Janet's House

How to Make a Big Big Bag

I’m off for a visit and hopefully some pillow photo ops in the California Wine Country. Pillows aren’t heavy but they are quite cumbersome and bulky. I have a great bag that will hold 4-5 pillows and I decided to make another one. I looked it over closely and it’s really quite simple. I scrounged through my fabrics and had almost everything I needed, except the outside color. I decided green was a good choice, hopefully hiding dirt and smudges. I added the feather designs from a stamp I made but of course that’s optional. A print fabric would be beautiful too.

I’ve chronicled everything I did so you can make one if you need a great big bag. It’s really quite perfect for car travel.

I used a fairly heavy canvas weight. Denim would be good also. Cut 2 pieces of fabric, one for the outside and one for the lining; 48” X  36”.  Fold in half, right sides together (the long way) and stitch up the side of each piece.

           

The next step is the only tricky part of the whole thing. I took several pictures because it’s difficult to explain. The white overstitched line is the side seam.  Pull the seam sideways and flatten and mark about 3”, then stitch straight across. We’re giving the bag a sort of false flat bottom.

 

This is what it will look like from the outside when you’re done.

 

 

 

 

 

                    

Sew the lining exactly the same way.  Here are a couple of pictures of the lining. After you stitch the straight line across your little triangular flap, flip it up to the seam and stitch it into the seam line. Do this on both lining and outer fabric.

      

I decided a big bag like this needed a bit of embellishment so I inked up my feather stamp and added all the detail I needed.

                          

A large bag like this needs some structure so I cut 48” of heavy interfacing called Craf-Tex. It’s only 20” wide so I just ran it from one top edge, smoothing it down and across the bottom and up the other side. Stitch across top edges.

Tuck the lining into place with its wrong side against the interfacing and outer fabric. Line up the side seams, pin top edges and stitch all the way around the top joining the lining and outer fabric.  It’s unruly with the stiff interfacing, so I suggest clearing everything off the sewing machine.

Cut one long 3” wide piece of fabric to go all the way around the top.  Allow at least 72”. Press under 1/4” along one side.

    

Work from lining side. Pin raw edge to top edge of bag then stitch in place. You can either measure carefully and stitch the two short edges together (forming a circle) before stitching around or adjust and stitch when  you’re sewing it in place. I stitched almost all the way around and then stopped and stitched the short sides so it would fit perfectly. Press the seam up. This is kind of like sewing on a waistband.

 

 

 

Fold the band over to the front and stitch in place close to the seam line on the outside of the bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark location of handles, making sure they are the same length. I cut two pieces of webbing 24” each and measured in 7” from each side seam. (To seal the ends of the webbing run the flame from a lighter across the cut edge.) Pin, then stitch into place. That’s it.

 

 

 

 

So there you go. You can make a great big bag for yourself. Let me know how my instructions are. I can answer questions, adjust and make changes if necessary. There are other ways to finish the top edge. Next time I’ll try something different.

Up Up and Away

He may be up and away at college but when he called and asked me to send him a few more things I was at the ready. A couple of movies, his Superman t-shirt, stamps, envelopes, etc. Then he says if I have any red fabric, throw that in too. “What for?” I ask. “Oh, nothing, just throw it in.”  I said “ I need to know what it’s for, there’s lots of different kinds of fabric out there.” “Okay” he says, “it’s for a cape. There’s a 5-K on Saturday and we’re supposed to wear costumes.” “Ahhh” I say casually. “I’ve got just the fabric.”

One yard of ripstop nylon (60” wide) will make the perfect cape. It's thin enough to tie, doesn't need hemming and it will flow in the wind appropriately. I love that I'm still making capes for him.

Halloween Pillow Tutorial

It’s that time of year when we pull out our Halloween decorations. I completed this needlepoint of a little Dracula fellow earlier this year and thought I’d better get busy and turn him into a pillow before time got away from me.  I had difficulty finding fabrics in the colors I wanted as most fabric in a Halloween motif were the typical orange and black. They really clashed with Dracula’s red cape. I opted for this black and red print and brought in the little bit of purple to pull it all together. I love the black and white check of the main pillow; it reminds me of men’s suiting which works with the customary polished look of Dracula.  The  over-all work of this piece is the sleeve that wraps around a plain pillow. This concept works great for any small needlepoint project by layering other fabrics and trims, framing the creative piece of needlework. It’s a fun way to give attention and purpose to a small needlepoint piece. You can add many layers or just a few.

I took lots of pictures and have added my tips to follow along.

Supplies:

• A small needlepoint piece, blocked and pressed
• fabric to complement design and colors
• ready-made or self-made piping
• pillow form in desired size, with corresponding color or print             

                                        

Make sure your needlepoint project is straight and even. Press and stretch if necessary.  Lay piping, right side facing in and stitch all around, using a zipper foot, pushing against the edge and clipping at corners and turns.

        

As you come back to the start of the piping, cut the end, leaving about 1/2” extra. Unstitch the piping seam(on the piping itself) and trim out the inner cording to make it even with the other end. Fold the piping edge under and lap it over your beginning, catching all edges. Carefully hold down both ends and stitch across.

   

Trim away the canvas and press.  Using your fingers press and roll the piping and canvas until everything is neat and tidy.Now this little Dracula is ready to mount onto the sleeve fabric or you can continue to layer other piping or trims.

 

       

I decided to add this dark background for contrast.  I like the way the red trim looks against it.  I cut it just a bit bigger than Dracula and turned under the edges. Pin and stitch in the well (right where the needlepoint and piping meet). For even more layering I added the purple piping, applying it the same as the red; laid facing in, stitching with zipper foot and clipping corners.

    

Set your needlepoint piece aside and make the sleeve. I lined the sleeve fabric with a simple lightweight fabric. It won’t show but I thought it gave a nicer finished look. I chose to include black piping so layered it between both fabrics, stitching with the zipper foot . Stitch each side separately, leaving ends unstitched.

 

 

 

 

When finished you’ll have a long tube. Turn right side out and press.

 

                              

Now just center your featured piece on the long length of sleeve and stitch into place. Wrap your finished sleeve around your pillow of choice and pull tight. Pin then stitch ends together.

Now Dracula is ready to live among the goblins, witches and other creatures on my living room sofa. At least for October.

Fresh, Crisp Blues of Summer

I love changing a few things when summer finally arrives. We leave doors open during the day, the dogs wander in and out finding a cool spot, the leaves rustle in the warm breeze and I don’t want to miss a minute of it.  Adding a change of color can help transition the room from one season to the next.  Out with my sunny yellow pillow covers of spring and in with these cool blue and white prints. I think they add a nice fresh look for the oncoming warm days.

Like I’ve said before, pillow covers are such an easy way to change the look of your room.  I guess I’ve always loved the clean look of blue and white because when I looked through my fabric stash I came up with these favorite prints. I made up simple 20 x20'” squares with a zipper for easy on/easy off. A big bouquet of hydrangeas from the yard and my room feels fresh and cool. Let the sunshine in!

A Trio of Stools

These little stools will make sweet additional seating whenever we have guests.  I’ve had a couple of these needlepoint pieces for ages, in fact I found them at a garage sale for $1 each. Can you believe it?? I think they’re quite beautiful and yet could never think of what I wanted to do with them. One day I was at the needlepoint store and saw little upholstered stools and I knew that was it.  After a pep talk and some tips from the shop owner I was pretty sure I could pull this off.

I waited, needing to find the right size stool to fit the needlepoints. What luck, when I found these little seats for $17.99 and bought all three.  I pulled the staples off the bottom cover and removed the little feet and I was ready to upholster.  The trick is getting everything to fit exactly so it all can be pulled nice and tight. One of the needlepoint pieces was a bit small (I added a fabric border) and the other a bit large (I had to cut away some of the needlepoint).  This was necessary to get them to fit the 14” square I needed so they’d fit the top. I knew I wanted them all green and found these beautiful linen fabrics, all green, yet different shades.  More luck with the 57” width of the linen. I was able to wrap around the stool, mark my seam and fit my needlepoint into the opening.

 

When I was satisfied (and it took a while) with my stitching, I slipped the cover overtop of the stool and pulled it into place. It had to fit very tight to have a nice finished look and it reminded me of pulling on my Spanx tights. Really! After tugging and smoothing (Spanx, right?) I flipped the stool over and stapled everything down. I reattached the bottom cover and feet and they were ready for sitting.  They’re great because they can sit against the wall looking pretty, but are ready for service at any time.

 

              Tips and advice:

• Keep your eye out for needlepoint pieces at garage sales.
• It’s really more like a slipcover, rather than upholstery, so not quite as complicated.
• If you don’t want to tackle this, ask at the fabric shop for upholstery or slipcover recommendations.
• Don’t be afraid to try. It’s just thread and staples; they can always be picked out.

                                                                                                             I love these!

 

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Just for fun I'm sharing this post on these blogs this weekend. Click the link and check them out:

http://www.the36thavenue.com/

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

 

Put a Bird on It!

With a nod to the crazy Portland based Portlandia television series, I’ve decided to use a bird design to decorate my napkins.  One episode made the suggested we “put a bird on it” to make most anything more inviting and I’ve noticed how many things look better, more interesting or just more fun if you do just put a bird on it.  I wanted to make spring napkins so what better place to add a little song sparrow.

I chose this particular little bird because there’s one that visits all summer, sitting on the peak of the house next door and serenades us through our dinners on the deck. I’m pretty sure she may be the one that laid her eggs in my big ferns twice last summer. You can see why I have a fondness for her.

I got out my bird book, sketched my design on paper, then transferred it to my rubber block and carved the design.  I was careful to “think negative” which doesn’t sound the least bit creative. What I mean is that wherever I cut away is where there will be light space. Unlike the sketch where my dark marks show the markings, eyes and feathers of the bird.    

I wanted to print the little brown bird on blue fabric and I found this nice blue cotton. I cut 15” squares, stitched 1/4” around each piece, then tossed them in the washer and dryer with towels to fray the edges. After carefully printing my little birds in the corner, drying and pressing, I now have six new napkins to welcome my guests this spring. If you don’t want to carve your own bird I’ll bet you can find stamps and ink pads and stamp ready made napkins. Fun!

Pillows- A Spring Thing

 

            Happy Spring Everyone!!

 

Even though we’ve been waking up to cold drizzle and even scattered snow flurries the last couple of days, today is officially the first day of Spring. What better time to bring daffodils and yellow pillows into the living room.

I made these three pillow covers ever so simply to fit my pillow forms. 18” square with a zipper opening on one side makes them a quick and easy slipcover. Zippers, while more involved in the sewing process certainly make it simple to change out your pillows. I decided to follow the directions on the zipper package to see if there were any improvements for installation since my 7th grade Home Economics class. There were and I was pleased with my results. By the third zipper I had it down.

Consider making pillows to freshen up your house this season. You only need about 3/4 yard of fabric and if you’re opposed to putting in a zipper you can simply baste the opening closed. There are so many beautiful fabrics in the stores and if you just make slipcovers for your pillows you can have the pleasure of changing your room often. Stay  tuned, I know I’ll be changing them seasonally.

Pieces of Patchwork

I’m happy to report that I’ve started working on my sons quilt. If you remember from here I’m making a quilt to send my son off to college next fall. He’ll be attending the University of Montana and we thought it would be fun to make the quilt with the school colors which coincidently are the quite manly shades of maroon and silvery gray.

 

He was with me when we picked out the first few fabrics but we both agreed that there needed to be a couple of prints with white. Otherwise the quilt would end up too dark. The white is such a nice contrast with the dark border I think.

 

 

Anyway, progress is being made. I love and highly recommend the book that I’m using.  It’s titled The Practical Guide to Patchwork and its author Elizabeth Hartman has filled it with beautiful quilts and inspiration. Everything is there for the beginner that I am, including lots of suggestions and the “whys” of the instructions. It’s written simply and is full of pictures, organization ideas and step-by-steps to insure success.

I was looking through the book and found the link to her blog: http://www.ohfransson.com/. It too is full of fun ideas and creative ways to use fabric. She lives in Portland; how about that??

I can’t wait to make a table runner with the bright, sunny fabrics I’ve been collecting. 2012 Christmas gifts?? Why yes, quite possibly!

Add a Table, Make a Tablecloth, Have a Party!

We’ve been doing quite a bit of birthday celebrating lately and this time we found ourselves needing a bigger table. Our current table is a drop leaf, which at 45” square is great for our everyday life. Any longer and it would just hold more of our junk. When we need to host a larger group, the leaves are snapped out and suddenly our table is 45” X 85”.  It is pretty comfortable for 6-8 people.

This weekend my son hosted a group of friends for dinner before the big Mardi Gras dance at school. It also happened to be the day of his 18th birthday so I was more than happy to accommodate his wishes. What mom wouldn’t be happy to have her son want to have his friends for dinner??  There were 10 people so we needed to go even larger for the table.

We moved the whole shebang into the living room for more space, which always lends a warm mood to the setting.  For the extension I didn’t want something I’d have trouble storing so we decided to purchase simple table legs from IKEA. They’re inexpensive ($3. each) and come with not only the leg, but the bracket they screw into. We purchased a piece of plywood and cut it to 45”, mounted, then screwed the table legs in place. It will all come apart simply for storage, but available for any future festivities.

I now have 130” of table and was able to seat everyone. I purchased fabric instead of spending money on an expensive tablecloth.  I made two separate pieces, one for the table with leaves extended and one for the new 45” addition. When the tables are pushed up next to one another it  looks like one very long table and since the new addition is the same size as our everyday table I’ll be able to use the smaller tablecloth more often. I was glad I chose to do it this way; if I’d made one long tablecloth I’d rarely have the opportunity to make use of it.

About 4 1/2 yards of 56” fabric allows for enough overhang. I chose a dark print to help hide spills or stains. I turned under the edges and zipped around the whole thing with the sewing machine. I love this Kilim inspired print of deep reds and dusty pink complimented by gold and sage green. When looking for fabric for a tablecloth go to the home décor section of the fabric store. The fabrics are wider (54”-60”) and the heavier weight is more substantial for a table covering.

For fun I sprinkled candy down the center of the table and added short votive candles. Enchiladas and salad was the menu choice so chips and salsa were the obvious appetizers. A slice of birthday cake and they were ready to dance their way through the evening. They all had fun and by 8:00 were out the door and off to their dance. Plenty of time to tidy up.

                           Happy Birthday Sam!

Needlepoint Pillow Sleeve

 

I made this pillow for my good good friends. Their cocker spaniel, Millie is getting pretty old and I thought I’d make a pillow as a surprise. I wanted them to have it while she’s still with us so it would be something happy instead of a sad reminder of her passing. I’m so pleased with how it turned out and as you can see, Millie likes it too.

This is a great way to make a pillow from a small piece of needlepoint or tapestry. The needlework piece is stitched onto a ‘sleeve’ which simply slides over a plain pillow. Imagine the possibilities! Holiday or seasonal sleeves slipped over a pillow. No more stacks of off-season pillows stored in a closet somewhere. Once you’ve made a basic pillow you can have fun making seasonal or holiday sleeves.

This is also such a nice way to feature a small needlework piece. Even a section of an old needlepoint can be sized down and made into something special.

With a minimal amount of sewing you can have a new look.

After the needlepoint piece is blocked, lay trim (face in/up) over stitched area and using a zipper foot, stitch as close as possible along needlework area. I usually stitch several times; each time getting closer to the stitching line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once stitched, trim away excess canvas. Press trim outward, away from needlework so that the canvas and trim edges flip to the back.

 

Press flat. Make sure no canvas shows from the front. You can always re-stitch to get everything in the right place.

 

 

 

 

 

For placement of needlework onto sleeve:

Cut length of sleeve fabric double that of the pillow size (16” square pillow-cut 32” length of fabric). I suggest wrapping the piece around the pillow form to make sure you have everything where you want it. Decide where you want the needlework placed. I placed mine centered at about 16”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pin needlepoint in place.

 

Stitch in the “well” (the area where the trim and needlework meet) using a zipper foot.

 

 

 

 

Cut a lining fabric to exactly the same size as decorative piece. Lay right sides together and stitch around all edges, leaving a small opening for turning. Turn, press.

 

 

Topstitch around all edges catching opening.

 

 

 

 

 

zig-zag or hand stitch finished edges together to make finished sleeve.

 

 

 

 

There you have it! Now it’s ready to slide onto your pillow.

Welcome to the New Space!

My sewing area is complete and the new space makes me very happy! I love the crisp clean feeling and I love the fact that I know where everything is located. I can’t wait to begin a new project!

My fabrics and sewing needs are in one location and the wire baskets allow me to see them better that if I’d chosen wooden drawers. Yarns are up at the top (because I haven’t been doing much knitting), but can be rotated lower when necessary.

I love having my favorite collections nearby for inspiration. Old wooden spools on top of the printers drawer filled with thread. The dress form is from a favorite yarn shop that closed a few years back. 

 

 

The bulletin board holds pictures, snippings and words to inspire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The room must still function as an occasional guest bedroom so it isn’t all mine. I see I need a little ‘cord control’ but everything is available and ready for a project. We still have to pull up the remainder of the carpet and there’s a nasty old file cabinet that needs to be emptied and disposed of. I hope to set up the counter near the window for photographing my projects and I still need to get an efficient, movable cutting table.

For now I am very happy with the completed portion of the project. Lots of work and decisions, sorting and donating made this come together into exactly what I wanted. I highly suggest digging in and making a space for yourself. It’s a big endeavor but it’s such a sense of accomplishment. 

Pillow Talk

I’ve been making pillows like crazy lately. I’ve totally got pillows on my mind. I’ve been sewing, taking lots of pictures as I go and then writing about how I did each one. I proclaim February “Pillow Month”. Each week I’ll share what I’ve made with lots of notes and pictures. I would love to hear back if you’ve tried any of them and I would love to see your pictures.

In between the pillows of my own I’m going to toss in a few pictures of lovely pillows I’ve noticed along the way. Perhaps they will be a source of inspiration for you.

This first pillow (on the right) is about as simple as it gets. I had this beautiful fabric even before I had the sofa. I love the gold and silver metallic for an icy winter look. For this pillow I used 1/2 yard of fabric and an 18” down/feather pillow insert. Instructions follow:

Cut 2 18” squares of fabric. Pin edges and begin stitching on one side just after a corner. Stitch all around, ending after just rounding the last corner. Trim off corners for ease in turning.

 

 

Turn right side out. Roll pillow for easier insertion. Once inside, shake pillow and pull pillow form to corners. For added fullness you can stuff pieces of fiberfill into each corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stand pillow with open seam facing upwards. Pull seam taut and pin opening. Stitch, hiding stitches into seam. Remove pins and shake.

There you go! This pillow literally took me 20 minutes to make and that included stopping to photograph along the way.

Have fun with this. Take your sofa cushion to the fabric store and pick out something to liven up your living room. As a decorator once told me, a collection of fresh new pillows can instantly change your room. If they’re this easy to make, why not give it a try?!

 

Notes:

• If you choose to put in a zipper, put that in first along the bottom seam. A 16” zipper works best for an 18” pillow.
• I always make sure I’ve sewn around each corner, rather than leaving the whole side open. It’s way more difficult to hand stitch the corners and make them match. It’s just a bit more work squeezing in the pillow form, but well worth the effort.
• If you don’t have a sewing machine, this pillow could be made by hand. I’d use a strong thread and keep the stitches nice and tight.

I Love Pillows!

I saw this idea on someone else’s blog and couldn’t wait to try it. She has a good tutorial but I’ll show you how I did it too. I was eager and wanted to do something small that I could get done by Valentines Day. John Lennon always comes to mind when I’m trying to think of something clever and “all you need is love” is the perfect sentiment.

Luckily with all my sorting and organizing I knew I had a bit of white linen fabric. I had a brand new sharpie in the drawer and the only stencils I had were some freebies I had thrown in box. See, my organizing has paid off already. I knew where everything was.

I cut a piece of the linen and laid cardboard (from my IKEA boxes) underneath the fabric and followed the instructions. I penciled the letter first in case I made a mistake, then, still using the stencil traced the outside of the letter with the fine point sharpie. The layout was a bit tricky because I couldn’t put lines on my fabric, but by outlining the letters as I went I could eye it pretty well.        After removing the stencil I filled in the letters free hand.

The piece of fabric is small so I needed to come up with an idea to turn it into a pillow. I’m trying not to make whole pillows, which take up valuable shelf space. Instead I’m making pillow covers or temporary sleeves which are much easier to store.

I decided to turn it into a band to wrap around my white pillows. I’ve done this with some needlepoint lately (more to share in next months posts!) and decided this was the best way to use this piece and give it a good couple of weeks on the sofa.

I can’t wait to come up with the perfect quote and some new stencils and maybe some different fabric and make another pillow. Check out more details and pictures on the Wit and Whistle blog and tell Amanda I sent you. Stay tuned!

Tips: If you’re not a sewer, buy ready made pillow covers, slip the cardboard inside and grab your sharpie.

Projects in Motion

As I’m sorting, tidying, cleaning and generally trying to give everything its place I keep coming across unfinished projects. Of course!! Most creative people are guilty of cupboards and baskets full of half finished or non started creations. I think it’s part of the enthusiasm of wanting to make things.

Yesterday I was sorting yarns and remembered my (still great, I think) idea of making a baby sweater then finding a wonderful fabric for a skirt or romper. I panicked when I also remembered that my favorite fabric shop for bright fun prints was closing at the end of the month. I stopped what I was doing, grabbed my yarns and headed to Fibers in Motion. I had great fun picking out fabrics to go with the yarns.

 

I have one sweater started and now with the print fabric I’m eager to complete the sweater and get on with the skirt.

 

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite. I can just picture a little girl all decked out in this happy color combination.

 

 

As I revisit my “projects in process” (much better than unfinished projects), I’m becoming enthused again. I was afraid that taking the time to organize would take me away from creating. Quite the opposite I’m finding. Instead, I’m having fun revisiting projects long buried and feel inspired and ready to jump back into knitting, sewing and creating.

If you live in the Portland area, be sure to drop by Fibers in Motion before LuAnn moves on to the next creative phase of her life. There are still a lot of beautiful fabrics available.

Pajamas for Everyone!

     

As the holiday season draws near I’ve chosen Friday’s to write about gift ideas we can make. I think Friday is a great day for inspiration as we can collect our supplies and settle in for a weekend of creativity. Nothing too daunting, in fact some Fridays I might just suggest a place to shop for wonderful gifts.  Stay tuned!

This week I’m suggesting you make pajamas. There are loads of pajama patterns available and pj’s are a great beginner sewing project. Patterns can be as simple as a drawstring waist band. If you’re ready for  something more difficult, add decorative trim for fun and pizzazz. How about pockets?? You’ll be amazed at the wonderful choices of fabric out there. There’s truly something for everyone! You have plenty of time to get them made. Here are some ideas to make the sewing process easier and the gift more fun.

 

Tips and thoughts:

• When you’re giving pj’s as a gift, include a soft fun t-shirt to make it a set. 
• If you’re on vacation buying souvenir t-shirts (who doesn’t??), purchase fabric to match. Adds to the memories.
• If you’re planning on making several pair, it’s a good idea to trace your pattern onto sturdier paper as the tissue paper pattern won’t last long.
• Write all your notes directly on the pattern. Pj’s are simple so you don’t need lengthy instructions but you can add your notes and you won’t have to keep track of the separate page of directions.
• Double stitch or zig zag each seam for longer wear.
• Always mark fronts and backs so there is no mix up. I put a safety pin on the backs while I’m sewing. I even make that note on my pattern so I don’t forget. 
• Sew a piece of ribbon on the inside back waistband so the pj’s are always worn properly. 
• A fun idea is to encourage your kids to give you a gift of fabric for your own pj’s. It’s always fun to see what fabric they choose. Figure double your length (around 2 1/2 yards)

Have fun with this project.  In January I’ll share my tips for making pajamas for yourself. They’ll fit so good you’ll want to spend all weekend in them. Sounds pretty good in the middle of winter!

                                   Have Fun!