Car Pouch Tutorial

And who hasnt put their hand in their hand bag and pulled out a toy car instead of their ringing mobile?

With this cute little pouch, your child will be able to keep 3 of their favourite cars nice and safely together.

Ready to play with while out and about- waiting for the doctor, on the cafe table, or in the middle of the groccery aisle!

You Will Need:

Outer fabric 17x 24cm
Inner fabric 17x24cm
pocket piece 17x16cm

HOW TO:

1) Fold pocket piece in half to create a rectange 17x8cm, and top stitch along the folded edge.

2) Position on the bottom of the inner layer

3) On the bottom-back of your inner piece, find the middle and mark 1inch either side of it.

This is where you will sew a straight line to create the individual car pockets.
Be sure to go back and forth a couple of times at the top of the pocket to make sure it will hold up against cars going in and out all the time.

4)I will be using a hair elastic and button for the pouches closure, same concept as the Fold-up Shopping Bag.
Snaps can also be put on towards the end, in the two corners if you prefer.

 

5)  Placing fabrics right side together, it is time to pin together and sew around the outside, leaving a turning gap at the top (shown where my fingers are, not sure why my photo is turned at the moment)



6) Snip the corners and turn in the right way. Top stitching the turning hole and all the way around the outside.

7) Positiong the button in place.

And you're DONE!

It's that SIMPLE!

Electronic Fabric Stash

If you haven't already been able to tell, I like to be organised.
It helps me to know where things are, and easily able to see what I have.

And this doesn't stop when it comes to my fabric stash.

I have it folded around corflute (a plastic type cardboard available from most hard ware stores, and also used in signs for realestate and bottle shops) and grouped in boxes according to type and size.
I also place them in to the box standing up right, so that when you take off the lid and peer in, you can see the edge of each fabric and don't have to pull out your wanted piece from the bottom of the stacked pile- because you can guarantee that's where the one you want will always be!

This box is my cotton prints:

This one contains my flannelet, drill and denim: (plus a few misc like stretch and satin that i don't have much of, as i don't like working with it as often)

and these two boxes contain my fat quarters and "scrap" pieces: (I don't keep really scrappy pieces, it has to be decent enough to use on my every day sewing)

As well as my very easy to see-into-boxes, I have also taken photographs of each piece of fabric separately (generally as I buy them so i can stay up to date) and store them on my computer in folder called "Fabric Stash" Again I list them according to type and size. (Yet to write exact measurements, but believe me, I have considered it!)

This way I can sit at my computer and browse what I have and what might work for a project before I need to start unstacking boxes and finding the fabric.

I also get great satisfaction at seeing a piece of fabric "crossed off my list" when I have used up a  piece completely, I simply delete the photo from my records.



How do you store and sort your fabrics?

Easy Fold-up Shopping Bag Tutorial

This is possibly the easiest way to make a fold up shopping bag, that you wont be able to live without 1 (or 3 like myself) in your handbag and car.

You will need:
Either a simple rectangle/square shaped bag you have made, or a premade bag to make it even easier.
1 hair elastic
1 button

HOW TO

1) Find the middle of the back, and sew a hair elastic in place with a few straight stitches back and forth.

2) Turn the bag to face front up

3) Fold the bag, first with handles on top of the bag

4) Fold one 3rd of the bags side in on itself

5) and repeat with the other side

6) Then start rolling from the bottom and find where the elastic will stretch to.

7) Mark with your sewing needle, but dont start sewing the button on until you unfold it, to ensure you one sew through one layer of the bag.

8) Fold back up and secure with elastic around the button.

And you’re DONE!

It's that SIMPLE!

Mini Purse Tutorial

This mini purse is great for loyalty cards, business cards, carry a bit of change, women's products, phone case (maybe add a layer of batting for this) and many more ideas for this cute purse!

You will need:printable pattern piece
1 layer outer fabric
1 layer inner fabric
1 layer of interfacing (or batting if you are making a phone case)
hair elastic and button or snaps

HOW TO

1) layer fabrics right side together, with interfacing/wadding on wrong side of the outer fabric and pin together.
i will be using a hair elastic for closure on this wallet, so place that between the inner and outer fabric, half way along the curved side.

2) Start sewing from the short flat side, all the way around finishing on the shirt side, leaving a turning gap approx the size I am showing between my fingers.

3) Snip corners and turn right way.

4) Top stitch the short straight side, so the turning gap is closed up.

5) Pin the short side up 3.5" towards the curved edge.

6) Start sewing from the folded edge, up the straight, around the curve, and down the other straight side stopping at the fold on the other side

7) Add your button closer, or snaps.
Button and button hole would work, so would Velcro.

And you’re DONE!

It's that SIMPLE!

Sew Very..... Cheap?

Just like sewing doesn't have to be complicated
It also doesn't have to be expensive

I always look for free patterns and tutorials online
It may take a little perseverance to search for what you are after using the right keywords in google.
Sometimes searching in google images helps, as you can see if it matches before clicking a heap of different links.
Or if your happy to browse and let the ideas come to you, Pinterest is a great place to start.


The library is another place I find great for sewing
I have borrowed MANY books that have a pattern fold out in the back.
Or pages with patterns you simple need to photocopy to the size they say.


Finding cheap supplies can be just as easy also.
Sometimes buying in bulk for small notions can work out cheaper. And while you might only need one or two at the time, you'd be surprised how often you would use zips, magnet clasps, key rings and swivel clips etc if you had them on hand!

I find plain coloured homespun fabric is cheaper in my local quilting store then it is to get solid colours from Spotlight or the likes.

And keep an eye out for fabric sales, or destash websites.