so crowded. This month I did a round trip from London to Biarritz, where I spent a week trying to surf. Then I moved on to Brussels, from there to my study town and back to Hamburg. In London I stayed with Charlie, which was lovely and in Biarritz I met great people in the hostel that I stayed in.

October:
In October I made a pair of flared jeans, which became my favourite pair of pants. I also had to bring my bike to the repair shop, for about the third or fourth time this year. That caused my wish for a new bike and my amazing brother put together a new bike for me, that he made based on an old bike I used to go to school with. I got it before Christmas and it was the most amazing gift. I need to take a picture of the bike, it's really awesome.

Using a quote from the song "The Road" by Frank Turner, to embellish a sweater

November:
My favourite weekend of November? Definitely the weekend, where we had the annual company Christmas party and then the day thereafter I went to a wheelgymnastics competition with a friend. Lack of sleep meant that we got really stupid in the evening and played crazy games on the drive back from Lower Saxony to Hamburg. Good memories!

December:
Somehow December flew by really quickly and as I brought my sewing machine to the repair shop, I couldn't make anything new. Instead I tried some new recipes and before Christmas I also started knitting again. I unraveled a sweater that I once started but would never finish and used the wool to make a knitted hat instead.

Whew! Writing this review made me realise, how busy this year was and how many trips I took. I love to travel, so for 2015 I already have some weekend trips planned. Also there are many fabrics in my stash that only wait to be made into beautiful garments and I guess first thing I do on January 1st, if my machine is back by then, will be to sew up the projects, that I've cut today.

Hopefully I'll also get around to take pictures of my favourite makes of 2014 by then!