My Blogiversary and a Giveaway

Can't believe it's that time again!
I have been blogging for a ((little)) while now and it doesn't really feel like it has been that long.

Looking back through some of my posts I can see how much I've grown as a blogger.
Not really my typing/wording but how much my photographs and sewing has come along.
Let's be real here; I'm not winning a Pulitzer anytime soon.

I thought I would share a few of my favorite and most viewed pages before getting to the giveaway.

Most Viewed

Making a musketeer hat

Followed a close second by my tutorial on
how to make this bag

The Retro Metro Bag

(see those awful photo's I was talking about??)

My favorite things on the blog that I sewed

The whole musketeer ensemble

for Halloween that year.

Something I sewed (and loved) but he only
wore one other time

Greenpoint Cardigan

Now that we've completed our walk down memory lane...

THE GIVEAWAY!!

I am giving away 2 Wishes by Moda charm packs

and 3 spools of my favorite Gutermann threads

in color 20,22 and 102

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A 100th Post Giveaway and Make Something! Reveal

 

So now it is Week #4 of the Sew can she Its A New Year Sew Along

 

and I've been busy (still) prepping for Kids Clothes Week which starts Monday.

 

I'm done with the Make Something! step for Sew Can She sew along.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to do a tote bag with the sewing

 (red and kona bone) log cabins.

 

I am going to use this as my library bag.

 

I read...A LOT and I could really use a bag

 to keep them in so I don't misplace one.

 

I used some scraps to make the bag lining and the straps.

I also used some non-fusible heavyweight interfacing I had left over from the musketeer hat I made A LONG time ago.

 

 

Who doesn't love a scrap-tastic project?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second thing I made was pillow with the other set of logs I did.

On the back of the pillow (I apologize no photo) I did a invisible zip in the center of it.

 

At some point a spot cleaning the pillow just ain't gonna get it done, ya know.

So being able to remove it was a must in my opinion.

I used this FANTASTIC foot-the Invisible Zipper Foot.

 

 

 

I got mine off Amazon DIRT cheap even with shipping.

Totally worth it.

I just can't figure out why in the world did I struggle

for so long installing a zip with out one???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyhow on to the reveal!

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

In closing I would like to have a giveaway in honor of my 100th post.

 

 

 

I'm giving away from my own stash a mix of things to replenish your supply after KCW maybe?

1 French Curve

3-14" jacket zippers (Navy, Black and Beige)

1-20" HEAVY duty black reversible zipper

4 Cones of blue Maxilock

4 Cones of white Maxilock

12 Jean tacks (jean buttons-you'll need a hammer to install these)

5-3" jean zippers (Camel, Dark grey, Green, Medium Blue and Brown)

 

Just enter using the rafflecopter and the winner will be emailed

 and given 3 days to respond before I draw another name.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pumpkin Playdough

So today is Little Man's Halloween party and we were in charge of the treat bags for 20 2-3 yr olds!

We put in some random little toys from JoAnn's and I made ghost bags with white lunch bags and black card stock eyes and mouth. I decided that I needed one more homemade thing and decided on pumpkin playdough. I have seen this ALL OVER the place and decided I could adapt  own recipe from my basic 'dough recipe. 

I thought as a last minute Halloween post-I should share it with you!

To make 20 palm-ish sized pumpkins of dough (lol) you need:

2 c. Flour

1 c. Salt

1 tsp. Cinnamon

4 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1 tsp. Allspice

2 c. H20 

2 Tbs. Veggie oil

Yellow and Red food coloring

Directions

 

Mix dry ingredients in a large sauce pan or pot, mix with a whisk  until well blended.

Add wet ingredients and mix until blended. I used 28 drops yellow and 12 drops red food coloring.

Put pan on burner over medium heat and with a rubber spatula stir constantly-even if it feels like your arm is about to fall off! It took me about 6 minutes or so for the dough to form a dough. Try not to over cook it (it gets to dry)

Turn out when it cools a little on a clean counter top and kneed until smooth. 

Roll the pumpkin into a log and cut in half, cut that in half, then into fifth's to make 20. Roll into little balls.

I put mine in sandwich baggies tied off with green ribbon "stem" and drew on little pumpkin faces. 

These will keep about a week; if it gets a little to dried out you can dampen your hands and roll again.

Ever have one (or two) of those days?

Ugghhh!

So between the regular job and the home/family time I just DO NOT feel like sewing.

I know tomorrow or the next day I'll get back in the swing of things. I have my pattern pieces traced for my undershirt for my Halloween costume ready to go-ready for placement and cutting so I know once I actually sit down I'll knock it out. 

I figured I would share my upcoming projects I wanted to do:) 

Who doesn't need some inspiration?

So the first thing I want to do is these boxer brief's that I found at Sew A Straight Line.  I feel like I say this a lot but it is another FABULOUS blog and you should totally check her out and poke around her blog.

 It never ceases to amaze me the talented bloggers out there

I want to do them in this fabric I got at Jo-Ann Fabrics.

Can I say I just love this fabric-totally "boy" but not baby-boy.

I'll probably make a matching long sleeve tee-shirt with this fabric too. Maybe a raglan sleeve in red? I did one one the motorcycle jacket and I love the retro-esque look:)

I also want to do somethings with thrifted sweaters now that it is getting chillier!

Like these mittens, pillows and wine bags (MAYBE all from the same couple of sweaters??)-

 Now to be honest...These are all pinned things in my Pinterest. It is redic sometimes there trying to chase down what blog or websites images come from. The mittens are some asian (japanese/chinese?) site, the wine bottles are from DIYCrafts which is apparently a invite only place (sorry again!), and the pillows are from schmath blog but it looks like it was inspiration for her too. So no original maker there. I would like to be able to give credit where credit is due but...I can't:(  

Anyhow it is Little Man's bed time and then it is mine!!

The Retro Metro Bag

The Retro Metro Bag Tutorial

My very own 31 bag

Supplies Needed:

1 yard canvas fabric

1 coordinating 7” zipper

2 yards ½” twill

2 yards 1” twill

1.5 yards cording

Sheer willpower to figure out my directions and basic sewing knowledge

Step one:  Cut it up!!

Cut out an oval-Mine is 27” across. To make it a perfect oval I used the main basket on my steamer!

Cut out two rectangular pieces  19”x13” (main body of bag)

Cut 2 pieces 3.5”x20. This will be the top edge of your bag that you will fill with cording.

Cut 2 pieces 3x33”. These will become your straps.

Cut 2 pieces 5” x 7.25”. These will become your outer side pockets.

Cut 2 pieces 9”x 8”. These will be your interior zipper pocket.

Cut 2 pieces 3.5”x8”. These will be your pockets attached to the zipper pocket. 

I was cutting as I went because I made up my pattern as I was doing it so no printable PDF of pattern but hey it’s a free tutorial :)

Step two:

I opted to start with something easy : The oval base.

Using WS together serge the edges.

Ta-Da! That wasn’t so hard now was it?

Step three:

Serge your main bag pieces top and bottom then serge the sides together.

I bought a serger a lot for this project!  I have to say I love my Brother 1034-D and would buy another in a heartbeat if it broke.  It is not necessary for this project but it does make things infinitely easier.

 

Step four: Side pockets

Serge the edges of your side pockets. Fold in the sides and stitch. Fold down the top edge and stitch down.

Fold the pocket in half and center on the side seams of the bag body.

 Unfold and pin in place.  I stitched ¼” from the edge and the very edge of the pocket. I stitched twice just for extra stability and strength. Baste stitch the bottom of the pocket to the main body of the bag.

 

Step five: Inner pocket(s)

Cut off 2” off the top of your 9” side of the 9x8 so you have one 7x8 and one 2x8. Serge the edges. This is where you will add your zipper in the normal fashion.

 

Take your 3.5 x 8 inch pieces and serge the edges. Turn down the top 8” edge and stitch down to create your hem. No need to fold the side seams and stitch in.

  Layer your inner pockets and stitch down the center so your lower one creates two credit card slots.  Hem the serged lower edge of the credit card slot/pocket.

 

**As a side note when serging my edges I NEVER take it off and restart; I leave a little tail and make just enough to turn the piece and start the next side. I took pictures of this to  show what I mean…Well at least I hope they are helpful!

Attach the credit card pocket/slot bit to the zippered pocket front. I didn’t measure this exactly-I baste stitched it a finger width below the zipper at the credit slips side seams and double stitched the lower edge.

 With RS together of your pocket serge the edges. Turn pocket and iron flat.

 

After adding the zipper of course the back piece of the pocket is a tad longer-I just let the serger cut that little pit off to make it even.

Step six: Attaching the inner pocket

Fold the bag panel in half to find the center as well as folding the pocket to find the center. Again with the no measuring. I just picked where I wanted the pocket and pinned it in and double stitched the edges.

Step seven: Making and attaching piping

Take your two 3”x 23” pieces and stitch together at the very edge and ¼” in from that line.

 Center your piping in the long strip and using your zipper foot stitch it in close to the cording. 

I never did this before and it was SOOOO easy-DO NOT be intimidated!!

In one step I folded down the top edge of the bag and stitched the piping on.  With pinning it really isn’t that hard.

In this step I switched back to the regular foot just because. I could have used the zipper foot again though.

Step eight: Make pleats

On either side of the bags side seam I made small pleats that included the side pockets and baste stitched down. I made my pleats going toward the side seam. I also made small pleats on the front and back of the bag, two on each side. I did not do these ones until I started pinning the oval base of the bag to the main body of the bag. The size of your oval will determine if you need these and how big they will need to be. 

Step nine:

Attach the base to the body of the bag.

Step ten: Make your straps!

 

With RS together fold in half and serge. Turn your straps and iron flat with seam in the center.

Center your 1” twill to the strap and pin in place. Stitch down.

 

In my pictures you will see that the twill is not as long as my strap! I not once but twice switched the top edge of my bag piece and the strap pieces-Even after I wrote on the pieces.

 It’s a danger when sewing late at night!! 

 I attached the straps with about 3 inches going into the bag and double stitched it in right at the top edge just below the piping and again at the bottom edge. I chose to attach it just outside the corner of the inner pocket and did the other side to match.

Step eleven: A little something

Take your ½” twill and attach to the top edge (outside) of the bag. This part is not true to the original bag but I felt like the bag needed just a little something more.

Step twelve:

ADMIRE