Ready to take know EXACTLY what you were created to do? Click here!

life{in}grace

live with more presence, passion, & purpose

homemaking

12 Days of Handmade Christmas|Day 2 Zippered Pouch and Tissue Cozy

by 29 Comments


Welcome my new friend Crystal from the blog Little Bit Funky!  Crystal has a fun blog and a great Etsy shop, also called Little Bit Funky,   full of goodies.   Go visit and shop for some of those Christmas gifts before the madness sets in.  And it will set in.  Take it away dear!

I am a mom to two, wife to my one and only and a daughter of Christ. I love to sew and create and blog and share. I am real and honest and genuinely care. And apparently I can rhyme, too. 🙂 I love to laugh and think I’m pretty funny. I have an addiction to fabric, ribbon and pretty things that I have no intention of getting help for. I’m thankful to be living a downright dreamy life after all I have lived through. God is good. All the time. Love the messy. Love the beautiful.

Thanks for letting me participate!

🙂 Crystal

Who doesn’t love a nice zippered bag? Once you get the hang of making them…they are as easy as one, two, three.  Just get over your fear of zippers…okay?
You can click on any of the photos to make them bigger…
Here is what you will need:
2 pieces of outer fabric (OF) (9 by 6 1/2in)
2 pieces of liner fabric (LF) (9 by 6 1/2in)
iron on fabric stabilizer cut to a slightly smaller size than your
fabric(I got it at Joann’s)
a zipper–this one is 7in
Iron your backing onto the fabric that is going to be the OUTside of your bag.
Ok…you are going to line up the first items to be sewn.
Lay your OF face up.
Lay your zipper centered on the OF and face down.
Lay your LF face down on top of that. (I have this folded back in the photo to show you)
Another view to show you…
Line up the top edges as shown and pin.
Sew along the edge…if you have a zipper foot for your machine…Learn how to use it today.  It really does help.  If you don’t have one…you will have to sew along the side…butting your sewing foot up against the zipper edge…when you get to the pull part of the zipper…with your needle IN the fabric…lift the foot…and wiggle the pull past the needle…then lower the foot and continue on. 🙂 Otherwise you will wonky up your sewing line.
But seriously…if you have a zipper foot that you have never used.  Get to it.  Ok?
When you fold back the OF and the LF this is what it will look like.  You can iron it flat if you want to.
Here is the back.
Then you are going to sew the folds down…use the zipper as your guide.
Now I am going to pretty up the other side of the bag before I sew it to the zipper (you can skip this step and still get a pretty bag)…I’m going to add a ruffle to this one…I like a raw edge so I just cut a piece of fabric yay long and wide.  What ever makes you happy…the longer the piece of fabric…the more ruffle…the more happy your bag will be.  That’s a true statement.
I just centered the ruffle in the middle…and “free ruffled” along the edges as I sewed…tucking in here and there…
Then sew down the opposite side…And we are ready to move on…
Now we’re going to make our next little layering…the SAME as before only now the other side of the zipper will have fabric on it…and make sure OF faces OF and LF faces LF.  Ok? Pin. 🙂 Then sew it just like you did the other side…then unfold and sew it down…just like before.
Here is what we have so far…you see how the ends don’t quite line up…you can trim them a bit to line them up again…and be sure to un-zip your bag half way.  Don’t forget that…ok?
Flip the fabric over and make OF face OF and LF face LF…see photo.
When folding…you are going to want to fold the zipper into a V shape…with the point of the V pointing towards the LF…
Starting about three inches or so from the edge of the bottom of the LF…sew around all sides…leaving a 4in opening on the bottom of the LF…trim corners…
Turn the bag right side out…sew shut the opening in the lining…and tuck into the bag.
Almost done…
I like to use a coordinating color embroidery floss to reinforce the edges of the zipper…using a simple wrap around stitch (whip stitch?).  I actually have another tutorial showing you a different way to do a zipper…coming soon.
Done and done.  You can do this.  I’ll answer questions as best I can in the comment section.
Once you get comfortable making them you can dress them up all sorts of ways…have fun and be creative.  Make away friends.  Fill a shop with them…make them for your friends and family…whatever floats your boat. 🙂
Happy making!

And for a little smaller project, here’s how to make a tissue cozy:

These little cozies are perfect little stocking stuffers or teachers gifts or for your secret santa. 🙂 This project is SUPER easy…I would rate it easy beginner.

1. Start with four rectangles of fabric of your choice, each measuring 5 1/4in by 4in.
2. Lay two of the pieces together, wrong sides together, putting the piece that you want facing OUT (this will be the bottom piece of the cozy) on top.

3. Take the other two pieces and fold them length wise. 4. Lay them on top of the two layered pieces, folded sides facing in. You can pin them together if you would like, I tend to be too lazy for that. 🙂 5. Sew all around the edges about 1/4in in from the sides.
5. Make sure that the two folded sides are flush with each other. 6. I like to trim around the edges to make it nice and neat. Then turn it inside out…or outside in.
7. Insert package of tissues. 🙂 Voila! A fun and easy present. 🙂

Please note that I am not a pro…I am sure that there are fancy professional words that are supposed to be inserted here and there but that’s just not how I roll. 🙂 Let me know if you have any questions and I would be happy to help. 🙂

12 Days of Handmade Christmas|Day 1 Crayon Roll

by 47 Comments


Welcome to my 2nd Annual 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Tutorials!

Spread the word on twitter and facebook that we’re under way with handmade creativity.

You are in for a treat! I am giddy to be able to bring you some of the most talented and inspiring women in the blogosphere,

many of whom I am blessed to call friends.

I couldn’t be more thrilled to showcase my friend Lindsey from The Pleated Poppy.
I met Lindsey last year when we were roomies at Blissdom and she is one creative and productive lady. She will forever be endeared to me as a kind, funny, and genuine soul whose gifts and talents are many. You’ll love her blog and her shop!

Welcome Lindsey 🙂

hi! i’m lindsey and i’m a stay-at-home, part time home schooling mama of 3 littles, 7 and under. when my kids are all snuggled in bed, i am the owner of a small business called the pleated poppy, where i create fun handmade goodies and pretty accessories for everyday, from zippered pouches to checkbook covers and so much more! i am so blessed to be able to spend my days with my kids, and my nights with my sewing machine! being creative recharges me for my days ahead and having a supportive husband who i am madly in love with makes it all the more better!

one of the long time staples in my shop has been crayon rolls.
these are perfect for gifts!
each of my girls have one and silas (2 1/2) has been begging for one, so i made up this adorable one for him. these are great for throwing in your purse, for keeping the littles busy in the car, waiting rooms, restaurants… and when they’re done, they love that each crayon has its own little home
and they can roll it up themselves and secure it with the elastic.
so, are you ready for the tutorial? here you go!
supplies:
2 pieces of same fabric for outside and inside – 5″ x 16 1/2″
1 piece of coordinating fabric for pocket – 6″ x 16 1/2″
1 piece of flannel for lining – 5″ x 16 1/2″
1 coordinating hair elastic
1 button
needle and thread
1 box of 16 crayons (i get mine at walmart)
disappearing ink fabric marker

1. cut out all 4 pieces of fabric

2. fold pocket piece of fabric in half length-wise and iron flat.
i have found that it helps to actually PLUG IN the iron, and not the nearby vacuum cord.
crazy how that works!

3. lay out flannel piece.
its just a lining to give the roll a little more stability.
then lay one of the 5″ wide pieces on top of the flannel (wrong side down),
then pocket piece on top of that, lining up all bottom edges.
pin at the ends.
4. find the midpoint of the pocket at 8 1/4″.
with your fabric marker and a straight edge, mark the middle line.
5. then make a line every inch, until all 15 lines have been drawn.
see how the space after the last lines on each side is a little wider than 1 inch?
that’s to allow for the seam allowance.
6. now stitch down the pocket.
i start at the center line, 1/4″ below the top of the pocket, and back stitch (very important!),
then run your stitch all the way down.
work your way down the lines to the right, then to the left, until all lines are stitched down.
trim threads.

7. if you have a tag to add, do it now.
also stitch down the elastic on the far right side.
i take the seam part of the elastic (where its melted together) and pinch it.
i stitch it down just inside the edge, about a 147 times.
ok, not really but i really want to make sure the elastic holds when little hands are tugging on it.

8. now lay the outside piece on top of all that you have just attached together,
right sides together, and pin at each corner.

9. next stitch all pieces together with a 1/4″ inseam.
start at the short end without the elastic, leaving about a 2″ opening to turn right side out.
i marked my opening so you could see my placement.
clip the corners.

10. turn right side out and gently poke out corners. i like to use a chopstick for this.
11. spray your stitched down pocket lines with water before ironing crayon roll flat.
sometimes if you don’t spray the marker lines,
when you iron it it makes the ink permanent rather than disappearing.
12. press all the edges flat and tuck in the edges of the opening.

13. starting just below the elastic, stitch very close to the outer edge to hold all the pieces together.

14. organize your crayons (my *favorite* part!) and tuck into pockets.

15. roll up tight.
gently stretch the elastic to find where the button should be sewn down.
sew on the button securely.
16. you’re done!
find a cute little one to give this to and make their day!

i so hope you enjoy this little project!
thank you for reading through this very long tutorial,
and thank you edie for inviting me to be a part of your fabulous 12 handmade days of christmas!
xoxo
lindsey

Mini Me

by 19 Comments

There’s no danger of  losing this one in the airport.
mini me
Just look for the girl with the flower pin in her hair, jeans-tucked-in-boots, various colorful bags,  bohemian layered clothing,  taking  photos of EVERYTHING.

That, my friends…..

is my mini me.

Do you have one too?

12 Days of Handmade Christmas Preview|Rosette Tutorial

by 21 Comments

It’s almost that time!

I can hardly wait til Monday.  We’ve had a few glitches but I don’t function well unless there’s a healthy amount of controlled chaos.

Thank you for your prayers.   We’re enjoying time with our family after the passing of Steve’s 95 year old grandpa—who lived a long, wonderful life and died with faith in Christ as his Savior.

This ‘preview’ tutorial is brought to you by Emme, our energetic and crafty ten year old.   She’s our official rosette maker and loved making this tutorial for you.

I helped a little but I’m thinking pretty soon those little girls will be able to run this blog for me.

Maybe that’s how Pioneer Woman does those 12 posts a day!

Materials:

long strips of 1 inch fabric (it doesn’t really matter how long they are because the longer they are, the larger the rosettes)

hot glue gun

willing and able 8 and 10 year olds

We lucked up and found huge bolts of premade bias tape at our fabric store.  I think this store custom-makes their won bias tape to use on quilts.

rosette tutorial

Just keep wrapping and wrapping until it’s the size you like.  You can turn the fabric with every 1/2 twist around the rosette or fold it in 1/2 as you twist it.   Folding it in 1/2 (which is how emme makes them) results in thin rosettes.

I turn the fabric first one way and then the other as I twist, which makes them ‘poof-ier’ and less perfect (which is what I like).

(i just realized I don’t have the last 2-3 pics with me at present so I’ll just explain it and upload them later—and we made a very long video but i don’t have it with me either 🙁   i’ll have to upload it later this week)

Then cut our felt circles that are slightly smaller than your rosettes and glue them to the back of the rosette.

Add a pin or a hairclip with a dab of hot glue and you’re done!

or you could make a smiley face pumpkin

P.S. You could be fussy and take the time to remove all the glue that shows through. Or you could be fussy and glue mostly to one side so that it doesn’t show through. But we’re not fussy crafters. We’re a little chic and a whole lot of shabby.

on a monday

by 36 Comments

in my hand…..

on my nightstand….

on my desk…..

on my camera strap…….

on my sewing machine…..

off my sewing machine……

on my sidewalk…..

on my cakestand…..
in our art class (we did art first today because—-well, it’s monday) rainbow leaf painting  found via whatever……

from my deck…..

on my thighs…..

the end.