Daisy Purse

Daisy Purse
April 21 2013
   This purse was an experiment on using Timtex. It is a thicker, heavier interfacing, a form of stabilizer. I read some reviews, and people didn't like it. I found someone who suggested cutting it short, and adhering it with fusible interfacing, to the main fabric purse pieces. I figured i would use some pieces of Flannel i had from making pajama bottoms. And use Batting in place of the timtex. It is about 13.5" by 11". On the other one, i would trim the Timtex a bit more in from the edges, and corners.

Front pattern pieces, with batting fused with fusible interfacing

The corners are cut out, so when you sew the sides and bottom, you flatten the sides and sew a flat bottom. 

The inner pockets are sewn to the lining.

Inner pockets are sewn to the lining.

I had a hard time deciding on the strap. 

Did i want a double strap or a single?

I went with a double. I cut them 36" by 1.5". I pressed the edges in about half an inch, and in the center, then folded them all up. They turned out about a half inch wide, i then top stitched them.

Straps all pressed, fold in the edges, then into the center, so it is about half an inch wide.

I had the sides and bottom all sewn, when i decided, I WAS going to quilt all around the Daisy's. So i had to rip it all back out, with JACK! *

I pressed little pieces of interfacing to the top middle of the lining, to add stability to the sew on magnet snaps.

And pressed under the top edges, so later i could top stitch around the edges.

at top are the lining pieces, at bottom are the outer pieces. :)

Sewed the side edges and bottoms together.

Lining and outer pieces all sewn together.

Squish the bottom corners flat

flatten out the bottom corners

 sew the corners so your bottom is flat and wide.

sew the bottom corners

 Check out the magnet snaps, and quilted outer pieces. I didn't do all the flowers, just the yellow and orange ones.

I am all excited, it is turning out so well.

Sewing the top edges around, and catching in the bottom ends of the straps.

If i had done a single strap it would have gone on the sides, where the side seam is. 

This would have made it a bit hard to sew them on.

Watch out for the pins.

WHAT do ya think?

SO CUTE!!

Someone we see all the time in joanns, said, She loved it, and it was ME!!

* Jack the ripper.
Ignore the dates, when i take out the sd card, it sometimes resets to the beginning date. This was an April 2013 project. 

  Next the Timtex version. I have created a paper pattern, but the leftover fabric pieces are not big enough. I will have to piece the bottom. Which is one thing i didn't like of those purchased patterns. :(

love diane

BackPack Purses

Started on Jan 20, 2013. today is April 20
Back Pack Purses

My first Back Pack purse i followed a pattern. I like buying them when joanns has a .99 cent sale on them. But they were a bit too technical, and too many pieces. This one is a bit shorter and wider. I forgot to cut the main section as one, therefore had 2 more pieces to quilt. But as one large piece I had a problem with trying to figure how to handle the large outer pocket. I managed that with sewing it up the side.
Okay, i have 4 main sections. I did a free hand quilting stitching around all the butterflies. i used some flannel as backing, i had leftover from some PJ's i had made, and cotton batting.
I also sewed a handle/strap.

I stitched around all the butterflies, which pulls in on all sides. So it is now a bit smaller in size.

I trimmed the sides to neaten it up and cut it down in size a little.

You can't really see all the stitching.

There are 4 main pieces. Front, Back, and the front and back pocket pieces.

You have to do the inside pockets BEFORE you put the sides together.
OR you catch the outer pockets in the stitching.
But you can see the pockets were sewn in.
I made them large enough to put the cell in, and keys.
You sew the sides up, catching the outer pockets in the stitching.
The bottom seam is sewn up too. Sewing the seams was a bit difficult, it was pretty thick and heavy with all the layers, and batting.

I made 10 buttonholes evenly spaced around the purse, one inch wide, so i could easily pull on the strap, to loosen and tighten as needed.

I started the strap in the center and weaved it in and out then down to the bottom corners. When you sew the corners closed, you catch the strap ends in.
You can see how the bottom corners are stitched closed here.

I turned under the top edges and top stitched it. When i did the buttonholes, i left enough room for the top edge to be turned under.

WA LA

The first one i did is a bit bigger. 12 X 16.5. I did the main piece as one, 24 x 16.5.
I also added a top band on the outer pocket.
You need to cut out the bottom corner, do a square cut, or rather take a square out of the corners. When you stitch it closed, you flatten it, and tuck the strap in. I double stitched, so I would catch it good. ( But don't do it so good you can't undo it later. I had to take mine apart when the strap shredded and needed replaced)
Sorry you can't really see the corner, but cutting the corner out, this flattens it and makes the bottom flat and wide.

When you flatten the corners to sew the bottom, you need to catch the straps for the backpack in the corners.

When you sew it you have to be careful you don't break a needle, all the layers are very thick.

Finished project.

love diane

Scrubbies

Scrubbers, Scrubbies  July 4, 2012

We usually buy several yards of net at a time, it goes faster. Joanns has it on sale regularly.
Cut the net into 2" inch strips ( they would be about 70" inches long)
Leave the net folded up, as it comes off the bolt, this makes it much easier to chop up.

Leave the extra yardage to the left as you cut the strips. I use my rotary cutter, and cutting board.
I put the edge on the 24" mark, and cutting 2" strips, and when i have cut 6, i should be at the 12" mark. 

 I bundle 6 of the strips up with a huge pin.

 Mom takes the 6 strips and ties them together in a knot,  And rolls them into a ball.

Crochet chain of 4 loops loosely.  Pick up the back stitch of the first loop.  (This makes a rib stitch.)  Make 2 SC in 1st loop, and 2 SC in each hole. (Circle completed.)

From now on make 2 SC in each stitch (picking up the back loop of stitch) for 2 lengths (2 strips).  Keep knots on reverse side from now on and make 1 SC in each stitch until you come to the last knot.  For strip 6, decrease by SC in every other hole. 

 She takes the end, ( usually not this long) and tucks it into the scrubber, hiding the end inside of it.

After I posted this, Ma decided she did not like the instructions. So I had to go BING and look for better ones. Sorry, I do not crochet, I hope these are helpful.

1. Make a slip knot and ch 4 (counts as first dc).
2. 11 dc in 4th ch from hook, join to first dc in the back loop (12 sts).
3. Ch 3 (counts as first dc). Dc in same st as ch 3. Then 2 dc in each st around, join to first dc. (24 sts)
4. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), in BLO work dc’s evenly around, join to first dc. This will create the sides of the scrubber. (24 sts)
5. From this point on, work in a spiral without joining at the end of each round. Ch 2, in BLO *sc in each of the next 4 dc, dec over the next 2 dc. Repeat from * around. (20 sts)
6. In BLO, *sc in each of the next 2 sc, dec over the next 2 sc. Repeat from * around. (15 sts)
7. Skipping sts to keep the work flat, dec around in BLO until you reach the center.
8. Fasten off and weave in ends. I just use a crochet hook to pull all of the ends to the inside.

OR

Crochet (dc) or half-double crochet (hdc) as you choose.

Row 1:  Make a slip st and chain 4. Dc 9 into the 4th ch from the hook, join.

Row 2:  Ch 3, 2 dc in each st around and join.

Row 3 : Ch 3, * dc in next st, then 2 Dc in next st. Continue in pattern from * and join.

Row 4:  Ch 3, *1 dc and decrease in next 2 sts, repeat from * around, join.

Row 5:  Ch 3, decrease in every 2 sts around until you can close up the hole in the middle. Fasten off. While crocheting, you will come to know where it is tied, work these to the inside, which will give them more scrubbing power.

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/sewing-quilting-needlework/303688-crocheted-mesh-dish-scrubber.html

Love, Diane

My Quilt Labels. Sept 18, 2011

In the past, my quilt labels were made using Microsoft Picture It, or Printmaster 12, and printing the labels out onto Printer fabric. I would insert a graphic, add the quilt name, my name, date of start and finish, and maybe who machine quilted it, or the fabric designer. The care instructions, who it is for, and if it was shown in any shows, could also be added to the label. Some have tucked extra fabric under the label, in case some is needed for later repairs. I normally did 4 to 6 labels at a time, on one sheet of the Printer Fabric. This was when i was doing lots of small quilts.

This is the label I made for the first Jungle Song quilt, using Laurel Burch Fabric. I found a zebra graphic somewhere and inserted it.

This is the label I made for the Memory Quilt I made for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary.

I couldn't decide what to do with this quilt, I didn't want to waste a whole sheet of the printer fabric on just one label.
THEN I REMEMBERED< I HAVE A MACHINE!!
But I forgot about the tearing off of the Embroidery stabilizers. BUMMER!! I should have used the Tear away stuff. 
This is obvious the back of my label.  I decided to use a pattern run stitch around the edge, rather than a needle and spool of thread  Embroidery design I had.  I was afraid they would not show up with the colorful Laurel Burch fabric.

This is after I tore out most of the stabilizers TEENY TINY PIECES, thankfully without tearing the Embroidery stitching apart. I used extra for a backing, so there is extra for any future repairs. :(

In the past, as the first two photos show, I tucked the labels outer edges into the outer quilt seam, and incased it into the outer binding. But as I did this quilts outer binding, I had forgotten. I had to figure something else out. I stitched around the outer edges, leaving an opening for turning it inside out.

I than hand sewed it onto the lower left corner. (I can never remember which corner is the proper one.)
I wanted something that would blend in, not stand out, or i would have used black.

Thank you, love dek

Rainbow Jungle 2 Quilt Progress

My Laurel Burch Junglesong flannel version quilt pieces all chopped up and ready to go.

First step, sew the strip sets together. 

  I chop up the strip sets, into strips. 

 The assorted strips get sewn onto squares. As i was cutting the animal fabrics up into the 5.5" squares, i also cut 2.5" sections, to sew together for the binding.

 I added some embroidered squares in amongst the animal squares, using the Laurel Burch Embroidery card.

 I had a huge problem figuring out how to get them to be on-point. I had to redo several, 2 because they came out puckery ( failure at correct hooping ;(   ) and 2, I cut them square and not diagonal. :(

Those are for another project.

 WA LA! On-point!!

OK, this picture was taken and rotated to be upside down.

I couldn't get all the rows into the picture, by standing on the couch. I had to use a chair, and had already laid out the rows. Plus, I have the rows too close together, i should have left some room between. The rows go diagonally, with the first row and last having 1 block. Row 2 and 9 having 3 blocks, row 3 and 8 having 5 blocks.  Before the rows can be sewn together, I have to sew triangles to most of the ends of the rows.

Most of the rows are sewn together, leaving the two halves ready to go !!

The two halves sewn together, and first border ready to go on.

The first outer border on, and ready for the second border.

The animal strip fabric for the outer border. I need a 5.5" cut.

Hopefully, I can salvage the other rows for another project.

The giraffe and elephant strips I need. The monkey rows i can use for a later project.

Change in plan. Originally, I wasn't going to do embroideries for the outer corners.

But I changed my mind, and wanted different ones, then the ones I had messed up earlier.

QUILT TOP COMPLETE!!

This is the backing fabric. I had to sew three pieces together. :(

I should have bought 6 yards, instead of one 3 yard piece, and 2- one yard pieces.

On the quilting machine.

BEAUTIFUL job !

The binding sections all ready to sew togther.

The binding is on. Now I need to square up the corners, making sure the edges are straight.

HMMM? wing it. I can now cut the extra batting and backing off.

Love the swirls !

DONE !! Well, when I get some printer fabric I need to do a label. On the other quilts, I sew two of the edges into the binding. But I forgot, it has been a while since I made one. Plus, I don't like to waste the printer fabric, and try to make several at the same time. I will have to look and see which older quilts I still need a label for.

I had to hand sew the rod pocket on. I forgot, and usually sew it on, as I sew on the binding, or into the binding. But this way, I can always remove it later.  A rod pocket is needed, in order to hang it at shows. 

Love the sun and rays!!

I used the Sweethearts from the Laurel Burch Christmas Embroidery card.

LOVE  DEK