Tag: Sew Sweetness

Finished: Superbloom #3

Superbloom #3: finished
Superbloom #3: finished

I finally finished this Superbloom. The Hindsight Superbloom was a high. This one felt like a slog. I don’t know why except that everything that could go wrong did go wrong. This is completely my fault, because I have been somewhat distracted by life. It was still frustrating.

Superbloom #3: interior
Superbloom #3: interior

The outside looks fine and I am pleased by that.

My aunt loves irises and I found some iris fabric that I knew I had to use for her. The the fabric looks fine , but the lining is too saggy for my tastes, despite my use of a 5/8 inch seam allowance. I know the Muggles won’t know, but you’d think by now I could manage a non-saggy lining. 🙁

Superbloom #3: lining
Superbloom #3: lining

Normally, I would use a white or very light fabric for the interior, but that iris fabric is so perfect for my aunt. I could have used it for the outside, but I really wanted to use the canvas I bought at Bolt for her for the outside.

 

Superbloom #3: top closed
Superbloom #3: top closed

I had to buy that ochre fabric after the fact for the zipper panel as I thought the iris fabric would look too chaotic. The ochre fabric  is a weird color, but goes with the background of the iris print. Also, it was wonderfully soft.

I think it goes very well with the purple zipper.  I don’t think it should, but it does.

I did use some dots on white for the inside pockets as I thought they would be too dark if I used the iris fabric. I also think I want to make a pouch or a smaller bag with what’s left of the iris fabric.

I still like the design of this bag. The side pockets are especially cool. I haven’t ever used this bag as I don’t have one of my own, but maybe I need to try it out.

Once I got close to finishing this tote, I stopped working on the SMAP version. I needed to send this one off to my aunt and I wanted to get it done. now that it is finished. I can get back to that bag.

More on the Two Superblooms

Auntie's Superbloom
Auntie’s Superbloom

I am making good progress on the Superblooms, but not enough. I really want these to be finished today, so I can take my aunt’s to the post office and mail it. I also want to show at least one of them at the meeting on Saturday.  I don’t know if either will happen.

As you can see, I have made good progress. The exteriors are finished and the handles on my aunt’s are sewn on.

For my aunt’s Superbloom, I used cotton webbing for the handles that Cyndi made me take from the free table one time. It is wider than called for, but I think looks good with the exterior fabric.

SMAP Superbloom
SMAP Superbloom

The SMAP version is less far along. I had to rip the handles out twice. Hopefully, third time is a charm.

I’ll be working on the lining next and that is always the last step. I have a couple of interior zipper pockets for each bag to make and then lining assembly.

Almost there!

Two More Superblooms In Process

Superblooms in process
Superblooms in process

I am preparing to start a new contract and the company is really a pain. It has been taking me many hours I could be sewing to set everything up. Finally on Friday, I had a nice chunk of time, so I got to work on the two Superblooms I have been wanting to make.

I was able to get all the pieces interfaced and the side pockets made. I had some trouble with some fusible foam. It turned out to be fusible on both sides. Since it was a scrap and, I hadn’t marked it, I didn’t realize it was fusible on both sides. I don’t normally buy fusible interfacing. I especially don’t buy double sided fusible. The piece was just big enough for me to cut the foam for the bag sides. Perfect, right? Yes, until I figured out that both sides were fusible. On one hand it was good, because I could just press it on the fabric. On the other hand, I had to use a press cloth and I am not sure if my press cloth is gluey.  Iron-off** is a wonderful thing for cleaning the iron.

I have a couple more pieces to cut from the new fabric I bought at Needles, but otherwise I think the rest will go quickly.

As I have mentioned the prep is the hard part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s 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.

Finished: Paint Tube Day Trip

Paint Tube Day Trip front
Paint Tube Day Trip front

I finished the Paint Tube Day Trip! Yay! This one went together a lot more quickly than the Hindsight Day Trip, but that’s the way it works, right?

I was thinking, as my Mom has started using the bag, that a slip pocket might be a good addition to the front. It would add to the layers, but would also be really useful.

I mentioned that I was making it so she could carry her cell phone with her and didn’t have to hold it in her hand as she moved around. That is working really well. She has also started using it as a wallet. When we go out, she takes it instead of her purse.

Paint Tube Day Trip
Paint Tube Day Trip

I was pleased, once again, that the cell phone pocket fits her new phone very well. I am also glad I reinforced the magnetic closure. I think it might have ripped already if not for the extra (Decovil Heavy**) reinforcement.

I also made the straps/tabs for the D-rings slightly longer. I did that because one pulled away from the edge stitching on the Hindsight Day Trip. I didn’t want that to happen again, but I noticed that the D-rings spin around now.  The triangle hardware pieces would not have worked for this application, sadly. My mom doesn’t care, but I care. Another learning moment, I guess.

Paint Tube day Trip interior
Paint Tube day Trip interior

The inside went together well and I love that I can turn this bag through the openings in the interior zipper pocket.

I used leftover zipper tape for the interior zippers. They are the handbag size, but it doesn’t matter.

I put different colored zipper pulls onto the the interior pockets to give a visual cue of the contents. The pulls are nice and large so easy to grasp.

I don’t really want to make a bunch of these, but I have the templates and some ideas, so I might make another one or two. One would definitely be a good Pink Project addition.

Check out all of the Minikins patterns I have made as well as some of the other Sew Sweetness patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s 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.

New: Paint Tube Day Trip

Paint Tube Day Trip cut out
Paint Tube Day Trip cut out

I started another Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet almost immediately.

This one, as you can clearly see, is for my mom. I want her to be able to carry her cell phone while leaving her one free hand. Now that she is moving around more and using her cane more, she might need a free hand to hold a banister.  I tried something new with the strap, which I’ll talk about later and am in the process of working through the first steps.

The one thing I am trying on this one is to cut the foam a little smaller in order to reduce the bulk in the seams.

Finished: Hindsight Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet

Finished Day Trip Wallet
Finished Day Trip Wallet

I am so excited about finishing this bag! I am not sure that is the right way to say it, but it has been a long time in coming. As mentioned, I bought Minikins Season 2 for the express reason of making this bag. Then, I was intimidated and didn’t feel up to making it.

A few years have gone by, and I have made several bags. This bag seemed right for a gift. I guess I was ready.

The bag was a challenge, but only because of the many layers, not because of the directions. The process is actually very easy. With the pattern and the video, it wasn’t hard.

Finished: Day Trip Wallet - interior
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – interior

This bag is, basically, a small wallet that fits your cell phone. You could put this into a larger bag, but then take it out when you don’t need the whole bag.

This would be great for doing that since the strap is detachable. You could store the strap elsewhere or in one of the inside zipper pockets and take it out as needed.

Finished: Day Trip Wallet - exterior pocket
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – exterior pocket

This is the first one that I have made, but I hope to make more. I wonder about the size of the flap for the cell phone pocket. I wonder why it is so small. It might interfere with stitching the zipper. I have asked in the Sew Sweetness group to see what others say.

I was a little worried that the pattern was designed when cell phones were smaller and a modern phone wouldn’t fit. I tried my large-ish Samsung phone in the pocket and it fits just fine. Whew! This is good as the bag is not that large and I wouldn’t want it to be enlarged so much that it wouldn’t fit in the larger bag mentioned above.

Finished: Day Trip Wallet - interior detail
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – interior detail

The inside has two sides, both with a zipper pocket and several card slots. Behind the top card slot could be a spot for cash.

I added the optional D-ring on the spine so there would be a place to clip keys.

I also used two different colors of zippers in order to give the recipient a visual cue as to where she stashed something.

Hindsight Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet
Hindsight Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet

I think I could probably have put another cell phone pocket on the other side of the bag exterior. I am not sure how useful that would be, though more pockets are always better.

I am pleased with how this came out and am cutting out a second one. This one will be for my mom who needs something for her phone so her hands are free to maneuver her walker.

 

 

Day Trip Continues

Day Trip Cell Phone Pocket made
Day Trip Cell Phone Pocket made

I am pleased to say that the Day Trip is progressing much better than I expected.

As mentioned, I was anxious about the difficulty of this project. I am carefully following all the directions and watching the video accompaniment when I have even a sliver of doubt. I am not having any problems! I am so excited.

In some ways, this is a meditative process for me. There are a reasonable number of pieces and I was able to cut them out relatively quickly. I decided that I wasn’t going to skip steps to get to the sewing faster. That attitude made the sewing, once I finished all the prep, go much faster.

Day Trip: Magnetic snaps
Day Trip: Magnetic snaps

It has been awhile since I installed magnet closure. I added some Decovil Heavy scraps behind both pieces to reinforce the snaps. I hope they will hold.

Sara has a really good tip in this pattern about using the round template/reinforcement thingy that comes with the magnet closure for placement. It is so obvious yet I never thought of it.

Day Trip zipper installation
Day Trip zipper installation

The cell phone pocket (above) is complete. I am working on installing the zipper that closes the whole bag. I had to cut the zipper to the right size. I really need to make some of those Center Street Quilts heart pouches in order to use up some of my leftover zipper pieces. This is a difficult part as the zipper really doesn’t like going around corners, but I went slowly and persevered. It’s the same challenge all the time. Am I getting better? Maybe. I should be after all those Hackney pouches.

I am really jealous of that skinny quarter inch foot Sara uses. I think it would make going around those corners easier.

At Bag Club on Saturday we talked about installing an interior zipper pocket. I did sort of a theoretical tutorial using the Sotak Handmade Purse Organizer as an example. Since it was already made, there was a lot of imagination required.

Day Trip: one interior zipper pocket
Day Trip: one interior zipper pocket

Funnily enough, I had to make two of these types of pockets on Sunday! They are a little fiddly, but really easy. I use Sara’s zipper pocket ruler for the measuring and drawing the box. She is not restocking her acrylic templates, so get them while they are still available. I checked other places and can’t find one like Sara’s. I found one from Arc Expressions (no affiliation) that I think would work, though you would have to use another ruler to measure pockets on larger bags.

Anyway, talking through the pocket installation on Saturday was really helpful on Sunday when I went to make the pockets. I had an idea in my mind about what I was doing. I made one (or more??) on the most recent Superbloom, so I was in good shape. I like having the process firmly in my mind.

One of the best things about these pockets is you can pull the bag right side out through this pocket. I love it when designers use that technique. You can add these pockets to almost any bag with a lining.

I am well on my way. Get this pattern and make one!

Finally! Day Trip Wallet!

Day Trip pattern photo
Day Trip pattern photo

I bought Minikins Season 2 specifically for this pattern in March of 2020. At that time, I was a little scared of this pattern. Recently, I realized I wanted to make one as a gift.  Since I had the recipient in mind, I dove in to make it. This will match the Superbloom tote I finished a few weeks ago.

Day Trip for Diana start
Day Trip for Diana start

I was still anxious that I wasn’t up to the task, so I carefully worked my way through the cutting and interfacing. I only forgot one piece! I am about to start working on the pockets, straps and tabs.

I am pretty excited that I am getting going on this project after almost 5 years!

All the Cotton Candy

The other day I was thinking about a hand sewing pouch for my mom. In the course of that thought process, I looked up all the Cotton Candy pouches I have made.

WOW!

I have made a lot.

I think I have only made more Hackneys (14) than Cotton Candy pouches, but not many more. Clearly, I play favorites.

Gift Post: Sue’s I Spy Pouch

Sue's I Spy pouch - front
Sue’s I Spy pouch – front

I had a tough time deciding what to make for Carrie and Sue for Christmas. I don’t want to just make them anything. I want what I make to be useful. Eventually, after considering several Minikins patterns I hadn’t tried, I decided on I Spy pouches.

Is this a cop out?

No.

Sue's I Spy - back
Sue’s I Spy – back

As I have said before, these pouches are like eating potato chips for me. I can make one quickly. I also really enjoy making them. Because they are fast? Maybe. Mostly because they are useful.

Sue gets a color wheel on the back to help her pick out fabric. I also remembered to put a label on the pouch.

Some time ago I made Carrie and Sue Kit Supply Totes. The Hackney pouches I made for them fit nicely into the Kit Supply Totes. I thought the I Spy would fit nicely in it as well.

Gift Post: Carrie’s I Spy Pouch

Carrie's I Spy - front
Carrie’s I Spy – front

I know it’s been a week or so since I posted about gifts, but we are back to it.

I posted last week about Sue’s I Spy pouch. One of the differences I made is that Carrie got a whole color wheel in the front while Sue’s was on the back. One of the reasons I like this fabric is because it means they always have a color wheel with them.

Carrie's I Spy - back
Carrie’s I Spy – back

I found some nice zipper pulls in my hardware bag that I added. They are apples, which have nothing to do with color wheels, Carrie or Sue, but here we are. Zipper pulls, aside from being cute really help to pull zippers open.

Gift Post: Gerre’s Enigma Bag

Skeleton Mermaid Enigma Bag
Skeleton Mermaid Enigma Bag

While I was making my sister’s Enigma bag back in July, I also made one for Gerre for Christmas. This is Enigma #6.

Skeleton Mermaid Enigma - bottom
Skeleton Mermaid Enigma – bottom

I didn’t use my ‘regular’ sugar skull fabric for this one. I used a fabric I bought on my trip to and around Portland and I can’t decide if I like it. The key is whether Gerre likes it.  I thought the seahorses and some of the ocean life were cool, but the skeletons started to creep me out after awhile. If she feels the same, I will make another one of these for her. I’ll have to see what she says. 

I am pleased with the fussy cutting on the bottom. I didn’t have a lot of the fabric and was glad I had enough to highlight the main motif.

Skeleton Mermaid Enigma open
Skeleton Mermaid Enigma open

I am also pleased with the way the inside came out. The stripes I bought at the Granary are perfect for the inside.

The pattern calls for a 2.5 inch wide binding. I made the binding 2.25 inches wide, which is my norm for quilting binding. I had to stretch the binding a bit in certain places and trim seams, but mostly the 2.25 inch binding worked well.

Skeleton Mermaid Enigma - interior detail
Skeleton Mermaid Enigma – interior detail

I figured out a great place to put my label on these Enigma bags. The label fits well in the middle of the inside pocket. The label isn’t tucked away unobtrusively and I am not sure how I feel about that.  I am not sure why I didn’t think of it before as it was also easy to install.

As with my sister’s Enigma bag, this one went together pretty easily. I like making the same bags over and over as they get better each time I do it.

Finished: Grab & Go Sleeve

Grab & Go Sleeve for Mom
Grab & Go Sleeve for Mom

I finished the Grab & Go Sleeve very quickly and sent it straight off to my mom so she could use it right away.

Both sides essentially look the same. The only difference is that I put a label on only one side of the exterior.

I also used some ‘webbing’ that Cyndi made me take from one of the Sew Day Free Table offerings. The webbing is made out of cotton rather than plastic, like the Tula Pink webbing I used for a couple of the Take a Stand bags.

Grab & Go Sleeve interior
Grab & Go Sleeve interior

Since this is for my mom, I dug out the Laurel Burch fabric I used for her Mustang Organizers and used that for the lining.

She received it on Wednesday and said that it fits her portfolio perfectly. She said she really liked it, which makes me happy.

If I can think of things for which to use these bags I’ll make more as they are a quick bag to make, especially if you use pre-made webbing for the handles.

Grab & Go Sleeve

Grab & Go Sleeve -exterior side
Grab & Go Sleeve -exterior side

The Grab & Go Sleeve is a project from Minikins Season 1. Honestly, it is one I never thought I would make. I have at least two laptop bags, so I really don’t need anything else. Also, there is nowhere in the bag for the mouse or the cord.

However, it is a good bag for other things like files and notepads. My mom has a portfolio she is using to take notes during a series of appointments she has. She is using the project bag I made her to carry around her portfolio. It doesn’t really fit very well.

This project immediately occurred to me once I saw what was happening. I am not sure why as I really never thought about this bag before.

This project serves a second purpose as well. I want to make the Heartlands Backpack. It is a ‘choose your own adventure’ bag. The Grab & Go Sleeve is a lighter version of a ‘choose your own adventure’ bag. It has only a few pieces and not many options. I wanted to try an easy ‘choose your own adventure’ bag before I started the Heartlands.

Grab & Go Sleeve- lining with pockets
Grab & Go Sleeve- lining with pockets

I decided to add some mesh pockets to the inside to provide a bit of organization.

I also added a D-ring (but rectangular) so she can clips things to the bag if she needs to do so.

Finished: Pink Project Cotton Candy

Pink Project Cotton Candy
Pink Project Cotton Candy

I finished one of the Cotton Candy pouches and was reinvigorated after I did a better job than I did with the Slimline version.

I didn’t have the right length zipper in pink, but I thought the orange went with the fabric. I also thought I should have fussy cut the side panels, but didn’t think of it until later. Still, I am happy with the way it turned out.

I used similar fabrics to the fabrics I used in the Pink Project v.1. I wondered if I should make a whole set using the same fabric. I might have enough of that Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy fabric to make a few more bags and pouches. It might bore me, though, to use the same fabric. I already have a different print chosen for the Chickadee. I don’t want to change that choice at the moment.

The inside is also a Flea Market Fancy print. I filled it with some self-care items and it was used to raise money for Phi Mu Foundation, which provides scholarships and disaster assistance to women. We made $80, which isn’t a lot, but the event was only attended by 9 people. I need to get some more self care items to fill up the next ones.