The New Handbag--Almost

See all those squiggly drawings and attempts at figuring out the math in the back? This is a pile of all the cut pattern pieces--hopefully all of them anyway.

I missed my deadline for finishing the handbag yesterday, but I have a ton of cheap excuses that I shared with Sandra in what may have seemed like an eBook but was really just a whiny email filled with cheap, insufficient excuses...

 1.  I just could not NOT change the pattern.  I think this should be in the psychiatric association's list of mental illnesses along with fabric hoarding.  Right now (I say that because things still may change) the only things remaining from the original are some piping and gussets.

2.  I am spatially and mathematically challenged.  Following pattern directions is really difficult for me. Making a pattern has been the thing of nightmares--literally.  I have been working on this thing in my sleep.  I will admit to having come up with a couple of impressive solutions while sleeping, though.

3.  My son has had to use my car for over a week now leaving me with a bicycle.  It may not seem like much of a problem, but when was the last time you saw someone show up at Joann's on a bike?  Let me assure that riding with a roll of heavy duty interfacing sticking up out of your backpack causes people to point fingers and stare.  

Friday, May whatever Friday is, 2013.  I shall get this thing completed.  Maybe.

Kindle Cover Completed!

After I admitted to Sandra of Sandra Sews that I have been wrapping my new Kindle in a piece of fabric when I take it out with me, she issued a challenge.  By this Friday, I would complete a Kindle cover.  Sandra will be making a baby dress.  I need to be challenged more often.

 DONE!! 

Okay, I did use the simplest design I could possible come up with.  If you are familiar with my blog, you should know by now that I am the queen of rectangle sewing.  This is two rectangles of fabric with a heavy interfacing between.  I sewed around the flap edge, then flipped the bottom up to form a pocket, and sewed those edges. 

 

I probably should have used a Velcro closure, but I just love these new snaps.  To get around the problem of pressing on the Kindle screen when closing the snap, I just need to put it in with the screen facing the back.

The pack of assorted snap colors hasn't failed me yet.  Look at that pretty yellow snap!

Sandra is trying out a new-to-her pattern for the dress.  Okay, Sandra, I'm all set to put the link to that new dress right "here"!

Those Squeezed In Projects

I sometimes feel as though I'm not getting much done.  Then I am reminded of all the squeezed-in projects that people spring on me.  They are always needed NOW and end up leaving the house before I can get decent pics if any at all.  (Consider that an excuse and apology for the crappy photos below.) 

This was the latest "save me" project.  It's just a simple quilt top, but it needed to be in the party "theme colors." The only one of those colors in the stash was the white!  I spent a day and a half coming up with a design, figuring out all the dimensions, shopping, cutting, sewing, and embroidering.  Non-sewers have no idea how long this stuff takes.

It will be a raffle item for a teacher appreciation party.  The blue lines across the white strip with the embroidered lettering are supposed to make it look like school paper. If I had more time, I would have preferred to do these line by hand with embroidery floss to give them more emphasis. 

On my "Thankful List" this week: someone else is being gifted with the quilting and binding. 

What's That New Quilt Gonna Look Like?

As promised and on time!  So unlike me.  Okay maybe I promised more than one block when I posted yesterday.  Procrastinating is what I do best in life, so getting one done when I said I would is amazing progress.  If I had a therapist, s/he would be so pleased with me.

What do you think?  I added some of the stash to the Shades of Black charm pack I won from Quilt Taffy.  I cannot wait to get this one together.

Winning, Recycling, and a Free Online Tutorial all Rolled into One Post

First-- look what I won from Quilt Taffy!

 Lovely little squares of Moda's Shades of Black that will soon turn into a baby quilt with a splash of red.  (Thank you, Quilt Taffy, not just for the fabric but also the regular introduction to so many good sewing ideas.)

So the first thing you do when making a baby quilt is sew up the matching stuffie, right?  Is it just me?

This cute little black bunny was made using Betz White's cashmere bunny tutorial found here and an old lamb's wool sweater I felted.  After reading Pam's (of Threading My Way) post on felting old wool items, I finally got brave enough to actually cut into the sweaters I had felted.  It worked!  The sweater material didn't unravel. 

Tonight I am putting together the first blocks for the quilt.  Shall post them in the morning!  This is so much more fun than the housework I'm supposed to be getting done.

The "I Forgot My Phone" Solution

According to my family, I am the only person who constantly leaves the house or car with my phone still sitting in the charger.  Just in case someone else has this annoying habit, I'm sharing my solution:

I used the lettering on my machine, but there are other ways of getting lettering onto fabric.  I thought about just going with a lightning bolt, but opted for what was easiest for me.

My finished circle is 4 1/2".  As you can see I used my new toy, the low on tech but high on awesomeness SnapSetter from Snapsource.  A button with loop/buttonhole or just Velcro would work in place of a snap. 

I used a medium-stiff iron-on interfacing on both circles of fabric and top stitched after turning it right-side out.  It pops in my purse when not being used.  I'm hoping to get started on making a new bag soon cuz I CANNOT find one that fits all my needs.  This "perfect" bag will a have place where I can just snap this to the lining.

Another project off the list!

Linking up with

Some New Bibs Finished

Lately my sewing muse, Sandra has been making bibs which reminded me that I was supposed to get some of those going, too.  Sandra's bibs are made from old jeans and have sweet designs with fabric appliques and trim.   I used old jeans but decided to let my machines do most of the decorative work by using some of the embroidery designs I had purchased from an Etsy shop and the Embroidery Library.

This first one is for the average, easy-going baby.

Etsy shop embroidery design.  Bib pattern is free from http://www.poopockets.com/free/bibs/bibs.htm

 This next one is for the feistier baby--you know mild to moderate mood swings.

Again, Etsy shop design

The last bib is for those babies that really need cautionary labeling--like a cigarette pack.  You know the ones that throw food and/or feces around at will.

Embroidery Library design.  Okay, I have to point out that I KNOW I put the snaps on the wrong sides on this one.  Hopefully the mom will be too busy to notice.

New parents who might be reading should not worry too much about these wild babies.  Most of them turn out fine.  Take my niece for instance.  During a short nap once, she decorated herself, the crib, and the wall behind it with the contents of her diaper.  Even though her mother was nauseated by the sight, there was a little maternal pride there, too.  The kid had made her own art supplies!  Today that girl is an art teacher.  There is hope!

There you have it!  Three bibs finished thanks to Sandra's inspiration.

Once last thing--I used my new SnapSetter from Snapsource. com.  It's a low tech one that requires a hammer.  I had one like this from Joann's that was totally worthless, but the reviews for the SnapSetter were great.  I am glad I decided to give this one a try.  It's easy to use and the snaps are nice and tight. 

 Linking up with

 

Tutorial for the Pocketed Nightstand Scarf

If you read my previous post on my nightstand, you may remember that I turned this:

  into this:

  By adding these little pockets to the side side: 

Some people asked for how-to info which is difficult because everyone's nightstand and "stuff" is different.  To put this simply, I made three rectangles of fabric based on the size of my nightstand and the height of the items that would be in the pockets.

Supplies

•  I used quilting cotton, but any fabric will do. 
•  If your fabric is on the flimsy side, you may want to use some interfacing.   
• Add some thread, and you are ready.

Base piece (scarf)

•  My base piece needed to be 60" long (30 across the top and 15" hanging down each side) by 14".  That side hanging measurement resulted from measuring the height of the items that I needed to put in the pockets, adding about 1-1/2" between the pockets and another 1-1/2" under the bottom pocket for a total of 15".  
• Using 1/2" seam allowances, I cut a strip of fabric 29x61", folded it in half to 14-1/2", sewed along one short end and the length, turned it right-side out, folded under the 1/2" seam allowance, and top stitched it closed.
• WARNING:   The weight of the things you put in the pockets must be countered either by heavy items on top of the nightstand or by weights on the other end of the scarf.   The items on the top of my nightstand are heavy enough and placed evenly to counter the weight in the pockets.  If your top items are not,  you can 
• add pockets to the other side for items you don't use often OR 
• add a couple of inches to the length that will be folded over on the end opposite the pocket end to create a sleeve to hold weights equal to the weight of your pocket "stuff."  Coins, dowels, any of the small pieces of hardware that your spouse bought by the box when s/he needed only a couple can be used as weights.

Remember to include the sloped edges of the nightstand when measuring.

Pocket Rectangles

•  Pocket size will depend on the items you are putting in them.  You will want the pockets to be tall enough to keep the items from falling out but not so tall that the items cannot be seen and easily taken out.  I chose a size that was about 3/4 the height of the items. 
• My finished pocket strip of 5x13 required 11x14" rectangles (again 1/2" seams) sewn in the same way as the base piece.  Fold the 11" in half, sew one short end and the long one, turn right-side out, fold open end in 1/2 inch, and top stitch shut. 

I lined my things up to determine how wide to make the pocket strips within the 14" space.

•  Place the pocket strips on the scarf and pin. (You remembered that the sewn seam goes on the bottom, right?)  Slide the items in to determine where to sew the lines to make separate pockets.

• If you are using two rows as I did, leave space between the rows because the items will extend out of the pockets.  I left about 1-1/2" between the pockets.There is still some overlap, but it's not an issue.
  

  

  See, the remote control at the bottom slightly overlaps the top pocket-- not a problem

• Sew the along the pin lines on the pockets and, Voila!  You are finished.  Hope this helps.  Any questions--just ask.

Junk in the Trunk (No, not THAT Trunk)

This week  Danni's Tongue-in-Cheek Tuesday link party is all about junk--those places where we just seem to accumulate stuff.  Since I've been unemployed for a few years now, my junk has been my work.  I have gone from room to room organizing and  tossing.  I told my husband that I couldn't come up with anything to join in the party.  He pointed to my nightstand.

Okay.  Right.  My bad.  I clean this up and it fills right up again.  There is no excuse for those socks sitting in the middle of the mess.  There is really no excuse for this box of IPod and Kindle connections as well as too many headphones.

Certainly there is no reason for a book on cd set that I can only listen to in the sewing room, five pairs of reading glasses, three more headphone sets, pens and pencils, a nail file, and two lip glosses.

This is especially true since I have this drawer right underneath (and yet another pair of glasses).

 I really want it to look like my husband's nightstand below.  Those glasses?  Mine.  No wonder he pointed out my mess.  I'm infringing on his side now!

Once the "really needs to be gone stuff" was taken care of, I still had a problem.  I want all these things on the nightstand.  Too much and most of it out of reach from the bed! 

My solution once again involved sewing rectangles.  I have a thing for sewing with rectangles lately.  I came up with a fabric piece with pockets on the side near the bed to hold these "essentials".

 How's this? 

 Some close-ups of my pockets in action.

y

Thanks for the kick in the butt, Danni!

The Last Two Machine Covers are Finished!

Two posts in one day!  I'm going to have to go on vacation more often.  It's increasing my productivity.  So, this is the embroidery machine cover. 

I had to use 3 pieces of heavy stabilizer in the front, back and top for this one.  Because the top of the machine is shorter than the bottom, the material needed something extra to stay square.

Another embroidery design from the Embroidery Library.  I do love their
designs.    Don't blame them for the color choices here.
 I was just picking and choosing anything I liked.   

After the reaction I got from the clerk at Joann's when buying the fabric for the next one, I feel I really must explain it first. Yes, I did use organza (or is it organdy??) for the serger cover.  I wanted something lightweight that would not weigh down the metal piece holding the threads.  
 

I serged two pieces of organza  together and used binding to cover the edge.  Only mistake was using Dritz binding.  As it turns out, the inside of the Dritz binding is not uniform like the outside.  I wanted to put the binding on by sewing a hidden stitch on the back edge by machine and turning it to the front to hand-sew that side.  The inside raw edges of the Dritz were wildly off.  There was no way to lay the binding on evenly without a straight edge. I ended up just folding and sewing which never turns out well for me.  Now I remember why I make my own binding.

And another design from Embroidery Library.  One of the
bird designs would have been too heavy in stitches for
this fabric.

 These two new ones plus the two regular machine covers here

equal one whole project completed!  It only took me about thirty years to finally get around to covering the machines.  I don't believe in rushing.

The New Travel Sewing Kit

I'm supposed to be getting the house cleaned and packing finished for our vacation.  I don't like either one of those chores.  Instead, I made this sewing kit for the trip.  My old kit was just not working for me anymore.  I looked all over the internet for a design but none of those I found worked for me.  I ended up creating my own design.

 

 

It opens flat.  The inside has four zippered pockets and a few open ones for small things.  I guess I'm in a rectangle mood lately.  Like the sewing machine covers, this is basically two rectangles.  Each rectangle has a zipper at each end.  Then the two are sewn together down the center like a book!. 

I'm not sure why those pink zips look so bright in the photos.  They're not that vivid in person.
Back to the bag!  One side of the bag is for my yo-yo making supplies.

I forgot to take a pic of the fabric for the yo-yos which is in the first striped zippered pocket right next to the yo-yo makers.

In the middle, I overlapped the striped fabric a bit to hold the odds and ends--scissors, pens, needles.  It's a bit hard to see in the photo.

The other side has my embroidery things.  The striped pocket has the thread

and the back pink zipper pocket has the hoop and fabric.

Yes, that is black fabric in there.  I've got a ton of fabric with designs in primary colors on black backgrounds that I'm hoping to coordinate with these embroidery designs.  I'm going to have  to do some free-hand drawing cuz I've not been able to come up with a way of getting the designs on black.  Wish me luck with this idea.  I am not known for my ability to draw much beyond stick figures, but I'm determined to give this a go. 

I really, really wanted those center pockets (pink stripes) to be clear plastic but failed MISERABLY in my attempts to sew zippers on plastic.  I spent hours trying every trick I could find.  First, I'm spatially challenged.  I had the worst time trying to figure out how to put it together.  Then, my use of tape to keep the plastic from sticking to the machine didn't quite work out.  The plastic kept shifting away from the zipper even when pinned.  Any tips for my next venture with zippers and plastic would be most appreciated.