I have said before that adding zipper heads to zipper tape is pretty easy. I don’t do it that often, so I always have to look it up. The main tutorial I use is Sara Lawson’s tutorial. Sara provides a ton of detail and I would advise watching it at least once. I am writing a quick tutorial so you can see another version.
1. Place your zipper head face down in your towel holder
2. Flip your zipper tape wrong side up. N. B. This means that both zipper tape and zipper head are facing in the same direction, wrong side up
3. Pull your zipper tape apart 3-4 inches and configure in a V formation
Make a V with the zipper tape
4. Carefully place each end of the zipper tape into each side of the zipper head
5. Push the tape in evenly until you can pull from the bottom
Completed zipper head installation
Voila! You did it!
In the future you can find this tutorial on the tutorials page.
Resources:
Natalie from Sew Hungry Hippie has a video tutorial using a jig she sells
*N.B. : If you use a fork, you might want to get one at a thrift store and just use it for zippers rather than using one you eat with.
**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
I spent a lot of sewing time making gift bags with fabric I unearthed from my fabric closet. I finished about 10 bags and was able to get back to using donation squares as leaders and enders.
Some of these blocks are from last year – as in a few weeks ago.
Pink & purple donation blockRed-violet dot donation blockPurple Paris donation blockBlack with dots donation block
I forgot to take pictures of Carrie’s pouch, but she kindly took some and sent them to me. You’ll get a different view from the ones I usually provide. Perhaps it will shake up my photographing a little bit.
Carries pouch
In the pouch I put one of the color wheel pins I bought for gifts. I also put in one of the small Altoid tin sewing kits I made for the officers earlier this year. (see above)
I tried something different with these based on my desire to cover the ends of the zipper tape on the Inside Outside pouch. This is, however, a different bag and I ended up ripping out a lot of work when I realized it wouldn’t work. My idea of zipper tabs will work on the Inside Outside pouch, if I make it again.
Carries pouch end
Carrie was really happy with it and sent me a lovely thank you note. Don’t you love a good thank you note? I can’t wait to see how she uses it.
I thought I would be able to finish this bag over my break from work. HA! I spent a lot of time on it, though not as much as I anticipated. I made progress, but didn’t finish.
There is a lot of prep to this bag. I took a different route by following Tula Pink’s sketchy directions on cutting out the fabrics in such a way to highlight the designs. I finally finished all the quilting and such and felt exhausted and confused. I hope have done the right thing and it won’t all go off the rails..
Resources:
ByAnnie A Place for Everything v.2 pattern
Tula Pink video on how she deviates from the pattern to make more design decisions
Tula Pink video on applying ribbon to cover ‘connections’
I finished another Boxy Clear Pouch right before Christmas. This one is for Tim and I gave it to him when we had an after Christmas Sew Day. It is the same pattern as the ones I made for my students. The difference is that I used fabric that will coordinate with the Sew Together Bag I made him last year.
The Bernard
Inside I put a point turner from Modern American Vintage. Remember I talked about them in a recent Various & Sundry post? (Ignore the pink pocket in the photo; that is from an unrelated project.) The company have some beautiful tools. They make wooden point turners, seam rippers and Hera markers. Often wooden tools are over the top, but these are simple, gorgeous and amazingly functional. Tim is a great friend and my bagmaking buddy, though he makes fun of me for the complicated bags that I make. Every bagmaker needs a good point turner. I have several different ones and this is the best. I know Tim would like it as well.
Tim’s Boxy Clear Pouch – back
Aneela Hoey’s patterns are pretty well written. The thing I don’t like about this pattern is the binding on the ends. It looks great in the end, but is a hassle to hand sew down at the end of the project.
I think this is a useful bag, because you can see what’s in it.
In the past, I made a list of gifts I had made for Friend Julie. I am doing it again because I want to see all the items together. I still feel like I have made more for her, but I’ll have to update it as I come across items.
Julie’s Birthday Gifts
Julie’s Journal Cover – front
Julie’s Purple Pincushion Gift
Kaffe Pillowcase Gift for Julie
Halloween House #3
Halloween House #2
Halloween House #1
Walker Bag
Purple Chair Sew Together Bag for Julie – open
Scissor Cozy for Julie
Julie’s Iron Caddy
Julie’s Pencil Roll
Mega- Pinnie for Julie
Tissue Holder
Purple Chair Needlecase
Purple Chair Bag – closed
Julie’s Mini Maker Case
Large Retreat pouch -aerial view
I used some really good fabrics for her gifts.
I forgot I made her the Halloween blocks, which I hope she will use to finish her Halloween quilt at some point.
I used the Boxy Clear Pouch pattern from Aneela Hoey. It is related to the Inside Outside Pouch I made for myself. The difference is fewer zippers. I think I like the Inside Outside pouch better, though this is in no way a terrible pouch. It would be great for a small knitting project.
Color Wheel Boxy Clear Pouch – back
I am pleased with the fabric I used. It is Carrie Bloomston fabric. I am constantly referring to the color wheel when we are in class. Sue will have a color wheel with her if she keeps this pouch around.
My idea was to finish months as they come, then go back to M3 to finish those rosettes. I am happy to say I am making progress. Not finished, but making progress.
I am working on the last rosette. Somehow I forgot that I had waited to baste fabric for some of M3 pieces until I was downstairs piecing away and started to run into the lack of pieces problem. I know I waited because I wasn’t sure when I would get to M3 and didn’t want the glue to fail.
I don’t want to use the hat fabric that came with the BOM. I need to find some fabric and baste those 60 degree diamonds before I can make much more progress.
La Pass triangle fabric
I am thinking of using the Carrie Bloomston fabric with the pink triangles again. It will create some continuity with other pieces and is far enough away from the M5 piece where I used it to not look bad. Even though most of the fabrics for these rosettes are in the lavender range, I think it could work. I could also use the zebras I cut and didn’t use, or more Dripping Roses. I think I need to look through my fabrics and decide. I bought a Marti Michell Magic Mirror**, as mentioned yesterday, that I will try.
**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Pink Door was having a sale. I took the opportunity to pick up a few things I needed for my La Pass project, few gifts and some things I had been eyeing for awhile.
The idea was that you place your order and they hold it until the sale is over then send it. That meant that I received a giant box of quilt gifts right before Christmas. Some of the items were gifts. I’ll have to save a couple, because the box didn’t arrive in time. It is okay, because I forgot that I bought them for the recipients!
Marti Michell Magic Mirror
One of the things I bought, which was not on my mind, was the Marti Michell Magic Mirror**. Total impulse buy, but I think I can use it when I am selecting fabric for fussy cutting for my La Pass project. I could have really used this when I made the Peacock. It is a recommended tool for One Block Wonder quilts.
I also bought more glue pens – not the refills, but the actual pens. I have one, but wanted one for my travel bag and one on my cutting table as well. I got a lot of refills with the pens, so I am in good shape there.
Pink Door purchase
I am excited about also excited about the long handbag zippers that were on sale. I am sure I can use them for future bags. I got some mesh that will go with the fabrics I use for Mom’s bags.
As you can see I also got some fabric and some Tula Project pouches. It was fun to be able to shop for what I wanted for once.
**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Since taking a look at gifts I made for Gerre a week or so ago, I decided to look at gifts I have made for Mom and Julie. Here are the various gifts I have made for my mom. Many have the different artist fabrics I have collected.
Cutting out pieces for bags is the hardest part. It is also, for me, the worst part. I often make two of a pouch or bag at the same time. Cutting out two of each piece at one time doesn’t seem to be that much harder than cutting out one. That is how I made this pouch. I decided on the spur of the moment to make the same pouch for Lil Sissy for Christmas that I was making for myself. I didn’t think really hard about the fabric. I grabbed this Alison Glass fabric, which is super cheerful, IMO, and for which I hadn’t yet found a use.
Lil Sissy’s Inside Outside Pouch – 3/4s view
I am on the fence about whether I should have used a different fabric for the zipper plackets. I have trouble figuring out where pieces are going to go and most independent pattern makers don’t really tell you beyond naming the piece. I think using the same fabric on this pouch looks fine. If I used fabric like the Dripping Rose again, I would probably use different fabric. The motifs get broken up too much.
Lil Sissy’s Inside Outside Pouch – interior
I picked a specific inside for this pouch, because it is for my sister. She is an artist, thus the splatter print. She seems to like the bags I make for her, though I have always used Paris related prints for her. This fabric is a departure.
Welcome to the first V&S for 2022. Hope you find some fun things in the collections I compile this year. Send along anything interesting you find and I’ll include it.
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
I was looking at The Crafty Quilter site and saw a recent post. When I saw the picture I thought for sure Julie (of The Crafty Quilter not Friend Julie) had made a Mega-Pinnie. I have never seen anyone else make a Mega-Pinnie, so I was intrigued. It turned out to be a super box-like pouch not a Mega-Pinnie. The post, however, reminded me of the Mega-Pinnies. Maybe I need to make some more. Gifts??? The Mega-Pinnie designer’s post has some interesting options. One has a wrist strap. I didn’t see that before and it would be useful. Another uses horizontal stripes for the pockets. Blue Patch Quilter shows a number of different Mega-Pinnies. They are used for different things and have a variety of features and decorations. Would you use one for remote controls?
QuiltFolk is supporting a Kaffe-style color class.
Two people brought needlepoint projects to the Sew Day Holiday party last month. NEEDLEPOINT! I didn’t really think people did needlepoint anymore (stupid, I know), but there they were. Now I am seeing it everywhere. I saw a link to Ehrman Tapestry for Brandon Mably designs. I navigated around and found some Kaffe pages with inspirational information and a video. Now I want to do needlepoint. I am not going to buy a kit, though. I don’t need anymore cushions and I don’t need anymore handwork. Still it is tempting.
Tula had a video on how to sew 30 degree triangles.
Natalie from Sew Hungry Hippie has a whole Drive folder full of free patterns.
Check out the Bust the Stash Challenge from Border Creek Quilts. The block is now available. The block information is very complete and looks like the author knows how to write quilt directions. If you make at least 52 blocks (one per week for 52 weeks), you can qualify for a special prize. The page has previous stashbuster challenges as well. This project forces me to ask will your stash ever be busted? What does busting a stash look like? Will my stash ever be busted?
Do you want to know how to use SVG files with your Cricut Maker**? This is made with information from Michelle Graham who works with Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness.
Books, Fabrics, Notions & Supplies
Enamel Color Wheel Pin
Enamel pins are not really supplies, but Sew Hungry Hippie has some cool examples. I saw the color wheel pin and had to buy some as gifts. They have others that have really great crafting sayings.
I found this shop, Modern Quilt Company, when I was testing a tool at work. I always use quilt topics as I know the subject so well. I can identify the errors or weird results more quickly. They have the regular modern fabrics. They also have a blog with an interesting bag pattern. I also like the way their menu stays the same regardless of what page you are visiting. That feature makes it much easier to navigate. Lots of pre-cuts. If you want the Daydreamer kit, Pining for You by Tula Pink, they have some.
There are a lot of great places to buy zippers. Have you tried Zipper Valley?
Furniture
I am thinking of buying an EddyCrest Cutting Table. The model is 6040. I met this company when I went to Houston in 2014. They have really nice pieces. The sewing table I have now is really nice, but it doesn’t fit my upgraded machine, so I think a new sewing table is in my future as well.
Media and Inspiration
Barbara Brackman posted a unique and beautiful red and green quilt on 12/27/2021. Apparently there are three of them, which she followed up showing on subsequent days. I know this is really a modern quilt, but the angle of the swags and the spinning look of the Rose of Sharon variation blocks is amazingly beautiful. The quilt is owned by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It makes me want to make one.
The Butler Method is a technique of putting in a zipper pocket. Someone mentioned this method when I complimented them on their work and they shared this video.
**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
I finished the Percheron Pouch over the Thanksgiving Weekend, which was a great relief. I couldn’t show it because it was a gift for my mom and she reads this blog.
I gave it to her on Christmas and she really liked it. She filled it up with all of the other gifts she received.
I really liked the look of this bag, which is why I decided to make it for my mom. I like making her bags I think are interesting. She always seems to appreciate them.
Percheron Pouch top zipper area
I really struggled with this bag. As I said before, I cut this bag out in June. Then it languished for all the same reasons that other projects languished: workroom upgrade and work.
I worked on it a little, but was frustrated with all of the sewing and ripping that I had to do. I don’t know what the issue was with this bag, but I struggled with the pattern and the video.
Percheron Pouch bottom zipper area
Finally, over Thanksgiving, I decided to work on it in earnest. Yes, I still ripped and sewed and ripped some more, but I was able to finish it.
I thought it looked good enough to give away even if it isn’t perfect.
I gave Julie this Large Retreat Pouch for her birthday the other day. This is the bag I made over Halloween weekend, but couldn’t show you since she reads this blog.
The Retreat Bag is a free pattern from Emmaline Bags. It requires a frame and the frame is not free, but also not very expensive. The frame allows it to open all the way, providing easy access to the contents.
Large Retreat pouch -aerial view
I realized around that time that I needed to get busy and start making any gifts that I wanted to make for the holidays. That weekend, this was one of two Large Retreat Pouches that I made. As I mentioned then, it was the first time I had made the large version of this pouch. I added a leash to this one, because I thought it would make the bag more useful.
Large Retreat pouch open -aerial view
This is a pretty large bag. It would be great for a few balls of yarn and knitting needles as well as some EPP. I think it could also be used for a sponge bag or makeup kit.
The lining actually fits pretty snugly though it looks baggy in the photo.
I used some of my favorite purple fabrics since this was going to one of my favorite people.
