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Let’s Sew Part 13 – Sewing Room Project 6 – Pyramid Pouch

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Good morning!!
Today we are going to make a pyramid pouch – a handy little storage pouch that you can keep threads, ribbons,tools or just whatever you can think of in a handy place!
What we need:
 

6 strips each 1.5″ x 11.5″
Backing fabric rectangle 11.5″ x 6″
Rectangle of pellon 11″ x 5.5″
a zip – longer than 6″
4 scrap squares  2″ x 2″
Please note:  If you want to make a smaller pouch, I would recommend starting with 4 x squares (sides will be the desired height of your pyramid) instead of the large rectangle.  I have used the rectangle here to avoid another seam. (Any questions:  Just ask Nanny!!)
Let’s sew!!
Using your 1/4″ foot or all Purpose foot:
Take your strips and join in pairs.  Press. 
 

Then join together and Press.
Time to square up.
 

Take the pellon and centre it on the wrong side of the joined strips – press. (cover with a pressing cloth or flip over)
 

I’m thinking that for a change, I’m NOT going to stitch in the ditch today!  Instead I’m going to use a decorative stitch.  I selected number 17 on Betsy – a feather stitch and changed to my All purpose foot.
 

TIP: If you haven’t tried a decorative stitch before, it’s a good idea to get some scraps and try it out for stitch length etc.  I had to slide mine across to about 2.5
Sew down the centre of alternate strips.
 

Now the zip.  Trim the top of the zip back to the metal stays. 
 

Take 2 of your scrap squares and put one under and one over the end of the zip, matching edges.  Remember to pin through both sides of the zip to hold it together while you sew.  Stitch and press.
 

Now measure from the edge of the scrap fabric so that the length of the zip is 4.5″ and mark with a pin.  
 

 

Take the other two scrap squares and once again, one under and one over, making the seam line where you just pinned.  Stitch .
 

Trim zip and press scrap squares back.
 

 Your finished zip with ends will now measure just over 6″.  Trim the sides of the scrap squares to match the zip.

 

 

Change to your Zip Foot.
Take the stripped rectangle and place it right side up, place the zip right side down on the short side of the rectangle with the opener on the left, place the backing fabric right side down.  Sew along the zip, remembering to, with needle down , lift the foot and move the opener out of your way.  Fold back and press.
 

Now the other side – Take the right side of the lining (top arrow) to the back of the zip (middle arrow) and put the right side of the main fabric (bottom arrow)on top of the zip.  Stitch.  Press.
 

You will now have a cylinder like this:
 

The next step can be a bit tricky, but just take your time – you can do it!!
Use your Stitch in the Ditch Foot or all Purpose Foot and stitch either side of the zip – you will start to sew on the inside of the cylinder, re-positioning as you go.

You will now have this:

Inside

Outside

Turn your cylinder so that it looks like this:  Outer on the left, zip in the middle and inner on the right.

At the bottom of the zip, put a pin to mark each side and then bring the pins together with the zip in the middle
 

Stitch across the seam through all layers taking care as you cross the zip!
You will  now have this:

OPEN THE ZIP NOW!   Now pin the right sides of the outer together and on the other side of the zip, the right sides of the lining together. The zip teeth will face towards the lining (I tried to get a photo with the yellow pin)

This is also when you put your little ribbon or wrist strap in this seam -( mine is hanging down in the pouch with the edges in the seam under the pin)
Sew across the pinned seam, taking care as you cross the zip and leaving a space (about 2-3″) open in the lining, for turning. (see pointer)

 

Trim all corners and at the zip and turn through.  Stitch the gap closed:
 

Tuck the lining into the pouch and Taa-Daa!  You can the add a ribbon to the zip pull – I found this little scissor charm to add to mine!

 

Until next time
Nanny xx

Let’s Sew Part 12 – Sewing Room Project 5 – Mug mat

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Today we are going to make a mug-mat.  We don’t need wet cup marks on our sewing tables!
The finished size is approx 12.5″ x 9.5″ . If you want to make a larger one you will need to vary these measurements. The finished mat looks like a little quilt with binding but it doesn’t have binding at all!!  This method is fine for small projects like this, doll quilts, pot holders etc but I wouldn’t recommend it for finishing a quilt. (That’s another lesson!!)


We will need:

 

 
Strips of fabric     Three 9.5″ x 1.5″, two 9.5″ x 1.75″ (or any combination you like)
feature fabric rectangle 9.5″ x 7.5″
Backing /binding fabric 13.5″ x 10.5″
Pellon
 
Today we will be using any of the following feet:
 
 It’s important that you try your different attachments, get a feel for how they work and then decide which is the best for your job. You can do all of the project using just  your All purpose foot so don’t worry if you don’t have the others.

 

1/4″ foot

Walking foot

             

Sitch in the Ditch foot                                       All Purpose foot

Select your ‘foot’ – I used my 1/4″ foot.
Arrange the strips in an order pleasing to your eye and then join the first two, then the last 2.  Then join them to the centre strip.  Press.

Join to Feature fabric .  Press

Take the pellon rectangle and with the bubbly side facing the WRONG side of your mat, press. (You may like to cover with cloth or baking paper so your iron doesn’t stick!)

 

Take your stitch in the Ditch Foot or your All Purpose Foot and stitch in the ditch along the strips.
 
Square the mat off – ie check and trim.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a bit smaller, the important thing is that it is squared up!!

 

Place the backing fabric, wrong side up onto the table and centre the mat right side up on top of it.  You should have 3/4″ all around.

 

Pin the mat to secure it to the backing:

 
Fold the edges of the backing to the edge of the mat and press.
Now I want you to remove some of the bulk from the corner.  If you look at the diagram, the dotted line is the crease from folding edges over over.  Cut across the corner where the creases meet.
 

Your mat will now look like this:


Now we are going to fold the edges again and this time it will fold over onto the mat (and look like binding).  Pin.
When you get to a corner:

Take that corner and fold across to touch the mat – like covering a book.

 

Then take this and fold over on your crease

 

Then fold over again to form a lovely, mitred corner!!

 

TIP:  If you don’t feel confident, you could do a little hand stitch through the mitre to hold it while you sew.
 
I will now show you me stitching with each of the feet – you choose whichever one you like!!
Using the Stitch in the Ditch foot, adjust your needle position so that when the blade is to the left of the binding, the needle will enter very close to the edge of the binding. ( Please note that if you are using this foot, you cannot ‘see’ the corner so a little hand stitch would help)

 

Using the All Purpose foot, I lined the edge of the foot with the edge of the binding:

 

 

If you have a Walking Foot, you might like to try it.  Make sure when you attach the walking foot that the long arm on the walking foot is sitting on the needle clamp screw and you are set!

 

 
 Stitch down the side and at the corner make sure you get the last stitch on this side so that it is the first stitch on the next side. ( The corners can be a bit fiddly but the rest has been so fast that you can take a little more time here to get them just so ….)
Leaving your needle down, lift the pressure foot and turn your mat. Continue.

 

 

 
I have used white cotton so that you can see – I’ll go and quick unpick that now, change to purple and finish sewing.
Taa Daa!!  There it is!
 

 

If you want to you could hand stitch the corners but I didn’t worry!
 
Well done!  Go get your coffee and give it a go!
 
I just had to share this!  Poppy thought we should try it out but Nanny was a bit slow so had to take the photo before the backing was on!!!
 
PS  It was yummy!!
 

Until next time
Nanny xx

Let’s Sew Part 11 – Sewing Room Project 4 – Zippered pouch

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 Today we are going to sew a zipper.  These seem to cause a lot of people grief but really they are not that hard – trust Nanny!  We will use a zip to complete a Sewing Room Pouch which you can use to hold your rotary cutter or any number of sewing items.  I have made this to fit my Kai rotary cutter and a replacement blade.  You might like to vary the length to suit your needs. 
 

Let’s sew!
Today we will be using the following:
 
 
2 x rectangles of outer fabric 9″x 4.5″
1 x rectangle of lining fabric  9″x 4.5″
3 x rectangles of lining fabric 3.5″x 4.5″
1 x square 3″x3″
1 zip x 10″
some small scraps about 2″ square x 4
2 x rectangles of iron on pellon 8.5″x 4″ (you will note in the photos that I left mine the same size as the rectangle ie 9″ x 4.5″ but it will make it easier for you to turn if you trim the 1/4″ off all round)
 
You will notice that my outer fabric rectangles are made up of strips of my fabrics. You can use a whole piece of fabric 9″x 4.5″ or make it up like I did.  I used 1.5″ strips, 9″ long.  Stitch, press.
Place the stripped piece, right side up, on top of the bubbly side of the pellon – you will have 1/4″ space around the edge of the pellon.
 
 
Attach the Stitch in the Ditch Foot and, by aligning the blade with the ‘ditch’ and shifting the needle so that it falls into the ‘ditch,’stitch along the length of each strip. 
(You will hear quilters speak of ‘stitch in the ditch’ and this is what they mean – stitching(quilting) through the layers of the quilt and ‘concealing’ the stitching in the ditch that is formed by pressing a seam to the side.)
 
 
We are going to use a different Foot now  – the Rolled Hem Foot
 
Take the square and along one edge, fold over 1-2mm and press with your fingers, then fold over again just at the end.
 
With the Rolled Hem Foot attached, put the hem under the foot and lower the needle.
 
 
Sew a few stitches and leave your needle inserted in the fabric.  Lift the Pressure Foot and ease the folded hem into the curl on the foot.  Lower the foot and continue sewing while holding the fabric edge to keep it feeding evenly.
 
You will end up with a nice, even hem with a row of stitching down the middle.
 
 
Ok, you can put that foot away now and have a play with it next time you want a very small hem!!
Put your General Purpose Foot or your 1/4″ foot on….
Take the square and place it right side up, onto a 3.5″ lining rectangle and line up the bottom.
 
Place another lining rectangle on top of that and stitch down one side. Press it open.
 
 
Take the final lining rectangle and repeat the process down the other side. Press it open.
 
Take your rule and with your rotary cutter, trim the rectangle so that it is 9’x4.5″ ( you will see that the ‘pocket’ lies between 3″ and 6″ on my rule.  So that the pocket stayed centred, I then trimmed both ends)
 
 
 
Now it’s time for the zip!  Take the zip and trim the ends to the metal markers.
Take 2 pieces of your scrap and with right sides facing, put one piece either side of the zip at each end.  I am adding this to the end of the zip so that the seam formed as we join the pouch  together, doesn’t open directly into the end of the zip. (You have probably had a seam come open at the end of a zip in a skirt…)
 
Notice on the left, that I have pinned each side of the zip to hold it together – I will leave those pins there as I sew. The seams will be 7.5″ apart.  Sew down each side going across the zip.  Do this carefully- I did it twice each end because this seam will take the’ spreading of the zip open’ force as you use the pouch.  Press them open.
 
 
Trim the scrap pieces
 
 
 
The zip is now 9″ long!!  Notice how nicely the zip closes too.  Well done!
Take one of the main fabric rectangles and place it right side up. Place the zip opening from the left, right side down on top of it. Then place the pocket rectangle, right side down on top of that. Notice that the top of the pocket is facing the zip!
With the ends and side edges meeting, pin along the length of the zip.  Just check that it looks like this:
 
 
 
 
and when you flip it open:
 
We now need to attach the Zipper Foot:  
 
 
You will notice that this foot has 2 sides to it and 2 attaching bars – so you decide which side you wish to sew down and attach the foot accordingly.
This is a zipper foot from my very first machine – just to show you a different style!
 
As with attaching any foot, always turn the needle down to check if you need to shift the needle!!
Ok – with your foot attached so that you sew to the left and needle adjusted, stitch the length of the zip.  I ran the edge of the foot along the edge of the fabric .
 
 
Open it out and with your Stitch in the Ditch Foot, your stitch length to about 3 and the seam allowance facing to the main fabric, sew down the length of the zip through the main fabric and seam allowance only. This gives a nice finish and prevents it rolling and jamming the zip.
 
 
  
Now to the other side!  Place the other main rectangle right side up, then the zip with the opening now on the right, and then the other lining rectangle and repeat the process.
 
 
 
 As you are top stitching you will come to the zip slider. If you leave your needle down,  lift the foot and rotate the whole thing, you will be able to move the slider past the needle.
 Rotate the fabric back and continue stitching to the end.
 
 
 
 The outside will now look like this:
 
Before we start the next step OPEN the zip!!
Take the 2 main fabric sides and place them facing each other and this will also mean the other lining sides are facing each other. 
 
 
 Pin and stitch around the outside, remembering to leave an opening to turn the pouch through to the right side.  (I left below the pocket open)
 
 
 
 
Clip the corners and trim away the bulk at the seams and turn through to the right side.  Push the corners out with a blunt instrument, stitch the gap closed using ladder stitch or machine stitch it, tuck the lining into the pouch and TaaDaaa – you’ve done it!!
Pop your spare blade in the pocket and the cutter in the pouch and zip it up!!  
 
Well done!!  I hope you enjoyed the journey!!
Until next time
Nanny xx

Let’s Sew Part 10 – Sewing Room Project

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Good Morning!!
Today we are going to make our next Sewing Room Project – a Tool Holder – using the skills of :
straight sewing and sewing curves
 

 

You will need:
Pieces of your co-ordinating fabrics
Plain to use as lining – homespun or calico
A container
Lets get started!
You will need to work out some measurements based on the size of the container you use.  I used a Maccona Coffee jar.
Trace around the base of your container and add 1/4″ all around – this is your pattern for the bottom of the cover. You will need to cut 2 of these – I used my lining fabric for both.
Measure around your container and also the height of the container and add 1/2″ for the turnings
Cut a rectangle this size from your lining fabric.  You are going to make a rectangle for the outer by joining strips of your co-ordinated fabrics.  They don’t have to be the same size – be creative!
Take the strips and arrange in an order that is pleasing to your eye.  Join the strips remembering to start and finish with a couple of reverse stitches BUT I want you to finish 1/4″ before the end.  Press the seams 
open. 
Set your stitch length to 4 and sew a row of stitching 1/4″ from the edge – this is just a guide for you and can be removed easily later.
 

Press that edge folding to the inside.
Trim to the measurement around your container plus 1/2″ (it doesn’t need to be tight tight).  
Join the remaining sides to form a cylinder.  Press
Cut a rectangle the same size from your lining fabric.
Form a cylinder from the lining rectangle, leaving a 2″ opening in the middle of the seam.  Press
 

We are now going to join the cylinder to the circle. 
Take a circle and fold in half – pinch the ends to crease – then by putting these creases on top of each other fold in half the other way and pinch the edges again.  You have divided the circle edge in 4.
 

Place the circle on your table and stand the cylinder on it (wrong side out) with the edge we left 1/4″ unsewn  sitting on the circle.  You will see how the cylinder has to sit and the 1/4″ not sewn allows it to spread but it is not enough so snip  in between each of the seams as well. You have your stitching there as a guide – don’t snip past the stitching.
 

Divide the cylinder into 4 like we did for the circle but use a pin to mark each of the 4 points.

Now with those right sides together we are going to pin by joining our pins in the cylinder to each of the marks we finger pressed on the circle ie 4 of them. In between each of the 4, spread the snipped areas till they fit the circle edge and pin there also.
  

 

(Can you see how this transfers to the making of hats??)
Now with the circle down on the machine, sew around the circle following your guide stitching, taking care to go slowly and make any adjustments as required to avoid puckering.
Repeat the process for the lining.
 

Take the lining and turn it inside out.
Take the outer cylinder and turn it right side out.
Sit the outer into the lining and divide into 4 like we did with the circle and pin around the edges.
Stitch.
 

 

Notice how I have the fabric on my machine – you sew inside the cylinder!
Turn through the opening we left in the lining.
 
Roll the seam open between your thumbs and fingers and then top-stitch – I chose to do mine about 1/4″ from the edge but you can make it whatever distance you like.

Any of the large guide stitching that shows, can now easily be removed!

 

Well done!!  Slip your container into the cover.  You can see in the photo below that I then took a hair elastic and placed it around the top of the jar (I cheated and you can too!!)  Spread the gathers till even and then trim with a ribbon or embellish till your hearts content!

 

 

That looks much nicer sitting on my sewing desk – what do you think?
I hope you enjoy making one for your room and remember Nanny would love to see some photos please….
Until next time
Nanny xx

Let’s Sew – Part 9 – Sewing around Curves

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Good Morning!
Now that we have you sewing straight seams it is time to take a look at curved seams.  You will want to use these on necklines, armholes etc  
You basically have two types of curved seams – concave and convex – or ones that curve inwards and ones that curve outwards!!  Some people like to refer to them as valleys and hills – it doesn’t really matter what you call them and once you know how to go about sewing them it doesn’t make any difference!!

The first thing to remember is that they are curves – they are not straight and all the pulling and tugging in the world won’t make them so.  You can see what happens in the photo below – it just makes you get a lot of folds and makes it most difficult to sew without ending up with puckers and pleats.

So when sewing a curve you have to follow the curve!
I am going to use my 1/4″ foot ..  As I sew, following the curve, I will make adjustments just like we did when we were sewing a corner – I will leave the needle down, lift the Pressure foot and adjust the fabric.  I will then proceed carefully, repeating the adjustment when ever it is required.  It really is that simple!!

Now we have our curved seams all stitched up we need to turn the seam

Oh dear!  Not very attractive is it!!  Don’t worry – this is easily fixed as well.
When your curve is inwards – snip                      When your curve is outwards – cut out a v

Some people love using Pinking Shears on their curves.  Pinking Shears are special scissors that have a serrated cutting edge and make cutting the v’s so easy!!
After you have snipped and v’ed, roll the seam between your thumbs and fingers.

Now sometimes you will notice a pattern asking you to ‘under stitch’ your curved seam. This is done to keep the facing and main piece from rolling open and helps it to sit flat and, unlike top-stitching, it is not visible on the outside of the project.
To do this, press the seam towards the facing (I have marked it with an F) and sew through the main fabric and the seam allowance, on the right side.  I am using my Stitch in the Ditch Foot and you can see the blade is running along the edge of the seam and the needle is moved as far as it will go to the left. This will ensure that it sews on the facing. Sew carefully along the seam, pulling the seam open as you go.
This photo shows the underside with the stitching on the facing side of the seam:

and this is our two curved seams stitched and understitched!
Neat isn’t it!!

Now that we have curves sorted how about another sewing room Project??

Until next time
Nanny xx

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