by Sherri Sylvester | May 8, 2014
This is week 10! Hooray! This week we cover how to make the Rainbow of Colours page. Before you start, get the materials list of items for this page ready. You can also find out more information about this page in the week 9 post. (If you are just starting find all the information you need on this Sew-Along page.)
You will also need:
- small safety pin
- matching thread
- your normal sewing gear, including a ruler and iron
Before we begin/Important Notes:
- 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.
- 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:
- Cut 1 3/4″ high scrap strips of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple. I used 2 or 3 fabrics per colour.
- Cut 1 each of 1 1/4″ high strips of the white and gray for the top and bottom of the page.
- Piece each colour together into 9″+ long strips adding ribbons as desired with a 1/4″ seam allowance. I made my strips too long and then trimmed them later. Press all seam allowances open to reduce bulk in the final page.
- To add ribbons to each strip: fold the ribbon pieces in half, pin the short lengths between the fabric, stitch.
- Lay all of your strips out in order. Lay vertical ribbons where you’d like them. Place other embellishments in place so you know where they will go.
- Working one strip at a time, pin and stitch the strips together with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Double stitch over ribbons to make sure they stay in place. Press seam allowances open as you go. (Remove embellishments that are not held in by the seam allowance, you will add these later.)
- Give the back of the page a good press to ensure all seam allowances are flat. If you press from the front, use a press cloth and check your iron temperature to ensure you do not melt any of the ribbon.
- Fuse the medium weight fusible interfacing to the back of your page. Again, be careful with the iron temperature. Square up and trim your page to 9″x9″. Pin any unattached embellishments back in their places. (Now is also a good time to add the colour names in permanent fabric marker – if desired.)
- Stitch the embellishments on. I used a bar tack in the centre of the bow and I stitched a circle around the crocheted flower’s centre.
- Fold the 3 1/2″ matching ribbon tab in half and use the small safety pin to attach it to your page so it does not get lost.
All done the 4th page! Easy peasy lemon squeezy – yes, I have been hanging out a lot with my 1st grader lately! I’ll be back with the next tutorial soon! (P.S. Share your page using these ideas!)
** As usual: This tutorial is for personal or charitable use only. Please do not sell items made with the Quiet Book Sew Along posts. If you wish to sell these please contact sherri@threadridinghood.com for information on how to purchase a license. Thank you!
by Sherri Sylvester | May 5, 2014
I had the pleasure of pattern testing the Bohemian Babydoll Dress and Top (affiliate link*) a few weeks ago. It was right in the middle of making Easter Dresses and a super busy weekend, but it was an easy sew – and went together really quickly thank goodness! We did a double photo shoot of the Easter dresses and this dress in the same afternoon, even switching locations, super bloggy-like. (ha!)
I had never used an Elegance & Elephants pattern before, but had happened to buy the very popular Spring Showers Jacket pattern just a few days before I volunteered to pattern test. I found Heidi’s instructions very clear, and the photos are easy to understand as well. This is especially nice because sometimes I prefer illustrations for their clarity, not a problem here!
This pattern creates a really nice looking summer top. I really like the high/low hem and that the bottom of the bodice is high in the front and low in the back as well. It makes a really fun line if you use contrasting fabrics. (You can see this in the first photo). The sewing is simple as well because there are no closures to deal with! And of course my girls are ecstatic about the ruffled sleeves (though it looks cute without them as well, they are optional). I know something is good if my oldest wears it again directly after it has come out of the wash – so great when that happens!
I would be remiss not to talk about the way this pattern is setup for printing. When you open the pdf there is the option to use bookmarks on the side to choose the size pattern you would like, so you don’t end up printing more pages than you need. It works really well – I was super impressed!
We ended up cutting into some fabric I’d been saving since last year again. I say we, because my daughter chose this one herself. She’s very drawn to florals at the moment, which is nice because they are trendy again! I originally bought the Shelburne Falls by Denyse Schmidt (in Maple) July of last year when I visited Needlework for the first time. It was destined for some couch cushions, but that was way-laid when I thought they might look too “quilty”. Not so matchy for my (aiming for) mid-century modern vintage-esque living room. The bottom of the dress is made from a random print I found last year. It matches well and I got to de-stash some more – hurray! The girls are really in a “twins are fun” mode so I might just make up another one in the same prints so they can enjoy their new phase for as long as it lasts.
If you want to get the pattern you can find it here: Bohemian Babydoll Dress and Top (affiliate link*). Thanks!
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* This post contains affiliate links, which means that I receive financial compensation for any sales made through these links.
by Sherri Sylvester | May 1, 2014
Wow – we are going on 1/3 of the book finished! Today we start the 4th page. This post is going to be short and sweet – since you don’t need any pattern pieces or special sizing to collect your fabric for this one. It’s a scrap buster for sure and would look cute as a pillow as well! (If you are just starting find all the information you need on this Sew-Along page.)
I had a lot of fun making this page and finding all of the cute scraps I could fussy-cut. It was pretty quick to stitch up and I’ll include how to do that in the next tutorial. The last time I made this page I focused on solids and wrote the name of each colour on the page. I decided not to do that this time because I wasn’t particularly happy with the quality of the writing and can’t figure out how to do it in a more professional way this time around. (Ideas are welcome!) Of course, if you’d like to include the writing you can. If you choose solid colours for the stripes the writing will stand out better. You will also need a set of permanent fabric markers.
You will need:
- Fabric scraps: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, gray/black – each at least 1 3/4″ wide
- Ribbons/Flowers/Embellishments: in the same colours as the fabrics (Remember, these might get chewed on! Choose safe items for small children/babies – ex: no buttons!)
- Ribbon: 3 1/2″ long for the side tab
- Page Interfacing: 1 piece exactly 9″x9″ square, medium weight fusible interfacing (you will have this from your Week 1 shopping list)
That’s it – really! Like I said, not much to do until next week. See you then!
by Sherri Sylvester | Apr 29, 2014
Easter is a fun time for me, since I remember it was a treat to always be able to have a new dress to wear on Easter Sunday. Some of them were handmade by my mom and some were store bought. One year we even had matching hats! I love the memory and have continued to make memories with Easter dresses for my daughters quite a few years now (last year’s dresses are here). As happy as my memories are, I also find this one of the hardest posts to write each year. Of all of the photos I have taken – I can only choose a few to show here. And of all of the things I make each year, I spend the most hours planning these dresses before I make the first cuts. My fond memories make creating these dresses for my daughters extra special. I want to record everything about them, but I hope not to drive you crazy with too much information!
This year I decided to purchase my first oliver & s pattern – the fairy tale dress. I’ve been looking at it for a few years now, always going back to it because of the giant sash and the puffed sleeves. My oldest loves this style, and it looks so sweet on little girls. Though it is a very classic style (read – not modern/trendy), I have to say I think it is my favorite as well. A big bow, lots of skirt to twirl in and some gorgeous fabric – what more could you want? It was also the first year that both of my daughters fit into the size 5-12 version, so I could buy one digital copy and make both dresses. I’m hoping it is a bit of an investment pattern – since the fit is so good – and that I can use the bodice as a base pattern piece to draft other tops and dresses for my daughters.
It is almost not fair of me to do a review on this pattern, because I altered it quite a bit to fit the fabric I had in my stash. The original pattern calls for at least a third more fabric than I had available – so I had to get creative! I also decided to make the dresses with an empire waist – which changes the look quite a bit from the original. Going in I knew from previous research that I was in for a treat. Liesl Gibson made a name for herself easily with these and other patterns. They are very indepth so you get a proper very professional finish if you follow each step carefully. The fit is amazing – though I still took the time to make a bodice muslin as the pattern suggests. And the invisible zipper instructions in particular are worth buying the pattern for. I now know how to install them properly and I think it will be my “go to” zipper from now on!
Since I did make sleeveless dresses this time – also a preference of my oldest – I am dying to try the dress again. This time using the original waist line with the waistband and bow and the original tulip sleeves. Thankfully I am starting to stock larger cuts of fabric now, so I won’t have to think so much while I’m cutting and it should sew up a bit faster. I am not certain, but I may use the Peter Pan collar on the next one as well. So far, even though it is wildly popular, I am not a big fan of a proper Peter Pan collar. I prefer no collar or the angled one that is included with View B of this pattern.
Fabric! I have been hoarding my Koi fabric since I bought it from Warp & Weft last summer. The bottom of my oldest’s dress is made from a 1/2 metre cut of “The Way of Flowers”. This left just enough to cut the collar from the excess length – and that’s it – though there may be a few tiny scraps in my scrap bucket. The original pattern calls for quite a bit more fabric, so the skirt is not as full as it should be – but it worked, just the same. I’ve been saving this one for her since she is on a “flowery fabric” kick. Of course, what better to use my 1/2 metre cut of the matching “Don’t be Koi” for than the sash. I love, love the deep purple of this fabric. And the tied sash reminds me of an obi (sash for traditional Japanese dress) – though the rest of the dress clearly does not! I think it has something to do with the koi fish in the design.
When I altered the dresses to include an empire waist, the skirt had to be lengthened and needed more fabric than I had available. I decided to add a contrast band to the bottom (in fat quarter skirt fashion) to lengthen the skirt. The length of the sash was also an issue – so I sorted out how to stitch a y-seam and added a contrast fabric to the ends of it as well. Since I was being creative with my small cuts of fabric I tried every quilting cotton I had stashed next to the 2 koi pieces and could not find a great match. I was going to use the green I used in my youngest’s Pintucked Sally dress. Even to the point that I already cut the bodice and sash ends. But I was not happy with the choice and decided to have one more look in my stash. Thankfully I did, because it occurred to me that I have quite a few garment fabrics on the row down from the quilting cottons and the creme eyelet matched perfectly!
My youngest’s dress is very special. My mother-in-law gave me the yellow dot fabric with the other vintage sewing items that were her mother’s a few months ago. I intended to use only the dots in a summery dress for my little one – since she looks amazing in yellow. But when I put it on my shelf with the quilting cottons it happened to end up next to my 1/2 metre of Tula Pink Birds and Bees in Sunset. It was LOVE at first sight, but I was torn over mixing the two from the beginning. I wanted to make sure it was not a creative faux-pas to mix the vintage dot with the new and modern Tula Pink. And, of course, I did not want to dishonour the original intention of the fabric owner (my husband’s grandmother) who I am quite certain would not have placed orange and pink squirrels on anything she sewed! In the end, after talking to a few of my friends and my husband, we all agreed that the fabrics matched so well I had to use them together, and I’m so happy I did!
It took some thinking (again!) to make sure the squirrels lined up at the bottom of the dress. And of course, the sash had to be fussy cut (and now tied properly each time) so that the squirrels are perfectly placed. If I had more fabric I could also have matched the side and back seams. This meant that I ran out of fabric making the sash again, and thankfully the pink I stashed at last year’s Creativ Festival and used in my oldest’s Empire Waist Scirocco Sundress matched well. I also used it for the collar, since the darkish mustard yellow I had originally chosen didn’t really do the dress justice. Everything went together really well and I was almost finished when I about had a heart attack finding a black grease (?) stain in two places around the armholes. I think I would have sat down and cried had I not been up so late I just decided to finish the hem and went to bed! The next day, with much fear and trepidation I gently attacked the spots with a yellow laundry soap bar, water and a baby toothbrush. Nothing horrible happened and the spots actually came out – thank goodness!
Interesting to note that I realized when I was finishing up that both dresses have animals as the base of the “feature” fabric – koi and squirrels. I am happy that this super-fun fabric can be made into such a formal-style dress and look so acceptable! Where else but in a world of gorgeous modern designer fabric could you do this an actually get away with it? But that is a completely different conversation and it won’t fit into this post – which has gone on far too long already!
Thanks for letting me ramble on. My Easter memory bank is full now for another year. I hope my daughters look back and remember their special dresses as fondly as I remember mine. (Thanks mom!)
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by Sherri Sylvester | Apr 27, 2014
Alright. We are finishing up the Photo Album page tutorials with the second more feminine page option. If you’d like you can use the Photo Album unisex option as well. I love this page – it looks so cute with the little purse handle. I hope you like it too! Before you start, get the shopping list of Photo Album items for this page ready. (If you are just starting out and want more information, check out the Sew Along page.)
You will also need:
- small safety pin & regular safety pin (for turning)
- matching thread
- glue stick or basting spray
- washi tape or teflon foot for your machine (used to sew the vinyl)
- your normal sewing gear, including a ruler, iron and removable fabric marker
Before we begin/Important Notes:
- 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.
- 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:
by Sherri Sylvester | Apr 25, 2014
So – I am reminded that I should likely not promise to post something “next day” unless I already have it finished. Everything for the tutorial was ready on Tuesday, except for the post and on Wednesday our furnace broke and I needed to be otherwise occupied with random things until late into the evening. Of course that was too late to get this to you Wednesday as promised, so I am going to refer back to my post on “No Stress” sewing and attempt not to feel too bad for going back on what I said. I suppose sometimes life has to happen whether it’s convenient or not!
I would like to thank each of you for the kind comments about the Spring Market Totes you have posted! I generally answer each comment individually – but since you were entering the contest as well I thought I’d send out a general THANK YOU, THANK YOU to each of you here. (I hope you can hear me, I’m yelling really loudly!) I’m so glad you are enthusiastic about them. I know I’m excited and this is going to be my “go to” bag this summer!
Just in case you haven’t seen it yet – the Spring Market Totes are part of the Warp & Weft Sewing Society’s Lotta Jansdotter Challenge Blog Hop that comes with a gorgeous 12 fat quarter bundle giveaway! Check out this post for more details, the contest closes April 27th, 2014. All of the fabric for these totes is from Lotta Jansdotter’s Mormor and Sylvia collections available at Warp & Weft!
On with the Tutorial!
Size Information: The Spring Market Tote bag is 12″ wide by 6″ deep across the base and approximately 18″ wide at the top of the bag. The handle drop is about 7″. The Mini Spring Market Tote is 9″ wide by 4″ deep across the base and 13″ wide at the top of the bag. The handle drop is about 4 1/2″. Each bag is fully lined. This tutorial does not include pockets, but they would be simple to add to the lining before it is assembled and attached to the tote.
You will need:
- Outer Bag: aprox. 6 fat quarters of quilting cotton or similar weight fabric will make 1 Tote & 2 Mini Totes (see cutting notes below)
- Lining: 1/2 yard 44″ wide fabric per Tote AND/OR 1 fat quarter or 1/4 yard 44″ wide fabric per Mini Tote
- Batting & Canvas Upper: 2 pieces 20″ x 14″ each per Tote AND/OR 2 pieces 15″ x 10″ each per Mini Tote (I used low loft Warm & Natural)
- Base Stiffener, Batting & Canvas Base: 13″ x 7″ each per Tote AND/OR 10″ x 5″ each per Mini Tote (I used 7-Mesh Plastic Canvas as a stiffener)
- Medium Weight Fusible Interfacing: 1/2 yard for each Tote AND/OR 1/4 yard for each Mini Tote (assuming 20″ wide interfacing)
- Rope Handles: 60″ of 1/2″ rope for each Tote AND/OR 40″ of 1/2″ rope for each Mini Tote
- Grommets: 7/16″ grommets (size indicates hole size, grommet is actually 1″ wide) – 4 per tote
- Pattern Pieces: Spring Market Tote Pattern Pieces (click the link to download)
- General Sewing Supplies
- a Walking foot, Leather/Denim needle and Basting Spray are helpful, but not necessary
Before you begin:
- Print out the pattern piece 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.
- Check to make sure you can sew a fairly exact 1/4″ seam or the dimensions of your bag may be off, possibly making it impossible to fit the lining or base. Here is a good tutorial to follow to check that you have a 1/4″ seam. (This tutorial is also linked on my Sewing Tips and Tricks Pinterest board.)
- I broke a few needles stitching over the thick layers of batting and canvas. Especially while stitching over the pleat at the end of the base. A thicker denim or leather needle is helpful while stitching around the base. It is also helpful to stitch slowly and carefully – being sure to avoid pins and using the hand wheel as necessary to get over the thickest areas.
- If you would like to make your own rope – Use 4 strands of 3/16″ thick braided cotton per rope. I purchased 2 50′ lengths of 3/16″ thick braided cotton string at the hardware store. Search online for instructions on how to make a “4 strand round braid”. I found this YouTube video to be particularly helpful.
Cutting your fabric:
It is difficult to say how much fabric you will need for each tote as you can decide how many fabrics you would like to use. This tutorial follows how to create a striped tote with 6 different fabrics + a lining fabric OR a striped mini tote with 5 different fabrics + a lining fabric. Here is the cutting layout I used to make my 3 totes (
please note my fat quarters were aprox. 21″x20″)
- Use the pattern pieces to cut the base from multiple materials as per the pattern piece instructions and the list below. Please be sure to follow the appropriate drawing/pattern line for the size you wish to make!
- Outer: You will need to cut 2 of each of the strips as indicated in the photo below for the outer shell of each tote. You will also need 2 reinforcement strips and 1 base from the outer fabrics for each tote. I cut my strips longer than needed (see photos) and trimmed them after they were stitched.
- Lining: Cut 2 pieces 18.75″ x 9.25″ and 1 base per Tote AND/OR cut 2 pieces 14″ x 6″ and 1 base per Mini Tote.
- Batting/Canvas: Cut as indicated in the “You will need” list. You will have 2 rectangles and 1 base per tote.
- Interfacing: Cut 2 reinforcement strips and 1 base per tote.
- Base Stiffener: Cut 1 base (along the base stiffener cutting line) per tote.
Here we go:
I used a quilt-as-you-go technique to assemble the sides of the bag. Keep in mind that making your seams even will help the stripes to match up at the ends of the tote.
- Lay all of your strips out in the order you wish to assemble them in. Refer to the cutting photos to ensure the thicker and thinner strips are in the correct order.
- To begin, layer one canvas upper with one batting upper on top of it and make sure the edges are even. These pieces are oversized so the quilted outer can be trimmed after stitching. Place the largest strip at the bottom centre of the canvas/batting layer. Align the next strip right sides together (RST) with the top of the bottom strip. Pin and stitch with a 1/4″ seam. Press the strip to the top and smooth over the batting to ensure everything is flat when you are finished. Continue pinning, stitching and pressing each strip until the first side is finished. Repeat for the opposite side.
- Trim and square off each quilted upper. Trim the Tote to 18.75″ wide x 12.5″ tall. Trim the Mini Tote to 14″ wide by 8.75″ tall. Do not trim the bottom of the quilted upper because this will affect the position of the strips and the ends of the stripes will not match on your final tote.
- Place both trimmed uppers right sides together. To ensure the stripes match, pin each as you would with a quilt block. Here is a good tutorial about pinning matching seams. (This tutorial is also linked on my Sewing Tips and Tricks Pinterest board.)
- Stitch both sides of the upper with a 3/8″ seam. Press the seam open well from the wrong side and press the seam on the right side as well to ensure the batting/canvas/outer layers are as flat as possible. You now have a large upper tube shape. Set the upper aside.
- Interface the outer base fabric on the wrong side following the manufacturers instructions. Layer the base: canvas on the bottom, batting in the centre, outer on the top. Pin/Spray baste to hold them together. Quilt the base as desired. I used straight lines, starting in the centre and moving out to each edge. If you do not have a walking foot take care to pin these layers many times to ensure the fabrics do not shift while you are stitching.
- Quilt the tote upper as desired. I quilted once in the centre of each stripe and every 5/8″ on the bottom stripe. DO NOT quilt the top 2 stripes – 3 ¼” down from the top of the Tote OR 2 ¾” down from the top on the Mini Tote. We will do this once the lining has been inserted. Be sure to keep the side seam allowances open while quilting so they stay as flat as possible.
- Mark the outer base: Place a pin in the centre of each oval end. Now pin 1.25″ on either side of the centre mark (blue pins in the photo). Fold the oval in half with the end of each oval matching and mark the top and bottom centre of the base as well.
- Fold the upper tube so the side seams are aligned . Mark each fold at the bottom of the upper tube with a pin. This marks the centre of each side.
- Match the top and bottom centre marks on the base (step 8) with the centre pins on each upper tube (step 9). Pin the base and upper tube RST. Continue pinning the upper tube and base together starting at each centre side pin and working your way toward the ends. Pin only until you get to the pins marking either side of the centre pin (blue pins in the photo). Leave the ends open.
- Stitch the pinned area (between the blue pins) on each side with a 3/8″ seam. Again, make sure to leave the unpinned ends open.
- Fold and flatten the unpinned upper tube ends into the centre of the base oval ends, making a pleat and matching the base and upper tube’s raw edges. Pin as much as necessary to hold everything together.
- Stitch (slowly and carefully over the thicker areas!) around the unstitched end of the base with a 3/8″ seam allowance. This will close the end of the base and secure the pleat. Turn the base right side out to check that the pleat is stitched correctly.
- Once you are happy with the pleat and base stitching, turn the base wrong side out and trim the bottom seam allowance to 1/4″. Set aside.
- Interface the 2 reinforcement strips. Pin each reinforcement strip to the top edge of one lining piece. Take care that one-way fabrics are aligned in the correct direction. Stitch with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Align the 2 lining pieces RST and pin the side seams matching the reinforcement seam. Stitch side seams with a 3/8″ seam allowance.
- Press the lining side seams open. Press the top edge of the reinforcement fabric 1/4″ to the wrong side.
- Place your base stiffener (I used plastic canvas) in the bottom of the wrong side out tote. It should fit within inside the seam allowance on all sides. Trim if necessary to make it fit.
- Lay the wrong side out lining so the wrong side out outer and lining bases match up with the base stiffener in between them. Hand tack each end and centre side of the lining, stiffener and outer together. This will keep the stiffener and lining in place.
- Turn the outer tote right side out. Open up the lining and bring the lining top edge up and over the outer tote. The fold at the top of the lining (step 16) folds over the top edge of the outer tote by 1/4″. Pin well through all layers.
- Top stitch along the edge of the folded lining as in the photo.
- Now we can finish quilting the top 2 stripes. Pin through all layers on the top 2 stripes, smoothing and matching the lining and the outer so everything is flat and well attached. Quilt as desired.
- If you quilt a straight line in the centre of each stripe the stitching should just catch the bottom of the reinforcement stripe and/or the top of the lining as in the photo of my tote’s lining below.
- Open the edges of the base and press well.
- Mark the grommet placement.
- The Tote grommets are placed just above the centre of the 2nd stripe. They are 5″ over from the side seams.
- The Mini Tote grommets are placed between the top 2 stripes and 4″ over from the side seams.
- Attach the grommets to your bag as per the manufacturers directions. Practice first on a layered lining/canvas/batting/outer scrap sandwich if you have not used them before!
- Cut the length of rope in half. Each Tote handle is 30″ long. Each Mini Tote handle is 20″ long. Thread them through the grommets and tie a large knot in the lining side of the tote. Make sure the handles are the same length and then tighten your knots. Trim any excess rope as necessary.
You are finished! Congratulations. Head on out and get shopping. If you made a matching Mini Spring Market Tote make sure to take a break somewhere fun with your little one. Might I suggest a stop at the toy store?!
*As usual, please do not sell items made with this tutorial. It is for personal or charitable use only. If you are interested in a license to sell products made using this tutorial please contact sherri@threadridinghood.com and I will create a purchasable license for you.
