Fabric Requirements:1/3 - 1/2 yard main fabric, fat quarter of contrasting fabric for the bottom, scrap for the initial, 3/4 yard webbing (if they will let you, just get 22")
Supplies:small square of fusible web, measuring tape, chopstick (for pushing out corners), scissors, sewing machine, pins, thread to match fabric
Start by measuring your coloring book or sketch pad, this one was 9" x 12". Add 1" to the width for seam allowance and 2" for ease (maybe 2 1/2" if you are going to be putting a crayon roll inside.) I ended up with 12", I'll call this A. For the height, double the measurement and add 5" (3" for seam allowance, 1" for ease.) In my case 29" (B). (Ease is the extra room to allow for easy movement.)Cut all your fabrics:
From the main fabric, cut 1 piece measurement A by measurement B. From the contrasting fabric, cut 1 piece A by 10". From the webbing, cut two 11'' pieces. (I realized when I went back that this can be a little confusing, so, from the main fabric, cut 1 piece 12" x 29". From the contrasting fabric cut 1 piece 12" x 10".)
With wrong side of small rectangle facing up press 12" sides down 1/2". Use the iron's hottest setting that is safe for your fabric.
Fold long body piece in half to have one piece 12" x 14 1/2". Press a crease in the bottom. Fold contrasting piece in half to have one piece 12" x 4", press fold.
Line up fabrics, contrasting on top of main fabric, with pressed fold matching and pin.
Sew 1/4" away from folded line on contrasting fabric (for me the pink polka dot.) This is called a topstitch.
Either select a font and print out an initial on a computer, or free-hand an initial on a piece of paper. I would suggest a block letter, but a block "t" just didn't look feminine enough for the fabric, so pick a font that looks good but won't be too difficult to sew around.
Trace a mirror image of the letter onto the paper side of the fusible web. If you haven't worked with this before, one side is textured and one side feels like paper, the textured side is adhesive.
Now place the textured side on the wrong side of your fabric and press according to the instructions on the package.
Cut out your letter and peel off the paper backing.
Lay the fabric flat (you only want to sew through one layer) and place your letter on the bag. Press it with a hot iron, making sure that it is firmly adhered.
With a straight stitch, sew around your letter. You could also use a blanket stitch or buttonhole stitch.
(This step is intentional. Its a french seam, so if it seems wrong, just read all the way through it before you start.) Fold the bag back in half, wrong sides together, and line up fabric, making sure the reinforced bottom matches from front to back. Cut any excess fabric, straighten the edges, and pin. Sew your seam 1/4" from edge of bag.
Clean up the edge of the seam, cutting any strings or fraying, but don't cut through or too close to the stitching. Turn the bag inside out, pushing the corners out with your chopstick.
Slide the bag over the ironing board and press seam flat, it doesn't matter which direction the seam is facing because...
now you'll press the seam flat so the bag looks like an inside out bag again. The point is to enclose one seam in the other so that there are no raw edges to fray.
Now sew your second seam 1/4" away from the edge.
Fold the top of the bag down 1/2" and then again 1" and press in both folds.
Turn right side out and place pins on outside around tip edge making sure folds stay put. Sew 7/8" from top edge all the way around.
Burn the edge of webbing, if it is nylon. If it is cotton, either fold it under, put clear finger nail polish or fray check on the edge (I think the best method is to fold it.)
Measure 3" from side of bag on both sides of the front and back and place a pin.
Line handles up with the pin, placing cut edge of webbing on inside, and re-pin in place making sure handles aren't twisted.
Sew across the top, down the side, across the bottom, and up the other side of the box created by the pins. Then sew an X inside the box to reinforce the handles.
Fill it with goodies, like crayons, coloring books, colored pencils, etc. and enjoy!
From the main fabric, cut 1 piece measurement A by measurement B. From the contrasting fabric, cut 1 piece A by 10". From the webbing, cut two 11'' pieces. (I realized when I went back that this can be a little confusing, so, from the main fabric, cut 1 piece 12" x 29". From the contrasting fabric cut 1 piece 12" x 10".)
With wrong side of small rectangle facing up press 12" sides down 1/2". Use the iron's hottest setting that is safe for your fabric.
Fold long body piece in half to have one piece 12" x 14 1/2". Press a crease in the bottom. Fold contrasting piece in half to have one piece 12" x 4", press fold.
Line up fabrics, contrasting on top of main fabric, with pressed fold matching and pin.
Sew 1/4" away from folded line on contrasting fabric (for me the pink polka dot.) This is called a topstitch.
Either select a font and print out an initial on a computer, or free-hand an initial on a piece of paper. I would suggest a block letter, but a block "t" just didn't look feminine enough for the fabric, so pick a font that looks good but won't be too difficult to sew around.
Trace a mirror image of the letter onto the paper side of the fusible web. If you haven't worked with this before, one side is textured and one side feels like paper, the textured side is adhesive.Now place the textured side on the wrong side of your fabric and press according to the instructions on the package.
Cut out your letter and peel off the paper backing.
Lay the fabric flat (you only want to sew through one layer) and place your letter on the bag. Press it with a hot iron, making sure that it is firmly adhered.
With a straight stitch, sew around your letter. You could also use a blanket stitch or buttonhole stitch.
(This step is intentional. Its a french seam, so if it seems wrong, just read all the way through it before you start.) Fold the bag back in half, wrong sides together, and line up fabric, making sure the reinforced bottom matches from front to back. Cut any excess fabric, straighten the edges, and pin. Sew your seam 1/4" from edge of bag.
Clean up the edge of the seam, cutting any strings or fraying, but don't cut through or too close to the stitching. Turn the bag inside out, pushing the corners out with your chopstick.
Slide the bag over the ironing board and press seam flat, it doesn't matter which direction the seam is facing because...
now you'll press the seam flat so the bag looks like an inside out bag again. The point is to enclose one seam in the other so that there are no raw edges to fray.
Now sew your second seam 1/4" away from the edge.
Fold the top of the bag down 1/2" and then again 1" and press in both folds.
Turn right side out and place pins on outside around tip edge making sure folds stay put. Sew 7/8" from top edge all the way around.
Burn the edge of webbing, if it is nylon. If it is cotton, either fold it under, put clear finger nail polish or fray check on the edge (I think the best method is to fold it.)
Measure 3" from side of bag on both sides of the front and back and place a pin.
Line handles up with the pin, placing cut edge of webbing on inside, and re-pin in place making sure handles aren't twisted.
Sew across the top, down the side, across the bottom, and up the other side of the box created by the pins. Then sew an X inside the box to reinforce the handles.
Fill it with goodies, like crayons, coloring books, colored pencils, etc. and enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment