by Sherri Sylvester | Jan 18, 2015
Happy Monday to you! After the 4 Cargo Duffles from last Monday and the Handbag last Wednesday + the book giveaway (open until Monday Jan 19th at midnight!) Seems it is a good idea to follow up last week’s inadvertent “bag week” with the Cargo Duffle Zipper Pocket tutorial I promised. Plus it seems like a good time to let you know who won the last giveaway!
This pocket was created out of a need for something quick and secure. While making four of these duffles I figured it would just take too long to make the folded and stitched and lined cargo pockets the original pattern calls for. I also am not very good at attaching snaps – so avoiding that seemed best as well!
This pocket is created to work well on any bag that has a separate bottom base. The separate base covers the bottom raw edge of the pocket. All of the other raw and zipper edges are finished. The front of the pocket is lined and the ‘back” of the pocket is the bag’s front outer fabric. You could fold the bottom raw edges of the pocket under before stitching and use it on any other type of bag as well.
Before I get too far, I want to let you know who won the Sew Sister’s Quilt Shop giveaway from last week. The fortunate winner is Beth T. She’s going to get 10 fat quarters of Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements in the mail soon! Thanks so much to Sew Sister’s for the giveaway and of course congratulations to Beth! What a nice surprise!
On to the tutorial!
You will need:
- One 12″ zipper
- One 13″ piece of 1/2″ double fold bias tape
- Outer Pocket: One 13″ x 6.5″ piece of quilting/cotton or similar
- Lining: One 13″ x 6.5″ piece of quilting/cotton or similar
Here we go:
- Place the outer fabric right side up. Open the zipper and align it along the top (long) edge of the outer edge with the zipper slider down. Pin/Glue in place. Baste if desired.
- Align the lining fabric right sides together along the top edge of the outer and zipper tape. Pin/Glue in place.
- Stitch along the top edge, through the lining/zipper/outer with a 1/4″ seam allowance. I used my regular machine foot and moved the needle as far as it can go to the left so as to avoid changing to my zipper foot!
- Once sewn, open up the lining and outer so they are wrong sides together. Press the edges next to the zipper tape.
- Sandwich the unfinished side of the zipper tape inside of the bias tape. Make sure it is at least 1/8″ away from the zipper teeth on both sides. I use glue to keep it in place before sewing. You can also use pins.(There is no need to finish the ends of the bias tape.)
- Stitch the bias tape close to the bottom edge.
- Fold the bias tape to the lining side on the open end and pin the zipper along the top edge so the teeth stay aligned in the next step.
- Fold the outer and lining right sides together and pin along the short edge.
- Stitch the pinned short edge with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Be careful when stitching over the zipper teeth. Back-stitch well at the corner. Trim the corner to reduce bulk.
- Close the zipper at least half way. Fold the zipper in half wrong sides together and pin the end to keep the teeth aligned in the next step.
- Fold the outer and lining right sides together and pin along the short edge. The zipper teeth should be facing the outer pocket fabric.
- Stitch the pinned short edge with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Be careful when stitching over the zipper teeth. Back-stitch well at the corner. Trim the corner and zipper tape to reduce bulk.
- Turn the zipper and pocket right sides out and push out the corners.
- Mark the placement of the Cargo Duffle exterior bottom accent piece. Align the zipper pocket in the centre of the Front so the bottom edge will be 1/2″ under the exterior bottom accent piece once sewn.
- Open the zipper and pin the bias tape in place.
- Unpin the pocket outer and flip it up to access the bias tape. Pin it in place at the far right side (pin is circled), being careful to keep the bias tape straight. I used my quilting lines as a guide.
- Fold the Front over so the pocket bias tape lays flat more easily and pin the opposite end in place.
- Stitch the bias tape along the top edge, next to the previous line of stitching. Folding the Front of the Cargo Duffle as you sew so the bias tape and pocket lay flat while you are stitching.
- Re-align and pin the pocket in place. Stitch the short sides of the pocket up from the bottom to about 1″ under the zipper. I stitched across and back down as well to secure the pocket better.
And you’re finished! Stitch on the Exterior Bottom Accent and continue with the original Cargo Duffle instructions to finish your amazing bag.
by Sherri Sylvester | Jan 5, 2015
Here’s to another great year last year! This year especially there have been many, many times I felt amazed because of a project opportunity or a relationship that was built. I feel fortunate to be a part of the online sewing community.
Thanks for hanging out and sticking around! You are so appreciated!
As I was working on this post I moved all of my 2014 post files away in their own folder – that makes 3 sections now – 2012, 2013 and 2014! It’s fun to think of how much this blog has been through. I was inspired by the Sewing Rabbit to create an infographic of sorts to summarize what happened last year. Lots different from my usual wordy posts – so I hope you don’t mind the numbers. I had lots of fun going through my stats finding out which posts were the most read, and I was excited to see that most of my favorite projects were your favorites too!
Below the analytics in the graphic, I’ve listed the top 10 posts created in 2014 and the top 5 posts of all time. (I linked each section – so you can click on them if you want to find out more.)
Happy New Year and I hope you and yours have a wonderful memorable year!
To talk bloggy – SO many moments stand out over the year! The day I got 11 938 page views because The Quilt Show linked to my Fabric Tray. The day I met Elizabeth Olwen and started planning the Warp & Weft Weekend Event. Designing the Forest Glen Satchel. The day I taught my very first workshop. Releasing the Satchel pattern! Sewing my youngest her Red Riding Hood costume and making my first Alder Skirt. I still LOVE the girls’ Easter dresses the most of all. Winning the Crafting Con Avenger’s month challenge was pretty cool too!
Looking ahead? More purposeful posting. I’m also excited to start quilting a bit more in 2015. And more clothing! Now that I have a serger for finishing seams the thought of stitching something up seems that much more simple and quick. I’ve got quite a few pieces waiting to be photographed and posted too… I could think of more – but I’ve got to run shower before going out in the (feels like) -22C weather to pick the kids up from school. See you again soon!
The Fat Quarter Skirt PDF Pattern is Now Available!
Purchasing this fully tested skirt pattern gives you access to 5 sizes, child’s 2-6, to create a skirt that is 9-11 1/2″ (23-30cm) long. Expect lots of tips and tricks throughout, a glossary of terms, recommended best practices and instructions geared towards an absolute beginner. This pattern is truly a quick sew – allow yourself just 1-3 hours to finish, including your fabric cutting time. It’s also a great stash-buster, requiring only 2 fat quarters and a length of elastic… things you probably already have in your stash! To find out more about the pattern, click here.
Purchase the Fat Quarter Skirt PDF Pattern – $8.50 CDN
Thank you for your support!
by Sherri Sylvester | Dec 30, 2014
I hope you have had a great holiday season. And there is more to come tomorrow as we start a new year! I’ve inadvertently taken a week off and I’m excited to get a little more sewing in before things ramp back up again in 2015. The kids are still on holiday for the rest of this week and that slows things down a bit – so I’m rolling with it! I’ve got a new serger to play with (YAY!) and I’ve already made my husband his requested (second) Finlayson and resized my old housecoat for my oldest (on tap since last winter…).
I decided that my first serger project should be small and simple – so I made my youngest a few pairs of underwear using my Red Kitchen pattern. It’s in round 4 of alterations – every pair I make gets a bit more of a tailored fit. I wonder if she understands what she is getting? Seriously – underwear tailored to your every curve – amazing! I am in de-stashing mode, so I’ve been using tiny shirts that belonged to my girls to make each pair, along with a discarded white undershirt to finish the leg holes. I am so excited to be using things up.
The latest fabric giveaway ended last week, and I randomly selected the winner yesterday. Vicky B. is the fortunate owner of 1 metre of fabric of her choice from the L’Oiseau shop! Turns out that Vicky has been a customer of L’Oiseau for quite a while – how exciting to be able to give back to her!
The rest of the week consists of me cleaning the office – yikes – what a mess present wrapping creates. And I’m filling in the breaks with projects I’ve had around for longer than I’d like to admit. Thankfully my serger has brought a renewed sense of excitement – and speed… aside from the hour and a half it took me to thread it the first time. Thank goodness for instructional videos!
I hope you have a wonderful start to your New Year! Thank you so much for following along, I am so grateful for you. Your comments and the time you spend here are so appreciated!
by Sherri Sylvester | Dec 11, 2014
Last page folks – truly and for real! Thisis the last of the Quiet Book pages. Now all we need is the cover and all will be right with the world…. except I need to start sewing my other Christmas gifts… hmmm!
This page is the size of 3 regular sized pages in this book, since it opens up to become a full sized race track. This page is significantly different from the original book – so much so that I haven’t included the original photos. If you need a reference point you can refer back to the original quiet book photos in this post.
The shopping list for this page looks daunting… but in the end it’s worth it! Not too bad, just lots of little pieces that go together quickly once they are cut. Here is a layout to refer to when placing items on your page.
You will need:
- Background Fabric (Grass): 1 piece quilting cotton 18″ wide x 9″ high (behind racetrack) + 1 piece quilting cotton 9″ wide x 6″ high (behind mechanic)
- Page Interfacing: 1 piece 18″x9″ + 1 piece 9″x9″ square, medium weight fusible interfacing (you will have this from your Week 1 shopping list)
- Mechanic Garage: 1 piece 9″ high x 6.5″ wide orange quilting cotton
- Mechanic Symbol: Black Fabric Paint, Freezer Paper (for stencil)
- Mechanic’s “Door”: 1 piece 4 1/2″ wide x 2 3/4″ tall clear plastic (6 or 8 gauge recommended)
- Mechanic Parking Lot: 1 piece 9″ wide by 3 3/4″ high black quilting cotton
- Parking Lot lines: 2 pieces 1/4″ silver ribbon 2 1/2″ long
- Race Track: 7″ x 18″ black quilting cotton
- Pit Stop: 1 1/2″ x 4″ black quilting cotton
- Pit Stop Yellow Lines: aprox. 11″ 3/8″ wide yellow ribbon
- Bridge Guard Rails: 4 pieces 1/4″ silver ribbon 3 1/4″ long
- Cars: Scraps of faux vinyl in car colours and wheel colour
- Cars: attachment strings, 3 pcs 20″ long 1/4″ wide grosgrain ribbon (not pictured below)
- River: 1 piece blue quilting cotton 6″ wide x 10″ high
- Black Velcro Fastener: 1″ long x 1/2″ wide (TIP: cut a regular piece of velcro in half widthwise)
- Fusible Web (I use Steam-A-Seam)
- Craft Knife: to cut freezer paper stencil
- Ribbon Tab: 3 1/2″ long for the side tab
- Matching Thread for Satin Stitching and Top-stitching
- Leather needle
- School Glue Stick
- Small Safety Pin
- Race Track Pattern Pieces -> Click here to download
Please ignore the cork and the yellow paint. The plan for them didn’t work out so well!
Before we begin/Important Notes:
- Print out the pattern pieces pdf on letter size (8.5″ x 11″) or A4 paper. Important: Do not select “fit to page” when printing, make sure you print at the original size. Once you have printed the pages, measure the 1″ test square to ensure the pattern is the correct size.
- Cut out all fabric that uses a pattern piece. Cut as indicated on the pattern piece, the racetrack is cut on a fold. Cut Fusible Web using the Race Track & River pattern pieces. Also cut one piece 1 1/2″ x 4″ for the Pit Stop.
- When you are sewing this book it is good to remember that some of the edges will be covered after the book is completed and sewn together. 1/2″ on the top edge of your page and 3/4″ on each side edge will not show in the final project. * This is especially important for this page *
- Remember to use your iron liberally when you are sewing this book. It is going to be a work of art when you are done! Since it is thick and some of the pages will not be iron-able once you are finished with them it is advisable to take all of the care you can to remove wrinkles so they are not accidentally permanent in your final book.
Here we go:
Cars
- Glue the end of an attachment string 1″ onto the wrong side of the “back” of one side of each car piece. (Glue is used in lieu of pins, to prevent permanent holes.)
- Glue the two car pieces wrong sides together with the ribbon in between the layers.
- Place and glue the tires in place – two on each side of the car. Only glue the part of the tire that is touching the car body shape. Let the glue dry to securely hold the pieces together.
- Top-stitch around the edge of the car, and over the tires, to hold everything in place. Backstitch-stitch over the tires and ribbon as you sew, for extra security. * You may need to use a leather needle to sew through all of the layers *
Mechanic’s Garage
- Fold the orange garage fabric in half wrong sides together to create a 6 1/2″ wide x 4 1/2″ high rectangle with a fold along the top. Draw a 4″ x 2 1/2″ rectangle in the centre of the bottom raw edges.
- Stitch the open sides of the rectangle with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Also stitch along the lines of the rectangle you just drew.
- Trim the inside of the rectangle to 1/4″ and clip into the corners. Clip the top corners of the side seams as well.
- Turn the rectangle right side out through one of the bottom openings. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze, but take your time, it will work.
- Use a chopstick or pencil to push out the corners and sides. Press the shape flat.
- Cut a 4″ x 6″ piece of freezer paper. Trace and cut out the mechanic symbol to make a freezer paper stencil. Apply the stencil, paint the symbol black and let it dry. If you have not used a freezer paper stencil before these are good instructions.
- Stitch several straight lines through the piece of vinyl, to represent the frames in the panes of glass usually found on a mechanic’s garage doors. Use this trick if your presser foot sticks to the plastic.
- Place the plastic behind the garage door opening. Secure it with pins inside the seam allowance (to avoid permanent holes).
- Top-stitch along the sides and top of the opening to secure the plastic. Top-stitch along the top edge of the garage – this will be the opening for the pocket.
Finishing the Mechanic Page
- Fold the end of each 2 1/2″ silver ribbon under by 1/4″. Place the centre of each ribbon 3 1/4″ in from each side of the black “parking lot” rectangle. Stitch from the bottom to the top to secure.
- Place the garage at the centre bottom of the 9″ x 6″ background fabric. Top-stitch the sides only to secure and create the pocket.
- Thread the car attachment ribbons through the pocket and out at the bottom centre. Stitch them in place with a scant 1/4″ seam.
- Match the top edge of the parking lot with the bottom edge of the background, wrong sides together. Stitch with a 1/4″ seam. Press the seam open – being careful not to press the vinyl.
- Fuse the 9″ x 9″ interfacing to the back of the mechanic page. Be careful not to melt the vinyl! It is best to avoid fusing the centre of the page, just fuse the edges enough to hold it on.
Make the Racetrack Page:
by Sherri Sylvester | Dec 8, 2014
A while ago I wrote about wanting to make a difference with my sewing, and how Fridays Off Fabric Shop happened to contact me about how they had become a drop off location for Conkerr Cancer pillowcases.
I was so excited when my sewing group decided to take a night to sew up a bunch of these pillowcases. We were especially fortunate to be able to use my friend Laura‘s winnings (from a contest with Stay Home Fabrics) to augment our fabric supply for the project. Each of us brought enough for two pillowcases, and Laura kindly donated enough to make 7 or 8 more! In the end we made 14 pillowcases. That’s 14 more kids in our city’s children’s hospital that will soon be sleeping on a colourful pillow, and hopefully 14 smiles to go along with them!
I decided to try this as a little sewing project that my kids could be involved in. Something simple to make that will help them to think about someone else, someone who doesn’t have it as easy as they do. We took a trip out to Sew Etc, one of my local fabric shops, and they were amazingly helpful. The kids picked out two fabrics each – no help from me. I love seeing what they pick when I have no influence over their choice!
I sewed up my oldest’s pillowcase for her – since she’s not as excited about sewing and I don’t want to force her to love it. My youngest however, is trying to be a little seamstress and insisted that she could sew her own “all by herself”. I did my best to help as little as possible. I love the note she wrote to go with her pillowcase. I hope we can make so many more!
There is much more information about ConKerr Cancer available on their site and so many inspiring photos. They have chapters located throughout the US, Canada, South Africa and the UK. I would urge you – especially with Christmas right around the corner – to take a little time and consider ConKerr Cancer as a great place to give to! The pillowcases are simple enough that a beginner can sew one easily – and they make such a difference to a child in the hospital.
There is talk of another pillowcase sewing night with my sewing group already! And I’m hoping to make more every so often with my kids as well. It’s a great way to use our sewing skills to make a difference.
Reader Feedback: Have you participated in a charitable sewing project?
by Sherri Sylvester | Dec 2, 2014
First… the bad news? I didn’t finish the Quiet Book Sew-Along on time. I am not sure if anyone is sewing along? (Not to make anyone feel bad in any way. I’m pretty excited to finish it up and be able to offer a pdf download for the whole thing!) Instead of finishing the Sew-Along, I took the weekend off. It has been a very long time since I “ignored” the blog and it felt amazing to do some home stuff – so, thank you! We did a bunch of family stuff and got some baking done instead. Yum!
If you are sewing along and have need of the last two installments please let me know and I will finish up right away. I want to finish it up, but the last page takes a bit longer than the others and I’m not feeling inspired quite yet. I do have all of the materials, pattern pieces and a bit of the instructions finished, so it will be soon! Promise!
In the meantime, I’ve got tons of fun stuff on the go – a mini version of the Forest Glen Satchel will be sent to testers in the week or so (I hope!). I’ve also got a fun project I worked on with Cloud9 Fabrics (eeeek!) that I’ll share once it comes out on their site. The bark cloth was fun to work with and the line is a new-and-coming-soon collection called Time Warp from Jessica Jones. I’ve also gotten my Christmas gifts started – but no photos until after the holidays for those!
By way of admin, the winners of the Forest Glen Satchel pattern and the $50 Gift Certificate from Duncan & Kate have been announced on their respective posts for a week or so now. You can follow the links to their posts to see who won. If you have won and haven’t received an email or prize, please let me know and I’ll take care of it right away. Congratulations to Debbie, Katherine, Kelsey and Megan!
The 10% discount from Duncan & Kate Fabrics is still going! Use the code “THREADRIDINGHOOD10″ to get 10% off your purchase. This discount is valid until December 10th, 2014.
The real reason I started writing this post is because I made a super-cute bag a few weeks ago and wanted to share it! I’ve hung onto the free Tutu Bag pattern from Ric Rac for quite a while now. I don’t remember how I found it, but I knew it would be useful someday. Wouldn’t you know it, a tutu-loving girl came up on our birthday party list. This bag makes such a great handmade gift, and it doesn’t take too long to make, or a lot of fabric – so it’s perfect!
I ended up changing two things from the original bag. I chose to add one handle instead of two. Since I thought it might be easier to carry around that way. I also made the bag substantially smaller from the original – about 130% size instead of 200% as indicated in the pattern. The original bag would be great to carrying gear to ballet class, this one is easier to use for playing. Apparently this was the birthday girl’s favorite gift – hooray!
The girls decided to make their own gifts as well – to go with it. My youngest and I collaborated to make a baby doll blanket using some Ann Kelle – Girlfriends I got from Double Decker Fabric a while ago. It’s quilted with an “A”, for the birthday girls’ first initial. The frog fabric was a Fabricland purchase from a few years ago when I made tote-able towels as a birthday giveaway. (If you click over, just ignore the pre-practice photography!)
My oldest was inspired to write a book for our friend, a dictionary detailing the differences between dresses and tutus. This after hearing that she likes dress-up and tutus, of course! We printed out her text and she drew the pictures. The book is put together with some jewellery findings, washi tape and ribbon – because all good books need ribbon. I’m pretty proud of her for being so inventive!
Thanks for finishing up such a random post! Lots to cover and fun stuff going on. See you again soon! (PS. Don’t forget to enter the Fabric Spark giveaway! You can enter to win 1 of 3 Thread Riding Hood pattern kits, ends Tuesday Dec 2nd!)
Reader Feedback: What projects have you been finishing up lately?
