Summer Garden Felted Bag

I bought a Kit for this bag at Spotlight in Whyalla yesterday.
I knitted the bag last night and the handles today.
It had a hot wash in the washing machine and ....

Here it is finished. A felted bag.

The Kit was by Yarn Bee designed by Chrissie Day.
It contained all the wool and knitting needles and I got it on special for $9.95.

I went to Whyalla to visit here.
And yes we have adopted!
Our new little girl comes home next Sunday.
She needs to be de-sexed before she can come home.
She may no longer be on the site but her name was Skye.
We are going to name her Scruff.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Folding Bag tutorial..

Here in South Australia the plastic bag is about to be banned. The 'green' bags they sell at the supermarkets are not washable and pretty bulky. This handy shopping bag folds into it's pocket. Making it tidy to carry around in your handbag.

You need:
Cotton fabric for bag 16.5 inches by 42 inches
Contrast scrap for the pocket 9.5 inches by 11 inches
Sewing machine,
Overlocker (optional)
Threads, scissors, pins etc

Cut from bag fabric:
One Body of bag 16.5 inches by 34 inches
Two Handles 4 inches by 16.5 inches

Cutting Guide:

Cut the pocket 9.5 inches by 11 inches
Fold in half length wise.
Sew down each of the short ends.

Turn the pocket, pushing out the corners.

Fold the bag in half, longwise.
Position the pocket onto the front, 8 inches above the bottom fold of the bag
Place the raw edge at the top and pin the pocket.
Make sure you only sew the pocket on the front of your bag not through both layers ;)

Sew the raw edge of the pocket into place a 1/4 inch from the raw edge.

Fold the pocket up over the raw edge.
Pin into place.

Sew around 3 sides of the pocket, leaving the top open.


Sew another line of stitches 1/4 up from the bottom of the pocket.
This encloses the raw seam, so it won't be seen when you turn the pocket when you fold the bag.

Fold your bag up, with right sides together and sew a 1/4 inch seam along each side.
You can use an overlocker here or a straight seam and zig zag the seam allowance together for strength.

Fold a double hem at the top of your bag.
Fold over 1 inch and then over again 1 inch.
You really need to do this to add strength to your bag. This reinforces the handles.

Cut the handles 16.5 inches by 4 inches
Press them in half lengthwise
Bring the raw edges to the middle and press
Fold over again, four layers of fabric.

Top stitch down both sides of the handles.

Position the handles.
I mark the center of the bag and placed the handles 2.5 inches from the center pin.
Place the handles with the raw edge towards the top of your bag, 1/4 from the top.

Sew the handles with a straight stitch
Make sure you backstitch and secure this row of stitches.

Flip the handles up and sew them again.
This time with a Box and cross to make them nice and secure.
Be gentle with your machine this is pretty tough going.
There are 11 layers of fabric at the base of those handles!

This is a box and cross - in case you weren't sure.
Attach the other handle and your done.

Folding your bag into the pocket

Turn the pocket to the table. Fold the sides towards the center.

Fold the top down and the bottom up.

Push the bag into the pocket as you turn the pocket inside out.
And you are ready to shopping.

My pocket is wide. You can make the pocket narrower if you prefer. The pockets would look nice with a cute stitchery on them. Personalise them as a gift for a friend.

Sewing for the boys.

One of my favorite pattern books. An oldie but a goodie!
The boys have been humbugging me to make them some clothes.
They complain the girls get all mummy's sewing eforts.

Two t-shirts for Liam

Two pairs of shorts and a T-shirt for James.

They seem pretty happy with their Mummy made clothes

This is how I get some sewing time.
THE NEGLECT-O-MATIC
It amuses Michael for at least 10 minutes.

Eight Pointed skirt tutorial - child size (updated with Toddler sizing)

Here is a simple skirt that will delight a little girl. Very quick and economical to make.
You will need:

• An overlocker and a sewing machine, plus all the threads scissors etc.
• Butchers paper, pencils and rulers for drafting your pattern .
• A nice light fabric for the skirt. I used sari silk in this one but voile, light cottons, chiffons work well
• A stretchy ribbing for the waistband. Make sure it's super stretchy.

Make The Pattern

Cut a 24 inch square out of paper. Fold it into quarters.

Draw the center 3 inch radius circle. I used a ruler to help.

Cut the center circle out. cut an opening into your pattern along one of the fold lines.
That is the pattern done.

Making The Skirt

Lay the pattern on doubled fabric and cut two.

Fold the fabric and pattern up and cut the center out.
Cut the opening.

open the pieces out. The openings you cut are the side seams of the skirt.
With the fabric right sides together sew the side seams.

Cut the waistband, 18 inches by 6.5 inches of stretchy ribbing.

sew the short sides of the waistband together.
Fold the waistband in half enclosing the seam.

with pins mark the skirt and waistband into quarters.
Then pin them together matching the pins.

Sew the waistband to the skirt. Stretching the ribbed waistband to fit.
I used a small zigzag stitch.

The waistband is now in.

Finish the hem with a rolled hem. I used my overlocker

Finished.

This tutorial has only one layer of fabric for the skirt.
I used two layers of fabric in this version. The top layer in that version was cut as two 22 inch squares. The two layers had their side seams sewn separately and then were basted at the waist together and then joined to the waistband.

edit : The ribbing waistband here has stretched. I'm going to add some elastic into the next one I make , or buy a better ribbing with good recovery.

Toddler Size

Miss D.K models the toddler sized skirt

The pattern for this is two squares of 16 inches with a circle of radius 1 and 3/4 inches cut from the center.
The overlay skirt is cut as two squares of 14 inches
The waistband was cut 17 inches by 6 inches.
It was constructed the same as the child's size.

D.K's Mum, Janene, sewed this little skirt.
She fell in love with my overlocker, it was the first time she had sewn a rolled hem.