Handbag Heaven is having a “30 Bags in 30 Days” Contest throughout the month of November.  To enter, you’ll need to provide your email address, which will put you on their mailing list, but you can opt out of the list at any time.  You can also earn extra entries by providing emails of your friends, but you can skip that part if you want.  I’m not affiliated with Handbag Heaven in any way — just passing this along (and increasing the competition!).

Now, before my friends are all “look, she’s actually doing chores,” I need to explain something first. If you’ve heard that Dan does the housework around here, that’s only partially true.  He does most of the sweeping and dusting because he finds my dust-induced asthma attacks extremely annoying. He also does most of the cooking, because he enjoys it, but he won’t touch the oven, so I do all the baking.  He can also do laundry, but quite honestly, our clothes sleep much better at night if I’m the one who handles that chore.  Let’s just say that his laundry “technique” is lacking.

For the first time in years I now have a clothesline in my back yard. Three of the four lines are missing, and the one that remains is in need of replacement, but that can be fixed eventually. I still have enough room to hang out a load of laundry, and I’m not heating up the house by running the dryer all afternoon. Oh, and I’m saving money, too!  I’m sure that my enthusiasm over a clothesline is shocking to anyone who knows me, but you’ll just have to accept this strange behavior. 

After hanging out the first load on my new/old clothesline, I realized that keeping clothespins in a plastic grocery bag just wasn’t going to work for me, and reaching up and into a bag, whether it’s a grocery bag or something made specifically for this purpose, just wasn’t very comfortable. I needed something waist-high.

An internet search revealed several great patterns for clothespin aprons and a variety of aprons, which would eliminate the need to reach up and into a bag, but all I really wanted was a small pocket to tie around my waist, not a full-size apron with a huge pocket.  I didn’t want to use a lot of fabric, either.  After a few quick sketches, I came up with some measurements for this quick and easy pocket with apron strings.  A simple pouch would work well for this application, but I added a pleat to give myself a little more room for my hand to reach in, as well as for some extra clothespins. The finished apron measures 7-1/2″ wide by 16″ tall (from the bottom of the pocket to the top of the waistband), and the pocket is 12″ deep.

For this project, you will need to cut the following pieces of fabric:
- 10″ wide X 13-1/2″ long for pocket lining – cut 1
- 10″ wide X 11-1/4″ long for pocket front – cut 1
- 8″ wide X 16-1/4″ long for apron base – cut 2.  This is what you’ll attach the pocket to.
- 3-1/2″ X 80″ for apron ties*

*Please note: In most cases, you will need to cut several 3-1/2″ wide strips and join them together end to end to make an 80″ strip for your ties.  My ties were designed to wrap around the back, then again to the front, and to tie in the front.  I am a size 8, and had plenty of length left over after tying a bow, so adjust this length up or down according to your size and preference.

First, sew the pocket front to the pocket lining, right sides together. Press seam toward the pocket lining.  This seamed area will form the top of the pocket.

 
With wrong sides together, line up the bottom of the pocket front with the lining of the pocket back. Now the top of the pocket will look like the photo below.

 
Press the top edge of the pocket flat.  The lining will form a contrasting band at the top of your pocket.

 
Topstitch over the seam of the pocket band, then again along the top edge.

Now, make a little box pleat at the bottom of the pocket, and fiddle with the size of the pleat until the pocket bottom measures 8″ across.  Pin to secure, then stitch in place close to the bottom edge.

Next, grab the 2 pieces of fabric you cut for the apron base.  Place one piece of base fabric right side up. Layer the pocket on top of this, right side up.  In other words, the pocket lining will be against the base fabric.  Be sure that you are lining up the bottom edge of the pocket with the edge of the base, and that the sides of the pocket are even with the sides of the base.

 Now place the other piece of base fabric on top of this, with its right side down.

Pin all these layers together.  The “sandwich” will be a little lumpy in the middle due to the extra fabric that forms your pocket pleat.

Stitch down one long side of the sandwich, across the bottom, and back up the other long side.  Clip the 2 bottom corners to reduce bulk.

Reach into the top opening, grab the pocket, and turn everything right side out.  Oh no, it looks like my pocket is now inside out!  If this happens to you, don’t panic.  Just flip the pocket right side out.  It works, really.

 You should now have something that resembles the photo below.  Now press the seams flat.  You can press the box pleat if you want, but it probably won’t stay crisp once you start to use your pocket.

 You still have an opening in the top of your project.  We’ll soon encase these raw edges inside the apron strings.

 Sew your long strips together end to end to form one long strip. Press the seams either to one side or open.  I usually press to one side.  It’s the quilter in me.

Fold the strip lengthwise, right sides together.  Find the center of your strip and match it up with the center of the apron top.  Mark an area on the strip where you will leave an opening to insert your apron.  See Daisy’s hand there? She’s just a little too close to the apron edge.  Make your opening a good half inch or so wider on each side to give yourself plenty of room to work.

Now, remove the helpful cat from your work table.

Sew the long edge of your folded strip, being sure to leave that opening that Daisy just showed you.  If you want pointed ends on your apron strings, now is the time to do that.  Clip off points in the seam to reduce bulk.

 Turn your strip right side out and press.  Where you left the opening, carefully turn the seam allowance to the inside and press in place.

Now insert the apron top into the opening, inserting it all the way up to the top crease.  Pin in place.

 Topstitch the opening closed.  Stitch again near the top of the apron string to further secure that top apron edge that’s hiding inside.  Reinforce with some vertical stitching to further secure the apron into the waistband.  If you expect to be loading this pocket up, don’t be afraid to add plenty of reinforcing stitches.

Now hang out your laundry in style!

There are quite a few bag tutorials on the internet these days, but I have to say that the Buttercup Bag from Made by Rae is one of the best (and cutest!) I’ve ever come across.  I saw photos and references to this tutorial on several blogs, and just couldn’t resist it.  Rae provides a beautifully done pattern and instructions for download, and this bag is not only easy, but requires very little fabric as well.  If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you know that I usually change things up a bit when I use other crafters’ patterns.  My only changes here were strap length and construction, the use of a button loop on one bag instead of a magnetic snap, and the addition of heavyweight interfacing on my bag linings.

On both bags, I made the straps with a 5″-wide strip of fabric folded in half lengthwise, then in half again (with raw edges on the inside), and topstitched both edges.  I attached the ends of the straps between the lining and the outside, instead of sewing them to the outside of the bag.  One bag has a shoulder strap, and the other strap is shorter.  I will probably omit the strap on the next one I make.

If you carry a lot of stuff in your bag, this one probably won’t work for you, but it’s so much fun to make, you might want to make a few for gifts.

I apologize for my lengthy absence from this blog.  I never intended to be away for so long, but due to a physically demanding part-time job with often grueling hours, and an all-out search for a full-time job that won’t kill me, I’ve lacked the time, energy, and motivation to sew.  I decided over the weekend that sewing might make me feel a little better, and since I had come across this great tutorial from Cicada Daydreams, I thought I’d dust off the sewing machine and give it a try.  I’m so glad I did! Not only did I make myself a great little tote bag, but now I also feel like I can begin to take on other sewing projects again without being overwhelmed.

I call this tote bag “little” because it’s not your typical shopping-size bag.  It finished to approximately 11-1/2″ x 9″ x 3″, which is still large enough to hold some reading materials and a few other essentials.  One thing I really like about this design is the accent fabric on the bottom, which also serves to make the bag sturdier.  I made my bag as directed in the tutorial, except that I fused lightweight interfacing to my lining because my floral fabric was very soft, and I used a different construction technique* for the strap.

Even if you’re not interested in sewing a tote bag, do go take a look at Cicada Daydreams.  It’s a lovely blog.

*Strap construction – I cut two 4″ x 13″ strips, pressed the long raw edges to the center, then folded in half and pressed again to enclose the raw edges. I then top-stitched the long edges. This resulted in sturdy 1″-wide straps.

I usually greet the New Year with enthusiasm. No resolutions, just excitement over a fresh span of time stretching out in front of me, waiting for new projects and ideas.  But so far, I’ve had a bit of a motivation problem in 2009, with little energy to execute the ideas that I do have.  The solution, I know, is to start with something simple that stands half a chance of being completed instead of being put away after only a few stitches, never to see the light of day again.

This Classic Tote from Sew, Mama, Sew! was exactly what I needed. It’s a simple, unlined shopping tote that’s sturdy enough to hold up to some rough treatment at the supermarket.  My favorite feature is the use of French seams, which not only hide the raw edges of the fabric, but add some strength to the bag as well.  I made two of these in one short evening, with minor changes to the instructions.  I left off the pocket and made the bag slightly smaller because I wanted to cut both totes from a very limited amount of fabric.  I also made the handles shorter, because I’m short and more often than not, my shopping bags end up dragging the ground.

Now that I’m back in the creative saddle, I’ll be working on an easy bag with an exterior pocket, which I hope to show you in a couple of days.

I think this bag is going to be my favorite.  I love that you can open it almost flat to easily find your stuff.  I won’t be using it as a handbag because it might be too easy for small items to fall out, but it’s called a picnic bag, and it will be perfect for carrying snacks to the beach.  Since on occasion it will likely be holding a significant amount of weight, I will be doing something to reinforce the handles, and I may use another method to attach the handles on the next one I make.

You can find a pattern and instructions for the picnic bag, along with some other great tutorials, at sewtakeahike.

I found this fabric basket tutorial (courtesy of vlijtig) a couple of weeks ago and have been saving it for when I needed a simple but effective project. Tonight I carved out some time and completed one of these in less than an hour.  That time included doing some calculations to convert metric to inches, plus taking a phone call from my mother.  You can probably complete yours in about 30 minutes if you have all your materials ready to go ahead of time, and if you don’t forget to do things like attaching the interfacing before you sew up the lining.  Not that I ever do stuff like that (actually, yes, all the time). I’m blaming that on my heavily medicated condition at the moment, which is a result of refusing to seek medical attention when I knew I was too sick to get well on my own.

The tutorial measurements are metric, so I converted them to inches (sort of) before cutting my fabrics.  Since it’s hard to measure decimals on the typical U.S. ruler, I adjusted the measurements a little bit.  I cut my pieces as follows:

Fabric A: 8-3/4″ x 2-1/2″ (2 pieces)
Fabric B: 8-3/4″ x 7-7/8″
Fabric C: 8-3/4″ x 11-7/8″
Interfacing: 8-3/4″ x 11-7/8″

Instead of ribbon I made tabs out of fabric, finished to 1″ wide.

And here’s a photo of what I’m really using this basket for – to organize the pharmaceutical chaos on my desk.  You didn’t really think I have baskets of pretty thread sitting around on my sewing table, did you?

Image from Lazy Girl Designs – Miranda Day Bag

I’ve had my eye on this pattern ever since it became available, and I wasn’t really sure whether or not I wanted it.  But now that I’ve seen an actual sample of it at my local quilt shop, I love, love, love it! And as soon as I have some shopping money, I’ll be going back to buy it.   This is a sturdy bag in a nice size (12″ high x 10″ high x 6″ deep), with lots of interior pockets.  You can easily personalize this pattern by mixing up your fabrics a bit.  Go over to Lazy Girl Designs for “where to buy” information.  Or if you live in the Foley, Alabama area, you can pick it up at Lacy’s Quilt Studio on N. McKenzie Street (Hwy. 59).  You can get purse handles and some beautiful fabric there as well.

Years ago I taught wearable art classes, and I’ve always had class samples hanging in my closet, most of them rarely worn.  I did wear this red quilted jacket a lot, and it was starting to show some wear, so I felt it was time to give it new life.  This little bag was the solution.  With this particular construction technique, you sew the lining and the outside of the bag all at the same time, so that they are permanently attached to each other along the side seams.  This way, your lining will rest more smoothly inside the bag, and you don’t have to worry about the lining not fitting quite right, as is often the case.

My finished bag measures approximately 6-1/2″ wide by 8-1/2″ tall, with a 3-1/2″ flap.  For this size you will need a 7″ x 21″ piece each of outer fabric and lining.  I also used a 2″ x 4″ piece for my button loop, and salvaged part of the jacket’s front band for the strap.  I won’t be showing you how to make a strap from scratch this time around, so you’ll need to take that into account when gathering your fabrics.  My lining fabric was a piece left over from another project, and the rest of the bag is made from pieces of my jacket.  I also used some thrift-store buttons.

First, I’d like to briefly talk about how I approached salvaging parts of the jacket for use in my bag.  The size of the bag was based on what I could reasonably get from one side of my jacket front. There was also a band around the front and the neckline of the jacket, and I thought that would make a nice strap. I liked the way the buttons looked on the band, so I decided that they would stay.  I thought my seams might be too bulky if I used fabric from the jacket for my lining, so I chose to use something else from my stash that wasn’t quilted.  I cut out what I wanted and put the rest of the jacket away for other projects.

The construction technique I used for this bag is so incredibly easy! Don’t be fooled by the huge number of photos — I just wanted you to see this from a variety of angles. The directions may sound confusing the first time you read them, so be sure to follow the photos.

I used 1/4″ seams throughout, but your seam allowance is entirely up to you.  Just be sure you add a little size to your pieces if you like to sew with wider seams.

First, cut one each of your lining and outer fabric.  In my case this was 7″ wide by 21″ long (8-1/2″ depth times two, plus 3-1/2″ for the flap and 1/2″ for my seam allowances).

Sew lining and outer fabric together across one end, with right sides together.  Turn right sides out and fold with wrong sides together.  Press seam flat.

Measure the desired depth of your bag (here, about 8-1/2″), beginning at the seamed end.  Mark that point on your lining and fold the remaining lining over to cover the seamed end, as shown.  Carefully turn the bag over and repeat this step on your outer fabric.

(The gold stars are on the inside of the jacket, and are now the wrong side of my outer fabric.  Too bad they won’t show when I’m finished!)

Pin everything in place.

Stitch all the way down both long sides of the bag, through all layers.

Now you will have an open end that has raw edges (this is the flap)….

…and an open end that has folded edges (this is the bottom).

At this point I like to partially stitch the end with raw edges, because it makes it a little easier to close up the flap later on.  So, I usually do about 1″ of stitching from one corner toward the center, and the same thing from the other corner toward the center.  Be sure to leave a large enough opening for turning the bag.  You can clip the corners if you like, just be sure you don’t clip through your folds at the bottom of the bag.

Now, reach into the opening and you will find the seamed edge that you pressed flat several steps ago.  Grab that and pull it through the hole, turning the whole bag right side out.  Fiddle with it until it looks like the photo below.  Press the bag flat, and press the edges of the opening to the inside.

Now we’ll make the button loop. Press the long edges of a 4″ x 1″ piece of fabric toward the center, as shown, then fold outer edges together and press.  Topstitch along the open edge.

Fold and place into bag opening and pin in place.

Next, close up the opening and secure the button loop by topstitching along the edge of the flap.

Now, I’ll make a strap.  I didn’t want a long shoulder strap, so I cut my band to about 24″.  One end of the band was already finished, so I just needed to finish the other end.  I opened the band at that end, stitched it right sides together, clipped the corners, then turned it right side out again.  I then topstitched along the entire open edge of the strap.

To finish the bag, I handstitched both ends of the strap to the back of the bag. I wanted some buttons here, so I added them at the same time.  Finally , I added a button to the front.

EDIT:  It looks like the contest closed this afternoon when the website launched.  Good luck to everyone who managed to enter before then!  Even if you didn’t get to enter the giveaway, their website is definitely worth checking out, so get over there and buy yourself a new bag!