Bowl Cozy

Bowl Cozies are relatively easy to make, they aren't the 30-minute wonders you've seen folks boast about on Facebook. To do anything right, and neatly, you take your time and do it so that it's something you can be proud of and proud to show to others. I have pulled together the steps to create your own bowl cozies.

First of all size. Size depends on you. I have made them 9 1/2 inch up to 13 inches, but the instructions are the same, only the size and angle are different.

To begin, you cut out squares. For each cozy, you cut two fabric squares and 2 batting squares. You want your batting and fabric (and thread) to be 100% cotton. If your cutting small cozies, you can cut them 9 1/2 inches square (angles are 1 1/2"), 10 inches square (angles are 2") or 11 inches square (angles are 2 1/2"). After they are cut, iron the fabric in half, diagonally and then in half again.

Follow the steps below. When measuring and marking your angles, be sure to put a finger in the fold, to be sure that the fabric and the batting are together, and there are no folds. Not pictured is trimming the angles. I didn't do it on my first ones, thinking extra batting would better protect the fingers, however, it makes it easier to finish your top stitching, if you trim your angles to 1/4" seams, and how many layers of batting are really needed...

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  Iron your fabric diagonally

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  Place ironed fabric and batting together

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  Top stitch along the folded lines

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  After top stitching, you must iron and trim

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  Fold batting/fabric in half, and mark angles

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  For 10" square, it's 2" deep by 1"

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  Mark and sew in your angle, trim the angles

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  If opened, this is what 2 angles sewn looks like

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  Turn, fold, mark and sew next set of angles

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  If you haven't already trim, including angles 

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  I chain stitch when making more than 1

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  Select and nest with fabric together batting outside

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  Sew together nested 'bowl' with 1/4" seam, leaving 1/2 side open

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  Trim corners. Using 1/2 open side, pull fabric through

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  Top-stitch all pieces together, 1/4"

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  Here's why it's not a 30-minute job - matching!

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  When finished it sits around it's bowl

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  Protecting fingers!

There's a lot of discussion, about whether these should be used in the microwave, but if there's even a chance that they might catch fire, why discuss it? It's far safer to use them outside the microwave.

New Bags!

Some of the bags I've been making!

I hope that these will just fly off the shelf!  The pattern for the shoulder bag is below. You can make it, if I can. You just need to have or find the fabric, have some sewing skill, and 4 - 5 hours of free time. Or you can buy these unique bags from me! Should there be any left.

To begin, you will need at least 1/2 yard of each - outside fabric, heavy interfacing or firm batting, lining fabric, button/snap/velcro/hook & eye for each purse you will make. In addition to the pattern below, you will need a 2 - 2x20 (or shorter, as you choose) inch strips from which you will fashion a strap. Cut out your pieces, taking care to cut out the dart in the bottom. Sew each dart together.

Taking the outer layer and interfacing layer, and zig zag them together, wrong sides together, or with the outside fabric facing out. When they are zig zagged together, you can treat them as one fabric. Put the wrong sides together for the bag outside/interfaced layer, and stitch them together, and snip to the stitching lines in the rounded corners. Do the same for the flap/tab, leaving the back (unrounded side) open. Pull the flap/tab through the open back and top stitch 1/4 inch from the side, all the way around. Sew the strap, right side to right side and interfacing, and turn it by pulling it through one end. Top stitch strap 1/4 inch from each side. Sew the bag lining together, right sides together, leaving a 4" space in the bottom, between the darts.

Pin the flap tab into place, right sides together at the center back of bag. Pin the straps into place, along the sides, right sides together, and then pin the lining to the top (opening) of the bag, right sides together and stitch along the top edge putting them together. Once finished, pull bag through the slit left in the lining, and sew the slit closed. Top stitch along the top of the bag, 1/4 inch from the edge. Put on closure.

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  Body, flap and dart. It also requires a 2x20 strap.

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  This requires exterior fabric, interfacing or batting and lining.



Halloween Dogs



Halloween Cats



Making Bags and bags and bags

Different style bags - The pattern for my green and pink bags:

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  With a zipper and 2 straps

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  With a snap front and one strap

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  22 - 23" x 12" piece and triangle sides, needs fabric, interfacing/batting and lining.

The round bag. I saw a photo and thought, that shouldn't be too hard. It's just a round bowl and pointed (cornered) end. I haven't decided if I like the zipper on top, or just to one side. I will have to made several more to decide.

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  My pattern for the end, plus a 22"x12" piece for the body

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  This requires the exterior, batting or interfacing and lining

Just something else I have been making, I will have to get sizes and information together for these cute coin holders.

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  Donatello Coin Holder

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  Raphael Coin Holder

Soft Board Games

For Christmas this year, I am creating soft-board games for my families with children. They are quilts, with top, batting and bottom. The bottom of many are a very soft, silky, velvety like fabric, that's a bit slippery in the machine but will feel scrumptious to be under. Others will be very fun, soft flannel, warm and comfortable.

But they will be more than quilts, they will be soft board games that can be thrown down on the floor, pull out some game pieces and play, as friends or family are available for an hour of fun together.

Here's how I started:

First I decided what size I wanted to make. I had already purchased some backing fabric, and it was limited in size, so I decided to make mine of 8" finished squares, and sashing, to bring it out to 54x54".

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  I created electronic graph paper to sketch out a pattern

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  I decided to go with a basic board game pattern (8x8)

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  and a basic board game pattern (smaller blocks, 6x8)

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  And knew the creative locations, fun 'stops' on the board would be around the playing spaces.

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  I made more than one design, but they all start with cutting and sewing

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  Pinning the sandwich is a pretty universal next step

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  And quilting all the pieces together (top, batting and bottom)

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  I used script to put instructions on the binding

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  Game 1 - a Disney themed game

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  Game 2 - Travel and Transportation with holidays

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  Game 3 - Transportation, with a holidays border

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  Game 4 - more complex, hidden princess and travel

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  Game tokens, collected when you land on the right square

Game tokens, to make this a game that can be played more than one way, should be the simplest form you can devise, because, lets face it, they will be lost, maybe even the first time they are out. Make them something the children can create to replace lost pieces. These are balsa wood and fabric, but many are the balsa and stickers that match the content of the squares.

The playing pieces I included are also balsa wood figures, that can be colored or painted or decorated in anyway to make them more personally important to the players.