notes from Terry Ann: Fat Sack Pretty AND practical. MATERIALS: You'll need 1 yd. of fabric and matching thread. I used August Fields by Amy Butler. It's a decorator weight fabric in a scrumptious color. Cut one 19" x 36" for the bag and two 4" x 36" for the handles. Cut one 12-1/2" x 19" for the bag bottom. Fold and press one edge of each handle under 1/4". Fold and press the other edge under 1-1/4". Fold it in half and press. Stitch close to the edges of the handles. Fold and press a crease to mark the center of 19" x 36" bag rectangle as shown. Press a double 1" hem on each end. Pin the handle in place as shown. Stitch the handles in place, stitching on top of the previous stitching along the edges of the handles and across the handle even with the hem stitching line. Press a crease to mark the center of the 12-1/2" x 19" bag bottom. Pin the bottom section on top of the bag, matching center creases. Place pins as shown, 4" on each side of the center crease at the bottom of the bag. Repeat with the other side of the bag.
Reversible Book Bag How cute would this bag be riding to school in the fall, carrying all your books? How To Modernise Your Retro Walls (DIY & Interiors) Here's how to bring those outdated walls into the 21st century... Step 1: Introduction How to modernise your retro walls. Step 2: Removing wallpaper Firstly, protect your furniture by moving it out of the room and covering the floor with dust sheets. Step 3: Smoothing damaged walls Once you’ve got the paper off, smooth over the whole area using Polycell SmoothOver for damaged walls. Step 4: Getting rid of an Artex ceiling If the retro textures don’t just cover the walls, then you’ll need a Polycell SmoothOver for textured ceilings. Tutorial: Totes Big and Small It seems like I’m always leaving the house with something…dinner for a friend, toys for my toddler, extra pair of shoes or who knows what. I usually grab a Bath and Body Works bag or a plastic mega-store bag but in the interest of looking less “mom-frump” (my term for how I often feel these days) I thought a nice set of tote bags would help me look a bit more pulled together. Here’s the first tutorial in the series on some different tote styles. Later I’ll do a second one on a version with a pocket and different handle straps. You can scale the size up or down for whatever purpose you have in mind. For this pattern you’ll need an outer fabric and a liner fabric. 1. Large size: Cut 20″ squares from both your outer and liner fabrics with the center fold of the fabric at the bottom of the square. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. And now your project is complete!
Tote Bag Patterns Totes make great handmade gifts. Here is a Tuesday Ten that shows a round-up of lovely totes. If you love to sew you might also like these free sewing tutorials right here on Skip to my Lou! Every tote needs a matching pouch. Pleated Zippered Pouch Lined Zippered Pouch 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Easy Lined Zipper Pouch Have no fear of the zipper! This lined zipper pouch tutorial will show you just how easy it is to create a zip-bag to store your goodies. When you don’t need to carry everything with you, replace your purse with a simple zipper clutch and store your keys, cards and cash! When you are done, you can use this same method to create a zipper pouch in various sizes based on your needs. Materials – 2 fat quarters (18”x22”) of cotton quilting fabric – 9″ zipper – Sewing machine with zipper foot – Optional: medium-weight fusible interfacing Want to print these instructions for later? Finished Size 9-1/2″ long x 6-1/2″ tall All seam allowances are 1/4″ unless otherwise noted. Cutting: From outer fabric, cut (2) rectangles 10″ x 7″ and (2) zipper tabs tabs 1-1/2” x 3”. From lining fabric, cut (2) rectangles 10″ x 7″. Assembly: Fold zipper tabs in half widthwise, to make a square shape. Position other folded zipper tab so fold just overlaps edge of zipper pull. Now, it’s time to attach the lining!
Zipper Card Pouch Have you ever had too many cards that your wallet can handle? Be selective and get only those cards that you might be using in a particular shopping mall but end up they were the wrong one? Or, may be just forgot to “update” the cards in the wallet on your next trip? Can’t find the cards you thought you have already put into your wallet? Sounds familiar….. I am not a big fan of big wallet, with the increasing numbers of cards that I have, my decent size wallet is no longer able to buckle up. This zipper pouch can hold up to 30 plastic cards (similar to credit cards), and more for thinner cards, business calling card for example. Get the pattern and tutorial to sew one yourself after the jump and don’t have to struggle with the cards anymore. {Get pattern and tutorial on next page.} Pages: 1 2 Get all updates via email: Highlights from Our Partners
The Inspired Wren: TUTORIAL (& Giveaway!): The Three-Ten Tote CHRISTMAS! I love Christmas! And I have to work hard to keep myself in check and not over-extend myself baking and making all the gifts for all the people! (Surely, I'm not alone in this.) Let's start with the tutorial [originally published on Sew McCool in November 2014]. If you're like me and prefer to print out the tutorials you use, you can download the free three-page PDF file at Craftsy [you'll need an account, but that's also free with an email address]. Three coordinating quilting-weight cottons for the outer Shell, the inner Lining, and the Handles*Medium-weight iron-on stabilizerCoordinating thread *See Cutting for the amount of materials needed. The dimensions listed here will create a final Tote Bag 9 ½" wide x 12" tall x 2" deep. Shell: 13" x 22½", cut 1 fabric; cut 1 interfacing Lining: 13" x 30½", cut 1 fabric; cut 1 interfacing 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. a. b. *If you prefer to finish the two side seams with an alternate method, know there is a ½" seam-allowance on each side.
Recycled Grocery Totes Ready to go green? Then say goodbye to your old grocery bags by melting them into something cute. Afterall, plastic is the new plastic, right? Skill Level: Beginner to IntermediateNeeded: * plastic grocery bags (Target bags work best)* Parchment Paper* Fabric for handles and decor (optional)* IronWe’ll be fusing layers of old grocery bags together to create a stronger “fabric” for our new bags. Let’s get started! 1. I guess Target needs to add #6. I chose to only use the white portion of my bags. Cut the bottom, top and sides off of your bag. Lay the long rectangular sheet flat. This is the tricky part, so I won’t sugar coat it. I found that the best way is to start at the bottom and press the iron up, to get any air bubbles out. When you’re all done, it should look like this, a large sheet of plastic: Continue the process so that you have sheets of this new “fabric” to work with. 2. Cut out your bag pieces using a rotary cutter, cutting mat, and ruler. 3. 4. 5. And….you’re done!
Helen Rawlinson Lighting and Textile Design: Tea Towel Tote Tutorial I've finally had a moment to write this quick and easy tutorial for turning one of my tea towels into a happy go lucky tote bag - perfect for the summer! Of course you can use any tea towel, but the print needs to be either multi-directional or run horizontally across the tea towel, otherwise you'll be looking at it sideways. It shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to make: Fold the tea towel in half along its length and match the two widths right sides together. The seams may not be dead straight so match the pattern as best you can. Keep or cut off any labels if necessary. Press the seam open to fall down the centre back of the bag. Sew along the seam at one of the open ends to make the base of the bag, again mark with a ruler if uneven. To make the boxed bottom, make a triangle at one corner by matching up the bottom seam along the length of the side crease. Double stitch the seam for added strength. Top stitch on the outside. One last press and the jobs done. Happy sewing!