Another boring step that delays the finishing of a bag is preparing the straps. Cutting strips of fabric, inserting batting/interfacing... I am not a fan of it! But I found a way to simplify and speed up the process! And it has a name: webbing! I will show you how quickly I finished my latest bags: But to make the process really quick and easy, you need one more thing: double … [Read more...]
Tips for sewing zippered pockets for bags
For my bags usually I buy two fabrics from a collection, one for the front panel and the other for the rest. But do you know that you can use "border" type fabric, like the one below? This is the design that runs on the entire width of the fabric. If there is enough contrast in color/motif/scale, you can easily cut pieces for a bag. Here is my bag!I bought the fabric for a quilt but now I … [Read more...]
Print and color dilemma
I made this bag (pattern here) some time ago using an entire charm square pack and at first I was a little overwhelmed by the huge amount of prints I used. Usually, if I have to use lots of prints, I like to combine them with some solid or solid like fabric. I could not do this on this pattern and I wanted to try a new look and here is how I made it. I did not want a variety of … [Read more...]
Pencil cases and a tip for easier sewing
Have you seen my latest pouch pattern? It's for super quick and easy pouches that you can make in any size you need and have lots of uses! How about some pencil cases? ... or makeup stuff. For some of the pouches I used vinyl - for its great advantage that it does not require interfacing. It's easy to alter the size and make a pouch that fit your need. The pattern also includes … [Read more...]
Tips for installing magnetic snaps on bags
Is there a step/task that you don't like when sewing bags? To me, it's the lining with its requirements, like pockets and magnetic snaps (my favorite closure for bags). If I am in hurry, it is tempting to sew some simple slip pockets and skip the magnetic snaps. But nice zippered pockets and magnetic snap closure add a lot to a bag, so I am glad that I found a way to take the stress out of this … [Read more...]
Flex Frame Pouch Tutorial
In 2012 I made these little flex frame pouches for my 3 sisters and a few weeks ago I saw that one my sisters is still using it! I told myself that they need new ones as soon as possible... ... and the opportunity arrived... With my new SPREAD HOPE pattern you can make small heart blocks and you can use them in a few different ways. I turned some of the heart blocks into pouches. Sewing … [Read more...]
Tips for sewing with 12wt thread
12wt thread is a very thick thread. For my first experience with it I chose to free motion quilt this quilt. The thread is Aurifil. It was one of my most amazing quilting experiences. While quilting this quilt, I learned how helpful the Jeans needle is. Since then, this needle type is the only one I use for quilting and for sewing bags. For those that still need to experiment with free … [Read more...]
How to add interfacing to vinyl/ faux leather
The vinyl/ faux leather can be used without any interfacing in some bags; in this case, a heavyweight fabric for lining is desired. It depends on the look you want for your bag. You can opt to add interfacing for added body and structure but also to add a lovely texture to it. I wanted to quilt my bag panels and that's why I chose a foam interfacing. Foam comes in both fusible and non fusible … [Read more...]
Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial- Part I
This is PART I of a series about SEMINOLE piecing. PART II is here and you can download all these instructions. Seminole patchwork is just a fun and quick process of piecing strips that helps you create intricate designs with ease. There are so many patterns you could sew using this technique! It works with strips in any size but I find it particularly interesting and helpful when you need … [Read more...]
Easy zipper pockets for bags
You can't sew bags without pockets and zippered pockets are the best. You can sew zipper pockets in a few different ways, here is one that I think is the quickest and easiest one. You need a zipper (I used an 8'' zipper- this is the length between the stops of the zippers, not the length of the tape) and fabric for pocket. If you use quilt weight fabric, add interfacing to the back. I like to … [Read more...]
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