Build Your Wardrobe – Some Awesome Resources

First off, a huge thanks goes to those of you who were interested in participating in this!  I thought I would kick it off with some really great resources for you to get started with.  I formed a flickr group for us where we can post pictures of what we are working on.  I have also put the link at the top of the right column so you can get there easily.

I know I have gone on, maybe a little too often about how amazing the Sew U books are, especially for beginners (I should add quickly that I have no affiliation with her whatsoever, I just think she is that good!).  Again, If you have not gotten a chance to take a look at them, they are definitely worth it.  If you are worried about money, try your local library.  I found both of the books at mine.

If you are thinking about doing some knitting or crocheting for your summer wardrobe, I recommend that you get an account with Ravelry.  It is completely free, and they have quite a few free patterns that you can try out.  Another nice aspect to this site is you can read reviews written by others who have attempted patterns so you can find out how easy/hard different patterns are, and get some recommendations on what kind of yarn to use.  When you get to the Ravelry site, they will ask for your information and will send you an invitation to join.  I got my invitation in about a week.

Sometimes it is nice to see what other people think about sewing patterns as well.  Craftster has a huge forum of reviews for different patterns.  If you can’t find the one you are looking for, it may just be easier to type in “the pattern name reviews” and see what you come up with.

Free Sewing Patterns:

• Free Needle
• Burda Style – Not all patterns are free, but some are
• Sewing [dot] org

For fabric, I usually go to a local store because I like to see the fabric in person before I purchase it.  However, I have bought fabric a couple times from Purl Soho and Super Buzzyand I liked what I got.  They both have some great selections of designer fabrics, and I love Super Buzzy’s selection of Japanese prints.  Both of these stores can be a bit more expensive than your fabric mart, usually because the fabrics are either of better quality, or a designer name.  Another good place to check out is eBay.  I have found so really great deals there, both on fabric and sewing/knitting supplies.

Finally, I thought I would share with you the first accessory I plan to make…the Buttercup Bag from Made by Rae.  This cute bag has been popping up all over the internet, and I love it!  Oh, and did I mention it is a free pattern!?

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Scrap Tote

While I was going through my fabrics this weekend, looking for a project I could do, I realized that I still have a ton of scraps left even after the other various scrap projects I have done (here, here, and here).  I had enough scraps still to make an updated tote.  I block printed the front of the bag (for instructions, check out the Baby blanket post), and used my handmade binding (for instructions, go here).  This is a great all-purpose tote, good for taking home some groceries, or carrying books back to the library.

What you will need

• 1/2 yard natural colored canvas
• 1/2 yard ecru colored linen
• 1/2 yard lining material of your choice (for this I used four different fabrics, and cut a panel out of each one)
• 2 yards 1″ thick strap material
• 39″ binding
• Matching thread

Wash, dry and iron the fabric.  Cut the following panels out of canvas and lining: two 15″x12.5″, two 15″x 4.5″, one 12″x4.5″.  Cut the following panels out of linen: two 13″x12.5″, two 13″x4.5″, one 12.5″x4.5″.  Fray one 12.5″ edge of the two 13″x12.5″ linen panels to 1/4″.  Do the same along one 4.5″ edge of the two 13″x4.5″ linen panels.

Align the fabric by placing each piece of canvas right side up, then placing the linen, right side up, with the frayed edges at the top.  The 15″x12.5″ pieces of canvas with have the 13″x12.5″ pieces of linen on them, with the bottom 12.5″ sides aligned.  The 15″x4.5″ canvas panels will have the 13″x4.5″ linen panels on top of them, with the 4.5″ bottoms aligned.  The canvas and linen 12.5″x4.5″ pieces will be aligned as normal.

Sew the canvas and linen panels together along the inside edge of the fray.

Pin the panels together, inside out to form a bag shape.

Sew along these edges at 1/4″.  Turn right side out.

Pin the corresponding liner panels to each other, inside out to form a bag shape.  Sew along these edges at 1/4″.

Place the liner inside the bag, and align along all the sides.  Sew binding tape around the top of the bag. 

Cut the two yards of strap in half.  Sew the edges with a zigzag stitch to prevent it from unraveling.  Pin each end of each strap to the inside of the bag, 1.5″ away from the edge seams.  Allow 3″ of each end of each strap to hang inside the bag.  Sew the straps on, along the same lines where the binding is sewn, and where the frayed fabric is sewn.

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Baby Blanket Pattern

The baby shower was yesterday, and the baby blanket was a success!!  After printing the trials for the blanket, I had some trouble with disappearing ink, but I quickly found some better ink at a specialty art store which turned out perfectly.

What you will need:

• 1 yard ecru linen for front
• 1 yard cream soft cotton fabric of your choice
• 1 yard white cotton flannel for the batting
• 4 1/2 yards bias tape in cream, 1″ wide
• embroidery floss in cream
• cream thread
• textile ink (I used white with a couple drops of brown added)
• 1/8″ thick craft foam with a sticky back
• 3 pieces of plastic or acrylic for mounting the stamp
• printout of pattern for the stamps (stamp-pattern)
• craft knife and or scissors
• cardboard for cutting out the stamp on
• needle
• small paint roller
• ruler

Wash, dry and iron the fabrics.  Using a ruler, measure the fabrics to 42″x32″. 

Place each stamp printout on the craft foam.  Using the needle, poke small holes around the patterns.  Cut the patterns out using the craft knife and scissors.  Place the pattern under the mounting plastic and align it how you want it to fit.  Using this as a guide, place the foam stamp onto the plastic, sticky side down.

Using some scraps, print some trials of the stamps to determine how much paint and pressure to use.  Apply stamps to the linen.  I positioned the giraffe and elephant facing each other about 6″-7″ up from the bottom, and 6″-7″ from the side.  The vine is a repeating pattern.  I started it at the very bottom of the fabric, and repeated all the way up, about 6″-7″ from the side.  Allow the ink to dry for 24 hours.  After it has dried, iron the print to set it.  For more detailed instructions on how to print, check out Printing By Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens, by Lena Corwin.  I found this book to be extremely helpful!

Align the fabric, starting with the soft cotton, wrong side facing up.  Then place the flannel on top of that, right side facing up, then the printed linen, right side facing up.  Pin the three layers together, starting in the center and working your way out.

With a sewing machine, using a running stitch, attach the bias tape.  Fold the corners in as you go, making a diagonal fold (see image below).

Lay the blanket out on the floor and lightly mark the exact middle using a ruler and pencil.  Mark the point halfway between the center of the blanket and the top and the bottom.  Measure the distance between the center mark and one of the other marks.  Using this measurement, mark the distance between the center and the two sides.  Mark the distance half way between these new marks and the top and bottom of the blanket.

At the diagonal of each of these, draw another mark.  The result will look like this:

At each of these marks, tie embroidery floss, making sure it goes through all three layers.  To tie, first tie in a single knot, then tie again, looping the the floss through twice.  Cut ends to 1/4″.

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Bag Pattern

As promised, I have finally put together the pattern for this bag!  I have included the option of having either the bird, or the stripe.  I recommend using an upholstery weight fabric for this project, as it will withstand much more wear and tear. 

What you will need:

• a copy of the bag-pattern
• 1 yard each of a solid colored fabric and a patterned fabric
• 2 large buttons
• 2 yards of strap material, 2″ wide (check your local hardware store…that is where I found mine)
• 1 yard fusible webbing (iron-on, medium-heavy weight)
• embroidery thread
• matching thread
• one 2″ three-bar slide
• one 2″ D-ring

Wash, dry, and iron fabric (especially if it is 100% cotton).  Place the inside pocket on the solid fabric and cut out. 

Place the fusible webbing on the remaining solid colored fabric and iron on wrong side.  Do not remove the paper backing yet.  Align the front and back panels, bottom panel, side panels, and front flap on the solid colored fabric and cut out (don’t forget to do 2 of the ones marked “x2”). 

Align the front and back panels, side panels, bottom panel, front flap and button loop on the patterned fabric and cut out (again, don’t forget to do 2 of the ones marked “x2″).  You will need two of the front flap in the patterned fabric.

Fold the fabric for the inside pocket on the dotted line and press with iron.  Sew along the top of the pocket at 1/8″ and trim ends.  Align the pocket on the back panel of the patterned fabric where the corner notches are.  Make sure that the inside of the pocket (the wrong side) is facing the right side of the patterned fabric.  Sew the pocket onto the fabric along the two sides and bottom at 1/8″.  Trim ends.

Decide what design you would like to do (bird or stripe), and cut out from the solid colored piece of the front flap.  Remove the backing of the fusible webbing.  Using the embroidery thread, sew an outline around the pattern at 1/4″ using a running stitch.  Place one patterned piece of the front flap right side up, and place the solid fabric right side up on top of it.  You should be able to see the patterned fabric where you cut out either the bird or the stripe.  Iron the two pieces together according to the instructions on the fusible webbing package. 

Take all the corresponding pieces of fabric (one solid and one patterned) and pin together so the right sides of the fabrics are facing each other.  Sew along three sides of each piece.  On the front, back and side panels, sew together all but the top edges.  On the bottom panel, sew together all but one of the smaller side edges.  For the front flap, sew together the two sides and along the bottom.  do all this sewing at the 1/4″. 

Turn each piece inside out.  Fold the last side in at 1/4″ and sew to close the hole.

Iron each piece of fabric to fuse them together, making sure both sides of the fabric are aligned. Pin fabric panels together where they will be sewn together.  Pin so that the outside of the bag is facing in.  Sew along all the edges at 1/4”.

Cut 5″ of the strap material.  Loop through the D-ring along the flat edge and sew together.  Place on one of the side panels.  Sew and “X” from corner to corner to secure.  Sew the remaining piece of strap material to the other side panel and repeat the “X” shape.  Feed the strap through the three-bar slide, then loop aroung the D-ring and feed back through the three-bar slide.  Sew the strap together (when you look at it, there will be a loop around the middle bar of the three-bar slide.  If you have trouble with this step, look at another bag that has an adjustable strap and copy it.

Attach the buttons where the “x’s” are on the pattern.  Take the cut-out button loops, fold each long side at 1/4 ” and press, then fold in half length-wise again.  Press and sew a line length-wise through each of the botton loops.  Fold the loop in half, width-wise, and sew onto the front flap at the “X”.  Be sure to sew the loop on the inside side of the flap.

**If you have any questions about either the pattern or the instructions, please leave me a comment and I will get back to you about it.  I am very new to writing patterns, so some of it may be unclear.**

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