Tag Archives: Some challenges

Project #7: Bird-Watcher Messenger Bag

Posted on by
A great way to highlight gorgeous fabric like this Joel Dewberry Herringbone print!

A great way to highlight gorgeous fabric like this Joel Dewberry Herringbone print!

Talk about a productive morning! I got most of my todo list crossed off and I completed sewing this messenger bag, all before lunch!

The New Handmade is a book with a good mix of projects, including many smaller, patchwork items. I like some of the projects, but absolutely hate the way the patterns are written.

For example, this messenger bag is written with instructions like “cut 2 from olive bird print fabric”. Another problem was orientation. There are many pieces and without knowing where they will be placed, it is hard to orient how I should cut them.

I stopped following the instructions after having built the front of the bag, I just couldn’t seem to grasp the concept and figured I could make it work on my own from there. Obviously, that worked out just fine. If I make this again (and I probably will) I would make it a bit bigger and reduce the length of the strap.

Open the messenger bag to reveal my own Innocent Crush!

Open the messenger bag to reveal my own Innocent Crush!

Book: The New Handmade: Simple Sewing for Contemporary Style (That Patchwork Place)

Project: Bird-Watcher Messenger Bag

Fabric: main fabric is Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow – Herringbone in Berry (from Etsy seller StitchCraftShop) and the lining fabrics are from Anna Maria Horner Innocent Crush line (from Etsy seller PatternCrush)
Notions: Quick release clip and heart button
Thread: Gutermann 100% polyester col:

Difficulty: Some challenges
Sew again: Yes, with changes

Project #5: Power Tie

Posted on by
The Beatles power tie!

The Beatles power tie!

I don’t know why or how, but I have over 6 meters of a Beatles quilting cotton. Actually, I do know why; I let my husband come shopping with me at Fabricville once and he decided that buying the rest of a bolt of fabric made sense. That was the last time I brought him with me!

What better way to show my appreciation for his taste in fabric than to sew him up a tie? It just so happens that S.E.W. has just such a project detailed within its pages! This tie is a little wider than my preference and definitely stiffer than I like my ties to be, but for my husband, this is just perfect. The most challenging part is pulling the tie to the right side, partly due to the stiffness from the interfacing.

I like this book because the instructions are very clear and easy to follow. The author takes the time to detail every step and offers many tips and ideas to perfect the outcome. Each project is labeled by difficulty, but I’ve found that most of the projects in this book are quite easy to complete.

Book: Sew Everything Workshop: The Complete Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide with 25 Fabulous Original Designs

Project: Power Tie

Fabric: The main fabric is A Yellow Submarine quilters cotton by Cranston Villiage purchased at Fabricville but the musical lining unknown.
Supplies: non-woven Pellon interfacting
Thread: Gutermann 100% polyester col:

Difficulty: Some challenges
Sew again: Yes with changes

Project #4: Lucy’s Kimono

Posted on by
Lucy's kimono fits a newborn to 3 month old.

Lucy’s kimono fits a newborn to 3 month old.

Since it is still the weekend, I thought the most appropriate pattern book to move on to next was Weekend Sewing. This book has a good number of projects that could be completed in a leisurely weekend, so most of the projects are easy and I like the little weekends inspirations sprinkled throughout. This book also has thick two thick paper pattern glued to the front and back of the book (like the Oliver + S Little Things to Sew book) and each pattern piece is outlined in a different colour making them a little easier to find.

The Lucy’s Kimono is only three pattern pieces and takes up a little less than 1/2 yd of fabric. It’s why I chose this project even though I am not expecting and I don’t know anyone who is. Most of the projects in Weekend Sews require quite a bit of fabric or are just too simplistic; like the napkins, tablecloth or tent.

Really cute, and it would make an adorable sake bottle cozy!

Really cute, and it would make an adorable sake bottle cozy!

Sewing together the kimono is pretty straight forward but I don’t like all the unfinished edges for a baby garment. Nowhere in the instructions is there anything about finishing the seams! In the end, I zigzags all the side and shoulder seams before sewing, I don’t love that solution, and next time I might try encasing each seam with bias tape.

Speaking of bias tape! The instructions for the ties were horrendous! I still don’t get it! And I loathe the illustrations, there are just terrible and confusing. My last complaint? There was no way to tell which way to put the sleeves on! I guessed it was the short end out, but I can’t be certain. I am almost tempted to return it because I don’t see myself using it again, it’s too frustrating.

Book: Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching

Project: Lucy’s Kimono

Fabric: Alexander Henry‘s Bauhaus in Berry (Etsy shop PoppySeedFabrics)
Notions: 1/4″ bias tape in peach (antique)
Thread: Brother 100% polyester col: pink

Difficulty: Some challenges
Sew again: Yes with changes

Project #3: Footstool Slipcover with Piping

Posted on by
This slipcover has nice piping detail.

This slipcover has nice piping detail.

A little more than a month ago I bought a sewing desk and stool set at the Salvation Army. The desk was in great condition, but the stool top; the cushion , was a duct taped mess. I originally thought about just ripping off and redoing the cushion, but then, I came across this footstool slipcover in a new book called Stitch Savvy  and felt that this would make a better solution.

As with most slipcover patterns, you need to do the measuring and mathematics yourself. My advice, triple check everything, because it is easy to make a mistake. Once measured you’ll need to figure out the size to cut out. This stool is rectangular, so it is important to make sure you sew your “tube” together correctly. I didn’t see any mention of this in the pattern instructions.

Footstool cover

Fresh and oh-so-very-me!

I would say the most challenging part is adding the piping. It’s a scary task, but it’s more a matter of going slowly than really being “hard to do”. By taking my time and making sure everything lined up nicely, I think I got a fairly good result.

One thing that perplexed me about this pattern was the use of packaged bias tape to make the piping. I don’t get it? If I am going to buy bias tape, well, I might as well buy the pre-made piping, at stores here, they are the same price (bias tape and piping). If I am going to make the piping myself, I might as well make the bias tape myself too. That’s my thought process.

Book: Stitch Savvy: 25 Skill-Building Projects to Take Your Sewing Technique to the Next Level

Project: Footstool Slipcover with Piping

Fabric: “Wild Things” canvas (from Fabric.com)
Notions: Piping in light blue
Thread: Gutermann 100% polyester col: 10

Difficulty: Some challenges
Sew again: Probably not