No tutorial for you today, just a shot of the quilted log cabin pillow cover I finished up yesterday.  At the moment I’m trying to brighten up a colorless rental house, and all those small bits and pieces of fabric I’ve collected are finding a purpose here.

For this project I constructed 4 easy log cabin quilt blocks. Sewn together, they finished to a 12″ top.  I simply quilted the top to a piece of Warm & Natural batting (no backing here), using straight lines.  I added a back, and inserted a 12″ pillow form.  The cover is removable for washing.

Next up on the sewing machine – perhaps another pillow cover using just large squares, or maybe a pieced pillow case.  Then I may be ready for a new bag.

Now, before my friends are all “look, she’s actually doing chores,” I need to explain something first. If you’ve heard that Dan does the housework around here, that’s only partially true.  He does most of the sweeping and dusting because he finds my dust-induced asthma attacks extremely annoying. He also does most of the cooking, because he enjoys it, but he won’t touch the oven, so I do all the baking.  He can also do laundry, but quite honestly, our clothes sleep much better at night if I’m the one who handles that chore.  Let’s just say that his laundry “technique” is lacking.

For the first time in years I now have a clothesline in my back yard. Three of the four lines are missing, and the one that remains is in need of replacement, but that can be fixed eventually. I still have enough room to hang out a load of laundry, and I’m not heating up the house by running the dryer all afternoon. Oh, and I’m saving money, too!  I’m sure that my enthusiasm over a clothesline is shocking to anyone who knows me, but you’ll just have to accept this strange behavior. 

After hanging out the first load on my new/old clothesline, I realized that keeping clothespins in a plastic grocery bag just wasn’t going to work for me, and reaching up and into a bag, whether it’s a grocery bag or something made specifically for this purpose, just wasn’t very comfortable. I needed something waist-high.

An internet search revealed several great patterns for clothespin aprons and a variety of aprons, which would eliminate the need to reach up and into a bag, but all I really wanted was a small pocket to tie around my waist, not a full-size apron with a huge pocket.  I didn’t want to use a lot of fabric, either.  After a few quick sketches, I came up with some measurements for this quick and easy pocket with apron strings.  A simple pouch would work well for this application, but I added a pleat to give myself a little more room for my hand to reach in, as well as for some extra clothespins. The finished apron measures 7-1/2″ wide by 16″ tall (from the bottom of the pocket to the top of the waistband), and the pocket is 12″ deep.

For this project, you will need to cut the following pieces of fabric:
- 10″ wide X 13-1/2″ long for pocket lining – cut 1
- 10″ wide X 11-1/4″ long for pocket front – cut 1
- 8″ wide X 16-1/4″ long for apron base – cut 2.  This is what you’ll attach the pocket to.
- 3-1/2″ X 80″ for apron ties*

*Please note: In most cases, you will need to cut several 3-1/2″ wide strips and join them together end to end to make an 80″ strip for your ties.  My ties were designed to wrap around the back, then again to the front, and to tie in the front.  I am a size 8, and had plenty of length left over after tying a bow, so adjust this length up or down according to your size and preference.

First, sew the pocket front to the pocket lining, right sides together. Press seam toward the pocket lining.  This seamed area will form the top of the pocket.

 
With wrong sides together, line up the bottom of the pocket front with the lining of the pocket back. Now the top of the pocket will look like the photo below.

 
Press the top edge of the pocket flat.  The lining will form a contrasting band at the top of your pocket.

 
Topstitch over the seam of the pocket band, then again along the top edge.

Now, make a little box pleat at the bottom of the pocket, and fiddle with the size of the pleat until the pocket bottom measures 8″ across.  Pin to secure, then stitch in place close to the bottom edge.

Next, grab the 2 pieces of fabric you cut for the apron base.  Place one piece of base fabric right side up. Layer the pocket on top of this, right side up.  In other words, the pocket lining will be against the base fabric.  Be sure that you are lining up the bottom edge of the pocket with the edge of the base, and that the sides of the pocket are even with the sides of the base.

 Now place the other piece of base fabric on top of this, with its right side down.

Pin all these layers together.  The “sandwich” will be a little lumpy in the middle due to the extra fabric that forms your pocket pleat.

Stitch down one long side of the sandwich, across the bottom, and back up the other long side.  Clip the 2 bottom corners to reduce bulk.

Reach into the top opening, grab the pocket, and turn everything right side out.  Oh no, it looks like my pocket is now inside out!  If this happens to you, don’t panic.  Just flip the pocket right side out.  It works, really.

 You should now have something that resembles the photo below.  Now press the seams flat.  You can press the box pleat if you want, but it probably won’t stay crisp once you start to use your pocket.

 You still have an opening in the top of your project.  We’ll soon encase these raw edges inside the apron strings.

 Sew your long strips together end to end to form one long strip. Press the seams either to one side or open.  I usually press to one side.  It’s the quilter in me.

Fold the strip lengthwise, right sides together.  Find the center of your strip and match it up with the center of the apron top.  Mark an area on the strip where you will leave an opening to insert your apron.  See Daisy’s hand there? She’s just a little too close to the apron edge.  Make your opening a good half inch or so wider on each side to give yourself plenty of room to work.

Now, remove the helpful cat from your work table.

Sew the long edge of your folded strip, being sure to leave that opening that Daisy just showed you.  If you want pointed ends on your apron strings, now is the time to do that.  Clip off points in the seam to reduce bulk.

 Turn your strip right side out and press.  Where you left the opening, carefully turn the seam allowance to the inside and press in place.

Now insert the apron top into the opening, inserting it all the way up to the top crease.  Pin in place.

 Topstitch the opening closed.  Stitch again near the top of the apron string to further secure that top apron edge that’s hiding inside.  Reinforce with some vertical stitching to further secure the apron into the waistband.  If you expect to be loading this pocket up, don’t be afraid to add plenty of reinforcing stitches.

Now hang out your laundry in style!

I’m back.

Those are dangerous words.  Perhaps I should have said, “I think I’m back.”  The last several months have been a wild ride, and have included the illness and death of a parent, packing up a house, moving over 600 miles further north, applying for graduate school, getting settled again, and some freelance web design work.  (This site is due for a huge redesign as well, but that’s probably several weeks down the road.)  So, while I hope to be posting much more frequently now, I won’t make any scheduling promises that I can’t keep.

I would like to write some more tutorials, but my sewing machine still hasn’t seen the light of day since the move.  Soon, though.  Meanwhile, I have some links to share with you.

First, a reader pointed out to me that The Buttercup Bag Pattern from Made by Rae is now available with a commercial license.  Your purchase will include the bag pattern in two sizes.  Thank you, Mayya, for letting me know about this!

i have to say always has great tutorials!  Here’s one for a laundry sack that is really too pretty for dirty laundry.

Elizabeth has a free pattern and instructions for the Diana Hobo over on her blog. I think this will be my next bag project.

And the fabric scraps pictured at the top of this post?  I’ll be making a patchwork pillow cover out of those.  Soon.  I hope.

There are quite a few bag tutorials on the internet these days, but I have to say that the Buttercup Bag from Made by Rae is one of the best (and cutest!) I’ve ever come across.  I saw photos and references to this tutorial on several blogs, and just couldn’t resist it.  Rae provides a beautifully done pattern and instructions for download, and this bag is not only easy, but requires very little fabric as well.  If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you know that I usually change things up a bit when I use other crafters’ patterns.  My only changes here were strap length and construction, the use of a button loop on one bag instead of a magnetic snap, and the addition of heavyweight interfacing on my bag linings.

On both bags, I made the straps with a 5″-wide strip of fabric folded in half lengthwise, then in half again (with raw edges on the inside), and topstitched both edges.  I attached the ends of the straps between the lining and the outside, instead of sewing them to the outside of the bag.  One bag has a shoulder strap, and the other strap is shorter.  I will probably omit the strap on the next one I make.

If you carry a lot of stuff in your bag, this one probably won’t work for you, but it’s so much fun to make, you might want to make a few for gifts.

I apologize for my lengthy absence from this blog.  I never intended to be away for so long, but due to a physically demanding part-time job with often grueling hours, and an all-out search for a full-time job that won’t kill me, I’ve lacked the time, energy, and motivation to sew.  I decided over the weekend that sewing might make me feel a little better, and since I had come across this great tutorial from Cicada Daydreams, I thought I’d dust off the sewing machine and give it a try.  I’m so glad I did! Not only did I make myself a great little tote bag, but now I also feel like I can begin to take on other sewing projects again without being overwhelmed.

I call this tote bag “little” because it’s not your typical shopping-size bag.  It finished to approximately 11-1/2″ x 9″ x 3″, which is still large enough to hold some reading materials and a few other essentials.  One thing I really like about this design is the accent fabric on the bottom, which also serves to make the bag sturdier.  I made my bag as directed in the tutorial, except that I fused lightweight interfacing to my lining because my floral fabric was very soft, and I used a different construction technique* for the strap.

Even if you’re not interested in sewing a tote bag, do go take a look at Cicada Daydreams.  It’s a lovely blog.

*Strap construction – I cut two 4″ x 13″ strips, pressed the long raw edges to the center, then folded in half and pressed again to enclose the raw edges. I then top-stitched the long edges. This resulted in sturdy 1″-wide straps.

Thanks to everyone who dropped by and entered my OWOH giveaway. I enjoyed reading your comments (all 311 of them!).  I hope those of you who didn’t win here found some luck at one of the other 910 participating blogs.  To choose my winners, I used the random number generator at random.org.  The winner of the wristlet key fob is Vanessa from comment #281, and the scarf goes to Suzy, the 205th commenter. The winners have been notified, and their prizes will be on the way this week.  Vanessa and Suzy both have blogs as well, so be sure to take a peek at their lovely blogs.

Today marks the beginning of the One World One Heart Giveaway.  If you didn’t participate last year, let me tell you now, you won’t want to miss it this year. From now through February 12th, you’ll have the opportunity to enter hundreds of giveaways, simply by visiting participating blogs and leaving a comment.  The rules vary from one blog to another, so be sure you read each giveaway post for details. (Note: As of 5 p.m. on January 29th, there are 732 giveaways on the list. Amazing!)

 For my giveaway, there will be 2 winners, both drawn by a random number generator.  One winner will receive the wristlet key fob pictured above, and another will receive a 5-1/2″ x 60″ cotton scarf (also pictured).  All you have to do is leave a comment on this post (and this post only!) before midnight Central Time on February 12th, and you will be entered in the drawing.  Depending on how many comments I get, I may add a 3rd prize.  You don’t need to have your own blog in order to enter my giveaway, but you will need to leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. 

When you leave a comment, there’s a space where you can enter your email.  I’m the only one who can see this, so don’t worry about it being posted for the whole world to see. Alternatively, you can provide the url for your website or blog (if you have one) in the space provided on the comment form, as long as there’s a way for me to contact you there.

I will draw the winner and notify her/him on February 13th.

OK, a recap of my rules:
1. Leave a comment on this post.  Don’t leave it on any of my other posts, because it won’t count.
2. Make sure you have a valid email so I can contact you if you’re a winner.
3. Comment before midnight Central Time on February 12th.
4. That’s it!

After you comment here, go over to the OWOH website for a list of currently participating bloggers. Be sure to visit their sites and enter their giveaways as well — no telling how many prizes you might win!

I’m having a giveaway on my other blog as well (Lenny da Vinci), where the prize is one of my embellished fabric pins, so be sure to stop by over there and enter.

If you’re not feeling lucky, or you don’t want to wait til the drawing, both the key fob and the scarf are also available, at the time of this writing, in my Etsy shop.

Etsy is such a great place to find unique products, and a lot of sellers are using repurposed materials to create fun and functional items for sale in their shops.  Dolley Madison is a new Etsy seller who does exactly that.  Head on over to her shop and get yourself one of these handmade journals that she has fashioned from VHS boxes (remember VHS?).  I love this Superman journal!  While you’re there you can also pick up a handmade knitting needle case, sewn from the prettiest gold embroidered fabric.  Now, go shop!

See you back here on Monday!

I usually greet the New Year with enthusiasm. No resolutions, just excitement over a fresh span of time stretching out in front of me, waiting for new projects and ideas.  But so far, I’ve had a bit of a motivation problem in 2009, with little energy to execute the ideas that I do have.  The solution, I know, is to start with something simple that stands half a chance of being completed instead of being put away after only a few stitches, never to see the light of day again.

This Classic Tote from Sew, Mama, Sew! was exactly what I needed. It’s a simple, unlined shopping tote that’s sturdy enough to hold up to some rough treatment at the supermarket.  My favorite feature is the use of French seams, which not only hide the raw edges of the fabric, but add some strength to the bag as well.  I made two of these in one short evening, with minor changes to the instructions.  I left off the pocket and made the bag slightly smaller because I wanted to cut both totes from a very limited amount of fabric.  I also made the handles shorter, because I’m short and more often than not, my shopping bags end up dragging the ground.

Now that I’m back in the creative saddle, I’ll be working on an easy bag with an exterior pocket, which I hope to show you in a couple of days.