A Few for Friday - #16

With all the sew along business (how are you coming through, by the way?) I forgot about my Friday pics until my mom reminded me ("Hey! You didn't do your Friday photos that yo do!"). So as it's still Friday for half an hour more, I figured I'd share a few bits of my week that made me grin amid the horrors that happened around the country (what IS it with this week in violent history?).

 Every year on the last weekend in April there is a Civil War reenactment not far from my house. Every year it's a different battle. This is my dad's favorite weekend. You could cancel Christmas, but not this. He finds out what battle they're doing, then researches it. The reenactors dress in period clothing, and set up camp for the weekend. There are sutlers tents wherein they sell clothing, food, and other stuff, as well as artifacts and souvenirs. I come by my geekiness honestly :)

There were a couple of these giant birds flying around outside of work. They were so large they were distracting so I figured I'd take a picture so they'd fly away (isn't that always how it happens?). And they obliged.

I can't be the only one who thinks 'Superhero Lollipop' when they unwrap one... I was jonesin' for some sugar, and it was the last one otherwise I'd never have chosen chocolate. It's not a satisfying superhero color.

Since I emptied the jar I had to refill it. So I picked pretty colored wrappers. We made short work of these. I think there are maybe two left. 

I spent the week working on some orders for frame purses. This is the lining of one--the stripes lined up to make little chevrons so I had to capture the happy accident.

Hopefully your week had some pleasantries amidst the never-ending news coverage. And if you live elsewhere and don't know what I'm talking about--be glad about it.

Now get back to your handbags so you're ready for the finale on Sunday.

Make It With Me - Drawstring Handbag Part 3

'Allo! If you're just arriving to the sew along, you can find the links to the intro and parts 1 and 2 by clicking the 'Sew Alongs' button at the top. Everything will remain available, so if you need to take your time do so. But if you're caught up, let's get cracking on finishing the lining!

Insert the Magnetic Snap
Before I start I just want to say that this is how I insert my mag snaps. Some of you may shudder and twitch as I don't follow the directions on the package as I've had snaps come loose that way. But ever since I've done them 'my' way I haven't had any issues. So, yes, this is different from other methods you may have seen, but it works.

1.  Cut two pieces from the scraps of fusible fleece I had you save when we did the straps. Make them about 1.5 inches by the width of your scrap. On the wrong side of each lining piece, make a mark two inches down from the center. Iron your fleece over those marks (this gives some security as a snap can be quite the stress point).

2. Place your lining pieces right sides together and pin around the edges to keep it stable. Take one of your washers (the holes are very handy marking places). Place it two inches down from the top center. Make markings in the slits.

Note: I'm doing this on the fabric side instead of the fleece as the markings are easier to see in photos.

3. Take your seam ripper, and verrrrrrry carefully make two slits that correspond with your markings. Go through all the layers, but be careful not to slice too much. Doing it this way ensures that your snap will line up properly. You can take out your pins now.

4. Take one of your mag snap pieces, and poke the prongs through the slits you cut so that the snap shows on the right side of the lining and the prongs are poking through to the wrong side. Put your washer over the prongs.

5. Instead of pushing the prongs away from each other, I push them towards each other, i.e. over the center of the snap. Use a scrap of fabric (so you don't scratch the snap) and some pliers to get a nice firm squeeze.

6. Cut another scrap of fusible fleece, and lay it down over back of the snap. You may need a pin or two, but do it from the right side of the lining so you don't sew over them.

7. Go to your sewing machine. Place this right side up with your presser foot touching the edge of the snap. Sew a nice neat square around the snap. This keeps everything secure and cuts down on a lot of the stress on the lining.

8. Repeat for the other side of the snap and lining. You can trim some of the excess fleece if you like, but it's not necessary.

Make Up the Lining

1. Place your lining pieces right sides together (you can click the snap shut if you want :)  Sew the bottom seam with a 1/4 inch allowance, leaving about a six inch gap in the middle for turning. Press that seam open. Sew your side seams (1/4 inch seam), and then press those open. 

Now we're going to create a flat bottom for the bag by boxing the corners. This is what will give our bag some dimension.

2. Stick your hand in the bag and push the corner out and flatten to create a triangle. You can take a peek inside the bag to make sure the side seam and bottom seam are lined up one on top of the other (this takes a little wiggling). 

 Inside view of how your seams should stack up.

3. Grab a ruler and measure a line five inches across. You want the 2.5 inch mark to be directly on the seam line - this  may take some maneuvering, but it makes for a nice even bottom. I usually have to play around with it a minute or two to make sure everything is lined up. Once it's all set, put in a few pins to keep it from wiggling out of place. Sew along the line.

4. Repeat with the other corner. Trim off the edge of the triangle about a quarter inch from your seam line. If you turn the lining right side out you'll see that you now have a nice flat bottom.

Recap

As of this point, we have our straps made, and the lining finished complete with two pockets, a nifty magnetic snap, and a flat bottom. Next time we'll be inserting our grommets, sewing down the straps, and making the drawstring. 

Make It With Me - Drawstring Handbag Part 2

Welcome back! Today we're going to work on the lining of the bag. I know, a bit of the reverse, but if zippers scare you it's best to get it out of the way, yes? Yes. So get your lining pieces, your pieces for your slip pocket, and your piece for your zipper pocket. Oh, and the zipper :) We'll do that first, so take a few deep breaths if you're feeling nervous. But I promise--though it doesn't look it this is one of the easier zippers to install.

Make the Inside Zipper Pocket
1. Center your pocket piece on the lining piece, right sides together. Place the top edge of the pocket piece three inches down from the top center of the lining. Make sure it's centered and straight.

2. Draw a line across the top of the pocket piece 3/4 inch from the top edge, and starting/ending one inch from each side edge. Draw a parallel line 3/8 inch down from this first line. Draw some edges so you have a long skinny rectangle. Draw one more line cutting this rectangle in half longways. Draw the little lines you see in the second picture below from each corner towards the middle line (they make the little triangles you see) - I make mine about 3/4 inch long.

3. Pin in place around the rectangle, then sew around the outside of the rectangle.

4. Now carefully cut along the center line from triangle point to triangle point. Use a seam ripper to get started, then switch to scissors. When you get to the triangle tips, go out to the corners, getting as close as you can to the stitches without cutting them.

5. Pull the pocket piece (all of it) through the slit you just made. It will now be on the wrong side of the lining, and look quite messy. This is where you press it into submission so that you get some nice neat corners and a delightful rectangular slit. 

6. OK, get your zipper - don't get nervous now, you already did the hard part :) Lay it down right side up and center the slit over it. If your zipper is going to need trimming later you need to make sure your pull is within the slit so you don't sew off access to it. Put a few pins in to hold it in place - you want it to be centered between the top and bottom so that you're sure to grab the entire zipper tape.

 Note: I was using the end of a zipper from another project, and a pull from another zipper, hence the mismatch.

7. Now stitch about 1/8 an inch from the edge. I don't use my zipper foot - I just put the zipper towards the left of my foot and sew, using the coils of the zipper itself as a seam guide. Pivot at the corners and keep going all the way around. You may need to move your zipper pull out of the way at some point. I only pin the top edge to get started - when I turn to come back along the bottom I keep everything positioned with my fingers because that works better than pins (for me) for this part at keeping things straight. Do what feels comfortable for you. If you like a zipper foot use it. If you like lots of pins, pin away. 

Check the back to make sure you caught all of the zipper tape. If you missed anything restitch.

8. Fold the bottom edge of the pocket up to meet the top edge. Pin and stitch (1/4 inch seam). Make sure you have the lining tucked out of the way of the needle and that you're just stitching the pocket. Then pin and stitch the sides. Be careful of any metal zipper bits that might break a needle. Trim any excess zipper if you need to. Give it a final press (and then peek inside at your lovely new zipper pocket).

Make the Slip Pocket

1. Take your two pieces and slap them together right sides facing. Sew around the perimeter with a quarter inch seam, leaving a gap for turning along the bottom. Trim the corners diagonally to cut down on the bulk.

2. Turn it right side out through the gap. Poke out the corners. Tuck in your raw edges and press the whole thing. 

3. Center your pocket on your remaining lining piece three inches down from the top edge. Make sure the gap you left open is towards the bottom. Pin it in place. 

4. We're going to sew close to the edge of the pocket around the three sides that aren't the top (obviously, or we couldn't put things in it). BUT we're going to sew about three stitches at each top edge near the corner. And then we're going to reverse, go forward, reverse, etc. a few times--this keeps the pocket edge nice and secure, and keeps it form pulling away from the lining. Then, pivot, go down the side, across the bottom (closing the gap at the same time), up the other side, and at the top edge do the same three-stitch maneuver again.

5. Draw a line up the center of the pocket. Starting from the bottom, stitch towards the top. When you get to the top, pivot and then go forward and back a few times to secure that part of the pocket.

Recap

Ok, I think that's good for today. Especially if any of you are still skipping around the room because your zipper looks smashing :) So now we've got our two lining pieces with pockets in each--one slip, one zip. Next time, we'll insert a nice secure magnetic snap and put the lining together. 

Make It With Me - Drawstring Handbag Part 1

Are you excited? Are you ready? Good!!! But before we sew we have to cut and fuse a few things. Sorry, but it must be done :) But it's all rectangles so there aren't any pattern pieces to fuss about with. If you're just arriving you'll want to read this post for the materials list. Wanna see the version I made for a little bit of inspiration?

My camera did not want to pick up that beautiful pinky-red properly, so when you see fuchsia throughout this sew-along, just know that it's really the color above. 

OK, so grab your rulers and your cutting supplies and we'll get started.

From your main fabric, cut:

• Two pieces that are each 18 inches by 8 inches (be careful if it's directional fabric)
• One piece that is 10 by 12 inches (for the inside zipper pocket)
• Two pieces that are each 5 by 9 inches (for the inside slip pocket)

 ** If you're making the patchwork version cut 42 squares that are each 3 inches square. Sew them together 7 squares across and 3 squares high with a quarter inch seam allowance, pressing the seams open. You should end up with a piece that is 18 by 8 inches when pressed nice and smooth. **

For your lining fabric, fold it so that the selvages meet and the raw edges are on the sides. Then cut the following:

• Two pieces that are each 5 inches wide by the width of the fabric (for our straps and tabs)
• Two pieces that are each 2 inches by the width of the fabric (for the drawstring)
• Two pieces that are each 18 inches by 13 inches (for the lining)
• Four pieces that are each 18 inches by 3 inches (for the top and bottom bands)

 Here's a view of how I laid out my cuts for the contrast/lining. Those pieces that have the rings on them were cut off the ends of the strap pieces (we'll get to that soon--I took the picture after I made the cut) but if you've got your yardage folded as I suggested you can get all your pieces cut out like the above.

From your woven interfacing cut:

• Two pieces that are each 18 inches by 13 inches
• Four pieces that are each 2.5 inches by 4 inches (for strengthening our tabs)

From your fusible fleece cut:

• Two pieces that are each 18 inches by 13 inches
• Two pieces that are each 2.5 inches by 29 inches 
• You'll have some scraps--save those. We'll be using them.

Please note a few things: you must backstitch at the beginning and end of every seam, otherwise your pieces will start to fall apart; I'll tell you the seam allowances as we move along as they vary here and there; and you should read through the directions before you sew (as with any pattern).

Make the Outside Panels
Since fusible interfacing needs time to set after ironing (especially the fleece--not so much the other stuff) we're going to make the outside panels first so we can fuse them and set them aside for a bit (just in case you thought I was losing my mind and going crazy out of order on purpose :)

1. Take an outside piece, whether it's plain or patchwork, and two of the contrast bands. With right sides together, sew one to the top (along the 18-inch edge) and one to the bottom using a quarter inch seam allowance. Press your seams open.

2. Once you have that, take your woven interfacing (or craft-weight if that's what you're using) and fuse it to the wrong side. Let that cool while you repeat the process for the other outside pieces.

3. Once you have that done, take your fusible fleece and fuse it to the wrong side of the outside pieces (right on top of the woven/craft you just fused down). Make sure you get a nice good press around the edges. Set those aside to cool, and we'll work on the straps.

Make the Strap Tabs
1. Take one of the pieces you cut for your strap. Trim the selvage if necessary. Cut two pieces off the edge, each four inches long (don't cut the folded edge!!). Do the same to the other long strap piece. You should have two longer pieces and 4 short pieces.

2. Take those four pieces and iron them in half so that the five inch edges are touching. Unfold, then press the edges towards the center fold (just like making bias tape).

3. Down the center of each piece (using your folds as a guide) iron your little fusible interfacing pieces you cut.

4. Press again along your original folds (they may have flattened a bit during the fusing). You should have four pieces that are each 1.25 inches wide by 4 inches long.

5. Now we stitch (those raw ends will be buried in the bag so don't worry about them). You need to stitch as close to each edge as you feel comfortable--I find that 1/8 inch is usually doable for most people. I added a few extra rows of stitching because I like the effect--you can do the same or leave it out. Just make sure you stitch the same distance from each edge.

6. Grab your rings. Feed the tab through and pin the raw edges together. Then sew a little less than a quarter inch from the edge. You should now have four strap tabs. Set them aside but not too far aside :)

Make the Straps
1. Take those 2 long pieces you have left after cutting off your tabs. Trim them so that they are each twenty-nine inches long. Fold in each raw edge (the short ones) about a half-inch (we need to conceal those raw edges).

2. Now fold those long edges together and press down the center (as we did for the tabs). Then fold the edges towards the center fold and press again.

3. Take one of the fleece pieces and line it up down the center, making sure the edges are tucked under the fold (you'll have to trim one of the edges, but keep the scraps of fleece you trim!).

4. Fuse it in place--I usually do this by folding my fabric back in place and pressing, and then flipping the whole thing over and pressing to get a really good bond.

5. Press back in half so you have a piece that is 1.25 inches wide by about 28 inches long.

6. Hop back over to your machine and mimic the stitching you did on your tabs, whether it's just stitching on the edges, or adding a few extra rows. I did not sew around the perimeter of my straps--I simply went from end to end.

7. Get your tabs and rings. We're going to attach the straps now. Feed one end through the ring, and fold it up two inches. Pin it in place.

8. Sew a nice boxy stitch to keep it all secure. This is kind of thick, so take your time and adjust if you need to.

9. Repeat for the other end. Make sure the strap isn't twisted and the folded edges are facing the same way. Repeat for the other strap.

Recap
Ok, that's it for today. Let's sum up what you should have at this point.

• All of your pieces should be cut out. It helps to label pieces if you might lose track of what's what.
• We've got our two outside panels stitched and fused.
• We've attached our tabs, rings, and straps.

"I Love" Giveaway Winner!!

Good morning, dears! I had 39 comments for this giveaway bundle:

So I plugged those numbers into the random number generator and it spit this back at me:

Which matches with this comment:

Congratulations, Rebecca in Maine! Please send me your address so I can get your goodies on their way! Thanks, everyone, for commenting. Happy Sunday!

Butterfly Kisses Diaper Bag

Sorry for the nauseating title :) It's been a while since I've made a diaper bag. I think it's been since last year when I made a half-dozen it a fairly short time. A friend at work asked me to make one that he could fill and give to a friend for her pending bundle. I haven't worked with wee 'un prints for a while, and I didn't have anything else going on so I said yes.

I headed to Joann's to get the fabrics. I've seen them so many times I could sleepwalk to them. So of course they're rearranging the entire store and I felt like I was dropped down in the middle of a foreign county after being drugged. I was so very out of sorts and lost feeling. I commented to a staffer, and they told me it would be like that for a while. I'm not entirely unadaptable, but they had some things here, some things there, and no organization whatsoever. I felt like I was digging through clothing racks in a thrift store to find what I needed--I had to look at each and every bolt, as each and every fabric genre was jumbled together. The fun part was that I had no idea if they even carried what I was looking for anymore, so I did an internal happy dance when I found the goods.

Three nights of cutting, fusing, stitching and pinning and I've got this to deliver:

It came out a little taller than I anticipated, but I had jotted down two measurements in my notes and went with the larger one. I must now cross that one out.

 I could look at that piping all day, and I'm not a using a literary device to exaggerate my love. I really think I could. I used it in an almost-exactly-the-same bag last year.

 I pulled up the lining a little bit to do some faux piping for the top edge (I was having a bulk situation) so this was a cute remedy.

 Pockets a'plenty. Each side has three, so there are nine pockets in this bag. I think I'd be so organized I wouldn't know where anything was.

This bag uses a lot of fabric (three yards!), with not much left over. This is how I've made them since I started, but I'm thinking of a slight redesign with the handles. Those handles take a LOT of fabric as they have to be long to run up and down the bag exterior. I don't know that the pocket they're on the side of gets used much so my internal debate is should I nix the straps and the front pocket and have the handles come out of the top of the bag? It would cut some bulk in the bottom seam and save a lot of time and fabric. But I don't know if it would lose some appeal. What do you think?