Saturday, June 26, 2010

Free Stone Shoulder Bag


Look here for the tutorial for this fun, summer bag.  It is a good project for someone new to sewing or a unique gift.   It is light weight and has a strap long enough so the bag fits easily on your shoulder.   When traveling, it can be rolled up, packed away and pulled out when needed.

    
I got the idea from a bag available at the Gap.  It has one fabric on the outside, and a contrasting fabric on the inside.



It folds up easy since there is no reinforcement in the bottom.  I was able to use a lot of my scraps.

  
If you follow my tutorial, it will be a reversible bag.



Wondering where the name came from?  The same day I was making this bag, I was prepared with all the ingredients and equipment to can 50 quarts of peaches.  As I started the process, I soon realized that I did not have the "freestone" peaches, which are the kind that easily slip away from the pit.  Therefore, I had to can my peaches whole.  BAD NEWS!

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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Free Stone Shoulder Bag - Tutorial


If you follow the instructions here, you will have a reversible bag, or a bag with a contrasting lining.  I made a button hole, and a fabric covered button but you don't have to.  All seams are 1/4" unless otherwise indicated.  To make my instructions simpler, I will be referring to the "outer side" of the bag, and the "lining", which is orange.

Step 1: 
Cut (4) 19"x20"
19" will be the width.
2 of these fabrics will be your outside and should be similar or the same, and 2 will be your lining.

 I wanted to make a scrappy outside, so I first picked my accent fabric, then I found some 2 1/2 strips that looked good with it.

If you choose to make a scrappy bag, I suggest you make the sides an inch or two bigger, then trim down to the 19"x 20" when ready to assemble bag.  If you are having a hard time making decisions on your fabric choices, start with 2 contrasting fabrics that you like, one for the outside and one for the lining.

  
Front

Back                                                              

Lining

Step 2:
To assemble bag, sew the 2 outer pieces, wrong sides together, leaving the top open.  Do the same with the 2 pieces for the lining.  Turn bags wrong side out.
Open up the bottom of the "lining" (orange in picture) with your hands, lay it down on your cutting mat, forming an even angle triangle with the end of the sewn seam as the top tip of your triangle. The bottom seam of the bag should be running down the middle, facing up.  Line up the folded sides with the 45 diagonal lines on your mat (not shown).  This will help to make sure that your triangle is even.    

Do the same with the outer part of your bag, butting the seam next to the seam already facing up.  Lay your ruler flat across the triangle and find the spot 4 1/2" across from one side to the other.  Mark with a pencil and pin both bags together.  Sew on that line, twice for reinforcement, trim, and finish edges.  Repeat for the other bottom corner of your bag.

Check your work.  If done correctly, the bottom seam of both parts of the bag will make a circle.

Second check.  If you square up your bag on the table, it should look like this.  There are 2 -  4 1/2" seams, perpendicular to the table, holding the 2 bags together, one on each end.

Flip your bag, with the right side of the outer shell facing out and push out those corners with your fingers.  It should look like this.

Step 3:  Straps
Cut  (4)  1  1/2" strips 24 " long to create your straps.  If piecing, make sure your finished strip measures 24".    To make your bag reversible, you want 2 to coordinate with the outer part of your bag, and 2 to coordinate with the lining.

Take 2 contrasting strips and sew along one length with a 1/4" seam allowance.  Repeat for second strap.

Press open.

With wrong side facing up, press both sides down 1/2".

Fold together, press and top stitch 1/8" along each side.  Take extra precaution to back stitch when you are sewing the strap together, and securing it to the bag.  

Your straps are ready to be sewn on to your bag.  Press down the top edges of your outer and inner parts of your bag.

 At this point, you will want to measure where your button hole will be sewn, and put a piece of interfacing in between the layers (read more in button step).

 Measure in 5" from the edge of your bag and insert a strap 1" in between both layers.  Pin. Repeat with the end of that strap on the other side, measuring 5" from the edge.  Pin the second strap on to the back side.

Top stitch 1/8" from top of bag all the way around.  Measure 7/8" and stitch a second line around.

 
Sew an X where the straps are sewn into the bag for reinforcement.

Step 4:  Buttons
You can use any button you want,  I chose a fabric covered button, 7/8".  It was very easy to assemble, and it will give your bag a finishing touch.  You will want to make 2 buttons if your bag is going to be reversible.


  
Your button should be a good contrast for both sides.

Decide where you want your button to be.  Mark where top and bottom of button hole should be.  If you haven't used your button hole accessory for 13 years like me, you may want to practice first.  You may also want to put in some interfacing in between the 2 layers of your bag before top stitching it closed.  Your button hole will stitch in easier if you do so.


The same day I was making this bag, I was prepared with all the ingredients and equipment to can 50 quarts of peaches.  As I started the process, I soon realized that I did not have the "freestone" peaches, which are the kind that easily slip away from the pit.  Therefore, I had to can my peaches whole.  BAD NEWS!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

#1 Munki placemat


My quilting goal for this week, was to finish 1 placemat top.


I plowed the road with this first one (a term I picked up when our first child was a teen-ager), it literally took me the whole week.


  Each time I walked by it, I changed it a bit, until everything seemed to fit.


Cute, isn't it?  These are only for decoration, you know . . . .  I don't want my family thinking I'm going to start cooking regularly again or anything.

Monday, June 7, 2010

I Spy Quilt for Richard


Last year I decided to make an "I-Spy" Quilt.  My travel plans for the spring and summer took me through many states during several trips.  It was so fun to visit the quilt shops in those states, and to see people with my passion all over in different parts of the country.



I made this I-Spy quilt for my nephew, Richard.  So, the squares I chose were "boy fabrics".  A friend of mine embroidered selected words in the border with her "Brother Embroidery Machine".   She did such a good job.  The font is adorable.













I quilted a gingerbread boy pattern in the border, and stitched in the ditch around the squares.  The sashing was stippled.



I backed it with flannel since it was going to a cold state.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Munki - Pin Cushion


This is a pin cushion that I'm making with some of my Heather Ross Fabric.


Another pin cushion I'm working on.  I love to use up my scraps on the back.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Munki Munki Quilts I like

Ashley at Film in the Fridge has made some adorable Munki Munki quilts, here are a few:
modern-martian-quilt
This one features the martians.
http://www.filminthefridge.com/2009/10/06/modern-munki-munki-martian-quilt/


This one's called "Munki in the Middle"
munki-in-the-middle
http://www.filminthefridge.com/2009/10/15/munki-in-the-middle-quilt/


And then, there's "Munki in the Middle" version 2:
munki2front
http://www.filminthefridge.com/2009/11/09/munki-in-the-middle-version-2-a-b/


These twin quilts feature Heather Ross's goldfish:
goldfish-squared-quilts2
http://www.filminthefridge.com/category/quilts/

goldfish-squared---goldie
http://www.filminthefridge.com/2010/05/26/goldfish-squared-baby-quilts/

Angela at "My Three Sons" also has some quilts using the  Munki fabrics.

I have a lot of options to pull from.

One Flew Over has this cute one.  I love the oranges and blues.
[blue+daze+front.jpg]
http://www.oneflewover-oneflewover.com/2009/12/i-know-i-know.html