Don't you just love this fabric? Inch worm Fabric sells it....Kona bay...gotta love it.



You start out with a piece of fabric 9" x 14", this can vary as to how big or small you want it.



Notice the time...it is 11:19 a.m. You have your fabric, your zipper (yes this one is bigger than the material...all I had). Then you get your zipper foot.



Right side of the fabric to the right side of the zipper. You sew down the fabric to the end. Do this on both sides.



both sides done.



Now you top stitch both sides. I think the time says 11:25 a.m., you can click and see




Next is the hard part to try and explain...you have your zipper, you will fold the fabric at the zipper down, you can pin this...it looks like you are going to take a small seam across the zipper (use to do this on all four sides but found that you can just fold both sides in and just sew across the zipper down...saves a lot of steps)



Next you are going to take the folded part and turn inward...so you will actually have the zipper and the side fabric....your zipper is folded in two with the zipper in the down direction.



Does this show you any better?



so then you just backstitch and sew all the way down your fabric...this is where I broke my needle so make sure the metal end of the zipper is out of the way...this cost me a minute. Be sure you do the other side the same way. You are wondering why do this? It keeps the end of the zipper from flipping up and getting in the way when you open the bag or close it.



Make a triangle at the bottom, mark and...sew...be sure to backstitch at beginning and ending.
You don't have to do this next part, you can just leave the edges but I like the square edge. So I marked the fabric about 1 1/2 inch across....and sew.... Do the other side the same.



Clip and you are done. Now, I serge my seams...you don't have to, you can just use a zig zag stitch if you want to.




The time says 11:35 a.m. That was sixteen minutes.....it would have been 15 but had broken needle.... You can even get it done faster if you are not stopping and taking pictures every few minutes. So good luck, you have any questions, just email me.


The fabric I used was a canvas. You might want to sandwich and stipple two regular pieces of fabric before cutting to size and sewing...the kona fabric cosmetic case above was stippled...just gives it more strength.

JAPANESE KNOT BAG

Over at Artfully Ooglebloops, she said that is what these bags are called.

this is the inside



or this could be the inside.....Yes, reversible.


But you can find the pattern over at All People Quilt, and they just call them grab bags.

So....after I made my first one, I thought I would share a few pointers with you to make your first bag go smoothly....so here we go.

Of course, you cut out both inside and out. I like to put pockets in my but this one has no pockets.




Then I mark the side handles only...this is the short side and I have marked it at 4 1/2 inches.


The next is the long side and it is marked at 7 inches. I do this to both lining pieces.



Next, I begin to sew but I leave enough space at the top before I sew to allow for sewing the straps together after it is pulled through. You may want to leave more than the allowance for the seam, this will make it easier when you try to sew the two straps together.


I sew all the way to the mark on the side. I do this to all four sides (only the outside of the strap, never on the inside). So now...you will see how the lining is between the outside fabric and how it is lined up with each other.


..well...you are going to sew all the way around the outside of the bag starting at the marked place on the handles...you will see that you have sewn up to that point, now you will sew from that point around the outside of the bag....



Once that side is done, flip it over and do the lining the saw way.


Now to sew around the inside handles of the bag to the opposite side handles.



Now you are wondering how you are going to pull the bag to the right side....well, in the instructions it says to leave a hole in the bottom of the lining. My friend, Krista came up with pulling the bag through the handle...so you will leave one end (only one) open a litttle more to give you some leeway to pull it through.



Now that you have done that, continue to sew all the way around to the other side.



Turn it over and do the other side.



Now comes the fun part, pulling the bag through.... Now at this point, I realize that I have made a serious mistake....I forgot to clip the curves....but I am thinking...I already have the bag pulled through.... THIS IS MISTAKE #1

Now you are going to sew the handles together....you sew lining to lining and right side of the fabric to the right side. It is as simple as that, and if you left youself enough space from the top of the handle until you made your frist stitch, you should be okay. you do this to both handles.



This is what it should look like....



Now you just top stitch around the outside of the bag and inside of the handles and you are done....EASY!!!


MISTAKE #2NOT GOING BACK AND PULLING THE BAG BACK THROUGH TO THE INSIDE AND CLIP THE CURVES.... Because you get this....oh sure, the bag looks pretty good but it is pulling...if I had clipped the curves it would lay flat and looks ooooo sooooo nice

I just love this!!

I went over to the Moda Bake Shop to see what was "cooking" and what did I find? If you have not see this pattern you must go there.. it's the Plates for your table pattern by Kim Walus... just love it. I did what all good bloggers do and I went to the blog www.bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com and she is having a give away -- she is giving ONE 13" Dresden Plate Charger (the napkin & napkin ring will not be included). I think I might have to make the Dresden Plate Charge.....

Gossip about the owner of Inch Worm Fabrics!!!

Well, as some of you know, I am Jennifer's aunt. I love being her aunt. I have no daughters and so my sisters have allowed me to steal their daughters on occasion. But....this post is not about me, it is about Jennifer and her desire to open an online store.

So.....I asked her some questions. Now...before I go on, I have only met Jennifer twice but we chat online and send emails back and forth. We have done a Round Robin together and for someone that has not been quilting long, she has a knack for it!! Her work is amazing and I will tell you what her mother told me a while back "Jennifer is good at everything she does"....how is that possible? I have a sister (actually several) that are awesome and now a niece...how will I ever live up to them????? Okay...I have to remember, this is not about me....this is not about me!!

So...I asked her what made her decide to open a fabric online store (and I quote)

Three reasons: 1) I had a hard time finding fabric--now I can order it
2) Needed an outlet for projects
3) It is something members of my family have only dreamed about
.....lets make those dreams come true.


Then I asked her to tell me something personal about herself and she says:

Work - I work for a food manufacturing company as the quality control/research
manager for 6 years. (she travels alot with this job as well).

Family - I met my husband in college while he was attending Vet school. We have two
children. My extended family is rather large but awesome (she has to say that
because I am writing this article) and many of them are very crafty.
Sometimes I feel like the crafty gene was all used up by the time I
was born( are you kidding me....I can't believe she said that...she has
it oozing from her toes, she is soooo very crafty but a little tooo humble).

Goals- Goal #1: is helping my kids become good contributing individuals
to society.
Two: is to enjoy life.
Three: learn something new
or try something new on a regular basis---atleast once a year.


I asked her what her main objective for her shop was and she said to supply fabric at a reasonable price and to pay for my habit (don't we all wish we could do that).

Then she says "I have always loved food...that is why I work in the food industry, cooking and baking is a way for me to relax, but I needed to find another hobby that did not contribute to a growing waist line. So I tried quilting....made two jean quilts for my kids and they loved them, I loved them, and it was a ton of fun (all it takes is one time....hook...line and sinker).

Then came the nice fabric, at first I thought fabric was fabric (isn't that a shocker for all of us).,, Until my mother introduced me to Kona Bay (oh my gosh...Kona bay...her mom introduced me to that toooo....oh my....okay..not about me).... Oh baby does that fabric feel nice, looks nice, and sews beautifully....and that was the end and a love affair began.....and now she calls herself a fabric snob."

So as you can see, we will see alot of wonderful things coming out of her store, whether it be fabric, recipes (I am hoping for those, maybe low calorie?) or crafts...so stay tuned and be sure to check back often.

Welcome!

I remember my very first quilt... hand appliqued butterflies... it was an adventure that I never forgot. It took 15 years before I ever thought about sewing anything again. I began to look for something to create that I could share with others and my mother and her sisters' were quilting together and-- so I thought why not... that is how it all began. Now we quilt and share together. Hopefully you will enjoy sharing with us.