Something Old Something New – Festival Bag Upcycle

April 27, 2017June 24, 20181 Comment

I’m a fan of fashion. But as a mom (and as a work-at-home one,) there isn’t much motivation to step past the yoga pants and a clean (smelling) tee most days. I do admit, when I can get my act together, it does make me feel good to step out of my slip-on Vans. Now that both my kids are in school, I’ve been making a conscientious effort to bring my fashion game back – nothing crazy, but pulled together looks using cues from today’s trends. Like Boho.

I love the relaxed (aka loose fitting) style of Bohemian fashion. I grew up near the Philadelphia Folk Festival so I saw a lot of 70’s hippie clothes and I love the laid back vibe. Pair that with my urban life in the city for 10+ years and the result is this “Festival Bag.” It’s an edgier take on Boho with the dark floral, leather and antique brass hardware.

When RJR Fabrics asked me to work with some of their new fabrics, this Reverie line pretty much blew my mind. I tend to work with more graphic prints, but the photo-realistic imagery in these Digiprints are amazing. The best part, is that these fabrics feel JUST like their other high quality quilt cottons so you know you are working with the good stuff.

This Floral Fantasy print with the the dark background is just gorgeous. I love the style contrast of soft flowers with the intense black (which is how I like to mix up my own closet.) I like combining hard elements with something very soft and feminine. I also like a mix of textures. So this soft quilt cotton HAD to be paired with some leather and lots of hardware, right?

My mom knew I was upcycling old leather coats and gave me this great long duster about a year ago. I’m happy to finally use it. This coat is such a great upcycle coat because of its size and the design. Too bad the shape…errr…lack of….just doesn’t work now. There are so many large pieces of leather to use in any project. I used about 70% of this coat and I might use the rest on a future clutch…

The larger pieces were all cut into 1/4″ fringe and double-layered all around the bag. Fringe is one of my favorite things in a bag. It’s so much fun to walk and feel the swing of the leather. The pieces add movement and life to everyday running around.

More leather was added to the top flap and I saved all the scraps. They are great to use in zipper pulls and bag charms. You can see I made some tassels and added lots of rivets. I also used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out my intials. Long skinny scraps can be turned into beautiful braids like this one as well.

On the inside of the bag, there is more Reverie with the Mirage in Bloom print. It is the perfect complement to this style bag. It is a mottled floral which gives a very contemporary feel with the more muted tones.

With spring music festivals in the news, I decided to make the bag strap differently than I usually would. Taking inspiration from the bands themselves, I modeled the strap after guitar ones. The leather strap is about 1 1/2″ wide with Floral Fantasy on top and another layer of leather all stitched in place with added rivet accents.

I am so in love with how this strap and bag turned out. I can’t wait to “rock” it all summer long.

Project Details:

Exterior Fabric: RJR Fabrics – Reverie collection – Floral Fantasy print
Interior Fabric: RJR Fabrics – Reverie collection – Mirage in Bloom print
Pattern – Late night experimenting 😉
Hardware: All antique brass finish by Emmaline Bags
Clothes: Tank by Tru Man Brands and Shorts by J.Crew
Brass Zippers: ZipIt Zippers

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Quilted Envelope Clutch :: Free Tutorial

September 9, 2016June 24, 20187 Comments

Envelope Clutches are everywhere right now and I was inspired by it simple and timeless shape. This Quilted Envelope Clutch design is over-sized to give you ample room for all of your essentials, but still is nice enough to go from day to night. It’s a sleek bag when paired with the right faux (or real) leather. Coincidentally, this clutch design also fits a MacBook Pro perfectly, so its versatile and you can change up the fabrics to make it as laptop holders.

As I wrote in last week’s post from the Observer blog tour here, I like to show how hip and modern quilting can be. I love how the piecing of a half log-cabin accentuates the envelope shape and the monotone palette keeps it chic. Simple quilting adds enough texture and detail without being over-the-top…or over-worked.

This tutorial is for the faux leather version and finishes at approximately 14 3/4″ x 10 1/2″. As with all patterns, don’t jump the gun…please ready through the instructions in their entirety. Shoot me an email and/or leave me a comment if you have any questions. Enjoy!

Materials Required:

Faux leather/ Vegan leather / Vinyl (1/2 yd)
Lining & Pocket Fabric (1 yd)
Pieced Panel scraps (1/4 yd)
Pieced Panel Lining Fabric (1/4 yd)
Woven Fusible Interfacing [Pellon SF101] (2 1/2 yds)
Ultra-firm Sew-In Interfacing [Pellon 70 Peltex] (1 yd)
9″ Zipper
Magnetic Snap
Coordinating Thread(s)
Poster Board (optional for cutting pattern templates)
Spray Baste or Fabric Glue Pen (optional)
Clover Clips

Cutting Instructions:

Create the body and center panel cutting templates following the black numbers. Make markings for the numbers and lines in purple.
- Cut the angles by finding the mid-point of the short-sides of each template.
- Round out each of the “envelope points” using a large spool of thread
Use your larger template to cut:
- (1) Body with faux leather
- (1) Lining
- (2) Woven Fusible Interfacings
With the Firm Sew-In Interfacing, cut:
- (2) 14 3/4″ x 9 3/4″ rectangles
- (1) Triangle per the following photo:
For pieced Center Panel (as a half log-cabin), cut:
- (1) 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ square
- (34) 5″ x 1 1/2″ strips
- Use smaller template to cut (1) Center Panel lining
For Lining Pockets, cut:
- (1) 16″ x 11″ rectangle with the lining fabric
- (1) 16″ x 11″ rectangle with fusible woven interfacing
- (1) 9″ x 4 1/2″ rectangle with faux leather

Construction:

(1/4″ seam allowance unless otherwise noted)

Interface the body. *Please check and test the heat settings beforehand. Not all vinyl/faux leather is created equal.
- Place the Peltex pieces per the following photo. Leave 3/8″ allowance all around the edge of the vinyl. Keep 3/4″ in between the (2) 14 3/4″ x 9 3/4″ pieces. Make sure you align the Peltex triangle long edge with the top corners of the vinyl. You can can secure them in place with a little spray baste or with Sewline glue pen. *It’s important to have the Peltex split into 3 pieces to give the ease and flexibility where the clutch will fold. It will also alleviate some of the “cracking” appearance that can happen with interfacings that are forced to moved a lot.
- Use one of the fusible woven interfacing pieces and fuse on top of the firm sew-in interfacing. You may need to work the edges of the SF101 around the Peltex with your iron. Set aside.
Fuse the 2nd piece of fusible woven interfacing to your lining. Set aside
Fuse the pocket fusible woven interfacing to the pocket lining fabric. Set aside
Prepare Center Panel
- Piece as desired. I used a traditional half log-cabin design, but you can use anything that you like as long as it can be trimmed to the Center Panel template you created earlier.
  - Line up the short-end of the first strip (gray-blue speck) with the edge of the square (eagle) and sew with 1/4″ seam allowance. Press open
  - Line up the short end of another strip (navy dashes) with the opposite edge of the square (eagle) and sew. Alternate sides until you have used all 34 strips.
  - Use Center Panel template and trim to fit.
- Assemble the Center Panel by placing the right-sides of the center piecing with the center panel lining.
- Sew all around leaving an opening at the TOP to turn.
- Notch out the BOTTOM and all corners
- Pull right-side out and press
Line up the center panel on top of the right-side of the faux leather. Make sure it’s even on both sides of the panel. You can secure it into place using pins since you don’t see the faux leather.
Topstitch into place. It may seem easier to have sewn this panel onto the vinyl before all of the interfacing, but this is how you will secure all of the Peltex into place and prevent any shifting with use.TIPS:
- Use upholstery thread or any other nylon/polyester thread. I like the upholstery for the heavier weight, the sheen, and it glides well through all of the layers.
- Increase your stitch-length to at least 3.0 for a nice look
- Use a walking foot for even stitches
- You may need to increase your needle size if the thread is not pulling through and/or you are getting skipped stitches
- Keep matching all-purpose polyester thread in the bobbin. It helps with skipped stitches.
At this point, you can quilt the vinyl, if desired. Set the body aside.
- TIP: Use washi tape for your guidelines. Chalk and pen will easily smear off the faux leather.
Attach pockets onto lining
- With the flat edge of the lining on top and right side facing you, measure 3″ down from the straight edge and 3 1/4″ in on either side. Pin (where you will sew) the faux leather into place 1/8″ from the edges (marked in yellow.) You can leave this as a large slip pocket or you can divide it for your cell phone. I marked mine 3 1/2″ in from the edge to hold an iPhone 6. Sew the three edges into place and then the dividing seam (marked by yellow.)
Turn the lining 180 degrees. With the right-side facing you, mark 10 1/2″ down from the top of the lining and pin the short-side of the pocket lining fabric there. Mark a rectangle 1″ down from the top and sides of the pocket that is 9″ x 3/8″ (blue pen.)
Sew all-around the 9″ x 3/8″ rectangle on the marks you made. Cut through the rectangle as shown, stopping about 1/4″ from the end (red pen lines.) [Image a]. Make small cuts from the middle out to each corner, getting close to the stitches, but not cutting directly through. Push pocket through the hole [images b & c] and press [image d].
With the right side of the lining facing you, line up the zipper in the opening just created. Either pin in place or use Sewline glue pen. Sew 1/8″ all around the opening.
With the wrong-side of the lining facing you, fold up the pocket so the short-sides match. Press on the fold. Pin all around the pocket, but not including the lining. Sew pocket shut (following blue dashed lines in pictures.) Make sure you move the lining out-of-the-way as you sew.

Assembly:

Now match the right-sides of the lining and body together. Clip in place and sew all around the edge (marked in blue) with a 3/8″ seam allowance. Back-stitch when you start and end leaving a 5″ opening to turn. Notch out corners and the top of the clutch. Be very careful not to cut through any stitches.
- TIP: Use a compensating foot or a zipper foot since the Peltex give you can uneven surface.
With wrong sides together, make markings for your magnetic snap and install per manufacturer’s instructions. With the point being so narrow at the top of the clutch, you may need to move your snap up or down to make sure there is enough clearance for all parts of the clasp. For the male part, I marked mine 1 1/4″ down from the top edge of the lining and marked the female where it hit the body (approx. 7″ from straight short side.)
- TIP: Before you install, reinforce where you will cut with a scrap piece of interfacing.
Turn the body right-side out and press with the lining facing up. Be careful not to press the faux leather directly with your iron.
- TIP: Use Clover Clips on the edges to help them stay flat and/or hammer them as well. Hammering helps to flatten the edges so top-stitching will be easier in the next step. Test the hammer method on scrap to make sure the hammer doesn’t leave marks.
Time to {finally} make the envelope!
- Top-stitch along the straight short-end of the body (red dashed line)
- Fold the front of the clutch up 10″ to create the main pocket and secure the sides into place with Clover Clips
- Top-stitch all along the clutch (following the yellow dashed line)
  - TIPS:
    - Use a large 16 or 18 needle to get through all the layers
    - Increase stitch-length to 3.5-4.0 and use your walking foot to achieve even stitches
    - GO SLOW so that you do not skip stitches
    - Hammer the edges again, if needed
    - Leave long thread tails so you can pull them through the lining and hide for a cleaner finish
- Hide thread tails by pulling them toward the lining, knot, then bury.
- Press the lining

If you want to get extra fancy, you can add some additional finishes. Some examples are:

Sew a wristlet handle with hardware (as shown)
Just add the D-ring so you can attach some fun tassels.
Include a key fob on the inside
Attach rivets and grommets

CONGRATS!!! You have made a #LYSquiltedenvelopeclutch! Please, please share your creations. I would love to see them all!

As long as you credit Love You Sew with the pattern (because it took me a long time to write this all up,) you are free to sell the finished clutch.

Product Details (Sources in Links):

Faux leather – JoAnn’s Fabrics
Lining Fabric – Art Gallery Fabrics Denim Studio
Pieced Panel – Various Prints from Observer by April Rhodes for Art Gallery Fabrics
Metal Zipper – ZipIt Zippers
Magnetic Snaps and hardware – Emmaline Bags
Upholstery Thread – Gutermann

Tiny Explorer Backpack Review

August 21, 2016October 21, 2023

Its’s back-to-school season and that was enough motivation to [finally] get me to blog about the Tiny Explorer Backpack I made all the way back in June for my niece. I wanted to make something special for her first birthday which she could grow into and use for awhile.

This toddler-size pattern by the fabulous Erin Morris of Diedel*Bug Handmade, was exactly what I wanted. If you’ve been sleeping under a rock and don’t know her work, you’ll have to check out her Facebook and Instagram pages. She makes the most amazing bags and because of this, I knew her own pattern was going to be well written with lots of pictures. There was no disappointment here!

From the get-go, I decided to use Soft & Stable instead of the recommended fusible fleece. I was inspired by some store bought backpacks to quilt the back for a nice feature but to also cushion the back. Plus, how can I ever pass up the opportunity to do a little quilting, right?!?

TIP: Cut the back pattern pieces a little larger and quilt. Then use the pattern template to cut to size since you’ll lose some area depending on how much quilting you do.

Red pandas are my niece’s favorite animal and I could not resist snatching up this MinShan fabric by Lewis & Irene. The woodgrain is Gentle Forest by Tea and Sympathy for Studio E Fabrics.

TIP: To keep the fabric nice and tight on the Soft & Stable, baste with 1/4″ seam allowance. Gently tug on the fabric as you sew to keep it smooth.

Aren’t these little guys, the cutest? All hardware was from Emmaline Bags and the webbing was from Joann’s Fabrics.

TIP: Heat seal the ends of the webbing with a lighter before sewing. My webbing had unraveled at the edges and pulled out after being sewn. Sealing will prevent this from happening.

I also used Soft and Stable for the side panels of the bag to keep it’s shape. As a little toddler, I figure it would be easier to find toys that way. I added this key fob to the interior in case mom and dad ever need it 😉

TIP: Add zipper pulls to help little fingers open and close pockets. I use some leftover suede to complement the fabrics.

As I assembled the exterior, it was difficult to stitch close enough to the piping through all the layers. I had to hand-stitch these bottoms corners a little bit to clean them up and make them match. It might have been a little OCD, but since this was a gift, I just had too!

With this directional print, you do have to account for a little extra fabric, especially fussy-cutting the shoulder straps and side panels like I did.

TIP: The entire lining is drop-in. I used lots of clips to keep it centered and secure before top-stitching it into place.

With kids, there are always spills, so I used some vegan leather on the bottom to help with easy clean up and for better wear and tear.

TIP: Pull the lining up to just barely cover the zipper stitches. This way you’re guaranteed to catch it as you top-stitch.

There were three additions made to the front of the bag — Two D-rings were sewn on with leftover webbing so toys could be clipped on. I also added a snap to the main exterior pockets to keep little treasures safe. The most noticeable are my niece’s initials. I used my Silhouette Cameo machine to cut the gold heat transfer vinyl.

TIP: If you would like to add a snap, place it centered 1″ down from the top of the pocket and secure into place before sewing in the lining

Since I used a long-pull double zipper, I decided to to exclude the zipper tabs. I also omitted the side pocket binding just to streamline the look a little bit. Don’t leave the pockets off entirely though…they are great for holding drinks and snacks!

Voila! A fun toddler backpack for my little niece!

Here is my little munchkin with her bag. Look at her rolls on rolls! <3 Doesn’t she look like she’s ready to catch some Pokemon 😀

Happy Sewing,

Cristy

This was not a sponsored post. I purchased the pattern and all opinions are my own.

Simple Zipper Bag Sew-Along

June 1, 2016March 18, 20211 Comment

Who loves a great stash-busting project? Well, Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop, along with Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life, have a great new tutorial of a super simple patchwork zipper pouch. This project is also mini-charm friendly which makes it even easier. Check out their easy to follow video below.

I went the mini-charm route and used Bright Sun, also by Sherri, for Moda Fabrics. With the unofficial start of summer this week, I thought these fun and cheery fabrics were perfect for the pouch.

This charm pack had 42 prints which is more than enough for two large pouches. (I have plans to make a second one as a future gift!) After a little playtime, I settled on this arrangement and had the Dusk on Bisque print already in my stash. So I used that for my backing, linings, and zipper top.

For this pouch, I thought I would have a little fun and add a metal brass zipper for some flare. I used a 10″ metal one. This length is a little short for the pouch, so I needed to add tabs on both ends to account for it. I cut a mini-charm square in half to make each tab.

With each half charm, I folded down both short-ends of the tabs by 3/8″ and then in half to sandwich around the zipper.

I sewed on the tabs with a zipper foot, making sure to get both the top and bottom of the tab sandwich.

For the quilting, I used trusty Aurifil 2021 to sew straight diagonal lines on the front patchwork and on the backing. The simple straight lines keep with the fun modern fabrics. With such a small piece of quilting, I used some basting spray to keep all the layers from shifting. It makes for faster work than pinning 😉

As I machine bound the pouch with Alison Glass‘s Corsage fabric, I added one of my labels in the front which can double as a key ring fob for more versatility.

On the zipper, I omitted the fabric pull and instead, used some faux suede cording I had on-hand. I thought the additional punch of yellow worked with the pouch better than more of the same background and interior fabric.

I love the structure and feel of the quilted Soft and Stable which make for a nice durable pouch. It is perfect for personal electronics and/or for books you want to carefully protect.

The simplicity of this project and use of scraps makes it a MUST sew for any traveler this summer! Do you have any fun vacation destination(s) coming up?

Don’t forget to visit all of the Simple Zipper Pouch Sew-Along bloggers below for more ideas:

Tina from Emily Ann’s Kloset
Jessee from An Art School Dropout’s Life
Erin from Why Not Sew?
Kitty from Night Quilter
Leanne from She Can Quilt
Vanessa from Lella Boutique
Amanda from Jedi Craft Girl
Sherri from A Quilting Life
Cristy from Love You Sew (you are here)
Leslie from Seasoned Homemaker
Tiffany from Tiny Seamstress

Happy Sew Along,

Cristy

This post was sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and I was compensated for time and materials.

Chalk and Paint Fabrics Blog Tour {Crimson and Clover Traincase}

February 22, 2016April 10, 20175 Comments

Welcome to the kick-off for the Chalk and Paint Fabrics Blog Tour! I am so happy to share my project with these new Art Gallery fabrics with you. Sew Caroline has quite an amazing line-up ahead for the next few weeks and I know each blogger will have something amazing with Chalk and Paint.

I have been a long-time admirer of Sew Caroline‘s garment patterns (umm..hello, Kimono Jacket..here and here…) It is no exception when it comes to her fabrics. All of her collections are youthful and so fun. But this newest line has a more muted pastel palette, which I just adore!

When I saw Untaped Splatter Frost, I knew it was going to be my next Crimson and Clover Travelcase (pattern by Sew Sweetness.) I love this case because it holds everything…and it’s not even the larger size. The interior side pockets are so nice for organization and lord knows I need all the help I can get!

As I was sewing this bag, I realized why I put the two together….it was my sewn version of a Caboodle! This exterior fabric has an 80’s vibe and being the child of immigrant parents, I never had one. “What..a shoebox wasn’t good enough to hold your junk?” They never understood the need for adolescent acceptance…haha.

For the interior, I used Writings on Boards as a darker complement to hide any spills or smudges which may occur (yes, I know myself well.) How cute is this text fabric, right? I love the inspirational words to welcome me every time I open this bag.

For the piping, handle and interior pocket accents, I used Dripping Paint Cooling. You get so much color and texture in such a small amount of yardage, that it was just perfect for that extra “pop.” Now…I think my “Caboodle” is pretty rad, isn’t it? 😉

Don’t forget to visit all of these amazing blogs for more Chalk and Paint projects!

Cristy // Love You Sew –> Right here!

Katie // The Simple Life

Jenn // Quilts and Conversations

Robin // Pattern Revolution

Alicia // Love Knot Photo

Holly // Holly Gets Quilty

Chris // The Tattooed Quilter

Alexis // My Sweet Sunshine

Adrianna // Hey June Handmade

Taylor // Taylor Made Creates

Casey // Casey Taylor Threads

Hayley // Welcome to the Mouse House

What would you make with the Chalk and Paint collection? You have a chance to WIN a Full FQ Bundle on Instagram by (re)posting your favorite image from the blog tour using #chalkandpaintgiveaway and tagging @sewcaroline. (Full Details are on Caroline’s blog.)

Good luck!

***This post may contain affiliate links which help me on the back end to fund this site. Compensation is only through your own purchase.

Love You Sew

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Tag: zippers