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http://foofanagle.wordpress.com/2007/06/26/bagsket-tutorial/

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::Bagsket Tutorial::

June 26, 2007

At long last, the promised Bagsket Tutorial.

First off, thank you Claudine for posting her inspirational bag.
Full credit must also go to Diana. She and I worked through the first bag together and her guidance was invaluable. If you’re a knitter, make sure to check out her amazing FREE knitting patterns.
And finally, thanks susankg53 for the name…it’s perfect!

This is a great project for your scraps and I hope you have fun with it. As I’ve stated before, I am NOT an expert seamstress by any means, so I’m sure I’m doing things bass ackwards all over the place.

I would love love LOVE to see what you come up with.

This is a long tutorial with a fair number of pics. If anything is unclear, please email me (foofanagle at gmail dot com) and I’ll be happy to clarify. For those of you who are quick and crafty, here’s a summary of the steps…it may be all you need.

SUMMARY
Cut and assemble pieces
Sew basket (bottom, side, together)
Sew handles and add to basket
Add trim to pocket, sew pocket to inside lining, sew pockets
Iron drawstring flap and sew down top ends for neat drawstring opening
Sew down drawstring flap
Sew drawstring bottom to interior lining top
Sew lining to basket
Trim top of Bagsket and thread drawstring
Ta da!

Read on for the full tutorial in all of it’s badly photographed glory. (you can click on the photos to see a larger version)

Did I mention I’d love to see any bags you make using this tutorial?

::Bagsket – The Tutorial::

PIECES (for a bag that approx. 8 inches in diameter and 8.5 inches tall – for 12in diameter bag, see bottom of post)

Basket
9 inch circle of interfacing
9 inch circle of exterior fabric
29.3in x 9in interfacing
29.3in x 9in exterior fabric (top pieced strip = 29.3in x 4.5 in and bottom exterior strip = 29.3in x 5.5 in sewn together lengthwise with a ½ inch seam allowance.)

Bag
9 inch circle of interior fabric
29.3in x 9in interior fabric
29.3in x 4.5in interior fabric (pocket)
30.3in x 7in interior fabric (drawstring top)

Handles/Trim
2in x 15in (x4) of handle fabric
2in x 14in (x2) of interfacing
30 in of pocket lining double-fold trim
30 in of exterior top double-fold trim
30 in of rickrack, ribbon or trim

NOTES
Use a heavy interfacing like Timtex. I didn’t make it fusible, but that could potentially help when sewing the fabric to the interfacing.
Seam allowances for basting and seaming are different to ensure basting stitches don’t show

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Assemble your pieced strip. Have fun with this. It doesn’t really matter how many fabrics or angles etc that you use as long as you end up with the correct sized piece at the end. You can make the whole exterior pieced or use just two fabrics and on and on. If desired, sew decorative trim to exterior fabric. Play now (because the rest is a bit of work!)

Basket Construction:
Pin exterior bottom fabric to interfacing circle (wrong side of fabric to interfacing)

Baste together with a 1/3in seam allowance. We’re basically just holding the fabric to the interfacing. If you have fusible interfacing, you can skip the basting.

Pin exterior fabric to the interfacing rectangle
Baste together with a 1/3in seam allowance

With right sides facing, pin and sew the short ends of the side piece together with a ½ in seam allowance, forming a cylinder
Press seam to one side

Mark the 4 points on both the bottom and side piece.
(You can fold the circle/cylinder in half, mark the crease at each end, open and refold so the pins are together and mark the creases again.)

Line up a pin on the bottom with a pin on the side and pin together (making sure the interfacing side is on the outside on both the side and bottom)

Line up the remaining markers and pin the bottom to the side. Pin generously to ensure the pieces don’t slip apart as you sew.

Sew together the bottom and side piece with a 1/2in seam allowance. Make sure your seam “covers” the basting stitches (that’s why there’s a difference in the seam allowance when basting vs. seaming. Or you can do it haphazardly like I did and pick out the basting stitches later. That’s sooo much fun!
Here’s what the stitching should kinda look like…

This will take a bit of fiddling and manipulating. When you sew over the side seam, you may need to get a “running start” on your machine so that it powers through. If you have a walking foot…use it!

Turn the bucket right side out. I iron the sides of the bucket once more to smooth out the wrinkles that are inevitable when you turn the bucket.

Handle construction:
(I’m sure there’s a better way to do this…but this is how I made mine. And apparently I forgot to take pics of this step…but is pretty much exactly what I did for the headbands.)
With right sides of handle fabric facing, place the interfacing strip on top and pin all together
Sew down each side (length wise) wish a ¼ in seam allowance
Trim the seam allowance down to 1/8 in or pink the seam allowance making sure not to snip the stitches
Turn the tube right side out so that the interfacing is between the handle fabric now
Press
Sew down the side of the handle with a 1/8in seam allowance. When you reach an end, tuck the fabric ends in, making sure one side wraps around the raw end of the interfacing.
Turn the corner and sew the ends, turn and sew up the other length of the handle with the 1/8in seam allowance.
Repeat the end treatment on the other end of the handle, sew to your starting point and snip your thread.

Repeat for the second handle.

Attach handles to the side of the basket
Ends of handles should be about 3.5 inches from the top of the basket and about 4 inches apart from each other.
Pin handle ends in place

Sew handles down in a reinforcing square.

It takes a bit of mushing and smooshing to get this done, but you can do it! Iron the sides of the bucket one more time if you think they need it.

PHEW!

Bag Construction

Sew trim to the top of the pocket edge

Sew pocket to lining along the bottom seam and sew (trimmed edge is towards the top)

Sew pocket lines down at whatever intervals you’d like. I like some narrow and some wide pockets to help hold a variety of notions and tools.
Drawstring Top:
Fold in both sides 1/2” and iron (this is so you have a nice opening for your drawstring)
Fold down ¼” from the top of the fabric and iron. If you’re using a print, you should be folding so that the wrong side of the fabric is inside the fold.

Fold down another 1” from the top and iron. This creates the pocket for you to pull the drawstring through.

Sew down the length of the drawstring fold using a 1/8” seam allowance from the folded edge.

With “inside” sides facing, pin the drawstring fabric to the top edge of the side lining and sew together

Line up edges of the inside lining and sew together at the ends (make sure the pockets are in).

**NOTE** Do not sew together the drawstring opening and make sure to line up the drawstring seam line and the top of the pockets when you sew together

Now for a nice clean look, do a pseudo-French seam along the drawstring flap (you don’t need to go all the way down the lining since only the drawstring flap shows both sides of the fabric.)
Basically, fold/roll the seam of the flap back onto itself. Press it down, pin it and sew it down so that the seam and raw edge is enclosed.

(Yeah, I know my instructions on this part are particularly bad.)

As you did with the bottom of the bucket, mark the 4 points of the bottom round and the bottom of the inside lining.

Pin the bottom round to the lining and sew together with a ½” seam allowance

This is what it looks like with the INSIDE out (when you put it in the basket, you’ll want the pockets on the inside.)

Guess what! You’re ALMOST there! Let’s bring it all together now.

Tuck the lining into the bucket. Make sure the drawstring flap is tucked inside the lining.
Pin the lining to the bucket all the way around the top.

Sew along the top (you’re sewing through the bucket and the drawstring/lining side edges) to secure the lining to the bucket using a ¼” seam allowance. The key here is to sew close enough to the top of the bucket so that the stitches won’t show after you apply the binding.

Are you still hanging in there?!

FINALLY…line up the end of the wide trim with the bucket side seam. Sew the trim to the top of the bagsket. Make sure you catch both sides of the trim as you go. Take your time on this…I recommend pinning (I didn’t pin and I regret it since I didn’t catch a couple of spots of the inside trim.) When you reach the end, fold the end of the trim under so you have a nice neat end when you get back to the side seam.

Guess what! You’re all done! CONGRATS!

For a Larger Bag (12 in in diameter and 12 in tall)
Basket
12 inch diameter circle of interfacing
12 inch diameter circle of exterior fabric
38.7in x 12.5 in interfacing
38.7in x 12.5 in exterior fabric (top pieced strip = 38.7in x 5.5 in and bottom exterior strip = 38.7in x 7 in sewn together lengthwise with a ½ inch seam allowance.)

Bag
12 inch diameter circle of interior fabric
38.7in x 12.5 inch interior fabric
38.7in x 4.5 inch interior fabric (pocket)
39.7in x 9 inch interior fabric (drawstring top)

Handles/Trim
2in x 15in (x4) of handle fabric
2in x 14in (x2) of interfacing
38 in of pocket lining double-fold trim
38 in of exterior top double-fold trim
38 in of rickrack, ribbon or trim

Headband

http://foofanagle.wordpress.com/2007/06/12/best-band-ever/

Headband that is. (I’m still working on the Bagsket tutorial…that thing is a beast. So here’s a quick something to tide you over.)

I’m seeing more and more headbands pop up so I decided to take a swing at it myself. I went through at least 20 prototypes before I finally nailed it. These fit perfectly! There’s a WIDE and a NARROW version. The WIDE version has an extreme taper so that you get the full pattern blast at the crown of your head, but it still fits comfortably behind your ears. The NARROW version is simple and easy to make and tapers nicely too.

Want to make your own? Read the full post for the tutorial.

Headband Tutorial

Materials:

• Templates: Headband Tutorial Template Cut out the one (wide or narrow) you want
• 4 inch piece of braided elastic (it’s better than the woven elastic)
• 2 x [4" x 20"] strips of fabric that you love. Use different fabrics so you have a reversible headband
• 1 x [4" x 20"] strip of moderately stiff single-sided fusible interfacing (I tried Timtex – it was too heavy)
• Pins, Iron, Sewing Machine, Coordinating Thread, Blah blah blah

Notes:

• These headbands fit most women’s heads. If you have a smaller head, use 1 inch less elastic.
• Templates include the necessary seam allowances
• I used 100% cotton on my bands, but you could use any ironable fabric you like. I would LOVE to see what you make.
• Stitching the elastic in can be a bit of a bear if your feed dogs don’t catch. Just use the tip of your seam ripper or something pointy and firm to help “guide” the ends under the needle.
• The interfacing is optional. It adds a nice stiffness and shape to the headband, but I made a few without any interfacing and they worked perfectly too.
• I am not a seamstress by any means. My “templates” are pretty amateurish but they work for me and I’ve used them at least 10 times now so I think they’re solid. But consider yourself warned.

Step 1: Gather your materials kids!

Step 2: Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse one strip of fabric (wrong side facing) to the interfacing

Step 3: Fold your strips lengthwise and align the “fold” end of the template on the fold of the strip. Trace and cut or pin and cut both strips. The templates include the necessary seam allowance.

Step 4: Fold down each end of both fabric strips (along the “crease” line on the template) and iron.

Step 5: With right sides facing, pin the strips together and sew along each LONG side using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Do not sew the short ends together. Make sure to reinforce at the beginning and end of each side and take care when you turn the curve when using the wide template. I find keeping the interfaced fabric on top makes the sewing go easier.

Step 6: To reduce bulk, pink along each side taking care not to cut into your seam. Pink up to but not along the short ends. Alternatively, you can can trim the seam allowance to 1/8 inch (don’t cut into the seam itself).

Step 7: Turn your tube inside out and iron flat. The turning is the hardest part of the whole thing. Use a large safety pin to catch the end of the interfaced fabric (don’t go through both layers). Use that pin to help turn the tube rightside out. Take your time…it’s worth it.

Step 8: Stitch along the side of the headband using a 1/8″ seam allowance (or whatever you think looks pretty). When you reach one short end, tuck one end of the elastic about 1/2″ up into one end of the tube. As close to the end of the tube as possible, sew along the end to secure the elastic. Backstitch and then forward stitch to reinforce this join. Continue down the other side of the headband.

Step 9: When you reach the other end, tuck the other end of the elastic into the end of the headband and sew as you did on the other end. Make sure you didn’t “twist” your headband and that the elastic and headband form a nice smooth continuous circle. Reinforce the elastic join at this end too.

Ta-da! A completely reversible, comfortable and secure headband.

Let me know if anything is unclear or if you run into any issues. Cheers! -Suzanne

Roman Shades

No-Sew Roman Shades from Mini Blinds

I have long admired beautiful fabric roman shades (like this one, by designer Ashley Whittaker), but thought they were out of the reaches of my budget. Until my friend Jenny (of the blog Little Green Notebook) came up with a way to make them out of mini blinds. Yes, the gosh-awful metal mini blinds that I have on every window in my little ranch house. I found some fabric I loved, and set about to create some for my bedroom. The first time around didn't go so well, but I've got it down to a science now.

You will need:
Mini blinds
Fabric
Scissors
Fabric glue (such as Fabritac)
Optional: Black-out liner (recommended for printed fabric especially)

Step 1: Let blinds out all the way, and take down from window. Measure the window -- this will be the size of your shade. Optional step: Cut a piece of black-out liner in the exact size of the window. This is essential if you wish to line your shade.

Step 2: Cut your fabric about an inch and a half larger on all sides than the size of your shade. Lay fabric on work surface face down. Optional step: Lay black-out liner on top of fabric and fold edges of fabric over liner and glue with fabric glue.

Step 3: (If you have not already done so with the black-out liner) Fold edges of fabric over and secure with fabric glue, taking care to create a straight edge and maintain the desired size of your shade.

Step 4: Lay your blinds down face-up (you might have to do this step on the floor, as they should be let out all the way at this point). Working from the top down, cut each of the small strings that go between the slats to remove the outside strings on both sides (and possibly in the middle) taking great caution to NOT cut the lift strings. The lift strings are the more sturdy strings that are in the middle of the slats.

Step 5: Decide how many slats (folds) you want to keep by dividing the length of your blinds by 9 or 10 inches. Remember that the top and bottom will count as a fold. So if you need 9 folds, you will keep 7 slats. Remove (but hang on to) the plugs at the bottom of your blind, and slide the bottom and all but the slats you need off the lift strings. Discard the rest of the slats, but keep the bottom piece.

Step 6: Lay your blinds face down on the back of your fabric, and glue the top of the blinds to the fabric. Take care not to glue on or near the lift strings, and leave room at each end to reattach to your window.

Step 7:Measure out and place each of your slats, then begin gluing each of them to your fabric, taking care not to glue the lift string. Then, reattach the bottom by tying new knots in the bottom of the lift string and replacing the plastic plugs.

Reinstall your blinds -- now roman shades! -- and admire your handiwork!

As long as the black-out liner -- or whatever liner you choose -- is on the inside of the lift strings and the slats, your blinds should raise and lower with no problem. I would recommend raising them and making sure the liner folds with the fabric a few times to "train" it to fold properly. Overall, it was a fun project and a great way to get a designer look at a fraction of the price.

Peek A Boo Sack

http://tonicoward.blogspot.com/2010/06/peek-boo-toy-sack-tutorial.htmlThis is a long tutorial...stick with me...if you keep scrolling all the way down to the end, I've got a toy sack to GIVE AWAY! So if you aren't a sewer or want a toy sack without any work, now is your chance to enter :)

"Peek-A-Boo" Toy Sacks Tutorial!!!

To make a "Peek-A-Boo" Toy Sack, you will need:
One 10 3/4" x 12 1/2" rectangle of fabric cut from exterior and lining for front of bag
One 2 1/2" x 12 1/2" rectangle of fabric cut from exterior and lining for front of bag
Two 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles of fabric cut from exterior and lining for front of bag
One 16 3/4" x 12 1/2" rectangle of fabric cut from exterior and lining for back of bag
One 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" rectangle cut from tablecloth plastic for window
One 1 1/2" x width of the fabric (40"-44") strip cut from contrast fabric for drawstring
One 2" x width of the fabric (40"-44") strip cut from contrast fabric for casing

FYI:
* Exterior fabric is blue/white zigzag
* Lining fabric is white
* Casing and drawstring fabric is red
* Plastic window is clear PVC "tablecloth" plastic - this comes in 3 thicknesses (from Spotlight), I use the middle thickness because it is strong but thin enough to use your regular sewing machine needle on.


Step 1.
Take one of the 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles of fabric cut from exterior and lay on the table with right side facing up. Take your rectangle cut from plastic sheet and lay on top of exterior fabric, matching up short edge of plastic strip with long edge of exterior fabric. Take one of the 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles of fabric cut from lining and lay on top of the plastic sheet with right side facing down. Match up raw edges (the plastic sheet should be sandwiched between the exterior and lining fabrics). Using pins on the plastic sheet will make holes, to hold in place, use a few paper clips along the raw edge.


Sew together along paper clipped edge, using 1/4" seam.


Repeat to attach other 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles of fabric cut from exterior and lining on the opposite short edge of plastic sheet. Fold fabric out so that wrong sides are touching. You can't iron near the plastic sheet, so firmly press seams flat with your fingertips.


Step 2.
Take the 2 1/2" x 12 1/2" rectangles of fabric cut from exterior and lining and attach to the bottom long edge of the plastic sheet and side pieces of fabric in the same way you attached the side pieces. Match up raw edges and pin or paper clip into place. You can use pins where you are joining fabric to fabric.


Sew along pinned/paperclipped edge using a 1/4" seam. Open out fabric so that wrong sides are touching and firmly press seams flat using fingertips.


Step 3.
Take the 10 3/4" x 12 1/2" rectangles of fabric cut from exterior and lining and attach the top long edge of the plastic sheet and side pieces of fabric in the same way you attached the bottom piece. Open out fabric so that wrong sides are facing and firmly press seams flat using fingertips.

{Exterior of front of sack}

{Lining of front of sack}

Topstitch about 1/8" away from the edge around the entire window.



Step 4.
Make a hem at the top of the sack by taking front of sack and folding the right side of the top raw edge of exterior and lining fabrics under 1/2". Take the 16 3/4" x 12 1/2" rectangles of fabric cut from exterior and lining and fold the right side of the top raw edge of both pieces of fabric under 1/2".


Take lining back piece and lay on the table with right side facing up. Place front of sack so that exterior is facing up and front lining is facing back lining piece . Take exterior back piece and lay on top of the stack with wrong side up so that right sides of exterior fabric are facing.


Match up top folded edges of all four layers of fabric so that they are perfectly aligned (this will ensure a neat finish to the top hem of your sack.) Match up raw side and bottom edges of sack and pin into place. You should have four layers of fabric pinned together.


Sew together around pinned edge using a 1/4" seam. Trim bottom corners off sack, making sure not to clip your stitching.


Turn bag right sides out, pushing lining fabric inside exterior. Match up top folded edge of sack and pin front exterior and lining pieces together and back exterior and lining pieces together. Sew around pinned edge, close to the folded edge of the fabric.


Step 4.
Take strips cut from contrasting fabric for casing and drawstring and make a center fold by folding in half, length ways, so that wrong sides of fabric are touching. Open out and fold both long raw edges of fabric in towards the center fold.

A much, much easier way to do this is to invest in a couple of bias binding makers...they are GREAT! Very affordable (I think about $10 each?) and make light work of making binding. The two I used for this project are made by Clover. The pink one - 18mm is used for the 1 1/2" wide strip of fabric and is the size I use most often when making clothing. The blue one - 25mm is used for the 2" wide strip of fabric. (Nicole Mallalieu has a great tutorial showing how to use these cool gadgets on her blog).

Set thin drawstring strip aside for now.


Step 5.
Take thicker strip for casing and fold one short raw edge under about 1/2". Press.


Align folded edge of strip with side seam of sack. Position strip so that it is sitting about 1/2" from top edge of sack and pin into place. Continue pinning until strip has made it's way around the entire sack.


When you get back to the side seam you started at, trim the strip so that it overlaps the beginning of the strip about 1/2", then fold short raw edge of the end of the strip under 1/2" and align folded edge with the side seam of the sack. There should be an opening between the two folded ends of the strip, this is where you will insert your drawstring. Pin into place.



Sew around the top and bottom edges of the strip, close to the edge to secure strip into place and form casing for drawstring.


Take thin drawstring strip and fold in half, length wise once again so that raw edges of the strip are enclosed. Sew down opened edge of the strip, close to the edge to secure.


Attach a safety pin to one end of the drawstring and thread through the casing. Tie a knot at each end of the drawstring.


Snip stray threads and you are done!!

If you make a "Peek-A-Boo" Toy Sack, I would love to see it! Send me an email or add your photo to the Make It Perfect Flickr Group.


Okay - for the giveaway...

To win THIS "Peek-A-Boo" Toy Sack (made from Paula Prass, Summer Soiree, Chevron in Aqua) as well as eight 10" x 12" squares of Ta Dot fabric (used in my toy sacks) leave a comment on this blog post and share what else you could use a toy sack for besides organising toys...

For an extra entry, become a follower of my blog and leave a separate comment to tell me that you follow. If you are already a follower, leave a separate comment telling me so and you will receive an extra entry too.