Category: Tips

Colleen Tote Bag - Add-On Pattern by Love You Sew

Colleen Tote Bag FREE Flap and Purse Feet Add-On Pattern

Colleen Tote Bag - Add-On Pattern by Love You Sew

I can’t believe a whole year has passed since I released the Colleen Tote Bag sewing pattern!  It’s such a great classic carry-all style for the beginner bag-maker and I’ve been so happy to see all the different versions all over social media with #ColleenToteBag.  With the simple clean lines, this bag comes together quickly and I’ve seen it become quite a popular gift!  Thank you to everyone who has shared their makes with me <3  You can find the Colleen Tote Bag pattern here.

Colleen Tote Bag - Add-On Pattern by Love You Sew

Since you know I love to hack patterns (both with bags and garments) to make uniquely mine,  it should be no surprise that I even hack my own patterns.  You can check out the posh “Shortie” version of the Colleen here with metal ring handles and leather accents.  This time, I added in a purse flap to help keep the contents secure, as well as, adding instructions for purse feet.

Colleen Tote Bag - Add-On Pattern by Love You Sew

I was recently asked to teach a Colleen Tote workshop with the American Sewing Guild – Cape Fear Chapter and they wanted some additional hardware added on to gain some new bag-making techniques.  I thought this flap would be such a great addition to the bag.  On top of learning how to install a turn-lock and purse feet, the guild also learned how to add special details like rivets to take their bags up to the next level.  It was my absolute pleasure to oblige and created the add-on instructions and pattern templates (which you can find at the end of this post.)

Colleen Tote Bag - Add-On Pattern by Love You Sew

While I was making this sample for the class, I rushed a bit and of course, paid the price for it.  (I wanted to bring this tote along to Jeni’s Strawberry Jam which was just the next day.)  Instead of using the purse feet washer to mark my holes, I accidentally grabbed the washer for magnetic snaps and thus, had my holes for the prongs that were too far apart.  Doh!  Luckily, I have a nice little stash of leather and cut out leather circles to use as exterior washers.  I glued them over the wrong holes and then went back to cut the right ones.  Now,  you would never know I made a mistake!  This process has definitely been used a few times to save my projects….maybe it can help some of your’s too.

Colleen Tote Bag - Add-On Pattern by Love You Sew

When I was in Austin, TX last year, I grabbed this Japanese canvas from the (now closed) Cloth Pocket.  It’s just the cutest fabric and I’m glad I saved it for this Colleen Tote project.  The pandas are just too cute! The Colleen is definitely a great bag to show off a print, both for small and large scale designs.  For the interior, I used a lightweight shirting from my stash which gives this bag picnic vibes.  The accents are made of Art Gallery Fabrics Textured Denim (aff link) which is nice and heavy — perfect for bag-making.

Colleen Tote Bag - Add-On Pattern by Love You Sew

||  Click here for >> Colleen Tote Add-On Turn Lock and Feet by Love You Sew  ||

 

Project Summary:

I hope you enjoy the FREE add-ons with your Colleen Tote Bag!

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

 

 

Please note this post may contain affiliate links for which I may receive a small compensation if you would make a purchase.  This helps keep my website live and ad-free.  Thank you for your support.

 

 

Raspberry Dress by Love You Sew

Raspberry Dress Tester Review

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Raspberry Dress by Love You Sew
Last month (when I had time and the kids were still in school) I had the opportunity to make one of CocoWawa’s patterns, the Raspberry Dress!  I had never made one of Ana’s patterns and just discovered her IG feed and designs earlier this year.  So, I was very excited when she asked me to try one out…especially to learn this (new to me) shirring technique!

The Raspberry Dress also comes in Jumpsuit and Playsuit views all sharing the same shirred bodice.  There are also three different strap options along with pockets (!!!) to mix and match with the bottoms.  One of the nicest options is that the pattern is available in BOTH English and Spanish!  More of our global sewing community can enjoy this make!!!  You can check out all the different versions and other tester inspiration here on the CocoWawa blog.

Fabric:

I purchased this Robert Kaufman Chambray double-gauze (affiliate link) years ago (maybe four or five?) for a specific dress, but after hearing so many bad reviews from my friends, I decided to never make it.  So, this fabric has sat on my shelves until I could find the right project to use up all three yards of it…and here it is!

Double-gauze is exactly what its name tells you.  This fabric is made of two separate layers of cotton gauze, known for it’s open weave making it very light and airy.  Double gauze is created when the two layers are joined with little stitches at regular intervals throughout the fabric.  Usually, the conjoining stitches are undetectable from the right side, but in my case,  the stitches created the gorgeous dobby texture.  Double gauze is more opaque with the added layer, yet still has the breathability — perfect for hot weather.  That’s why this fabric was THE perfect choice for the summery Raspberry silhouette.

Shirring:

The main feature of this pattern is the shirred bodice.  Essentially, you are sewing in elastic thread to gather woven (non-stretch) fabric to then make it stretchy.  The bodice starts out at twice the width you see and you sew row after row, while gathering the fabric to get it smaller.  I’m so happy Ana provided the actual machine settings for the shirring.  I used a small 70 needle for the delicate double gauze and hand-wound my elastic bobbin thread as instructed.  With the lightweight fabric, the shirring worked on my first try (true shocker!)  I would imagine that heavier fabric would not pull back as much as this double-gauze.

With elastic thread, you can’t back-stitch, which gets a bit tricky. I left long thread tails at the start of each row to tie off, but ended up cutting them off when I overlocked the side seams. To make sure the elastic thread wouldn’t detach with wear, I sewed the side seams twice and shortened my stitch length to about 1.8-2.0mm on the second pass.

Shirring takes time…my tip would be to be patient and take breaks between every two or three rows because my hands had to fully stretch out the fabric to make sure it ran through the machine straight and evenly.  They would cramp up otherwise, holding all of the fabric taut and steady.

Dress Version:

Out of all of the different views of the Raspberry, I knew I would wear the dress the most (I’m still warming up to the jumpsuit game!)  I’ve been looking for more midi to maxi length dresses for this summer and the length worked for my 5’3″ frame.  I chose the simple thin straps to tie off in bows.  With the added ruffle, a simple strap would balance it all out.

Modifications:

  • Sewed a narrow hem at the neckline since I did not want a wide ruffle at the top. I compensated for this and added an extra row of shirring to keep the neckline closer to my body
  • Shortened the bodice by two inches to keep the shirring above my belly button.  (I’m just particular and prefer to not have the fabric rub on my pooch. Lol.)
  • Omitted the skirt elastic entirely since it wasn’t laying flat with my light fabric.  And since I WAS working with light fabric, the shirring could hold the weight of the skirt and not be dragged down.
  • Shortened the skirt by 6″ —  2″ came from the top (since I screwed up while overlocking and accidentally cut into my fabric…whomp…whomp…  Fortunately, I’m petite and didn’t throw off the placement of the in-seam pocket. Phew!) The remaining 4″ came off the bottom.
  • Added a ruffle all around the skirt using the remaining fabric I had – (2) 56″ x 6″ lengths of fabric gathered and sewn to the bottom with a 1/2″ closed hem.

Project Details:

I hope you enjoyed this make and can use some of the tips as I worked through the tester version of the Raspberry Dress!  Please let me know if this helped you in the comments below!

 

Happy Summer Sewing!

Cristy

 

As a tester, the pattern was provided to me for feedback.  This blog post was not required as part of the testing process.  All thoughts and opinions are my own (as always.) 

Kelly Waist Bag and Clutch

Introducing the FREE Kelly Waist Bag Pattern

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It’s such an incredible feeling when inspiration hits at the right time and the creative juices are just flowing.  That’s what happened when I paired this beautiful leather from Measure Fabric with  my idea for a simple and sleek waist bag.  I was able to quickly design, prototype, tweak and write a full pattern within 48 hrs (muuuuch different from my usual practice of taking months to write a pattern!)

 

Whatever you call them – waist bag, fanny pack, belt bag, hip bag….wearing a bag around your torso is the hottest bag trend right now.  Although the classic 80’s throwback style is probably the most popular, I wanted to have something with cleaner lines to match my fashion tastes.   I also wanted to make sure if I’m making a bag (especially in leather,) it can last beyond the current trend.  So I designed a minimalist raw edge leather bag which can convert to a clutch, simply by removing the belt.

Leather

Initially, I thought I would make an envelope style clutch when I first saw this leather on Measure Fabric’s website.  I thought the leather might be a little too difficult to sew on my machine.  I figured I could use a bunch of rivets to origami it altogether since I already fell in love with the top-grain texture and beautiful neutral navy color.

Thanks to the miracle of videos on Instagram, the shop ladies were able to show me the leather’s softer hand.  The hide is approximately 2mm thick, but is still pliable enough to shape and can hold some weight.  You can check out their entire selection here. Get ready to drool over all the beautiful hides!

Bag Features

Named after one of my awesome nieces, this waist bag is all about having some freedom.  Whether you want hands-free options to wrangle the kids like me, or to attend the latest festival concert like Kelly (oh to be in my twenties again,) this is your bag!  It’s small but mighty with plenty of great features:

  • Slip pocket – Perfect to stowe away cash, ID and/or a Shuffle Cardholder
  • Simple screw on button stud – There is no need for fancy hardware or tools.  But feel free to make this your own!  You can find them on Amazon here or here and on Etsy here. (aff links)
  • Adjustable belt design – Whether you wear this with just a tee or over a bulky sweater, the belt can change with you.
  • Convertible to clutch – Simply remove the belt and you have a perfect leather clutch for a night out or use it as a pouch in a larger tote.
  • Able to use any belt – The belt guide is generously sized to accommodate most belt widths.  You can use your own belts to mix and match, creating different looks.
  • Fits many arena and public venue bag guidelines – With finished dimensions of 8″ x 5″ x 1″, the Kelly conforms to many stadium and concert bag regulations.  It’s the right size for your phone, ID, cash, with room to spare for keys.

Sewing Tips:

  • Leather and some vinyl are not self-healing.  Needle holes will be permanent, so work slowly and use clips instead of pins.
  • Use a leather needle with leather or a heavy duty (16 or 18) needle with cork or vinyl to handle the extra thickness.  Machines vary, so don’t forget to TEST before making the bag!
  • With thicker substrates, leave long thread tails to manually tie off with double and even triple knots.  Don’t try to back-stitch because your machine may not like the bulk.
  • A walking foot is great to get even stitches without sticking and a Teflon foot prevents sticking as well
  • Use a stiletto tool like this or carefully notch into the gusset 1/8″ to help maneuver around the curves. (aff link)
  • For punching the holes, I love this tool with a softer plastic bed vs a metal bed.  You get a cleaner cut through the leather. (aff link)

|| Click Here for the Kelly Waist Bag + Clutch Pattern by Love You Sew ||

#kellywaistbag #loveyousewpatterns 

Print at 100% or Actual size

Please share your projects on social media with the #kellywaistbag and #loveyousewpatterns tags.  I would LOVE to see what you do with the pattern.  Don’t forget to give me a follow and tag me @loveyousew_ so I don’t miss it!

Enjoy!!!

 

Leather for this project was provided by Measure Fabric.  All thoughts and opinions are always my own.  There are also affiliate links in the post for which I would receive a small commission only if you decide to make a purchase.

Designer Inspired DIY Leather Bucket Bag

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Even though it’s snowing as I write this (thanks Ohio weather,) I can’t help but think about spring and all of my wardrobe planning ahead.  I do love my cozy sweatshirts and thick sweaters, but I am SO ready for all of this blustery cold weather to go away!  Before I even get started on my warmer weather garments, I was already thinking about accessories with the help of my friends over at Measure – A Fabric Parlor.

If you don’t know about Measure, it’s a beautiful shop in Savannah, GA which sells incredibly unique fabrics like African wax prints, designer overstocks, and hand painted leather.  I am fortunate enough to be one of the Measure Makers, a group of inspirational sewists working with all the gorgeous products at the shop.  When I was asked to work with their fabrics, it was the leather which caught my attention first.  I have a deep love for sewing with leather and not all fabric shops carry it.

When I saw this Glazed Cowhide (#12023,) I knew the taupe color would be the perfect neutral for the spring…especially once I bring all the color back into my clothes.  Since I make a lot of bags out of quilt cottons and canvases, my bags all tend to have some kind of print and it would be nice to have something solid again.  With that said, I still am always jonesing for something fun and this graphic Abstract Check on stretch cotton twill (shown above) was what I needed for the lining.  I like a busy print to hide my mess and punches of coral and aqua are a great complement to the taupe.

My inspiration for this bag came straight off the runway….literally just one month ago.  I saw Rebecca Minkoff tease some photos on her instagram of the Kate Medium Bucket Bag and I was done.  I love the smooth solid leather of the bag mixed with the hardware and thick chain strap.  It is just so classy, but I always dig a hard edge and the Kate bag is just that….along with a $350 price tag!

Well, I knew I would NOT be buying that bag, but could make something pretty darn close.  I used the shape of the bucket bag as my jump-off point and made sure to add a lining which is not in the RM version.  I know Rebecca Minkoff is a multi-million dollar company, but who doesn’t want pockets in her bag???  As standard practice for almost all of my bags, I added a roomy zipper pocket along with a divided slip pocket for my phone.

I already had these great circle rings in my stash and wanted to have the same look as my inspiration bag with them anchored high on the sides.  This was a bit tricky because I needed them to stand up and also deal with a lot of strain.  So you can see in the picture how I doubled up on leather to keep the ring in place while adding more strength.

The other feature I loved from the Kate bag was the hardware along the side seam.  It looks like RM used stud buttons and with industrial production, was able to go directly through the seams.  I, however, used just rivets and through a little illusion, moved my rivet line about 1/4″ over so the holes would be punch through the body and not the seam.

Since I based my bag dimensions all on all of the inspo pictures and description, my bag looks a bit larger and wasn’t laying the way a bucket bag should.  The center was collasping into itself and so I knew I needed to create that structure.  I was already 90% finished with the bag at this point, but luckily I could dig through the lining and add some interior snaps.  I feel great when my years of “collecting” random hardware pays off!

The snaps along with the swivel clasp and d-ring (as part of my original design) gave my DIY bucket bag the exact shape I was trying to mimic.  Thank goodness because I’m not sure what I would have done as an alternative…maybe just kept a ton of stuff in my bag to keep it full??

While I didn’t have a big chain for my bag strap, I decided to bring up the look of the side seams with the top-stitching and rivets.  Using rivets all along the strap looked a bit too much IMO and so I edited to just five along the top of the strap.  This allows enough negative space to come through and balance with the plain front of the bag.

I had a lot of fun adding hardware all over my bag, but I did not overlook adding some protective feet.  After all of this work and the hours put into my bag, I knew I had to take care of this beautiful leather.  Adding feet on the bottom of the bag helps dirt stay off and protects the bag from potential floor scuffs.  It also looks gorgeous and is a nice hidden detail.

Tips

While I was able to get through this project on my domestic sewing machine, make sure to check if your machine can handle the layers on scraps, first with hand cranking and then sloooooowly taking it stitch by stitch.  Thinner leathers are easier to handle than thicker hides, but you can hammer and even shave your leather to make it thinner.  You may need to increase stitch length and adjust tension to compensate.

 

Project Details:

How do you think I did with using designer inspiration to make my own leather bag?  I hope you are able to find your own runway inspo this spring!

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

 

 

 

Leather and Fabric were provided by Measure for this post and as part of participation as a Measure Maker.  The project idea is completely original and all thoughts/opinions are my own. There maybe affiliate links with the Project Details.  Any compensation as part of purchases through these links help to host, secure, and maintain this website.  Thanks for your support!

 

 

Make the Chicest Archer Shirt with Rayon

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Archer by Love You Sew

Everyone knows the versatility of a button-up shirt.  It’s an absolute classic silhouette with ease all around the torso  but a crisp collar keeps the style elevated.  The button-up shirt works well in so many different fabrics.  After making my first flannel Archer Shirt with it’s casual feel here, I knew I wanted to flip the script and sew a “fancier” one for going out.


Because of other blogger commitments I have with other companies, it’s sometimes hard to find time to sew projects with my own fabrics without any constraints.  So when I saw Indiesew was hosting #ShirtMonth again, I knew this would be the time to sew my button-up….This is exactly the motivation I needed!  This month is dedicated to highlighting fabrics,  patterns and techniques for all shirts with a placket.  You can read more about the month here.  I’ve really enjoyed joining in on so many of these sewing challenges on Instagram and hope you do too!

Fabric

This Cotton + Steel rayon designed by Sarah Watts caught my eye the first time I saw it.  I’m very fond of my dark neutrals and love the extra pops of pink over this moody floral print.  And if you’ve ever felt C+S rayon challis, you know it’s incredibly soft and silky.  The drape is fantastic and makes for beautiful dresses and tops.  I’m a big fan and have quite a bit of their rayon in various prints in my wardrobe.  When this print went on sale at Fabric.com awhile ago (it’s since sold out,) I knew I had to grab 2 1/2 yards of it.  It been sitting in my stash for well over a year and I knew this would make a sharp looking Archer Shirt.

Tips:

  • Use a fine needle – I like a 75/11 or 70/10
  • The fabric can be pretty slippery, so pin more often than you normally would for a quilt cotton
  • Use finer needles like these which leave small holes in your delicate fabrics.

Pattern

I first made the Archer Shirt (pattern by Grainline Studio) in a soft cotton flannel which you can read about here on the Imagine Gnats blog.  It was such a great casual relaxed shirt that I could wear with jeans or leggings.  I wanted the same ease of getting dressed, but knew a rayon Archer would just be so much more sophisticated for the days I need to be dressed up.

Although the thought of making a button-up can seem pretty daunting, there is so much help out there!  Grainline has a full sew-along that has been broken up into very digestible chunks.   since this is also an older pattern, you can find plenty of inspiration on social media with a quick call to our bestie, Google 😉

FIT

I made a size 8 according to my measurements and graded out a size in the hip like a usually have to do with a woven top (my hips measure two sizes larger than my waist.)  There were no other adjustments made. Although, I would shorten the sleeves on a dressier version by 1/2″ to have it look more polished.  (I like the longer sleeve on my flannel version since it helps keep my hards warm in these colder months.)

Interfacing

What’s very different for me with this rayon project is the interfacing.  Awhile back, I used Pellon Lightweight Apparel interfacing with this rayon jacket and it has bubbled with use (ugh!)  I have to pretty much re-iron the jacket every time I want to wear it since the bubbling all over the front and back yokes.  What a drag, right???  Thanks to all of you smarties on Instagram, I learned about FashionSewlingSupply.com and purchased a few different garment interfacing like this  ProSheer Elegance in black.  Not only did it fuse well, it still allows for some drape.  I was able to sew the entire shirt while flipping the collar and cuffs inside out…and there was NO bubbling!  I’m completely sold on this stuff and won’t buy my apparel interfacing from the big box stores anymore.  These interfacings definitely costs more, but it’s well worth it to save all of my sewing time!

Based on how lightweight this interfacing is, I used it on both sides of the collar stand.  The patterns calls for it only on the inside, but I wanted to make sure the collar stands up nicely and doesn’t just flop over.  I’m happy with how it turned out and would recommend this if you are using other lightweight fabrics like lawn, voile, crepe de chine, silk and gauze.

 

Buttons

I love being able to use up my MIL’s button stash as much as I can, but I couldn’t find enough plain black buttons for this shirt.  Fortunately, I bought these 1/2″ buttons years ago, which can be covered in just about any fabric.  I was able to use all the scraps to make these buttons.  It’s such a fun and easy way to add special details to a garments which are uniquely my own.  You can see how I used them on this Felix Dress and how I used them on my Alix Dress to cover up some negative space on the yoke.

How I wear it

After investing all this time making the Archer and in the effort to be more sustainable, I want to make sure I can wear all my makes over-and-over again.  I like following other fashion influencers and RTW companies for inspiration.  Below are three ways to wear a button-up for me.

1.  With high-waisted pants on trend, I like being able to tie a button up.  It still can camouflage my mid-section but looks so stylish and playful as well.  Plus, you can conceal a lost button in case that ever happens 😉  I think a flannel button-up tied up over shorts is such a classic summer look too.

2.  For the hipster look, I like to fasten all the buttons up through the collar.  This along with tucking in the shirt with high waisted jeans (as shown) keeps the outfit polished.  Pair it with a sleek belt and I’m ready for drinks with the ladies downtown!

3.  Finally, I have the half-tuck (also known as the French tuck.)  This is definitely another on-trend way to wear any top…whether it be a tee or even a heavy sweater.  I like how it’s more casual and breaks up the hem line for more visual interest.

Which way would you wear your #MeMade button-up shirt?  I hope you enjoyed this post and join in on #ShirtMonth whether it be this year or next!

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

 

This post may contain affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission only if you make a purchase.  Thanks for support, friends!