Search results matching tags 'bags', 'Applique', and 'baby gifts'

Keeping It Simple - Sewing for Sunday

db1921 — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:30:00 GMT

It has been a busy couple of weeks. Our youngest has a baby girl now overdue. But for several weeks she was put on bed rest - mostly due to extreme swelling. So the rest of the family shared taking care of the other two (five years and two years old). We kept them at our house on Saturday nights and took them to "Sunday Church" as they call it. As with most two-year-olds we have to be prepared for an accident and since my purse is very small this is what it looked like when I was walking around the church building.

Needless to say, I received many varying comments on my new style but the diaper bag seemed like overkill when all I really needed was some extra trainers and a bag of fruit snacks. This inspired the quick Sunday bag - perfect for those quick trips when you need just a diaper (or trainers), some wipes and a bottle (or cup). Here is the one I made for our little girl.

And since I have had a number of questions lately about trimming appliqué in the hoop I decided to address that here as well and give you a design to practice with.

Here is what you need:

One placemat 12' X 16"(mine are repurposed ones that were never used much)

Half yard of fabric cut as follows:

2 strips 4" X 44"

2 rectangles 6" X 15"

1 Square 4" X 4"

Another square of solid color fabric that coordinates 3" X 3" (for daisy center)

Embroidery and Sewing Threads

Cut-away Stabilizer

8" piece of 1/2" elastic

Appliqué Design (Click here for the flower appliqué)

Here is what you do:

1. Fold the placemat in half so it is 12" wide X 8" tall.

2. Place the center of your design about 3 1/2" from the top edge and in the center of the horizontal width. (You will lose 1" of the height when you make the box bottom so do not center vertically)

3. Unfold the placemat. Hoop the stabilizer and the placemat centering your mark or template in the hoop.(See note*1)

4. Embroidery the first color of the flower. It is important that you use a color that you can see for the first two colors.

5. Place the 4" X 4" square over the top so that is completely covers the outline of stitches. (You can use a bit of temporary adhesive on the edges if you like.)

6. Embroider the second color of the flower. Carefully remove the hoop and lay it on a flat surface. Trim the top layer of fabric around the outside of the stitches as closely as possible.

I have these great little trimmers that were given to me as a gift years ago. They work tons better than any other scissors that I have for appliqué trimming. I couldn't find where mine came from but Annthegran has some here.

7. Carefully place the hoop back on the machine and embroider the third color.

8. Repeat steps 4-7 for the flower center.

9. Make the pockets. With right sides together fold the 6" X 15" rectangles in half so they are 6" tall X 7 1/2" wide. Beginning at the fold and sew, using 1/4" seam, all the way around leaving an opening at the bottom for turning. Trim corners, turn and press. Repeat for the other pocket.

10. Place the first pocket on the backside of the placemat (on the half that will be the bag back) centering horizontally and placing the top pocket edge 1 1/2" from the placemat edge. Sew, around three sides, using 1/8" seam, leaving the top open.

11. Turn the placemat over and using the stitching from the first pocket place the second pocket and sew in on leaving the top open.

12. Make the straps. Sew the ends of the two long strips together creating a long strip 4" X 88". With right sides together fold in half and press to make a strip 2" X 88" long. Sew, using 1/4" around the raw edges leaving an opening near the center for turning (this just makes it easier to turn in my opinion. Clip corners, turn right side out and press.

13. Make sure the placemat is folded in half so that it is 12" wide by 8" tall. Beginning at the fold and measuring in 2" from the side pin the strip up the of the placemat. Align the other end butting the ends together and pin up the back side of the placemat 2" from side.

14. Using the seam where you sewed the two strips together at the fold do the same for the other side up the front and back. Pick your bag up by the top of the straps to be sure you do not have them twisted.

15. Beginning at one end of the strip, to stitch across the end and all the way around both sides of the straps ending with the other end of the strip.

16. Add the elastic loop like this:

17. Fold the placemat again to make the bag. Sew down both sides of the placemat.

18. Turn the bag inside out. Pull the corner out to a point aligning the side seam with the bottom fold. Draw a line 1" in and sew along that line. Turn bag right side out and tack the points down inside if desired (I did not cut them off since the bag is not really lined)

Optional: You can make a sturdy bottom for your bag if you like. I glued two layers of heavy Timtex together to make mine.

Our oldest granddaughter thought we needed one for the new baby. Here is the one we made for her using lettering.

The flower design is pretty easy to trim but if you want to practice with simple shapes Annthegran has some you could try.

*1-Pat has come design centering ideas in one of her blogs.

If you find you like applique as much as I do Sew Many Designs has lots of great ones.

Here are some that I have sewn.

And this naptime quilt and pillowcase were made with test sews and Ann's applique Frames.

I guess this ends my new purse fashion since I will no longer be hanging panties on my purse strap. Our granddaughter is thrilled with her "Big Girl Bag" as she calls it. Maybe by next week we will have another little girl and momma will be back in action.

Take care,

Keeping It Simple - Going Green with Fabric Easter Baskets

db1921 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:45:00 GMT

Most of you know that one of my goals in 2009 was to use up as much of my fabric stash as possible and not purchase any new fabrics. Well, I did make a dent in those stacks of cotton but I am still working on using it up. And since another goal is to "go green" whenever possible we are starting a new tradition this year - reusable Easter baskets.

Here is the first one we made.

Fabric Easter Basket

What you need:

Two cotton rectangles 17"wX13"t for the outside

Two cotton rectangles 17"wX13"t for the lining

Two rectangles of batting 17" X 13"

One fabric strip 4" X 30" (this is what I used for this one but I am going to do the others 4" x 24" so they are not so long)

One strip batting 3" X 30"

One fabric rectangle for the bunny (mine was 7" X5"

embroidery design (click here to download the appliqué bunny)

embroidery thread

Medium weight tear away or cut away stabilizer

sewing thread

What you do:

Step 1: Print a template of the design. (Both Alphabet Xpress and Catalog Xpress will do this. So will many other software programs for embroidery)

Step 2: Place one of the outside fabric rectangles face down on the iron board. Fold the bottom up 4 1/2" and press lightly. Fold each side in 4 1/2" and press lightly. Now open and position the template in the front square. Pin to secure.

Step 3: Aligning the template with the marks on your inside hoop, hoop the stabilizer and fabric front rectangle. Place on the machine and remove the template. Embroider the placement thread color. Place the 7"X5" rectangle fabric so that it covers all the placement stitches. Embroider the tack-down thread color (second color).

Step 4: Carefully remove the hoop and place on a flat surface. Cut around the outside edge of the tack-down stitches. Carefully place the hoop back on the machine and embroider the appliqué thread color. Remove from the hoop and tear or cut away the excess stabilizer.

Step 5: Place one batting rectangle on a flat surface. Place on outside fabric rectangle face up on top of the batting. Place the embroidered outside rectangle face down on top of the first front rectangle. Place the other batting rectangle on top. Pin.

Step 6: Using a 1/2" seam and beginning on the right side sew down the side, across the bottom and up the other side of the rectangles. Leave the top open. You should have an inside out rectangle..

Step 7: Place the lining rectangles right sides together. Using a 1/2" seam and beginning on the right side sew down the side and about 6" across the bottom. Skip 3-4" and continue across the bottom and up the left side. Leave the top open. You should have an inside out rectangle with an opening in the bottom.

Step 8: Grab the bottom corner of the front of the bag (still inside out). Align the seams and pull out to a point. Pin to keep in place if desired. Measure in from the point 4" and draw a line across the bag. Sew across this line. Repeat for the other side of the bag to make a flat bottom. Set the bag on the table and make sure you have an inside out square basket. If so, cut off the corners you just made 1/2" from seam. Turn the bag right side out.

Step 9: Repeat for the lining. Leave the lining inside out. Place the front basket inside of the lining. Set aside.

Step 10: Place the handle strip right side down on the iron board. Lay the batting strip down the center. Press the sides over the batting strip and pin to secure. Fold in have lenghtwise and press and pin all the way down.

Step 11: Top stitch close to the open edge down the length of the strip. Turn and do the same on the folded side. (see my story below for why I did it this way.)

Step 12: Now, being careful not to twist it place the handle between the front and lining basket. Align the ends with the side seams and pin in place. Pin along the top edge of the basket. Using 1/2" seam sew along the top edge of the basket.

Step 13: Turn the basket right side out through the opening in the lining bottom. Make sure all is the way you want it. Then sew the opening closed.

Step 14: Top stitch along the top of the basket. Give the basket to your favorite little egg hunter.

If appliqué isn't your thing there are lots of designs here at Annthegran that would be cute. Here are some of my favorites for on a child's easter basket:

Baby's First Easter

Egg Basket Swirls

Chicks in a Basket

The below are applique but very cute:

Fair Weather Friends

Hop into Srping

Leave the handle off and make the basket a little shorter and you could have a nice Easter bread basket.

Create a great outside fabric by first sewing strips together for a springy patchwork look. or quilt your basket.

Make them bigger or smaller and see the smiles you receive from others when you present them with fabric baskets.

Take care,

PS: Now, I am sure some of you are wondering why I did not make a tube for the handle and stuff it. Well, I am just stuffed out! This past Christmas my daughter decided to make a bunch of sock monkeys. She got behind and we spend several evenings stuffing those tube legs, arms and tails. These were supposed to be "quick sew" gifts and although the sewing was quick and easy the stuffing was not. Anyway, it will be a long time before either of us make another one. There must be a trick we missed. They were cute though.