Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Gift Swap and Other

My quilting guild had its Christmas party tonight.  We did a gift exchange.  Below is what I made.  I filled the pouch with a few small sewing items.  We had a lot of fun.



I also made this little basket tonight.  I'm not sure what I'm going to use it for, but I'm sure I'll find something.



I also have been meaning to make a money bag for a group that I'm in.  I found this fabric at Mill End and was so excited to use it for this project.



I sewed all weekend and have some photos, but it's almost 11pm.  So, I'll have to post them tomorrow.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Reversible Bag #2

I have been experimenting with gift bags and came up with this one.  I'm going to put a tutorial up for it tomorrow.

 Side #1

Side #2

Reversible Reusable Gift Bag Tutorial


This tutorial is for all you other eco-friendly people out there who are looking for an alternative to wrapping paper.  These bags are a lot of fun to make.  They are completely reversible so you don't have the same prints from year to year.  I've made two sizes, medium and small.  I'll give the measurements for both sizes during the tutorial.  Enjoy!!



Materials:
1/2 yd. each of 2 coordinating fabrics
ribbon, cording, shoe laces, or anything else you can use for a drawstring.
Thread

Cut 2 pieces of fabric in whatever theme you like.  (I'm using mine for Christmas, but I also made some for birthdays.)  Medium Bag: 18x24 in.   Small: 12x20   Make sure you press your fabric before you cut it.


Put the fabric right sides together and sew all the way around (1.4 in. seam), leaving a 3in. opening at the bottom.


Once sewn, clip the corners.  Then, turn the bag right sides out.



Press the edge of the fabric.



When you get to the opening, fold the selvage in and press.


This will be sewn closed later.


Use your ruler to mark where to put your button holes.  You need to make 12 buttonholes.  (Medium Bag: 2 in. apart, starting 1 in. from the edge.  I marked mine 4 in. from the top of the bag.   Small Bag: 1 1/2 in. apart, starting 1 in. from the edge.  The small bag was marked 3 in. from the top of the bag.)


Sew each buttonhole.  The width of the buttonhole depends on how wide your ribbon or cording is.  On my medium bag they were 3/4 in.  On the small bag they were 1/2 in.


Fold the fabric in half, widthwise.


Sew along the side and bottom of the bag. Make sure you sew close to the edge (about 1/8 in.)

Cut buttonholes open and thread the cording through.  I started in the middle of the bag because that is where I wanted the bow.
Insert your gift.

Pull and tie the cording.  Then, enjoy!
Please let me know if you have any questions about this tutorial.

Tucker's Christmas Quilt

I just finished binding my nephew Tucker's quilt.  I didn't know that the binding would take over an hour to do.  LOL.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Secret Santa Pouch

I am doing a Secret Santa gift swap with some other teachers at my school.  With my homemade Christmas this year, I've been researching and experimenting with fabric gift bags and pouches.  I came across this tutorial from A Spoonful of Sugar today and HAD to try it.  It was so easy.  It only took about 15 minutes!


 Open

 Top Closed

Bottom

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Homemade Christmas

I have decided to do a homemade Christmas this year.  It has been quite a challenge trying to complete everything.  Here are some pictures of projects I'm working on.

 I may keep this one for myself!


 I still have to finish the binding on this one.


 A quilt for my nephew.  (Front)

 (Back)


 These were the November project at the quilting guild.
You make them using a tape measure for the closure.

Quilting Guild Quilt

So, I know it has been a couple months since my last post.  There has been so much going on.  Moving, starting a new job, getting settled in, surviving the first quarter of the school year, etc.  I have been sewing.  It's just been a bit hard to post photos since my camera charger is STILL in Korea.  I borrowed the school camera to update you all.

I joined the local quilting guild.  It has been a lot of fun for me.  Last month we started on a large quilt project.  I can't remember the name right now, but I'll find it and post it later.  Here is a picture of what I have so far.  I have the last row sewn, I just haven't attached it yet.