Tag: Sew Sweetness

Finished: Friesan Pouch

Friesan pouch side 1
Friesan pouch side 1
Friesan pouch side 2
Friesan pouch side 2

This was a great pouch. I can’t say I didn’t rip, but it still went together really well.

In a number of the FB groups in which I share my pouches and drool over others’ pouches and bags, people tend to point out the flaws. I always tell them their work is great and not to point to the flaws. Now I know how hard that is. All I want to do is point out the flaws in my work. What is that about people? Is that a way to add to the life’s drama?

As I said before, one reason I made this particular pouch was to use the zippers Julie got me for my birthday. There are three different colors of zippers and two different kinds of zipper heads, so I tried to make the most of them.

Friesan Pouch center / inside
Friesan Pouch center / inside

A lot of the fabric (maybe all) was purchased on my trip to Portland. I used two different fabrics for the outside to give myself a visual cue as to where something was. I also wanted to use my new fabrics right away.

I used book fabric (from Windham) for the lining as an homage to my librarian roots. It is hard to see, but I can see it when I use the pouch. The book fabric makes me happy.

I like the stiffness of the bag. The center has foam to help it stand up while the sides have foam** and Decovil**. The bag stands up really well. I want to try something with more Decovil**, but I haven’t found the right pattern yet.

Friesan Pouch - sides down
Friesan Pouch – sides down

One thing that makes this an interesting pouch, is that the sides fold down. I was inspired to use the AGF solid pink after using it to good effect in Gerre’s Retreat pouch. I wouldn’t use a solid again on the inside pocket. It just looks too stark even though I like that fabric. A print would give the viewer something to look at.

Also, I would probably put something to hold pens – elastic  or mesh – to make those folding down sides more useful. It is hard for me to see what might be better for me in the design when I make a pattern the first time. As I have said before, I like to make things a few times before I get the true hang of them.

Overall I feel like this pouch came out really well. I am pleased. I made it for me. I am not sure how I will use it, but I will find some way to use it, I am sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops. However, I use 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.

 

Friesan Pouch Start

Friesan Pouch cut out
Friesan Pouch cut out

What I wanted to do at Sew Day, since all of my La Pass month 9 pieces were basted, was cut out a bag. I had been thinking about the Friesan Pouch for awhile and I chose to cut the pieces for that pouch out.

As I have said, cutting out large-ish projects at Sew Day is great. The larger cutting table and space to spread out are very helpful.

I prepared everything I could at Sew Day, so I was ready to sew when I had time on Sunday.

I basted all the pieces like Sara says to do instead of being lazy and wanting to get to the finished product. It took forever to get through the basting and making the zipper panel, but I had everything ready so it went very smoothly.

Friesan Pouch zipper panel
Friesan Pouch zipper panel

I used the zippers Julie got me for my birthday. I was able to put the zipper heads on (using my zipper head tutorial) with the zipper heads that Julie included in my gift and I think they look really good. I am ridiculously pleased with how the zipper panel came out.

I used two different fabrics (from my trip to Portland), one for each side of the zipper, because I used on fabric for each side of the pouch. I hope it comes out like I imagine it.

I am in the process of installing the zippers on the outside pockets.

Musing on the Friesan Pouch

Friesian Pouch by Sara Lawson
Friesian Pouch by Sara Lawson

I bought the templates to make this pouch and is coming up fast on my list.

Sometimes I buy a pattern and it languishes for awhile, then all of a sudden I have a bug in my ear to make it. This happens all the time with Sara’s patterns since buying a Minikins set means that I get 12-13 patterns at once. That is what is going on here.

Fun Pink Zippers
Fun Pink Zippers

This is an interesting pouch because of the way the two sides flap down when you unzip them. As shown in the photo, the front and back of the pouch would be a good place for fussy cutting some great fabric. In my case, I want to make one for myself and, possibly, use those fun pink zippers Julie gave me.There are some black zippers, too, so, maybe a pink and black theme? I thought of pink and turquoise to go with the A Place for Everything Bag, but I am not sure that Philip Jacobs fabric would go with the black zippers. I think I would really like those zippers to pop since they are so awesome.

This makes me think of the Pink Kaffe Quilt. That uses a lot of his fabrics and they go with the pink sashing. Perhaps solid pink for the center and some of the Philip Jacobs fabric for the outsides?

I might make two of these at a time – one for a friend who has been super kind to me lately. I could make  few and get gifts ready for later in the year. We’ll have to see.

The pouch is from Sara Lawson’s Minikins Season 3 group of patterns. Sara Lawson owns the Sew Sweetness website and pattern company. She was kind enough to allow me to use her photo while I muse on fabric choices for this pouch.

I know that you know how much I like her patterns. You can see how many of the Minikins patterns I have made. They even have their own page!

Gift #4: Finished Percheron Pouch

Percheron Pouch Finished
Percheron Pouch Finished

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
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
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.

Percheron Pouch Progress

Percheron Pouch in progress
Percheron Pouch in progress

I am making slow progress on this pouch (which doesn’t seem like a pouch). The thing finally looks like something, but more of a suitcase than a pouch.

I like the finished look of this project, but I am finding it difficult to understand the directions. I know that is crazy when you look at the other complicated projects I have made, but it is true. This project is all sew, then rip, sew, then rip.

Yes, I am using the video. I just don’t understand it.

Percheron Pouch in Process

I started this project some months ago when Sara Lawson had the Percheron Pouch as a project of the month. I cut it out, did some interfacing and then put it away. After making the bowl cozies over the weekend, and moving the pieces of the project around my workroom 834 times, I decided to work on it.

The Percheron Pouch is part of Minikins Season 3. As mentioned previously, the Minikins are series of small pouches and bags that Sara releases periodically. Each series has 12 or 13 patterns and they are mostly great shapes.

The Percheron doesn’t seem like a pouch to me. It reminds me of a ‘train case’. My mother had one. They were intended for cosmetics and small items and the bag was often included as an option with suitcase sets. The one I am thinking of was Samsonite.

I also took the opportunity to use Decovil. I never used this interfacing before and am not 100% clear on 525 vs.526, but so far I like how stiff it makes the top and bottom of the bag. Stay tuned for how it actually works in the finished bag.

Falabella Pouches

Falabella Pouches
Falabella Pouches

A month or so ago, as I waited to start my new contract job, I finished these Falabella Pouches. I didn’t write about them sooner, because they are gifts for my younger (middle) sister and her birthday is today.

She is an artist and has no qualms about asking for what she wants. She wanted something to hold her pens, etc.

The Falabella Pouch is part of Sara Lawson/Sew Sweetness’ Minikins 3 set of patterns. I want to make more of the various Minikins patterns since I bought all three ‘seasons’. Her request helps me with that goal.

 This is a pouch that gets taller if you pull up on the zipper or smaller if you pull down on the zipper tabs (shown vaguely in photos above).

I used ripstop nylon for the inside. If Lil Sissy’s pens open, I wanted some kind of fabric that was marginally cleanable. This was a difficult fabric with which to work. It frayed a lot. Some people said to burn the edges, but I was too chicken to do that.

Large Falabella Pouch
Large Falabella Pouch

This was the first time I used Zipper-by-the-Yard for a project. I bought it specifically for this project, because I found some zipper pulls with the Eiffel Tower on them. Lil Sissy loves Paris, so these are perfect. I used Sara Lawson/Sew Sweetness’ video on adding a zipper head to zipper tape.

I have tried this activity before and never been successful. The video has one trick in particular that makes the activity work. I couldn’t believe how successful I was! I also did not use a fork, which is what Sara demonstrates. I used the self adhesive towel holders** I bought from Amazon. I can see how a fork would work just as well.

I bought the zippers from the Sew Sweetness site and can’t wait to try them again. I want to make another Piebald with a double zipper and now I know I will use this zipper head technique to do it. I know I must sound like an idiot, but I can’t tell you how gleeful I feel about this zipper!

Anyway, I sent these off last week, after admiring them for a few weeks. I hope Lil Sissy likes them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**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.

More I Spys

All the I Spy Pouches
All the I Spy Pouches

I used some of the Anna Maria Horner fabrics I received in the Quilty Box to finish some of the more recent I Spy Pouches. Once I finished the two large ones, I got all the pouches out and rearranged my templates.

I know it seems kind of ridiculous to make pouches for templates. On one hand, I like having them organized. I also like the fabric and enjoy using the coneflower print for something I am going to keep. Finally, the I Spy pouches are quick to make, so rather satisfying.

New Large I Spy Pouches
New Large I Spy Pouches

The two newest pouches are quite wild. I used a couple of the Bright Eyes prints. I didn’t really realize how exuberant the pouches would be using those fabrics. The fabrics clash a little with the coneflowers, unfortunately. Still, I like them and the coneflowers will show up when I put some templates inside.

I have a number of template sets that are too big for these pouches. I can use the same directions to make larger pouches. I just haven’t been up for that lately.

I Spy Pouches

I Spy Pouches
I Spy Pouches

I made some I Spy pouches for my various templates. The I Spy pouches are from Sara Lawson/ Sew Sweetness’s Minikins Season 1. These are not difficult and there are a number of designers, including the Road Trip bag from Crafty Gemini, with similar patterns. I like this pattern, because mostly you don’t sew on the vinyl.

Small I Spy Pouch
Small I Spy Pouch

My idea is to put my acrylic project templates in these pouches. Many people have told me that it is silly to make these for my templates, but for now I am making them anyway. I like the idea of seeing my fabric in use. It makes me happy. I may stop at some point, but for now I am making them.

I thought the small pouch would fit my Falabella pouch templates, from Minikins Season 3, but it is a little small. There are several pieces of the acrylic templates and they are a little too thick for the small pouch. I think the medium might fit the Falabella pouch templates better. I’ll make either the medium or the large for these templates. In the meantime, they won’t fall out.

Large I Spy Pouch
Large I Spy Pouch

I am also thinking about making some of these for my upcoming La Passacaglia project. I may need some larger ones for the EPP sections of the La Passacaglia project. I’ll have to see.

This large pouch is 10.5×8 inch and I think I might need an even larger size for EPP. I’ll have to see when the first installment of the La Pass instructions come out. It fits the Piebald Pouch acrylic templates very well.

Medium I Spy Pouch
Medium I Spy Pouch

The medium pouch fits the Hackney pouch, also from Minikins Season 3, templates pretty well.

These are a pretty quick sew and very satisfying. If I had a bag in which to clip them, I could easily add a leash with a lobster clip to keep them in the bag. That is something to think about for another day.

Mustang Purse Organizers Finished

Mustang Purse Organizers
Mustang Purse Organizers

I finished these organizers at the end of April, but I couldn’t show you until today. They are gifts for my mom for Mother’s Day. As I mentioned yesterday, she opened her gifts early when I saw her on Friday. Good thing I got them done early!!!

Purse Organizers were a special request. As I said, I was showing her the new Minikins Season 3 patterns and she immediately saw these and loved them. I had already made her a gift, but I have put that item aside for her birthday.

Large Mustang front and top
Large Mustang front and top

There are two sizes. She can choose the one that works best for her handbag or tote bag. She already has an idea of how she will use these. Someone said that using these for a tote bag would be a good idea. It never occurred to me, but I have to agree. How often do you scrabble around in your tote bag for whatever it is you need. I’ll need to think about whether one would work in the bag I take to quilt shows.

Small Mustang front
Small Mustang front

For these pouches, I used Laurel Burch fabric that I purchased to make items for Mom. I know it doesn’t go with the Artist Paint tube fabric, but these won’t be with the items I make for her to take to Sew Day. I made an effort to fussy cut well so the cats faces would show. The fabric has two sizes of cats, so I used the small cats on the small pouch and large cats on the large pouch. I am pretty happy with the fussy cutting.

Small Mustang -mesh pocket
Small Mustang -mesh pocket

One thing I didn’t think about was the outside pockets. I realized that the outside pockets would cover up the cats, so I omitted them. It means fewer pockets. I made a note on my pattern and will use the main fabric for those pockets next time.

Large Mustang -mesh pocket
Large Mustang -mesh pocket

One side of both pouches already has mesh, which obscures the cats, but doesn’t cover them up completely. In my large version, the cats look like they are peeking over the edge of the mesh. Total luck, but cute, don’t you think?

A lot of people don’t like mesh pockets, because items get caught. I don’t mind them. One has to pick carefully what to put in them.

Large Mustang - interior
Large Mustang – interior

Even without the outer slip pocket, these bags have a lot of pockets. In addition to the mesh pockets, there are two slip pockets, a zipper pocket and two pleated pockets.

I am a little concerned about how much can be put inside as the Organizers look so slim, but I hope Mom can put enough in to make them useful.

I am also ridiculously pleased with the grab handles. Aren’t they cute?

There is no top to this pouch, so everything will fall out if it is tipped over. I hope Mom likes these pouches and they work for her.

 

More Mustang Purse Organizer

I am making two of these purse organizers because I am not sure of the sizes. I made good progress over the weekend, after I was finished with the Rings top.

Zipper Pocket- Mustang
Zipper Pocket- Mustang

I am enamored of the way this bag goes together. The photo above shows the center of the pouch. Unlike the Sew Together Bags and the All Rolled Up Tote, this zipper pocket is fully enclosed. The edge of the zipper pocket, however, is not enclosed in the seam allowance so there is less of an issue with layers being too thick to go through the machine.

I haven’t put the whole thing together, but that is the next step.

Many of the Minikins patterns come with multiple sizes. This one comes with two sizes and I am making both at once.

Mustang Purse Organizer

Cutting out the Mustang Purse Organizer
Cutting out the Mustang Purse Organizer

The Mustang Purse Organizer is another project from Minikins Season 3. I decided to try out the pattern to give as a gift. I am making both sizes so the recipient can choose which works best in her handbag.

I started cutting them out at Craft Night earlier this week. I had other things to do, so didn’t get to spend the whole time on this pattern. I was able to cut out and interface the main exterior panels. I also cut out grab handles for both sizes.

There are so many great patterns in Season 3 (no affiliation!). There are really interesting shapes. It is also interesting to see how the different sizes of each pattern sew up.

Piebald Finished

Piebald Pouch - closed
Piebald Pouch – closed

I have undoubtedly become a Sew Sweetness groupie. I want to spend time making all of the projects I have in my library.

The Piebald Pouch is my first finished project from Minikins Season 3. I have to say that it went better than many of my other pouch and small bag projects. For whatever reason, all of the pieces and parts went together smoothly and I had very little trouble.

Except for the front panel. You can see that I didn’t line up the flowers properly, so the ones on the front panel are sideways. I still like it.

The pouch is a little bit of an odd shape. This one is for me and I am not sure how I will use it.

Piebald Pouch - open
Piebald Pouch – open

This was a fairly easy sew. I started it last week and would have finished it sooner, but have been so swamped that I just didn’t have a moment. It was fun and a charge to finish it on Sunday.

Piebald Pouch Progress

Piebald Pouch in Progress
Piebald Pouch in Progress

I started my first project from Minikins 3, the Piebald Pouch. I like the shape. I know you can’t tell the same from these weird pieces. Upper right hand corner holds the top.

Despite the plethora of zippers I have, I didn’t have one for this pouch. I will soon, however. In the meantime, I am making as much progress as I can.

My idea is to update SIL’s yarn minder with this pouch.  This version is not it. I want to make it for myself first, then hack it. The yarn minder version will include a shoulder strap and a double head zipper.

Check out the finished project on Sara Lawson’s Minikins page.

I-Spy Pouch Finished

I-Spy Pouch Finished
I-Spy Pouch Finished

I might be having a fit of reorganization. At least you might be thinking that after seeing yesterday’s post and reading today’s. I am sort of.

I have a number of acrylic templates for various projects. Many are for pouches and bags that I will make over and over. They come in thin plastic bags. Ideally I would like a set of map drawers in which to store them. Until I can take over the entire house, that isn’t happening. I have been looking at various bag patterns for ideas on how to store them.

I-Spy Pouch Finished with templates
I-Spy Pouch Finished with templates

This is my first attempt. The I-Spy pouch from Sew Sweetness’ Minikins Season 1 fits my templates for a Minikins Season 2 project called the Day Trip Wallet. Not all of my templates will fit in the various sizes of the I-Spy pouch, but some will and that is a start.

The pattern comes with 3 sizes (this is the medium size). It is a very quick sew, so I can look through my other templates to see which will fit in the various sizes. I am thinking I can easily adjust the sizes to fit other templates. Finding the right-sized zipper will be the challenge if I change the size. I have a bunch of different sizes, so I should be able to manage.

Yoko Saito's Natural Patchwork bag
Yoko Saito’s Natural Patchwork bag

I am still looking for a bag pattern with slots in different sizes that I can just slide the templates into and not worry about resizing. I have been looking at Yoko Saito’s bags, especially this rectangular bag from Natural Patchwork. It might be too small, but I like the shape. I’d have to make different blocks for the front.