Pocket Envy

Test Run of a Walking Foot

2010-04-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

So, I purchased a walking foot for my sewing machine over a year ago and have not used it, even once. Why? because I couldn't figure out how to install the darn thing on my sewing machine. I pride myself in being able to figure out how things are put together with and without instructions, but I have to admit, that even with the instructions, I could not figure this little contraption out.

Lately, I've been contemplating making new bedspreads for both the kids, for which the walking foot would be perfect, so I set out to figure out my walking foot. I found this great tutorial on how to install a walking foot. Complete with pictures! I literally had my walking foot on my machine five minutes later! I threw together two pieces of felt and did a very quick test run. I think it came out great! Of course, I'm a novice...what do I know.

Now, being a complete beginner to quilting, and knowing that my patience is short at best, I don't plan to put together anything intricate as far as a quilt goes. I just want to be able to make a bedspread using some of the wonderful fabric I've been drooling over, and give the kids something truly unique. Monkey is hoping for a Nintendo themed room and I'm thinking of incorporating some intensely bright colors in a bedspread to kick-off the project.

Missing flaps

2010-04-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

There is a fine line between thifty and creative or downright anal and cheap. I may have just crossed it.

Alligator's favorite book currently is called "Trick-or-Treat Calico." She got it from her grandma last Halloween, and is just now understanding the fun of searching for her friend Calico the kitten. Each page shows one of Calico's friends dressed up in costume for Halloween. Alligator lifts the flap to see if she can find Calico who is hiding at the end of the book. I think some of the appeal of the book is that Alligator loves to say Calico over and over, although it comes out more like "Kaiko"

Well, the other day, apparently without my notice, Alligator managed to rip off Calico's flap. Now we searched for two days for that flap because I've fixed numerous other books that have suffered at Alligator's not so gentle hands. And since she now know's I'm able to fix her books, she spent the last two days walking around the house with Calico saying "Mama, fix it." But how am I supposed to fix a flap that I can't find.

So I got creative and thrifty (or anal if you prefer). I used the drawing tools in MS Word to match colors and pattern as best I could; and then traced, as best as I could remember, the shape of Calico's veil. A few scissors, glue and packaging tape, and voila! Calico is as good as new. At least in the eyes of my sweet little almost 2 year-old Alligator who spent the rest of the morning saying "Tank you, mama, tank you mama" She always says it twice, to make sure you heard her.

Sewing Mitered Blanket Corners Tutorial

2010-04-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

One technique that took quite a bit of practice for me to perfect has been the mitered blanket corner. But it's truly not that complicated and is a great way to finish blankets, table cloths, placemats and other projects.

I use Wright's satin blanket binding to finsh my Blanket Envy lovey blankets and there is definitely an art to creating clean mitered corners and a clean finish seam.

1. Start with any rectangular shaped fabric and pre-made satin blanket binding. Starting from the middle of the first edge (not the corner), sandwich the blanket in the pre-folded blanket binding, pin the binding to the blanket leaving 4-6" inches of extra binding at the beginning that you will use to finish the final seam. Do not pin the other edges, you'll need to finish one edge at a time.
If you'd rather make your own binding, check out my tutorial on making your own bias tape.

2. Stich along the pinned edge stopping about 1/4" from the edge of the blanket

3. Pinch the blanket binding using your thumb and forefinger and flatten the binding at the seam, forming a triangle.

4. Fold the triangle over to form the mitered corner. Fiddle with the fold until both the front and back corners of the second edge line up exactly with the corners of the first edge.

5. Pin the corner and the remainder of the second edge. Line up the foot carefully so the stitching for the second edge lines up with the stitching from the first edge. Stitch the second edge stopping again about 1/4" from the edge of the blanket. Repeats steps 2-5 for the remaining three corners. When stiching the final edge, leave 8-10 inches open and plenty of extra binding to finish the trim.

6. Now this is the tricky part, but don't get initmidated, it's really not that complicated. Tuck the extra binding under at an angle. As you do, bring the extra fabric down in front at a 90* angle and press.

7. Repeat the same steps for the other side of the blanket binding, bringing the extra fabric down in back of the blanket and press.

8. With right sides together, using the press lines as a guide, pin the binding together at a right angle. The press lines should match at both edges and in the center.

9. Stich along the press lines

10. Trim the excess fabric. And clip the corners of the seam allowance where one side extends further than the other.

11. Turn and press. Pin and stitch. Voila! You've finished.

Blanket Envy

2010-04-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure what was driving me, but somehow, I created six "lovey" blankets for my little alligator. The obsession started with just one or two, but as soon as we realized that this little item was a "must-have" sleep item, the craziness began. I made a travel version for the car, and then of course the emergency version because kids are messy and then needed an extra one for daycare and there is always at least one in the wash. So there you have it, my obsession with baby blankets.

*Note there are only five blankets in the picture because I rotate one to daycare every week, so one was unavailable for the photo opportunity.

Each blanket has three layers of cozy-soft flannel, giving the blanket a huggable weight to it. I use a layer high quality, designer cotton quilt fabric to add unique and whimsical color to each blanket. Add super silky satin trim to line the edges for a irresistibly touchable finish. Alligator likes to rub the satin between her fingers. Thankfully she loves all six blankies equally.

As I said, we keep one of her blankets at daycare, all the time. Apparently, one of Alligator's friends has taken quite a liking to her blankey and whenever he finds it unattended, he steals it for a quick snuggle. I suppose you could call it "blanket-envy." So I whipped up a quick travel size blanket for him and dropped it off in his cubbie at school this morning. This first "boy" version sports super crazy race track fabric in blacks, purples and greens all lined with green flannel and trim. I can't wait to find out his reaction when I pick up Alligator this afternoon.

Do you have a fun "lovey" story to share? I'd love to hear it.

As a side note, I'd like to point out what a struggle it was to get a decent photograph of the beloved blankets. She really wasn't very patient with me, at all!

Look for the Blanket Envy to be added to my store in the near future. They would make great gifts for any little one, or an excellent shower gift for an expecting mom! This project has also prompted me to write a new tutorial on mitered corners....coming soon!

Introducing Snack Pockets

2010-03-27T21:04:00.001-07:00

So my new work-in-progress is reusable snack bags. I've been packing my lunch for work, snacks for alligator, and monkey makes his own lunch for school, and we've been blowing through the plastic baggies lately. I'm pretty pleased with how the "first draft" of these bags turned out.

The bags are made with bold fun fabrics and lined with water-resistant fabric. They fold over, like the sandwich baggies we used when we were kids. Little Alligator has been testing them out this week, and when they are folded, the snacks stay in, but she has no trouble grabbing pretzels when they are open.

Next, I'll make a few in different sizes and do some testing with different closures, a little velcro or a few snaps. Look for snack-pockets to be available in the shop soon. Throw a few in a Reversable Tote for a day out at the park, or beach or wherever your spring adventures might take you. Happy Spring!

Pinning Fabric Seams for Sewing

2010-03-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to pin fabric together to sew a seam. Regardless of your method, pinning is critical to keep layers of fabric from slipping while you are sewing. Ever since I can remember, I've always pinned my seams parallel to the hemline like this.

I'm not sure why I've always pinned seams this way. Is this the way my mom taught me? Honestly, that was so long ago, I no longer remember. I've started to wonder recently, if there is a better way to pin seams. It seems incredibly inefficient to have to stop sewing to pull out each pin along the way.

So recently, I've tried two other pinning methods. The first is to pin perpendicular to the seam right along the seam line like this.

I love pinning perpendicular because I don't have to slow down to remove pins while sewing. Heck, I don't even slow down. The down side, however, is that every once in a while, the machine needle catches one of the pins just right, or just wrong you might say, and it bends the pin, the machine needle or both. But it hasn't happened very often and usually only when it's about time to change the machine needle anyway.

I've also experimented with pinning perpendicularly completely inside the seam allowance like this.

This way, when I'm sewing the needle never comes anywhere near the pin. Again, this is great for efficiency, however I don't always feel like my seams are as secure, and feel the fabric moves a little more than I care for.

I hear there are those out there who skip the pinning altogether and baste seams together. But I'm just not that brave.

So tell me, how do you like to pin your seams?

New Additions

2010-03-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

New to the shop!

It's been a while since I've added anything to the shop and now I'm thrilled to announce the Reversible Tote. These fantastic bags are handmade by my sister

The tote is perfect for carrying books, office papers, groceries and anything fabulous that you find at your local farmers market.

Check it out now.

Reversible Totes

2010-03-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited my sister has caught the bag-making fever and I'm loving her stuff. She's offered to let me sell two of her bags on my site. Check them out below. They are finished and ready to ship, but she also loves to accept custom orders.

If you want to be the first to grab one of these bags, send me a quick message with your contact information. Otherwise watch for these lovely bags to be added to my store in the next few days.

Large Reversible Tote Bag

This is a completely reversible tote bag. So you get two bags in one.

One side of the bag has a funky, contemporary pattern, while the inside is a solid colored fabric, for a more subdued look. It has a light weight false bottom giving it some structure.

The fabric is 100% cotton, and is lined with interfacing. The bag is ready to be used and turned inside out as many times as you would like.

Size:
18 inches wide at the top
11 x 8 inches wide bottom
12 ½ inches tall
17 ¼ inches handles

Care: The tote is machine washable. Iron as needed.

The tote is perfect for carrying books, office papers, groceries and anything fabulous that you find at your local farmers market.

Price $37.80 + Shipping

Bias Tape Maker Review

2010-03-13T20:53:00.000-08:00

So, I've now had the opportunity to use my bias tape maker several times, and although I will say that it's a handy little gadget. I'm not convinced that it's a 'must-have' sewing tool.

My primary complaint is that each different size bias tape requires a different sized tool. And I don't feel it saves all that much pressing time, at least when you are making double fold bias-tape. I admit that for making single fold tape, these nifty little tools might be an incredible time saver. But when making double fold tape, you need to run the iron over your fabric as it comes through the tool, and then press it again to get the second fold, and I find it challenging to get the fold just right.

So.... this is a partial repeat post, but since I'm not likely to use bias-tape makers in the future, I thought I should give a few hints on how to press your own double fold bias-tape. It really is a snap!

How do you prefer to make bias tape? Perhaps I overlooked a benefit of these popular tools?

FOLDING
Fold the bias tape in half and press.

Open the tape and press the first side so the edge is about half way to the center fold. See why it's important that one side of the fold is smaller than the other in my tutorial about sewing bias tape.

Press the other side so the edge lines up exactly with the center fold.

Refold along the center line and press on final time. You now have double fold bias tape.

Digging back into the archives a bit you can also find tips on how to make tape from bias-cut strips and how to make bias tape from a continuous loop of fabric (in case you need a lot!)

DRAT!

2009-11-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

I make a lot of bias tape to use when making bags, and I was super excited to try my new bias tape maker from Clover. I ordered the 1/2" tape maker and anxiously awaited for the mail to arrive. When it did, I ripped the package open and started to stuff my 10 yards of bias-cut fabric through it. Only a few inches in, I noticed the fabric was coming through the maker in a clumpy mess. I tried a few times and suddenly realized that I'd purchased the wrong size tool. DRAT!

I typically use 1/2" double fold bias tape to trim nearly all my projects. So the original width of my fabric is 2". I didn't notice until it was too late that the the bias tape maker bases its size on the finished width of single fold tape. So, I've place my order for a 1" bias tape maker and am again, anxiously waiting for the mail to arrive.

I'm really hoping my new tool will be as nifty as all the reviews make it sound. I can't wait to try it out....again! Looks like I'll be ironing today instead of making bias tape.

Kids Pumpkin Halloween Costume Sewing Pattern

2009-10-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

So, here is the finished sewing pattern to make a child's size Pumpkin Halloween Costume. Take a sneak peak below at the cover page. If you would like to purchase the full pattern, click on the buy now link.

The pattern is very quick to sew. With limited experience you should be able to finish the project in 3-4 hours. The pattern is a very affordable $4.00 and will be able for immediate download as soon as your purchase is complete.

Child's Pumpkin Halloween Costume Sewing Pattern
$4.00

Immediate Download Available

Back to Sewing

2009-10-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

So here I am, trying my hand at writing my first sewing pattern, a Pumpkin Halloween costume. I'll post it here in the next few days. It's super easy and only takes 3-4 hours, so even with Halloween fast approaching, you'd still have time to whip one up. If you download and use the pattern, I'd love to hear your thoughts about how I can improve my pattern writing skills.

Here is a picture of the end result...On the left, a large pumpkin on my 7 year-old Monkey and on the right, a small pumpkin on my 1 year-old Alligator.

Wonderful Coconut Oil

2009-10-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

Coconut oil as a diaper rash cream?

Ok, so I was desperate. I pretty much ruled out allergies as the cause of Alligator's diaper rash. I eliminated several foods (tomatoe based, cottage cheese, etc) and re-introduced them each slowly and had several days of rash free bottom after each.

So, I did some more research and decided to try pure coconut oil as a diaper rash cream. I found it at my local health food store and I have to say, it's amazing stuff. First off, it can be used with cloth diapers. Second it has natural anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties. And third, it clears up diaper rash in a jiffy! So although I haven't yet identified the cause of Alligator's rash, I'm starting to think I may never figure it out, so I'm thrilled to have an effective treatment that is soothing to her bottom.

Note, if you try coconut oil for the first time, don't be surprised if it changes consistency. Coconut oil becomes solid at 76*F and so depending on the weather outside, your oil may be in various states of liquid/solid. Not to worry, it still works miracles on diaper rash

Stay tuned: I've been back at the sewing machine and have just completed a new project and am excited to share the finished product.

Now, to just wrap up purchasing our home, and I might be able to put the focus back on the more important things in life.

Diaper Rash with Cloth Diapers

2009-09-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

So despite the fact that I use cloth diapers, my poor little girl suffers from the most severe diaper rash. So bad at times that she screams in pain just sitting in the bath. To make it worse, she recently learned to sign the word hurt and uses it when I wipe her bottom or put on cream or put her in the bath. It's enough to break any mama's heart. So I'm attempting to nail down the culprit.

Chemicals in disposable diapers?
Ruled that out. While I've been cloth diapering for nearly 7 months, daycare was still using disposable diapers for the 3 days a week she was there. About 2 months ago, I begged them to make the switch, thinking I'd see an instant improvement. No such luck.

Detergent?
Nope. I started making sure I did not only an extra rinse cycle, but an entire wash/rinse to make sure I rid the diapers of all detergent. I tried several different brands, and finally reasoned that the problem was not consistent enough to be caused by detergent. If it were caused by detergent, I figure she'd have rash everytime she wears the diapers.

Yeast?
Nope. If it were yeast it would not respond to most rash creams. But her rash goes away with just a little lotion and a few poop free diapers. And a yeast rash would likely be worse in the folds of her skin. But her rash is bright red and covers her entire bum. In fact if there is any place less impacted, it's the folds of her skin.

Allergies?
So, this is my current theory. Recently, she had an extremely bad bout with rash after I introduced cottage cheese for the first time. Is it a dairy allergy? I haven't removed all dairy from her diet, and would like to avoid going to that extreme. Yogurt is quite possibly her favorite food, and she loves cheddar cheese and drinks about 16 oz of milk a day, but I've been staying far away from the cottage cheese. Her bum has been clear now for about 4 days. So perhaps it was just the cottage cheese? But I'm certain that is not the only culprit, as she had occassional issues before the cottage cheese. So, just to be safe, I haven't given her spaghetti in over a week. Could it be the tomatoes? I was very careful when we introduced new foods up until about 10 months, but I've been a bit lazy about it the last 3-4 months. She never really seemed to have any problems with new foods, but maybe I didn't catch it the first time around. I'll reintroduce the spaghetti first. If she stays clear after that, I might try cottage cheese again.

Illness?
Making the situation more difficult to diagnose, her symptoms always seem to be worse when she's sick, and seeing as though she goes to daycare 3 days/week, she's been sick all the time. But now that we're in late summer and she crossed the 6-month milestone at daycare, we've actually had about 6 weeks without a single cold in the house. I'm hoping to resolve the cause of my poor baby's burning bum before the cold and flu season sets in again, making it difficult to discern a food allergy from a cold or flu.

Why I Use Cloth Diapers

2009-08-28T20:47:00.000-07:00

Had you asked me a year ago, heck even 8 months ago if I would ever consider cloth diapers I would have said you were nuts! What a mess and all the maintenance...well now I'm a cloth diapering mama and love it. And truly none of my reasons have to do with saving the planet (shame on me).

So how was I convinced? First off, I'm very frugal (to put it kindly) and so the thought of buying diapers only once appealed to my thrifty nature.

Secondly, a friend introduced me the wonderful world of pocket diapers. These nifty little things look just like disposable diapers and come in super cool, one-size fits-all versions that can fit your baby from newborn to potty-learning. Speaking of potty learning, many people say that cloth diapers help toddlers recognize wetness and potty learn faster. I'll have to keep you posted on that one.

But honestly, what truly convinced me to try cloth, was when someone told me I'd never have another diaper blowout with cloth. My daughter blew out at least one diaper a day in disposables and I was constantly cleaning poopy stains out of her clothes. I figured, if I'm already washing poopy laundry, why not at least try to contain the poop in a cloth diaper? But still a little hesitant to commit, I started with just one bumGenius One-Size diaper, thinking it was only a matter of time before my sweet little daughter blew it out and proved everyone wrong. Well, after several poopy diapers, and no blowouts, I jumped in with two feet. Now, I've been exclusively cloth diapering for about 7 months and have not had a single blowout. I now own about 14 one-size cloth diapers (a combination of bumGenius and RockyMountain Diapers) and about 6 prefolds (your cloth diapers of the old days)

And another selling point for me...a pocket-style cloth diaper with a thin/newborn insert makes a perfect re-usable swimmy diaper.

And those are not the only benefits of cloth diapers. They do help keep poop out of our landfills, I'll throw that one in, even though it didn't motivate me in the slightest. And many people will swear that diaper rash is a thing of the past in cloth. I'm going to have to disagree on that point, and it will be the topic of my next post. Stay tuned...

And just how does this relate to Pocket Envy? One of the most important accessories for a cloth diapering mama to have is a wetbag, to hold dirties diapers when you're on the go. And that is how the first Pocket Envy Diaps-n-Wipes bag was born.

Real Life

2009-08-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

I've been staring at my blog for several days now, wondering why I just don't feel inspired to post. And it seems I've been distracted by far too much real life.

My husband and I thought that we had been weathering the recession fairly well. His job is secure and although mine is not, I survived a fairly good sized "restructuring" recently. But on the eve of little Alligator's birthday, we received a call from our landlord who wanted to let us know that he is now in default on the mortgage and needs to put the house on the market, hoping the bank will accept a short-sale.

My husband and I had been purposefully avoiding the housing market because we got married at the beginning of the crash, but we figure given our current circumstances, now might be as good a time as any to consider buying our home. So, I jumped into action, because I'm not the type of person to sit back and let life happen to me. The first call I made was to a real-estate agent, the second to a mortgage lender, and in two days we pulled together an offer on the house.

Now we're in a waiting game. Although our landlord told us he'd rather sell the house to us than to anyone else, he has not yet given us a copy of the signed offer; nor has the submitted our offer to the bank. Our real-estate agent tells us that only 20% of all short-sales actually close successfully, and those that do, take 3-6 months to complete. So we're trying to take a realistic viewpoint, cleaning out cupboards and the garage in case we have to pack up and move soon.

So that is just a small glimpse of the heavy dose of real-life we've been facing over the past four months, but that is another story for another day.

As for sewing, I'm working on a custom order for a lovely mom expecting twins in December. She's anxiously awaiting a Hobo bag, a Diaps-n-Wipes, Changing Pad and the works, all in the lovely Dogwood fabric by Michelle Engel Bensko. And I'm planning to make a few "backup" lovey blankets for miss Alligator, because life would end as we know it if we were to ever lose her dear lovey.

Fantastic Hairclips

2009-07-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

So I've been busily sewing several custom bags, but I've also been distracted by getting ready for little Alligator's first birthday party. And I figure, why not? She'll only turn one once. Her hair is just getting long enough to do a few fun things, and I found some fabulous hairclips called Ribbies. They are handmade and come in many many adorable prints! And they are very affordable. Just look how perfectly they match the Oliver +S dress I made for the party. I'm so looking forward to dressing her in her new handmade treasures on her birthay.

Want a pair of Ribbies for yourself? I found them at MiniMeBabyGear. Oh and I have to point out that the owner of Ribbies expedited my order so that I would have the hairclips in plenty of time for Alligator's birthday! Many Thanks!

Question: When will my little girl get tired of all my handmade madness? I hope it's not too soon, I'm certainly having fun.

Oliver+S Tea Party Sundress

2009-07-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

I took a break from bag making recently to sew an Oliver +S Tea Party Sundress pattern that I bought quite some time ago. I fell in love with Oliver +S patterns the first time I saw them. The style is so classic and timeless and just plain adorable. Even though I've had the pattern sitting on my sewing table for months, I intended to finish it in time for little alligator's first birthday party, and I still have 3 weeks to spare. Yeay me!

The pattern was extremely clear and easy to follow. I made the 12-18 month size for alligator and it seams to fit perfectly (she's 22 lbs and 29 inches). I learned a few new skills, like how to apply flat piping and how to hem using a strip of fabric cut on the bias. I'll estimate that it took me a grand total of about 5 hours to sew, but I did it over several weeks in the evenings after work and on weekends during nap time. I'm thrilled with how the dress came out. And I think alligator looks awfully cute in the dress, but I might be a bit biased.

Here are some pictures of the finished product.

How to Sew a Travel Wipes Wallet

2009-06-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

My latest project has been to develop a travel wipes case that has a waterproof interior, so wet wipes stay moist. The wallet is compact and fits in perfectly into the pocket of the Diaps-n-Wipes bag. The wallet is the perfect size to be used with either cloth or disposible wipes.

The tutorial below will walk you through making your own wipes wallet, of course if you would prefer to buy one pre-made, please visit my shop and don't forget to check out a matching Diaps-n-Wipes bag and/or Hobo bag.

You will need:
10" x 13" medium weight cotton fabric
10" x 13" Polyurethane Laminate (PUL) fabric
10" x 13" heavyweight interfacing
Fastener - Snap or hook & loop (applix or velcro)

Step 1
Start by cutting the wipes wallet outer from your favorite fabric approximately 9.5" wide by 11" tall with an additional 2" curve added to the top edge which will ultimately be the flap of the wallet.

Cut a piece of Polyurethane Laminate (PUL) fabric the same size as the wipes wallet outer.

Cut a piece of heavy interfacing just slightly smaller by the size of your seam allowance. I like to use a 1/2" seam allowance.

Step 2
Attach one side of your fastener about 2 inches from the the straight bottom edge of the wallet on the right side of the fabric. Here, I've used the loop side of some hook and loop Applix.

Attach the other side of your fastener to right side (shiney side) of the PUL fabric.

Step 3
With right sides together layer you three fabric pieces in this order:
Cotton, PUL, Interfacing. Pin and stitch around the outer edge with a 1/2" seam allowance. Leave an approximately 2-3 inch opening to turn the wallet right side out.

Step 4
Turn and press

Step 5
Fold the bottom of the wipes wallet about 1/3 of the way up. Pin and stitch the side edges and top stitch along the upper curved edge.

Your wipes wallet is ready to go. It will keep moist wipes moist without getting the rest of your bag damp.

Finally some inventory

2009-06-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

I've been busy sewing, sewing, sewing and now I finally have a few diaps-n-wipes bags in inventory. Which means that I have bags ready to ship. Hooray for a productive weekend. Check out all available fabric selections and order now.

Inserting Elastic into Casing

2009-05-28T15:34:00.001-07:00

There are many ways to feed elastic into casings. The first I learned was to pin a safety pin on the end of the elastic and thread the safety pin through the casing. This method works well in many situations, but can be frustrating if the casing is particularly long. In making my Diaps-n-Wipes bags, I've been looking for a better method because all the outside pockets have elastic and I've been going crazy feeding it through.

Another alternative is to use a bodkin. This handy tool that looks like a pair of tweezers with teeth, pinches your elastic on one end and has another blunt end handy for pushing the tool and elastic through the casing. You'll find these in the notions section of your local sewing store.

But, the other night while I was making pockets, I didn't have a bodkin handy and my hand was getting sore pushing safety pins through casings, so I improvised and used a drinking straw. We only had the kind with the flexible top, the kids like those, so I clipped off the top, attached my elastic to the staw using a very small safety pin and threaded the whole thing through the casing. Worked like a charm! I also used a bobby pin which worked great too.


Drinking straw, safety pin and elastic	Attach elastic to straw

Thread straw through casing	Secure elastic to end of casing before it disappears

Pull straw out the other side	Using a bobby pin instead

Sew Busy

2009-05-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I've been busy sewing many many Diaps-n-Wipes bags. I'm trying to catch up with pending orders, and making at least one bag in each of the fabrics selections. So if your order is is in my "currently sewing" list (see the left hand manu bar), you should be able to see your bag in my stacks and it will be done by the end of this week. If you've been wanting to place an order, check back soon, I should have many more samples posted on the fabric selections page.

Sew a Basic Billfold Wallet

2009-05-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

So I just realized it's been almost a week since I posted. Sewing has actually been the farthest thing from my mind for the last few days. But the family was in desparate need of a little distraction this weekend, so my 7 year-old step-son and I set out to make a wallet/billfold. I should really say that he made it, because he did all the cutting, sewing and ironing. I think his favorite part was the ironing. Ironic because that is my least favorite part of sewing.

So I intended to make this a turtorial, but with the distractions of life events, I forgot to take pictures along the way, so you'll have to settle for pictures of the finished product.

My step-son, otherwise known as Monkey, has been collecting money for birthdays and Christmas and now feels he's very rich. We've been working on a method for saving money and spending money. He now has 5 jars in his room. The first is the money dump, where he puts any money he collects, whether it be a penny or ten dollars. Then at the end of each month, we go through the money dump and divvy up the money into his four other jars:

1. Save for college
2. Save for big toys
3. Spend now
4. Save for gifts

We let him decide how much money goes into each jar, with the exception of offering some guidance that saving for college should usually get the most. He is amazingly good at making good decisions. It helps that we offer *interest payments* on the College and Big Toys jars. He loves the end of each month when we pay him FREE money.

So far he has split his money in percentages that look like this:
College: 50%
Big Toys: 28%
Spend Now: 8%
Gifts: 14%

And the best part is, he just discovered he has enough money in the Big Toys jar to buy a video game. This is where the new wallet comes in. You don't just walk around with $50 in your pocket, so he needed a wallet. Next weekend, we'll hopefully put his money in his wallet and go spend it. And the best part is, his other jars still have plenty of money left over!

Now, to make sure I relate this post to sewing in one way or another, I originally had a plan to make this wallet much more complicated, but Monkey really wanted to help every step of the way, so I simplified it quite a bit, in fact it's more of a bill-fold than a wallet. Even though I don't have pictures, here are the steps and a picture of the finished product (Sewn by a 7 year-old!)

1. Cut two pieces of fabric about 10w"x9"h and a piece of Peltex (Heavyweight stabilizer) the same size.

2. Sew the pieces right side together with the Peltex on top. Leaving a small hole in the bottom to turn the wallet right side out

3. Turn right side out and and press

3. Top stich across the bottom to close up the hole and finish that edge.

4. Fold up the front so it the bottom edge is about 1/2" below the top edge. This forms the bill-fold.

5. Top stitch the sides to hold them in place.

6. Fold the bill-fold in half and press to form a crease. Viola! The entire project took us about an hour.

Hobo Bag II

2009-05-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

I just finished a newly redesigned Hobo Bag. For lack of a better name, I'll call it the Hobo II for now (but as always, feel free to suggest better names for me). The Hobo II is smaller than the first version, measuring approximately 17w x 12h. The most significant change I made comes in the form of removeable pockets. Take a look at the slide show below...

The removeable pockets make it easier to restock supplies or switch diaper bags on whim. The large interior pocket is perfect for a changing mat or change of clothes. Outside pockets are perfect for supplies that need to be in quick reach like burp clothes and hats. Side pockets hold smaller items like sunglasses and water bottles.

This particular bag is already sold and ready to ship, but I'm excited to start making more bags in the new style.

Sewing Stretchy Fabrics

2009-05-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

When sewing different types of fabrics together, for example cotton and flannel, sew with the material that has more stretch (the flannel) on the bottom, so the feed dogs can help move the fabric through the machine. This will help minimize the annoying problem of having the top fabric stretch more than the bottom making mis-matched seams at the edges.

For the experts out there, this may seem like a trivial tid-bit, but it's something I learned far too late in my sewing career and would have saved me hours of angst and arguments with fabric. Hopefully it comes in handy for at least a few folks out there.

Tonight I put this very tip into use while making a "lovey" blanket for my friend's 20-month old daughter.