How To's: pattern

Showing posts with label pattern. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Figment Reversible, Double Purse or Bag

Finished, with the light side out

Finished, the dark side out

Showing the double sided bag

fBag cut out, pieced top

Stitching in the interfacing and darts

Putting it all together

Putting it all together - 2

Making the bag 2-sided

Stitching and turning

Continuing the 'Build'

Getting ready to add the strap/band

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Super Simple Two-sided Aprons

Making Aprons can be simple and they are fun to give. A gift that can be used over and over, and enjoyed by both giver and receiver! Mine are reversible, just as easy to make as one sided, making them more 'seasonal.

Here's how I did it. The first time I made them, they were all in the same fabric, and I made a paper pattern using newspaper, to cut them all out. The second time, I simply used a measuring stick or tape, and a straight edged ruler (a quilting ruler in my case.) I started with a list of who I was making them for, decided on the fabric for each, and added that next to the name, then counted how many of each I would need. For adults, I cut the fabric I had purchased in 3 foot lengths. Each 3 foot length would be 2 apron sides. For the kids sizes, I made them 2 and 1/2 foot lengths for taller/bigger kids, 2 foot for our 5-8 year old's (and 3, but I sewed in a big fold, with long stitches that would easily pull out, because 3 grows quickly.) I did not make the kids narrower, as covering more rather than less kid felt like the right direction. As most fabrics are 40-45 inches wide, this will make each apron front 20-22 and 1/2 inches wide.

Once the lengths were cut, I marked the top of each with a pin and then for the adults marked off 4 inches on either side of the pin (making an 8 inch center top of the apron.) For the kids I marked off 3 and 1/2 inches for the bigger one's and 3 inches to either side of the center pin for the other's. Once the center tops were marked, using my handy ruler, I marked the angle to cut by selecting 12" (see the image below.) I then cut along the side angle lines, and then cut along the fold of fabric and had one side of 2 aprons cut out. Hold on to those corners for the next project!

Apron pattern for varied sizes

I continued until I had all the sides cut, and put them together with their 'other side' folded and set them aside for sewing. Before putting them together, you need 'straps', which can be tied/buckled (both neck and center) or a combination of tied/buckled and solid. They can be made of the same fabric that your aprons are, and if they are, you will need to cut for each adult (1 and 1/2 inch wide) 2 - 36 inch ties for the 'waist' and 1 - 24" for the top (that's what I used, but measure the length on yourself to be sure it fits, but don't forget to include the top of your apron in the size.) For the kids, I used 24 inches for the 'waist' and 20 inches for the top, although I used lace or ribbon or paracord on mine, to better match both sides of the apron.

Right sides together place straps

Straps pinned in, ready to sew

Strap sewed in, side sewing begun

Once you have everything (and if your using matching fabric ties, sewn along each side at 1/4 inch seams, turned to the right side, ironed and topstitched) pin the wrong sides of your apron together. Place the top strap inside, laying the right sides of match fabric together at the top of the apron, 1/4 inch from the edges. Lay the right side apron back into place matching the sides of the apron. You should now have the front and back (holiday and non-holiday in my case, pinned together, with the top strap inside.) Sew the left side strap on, reversing to be sure it's in place to stay, 1/4 inch from the edge (at the end of the strap section) turn and sew down the angled side, using a 1/4 inch seam.

Stop where the straight edge begins/turns, and lay in that sides tie, again, leaving the tie inside and matching fabrics. Sew the strap in, reversing to get it in good, and continue to finish other side in the same manner, leaving the top of the apron open. Once the right strap is sewed down, you can pull the right sides through, pull it tight to the stitching, iron and top stitch, 1/4 inch seams along all sides, except the top, that will need to be sewn just over the fold.

Reversible with Holiday and non-holiday sides

Matching, both non-holiday are dragonfly fabric

Sometimes, the color theme is what matches

It's not too difficult to 'size' them to fit everyone

Note the fold in the smallest, easy to 'let out'

Remember those corner pieces that were cut from the top of the aprons? I put them together, a little randomly, to create pot holders. With two random squares of fabric, some batting and a a little binding, these aprons will go to their reciepients with a 'sorta matching' pot holder, to make the gift even better.

Choose your pieces

Once begun you can chain stitch them

After stitching they will require pressing!

Stuffed with 'wrap & zap' and stitched

Finished with bias tape!

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Child-sized Take Along

My child-sized take along. A handy thing for a young person to have, to keep their toys stowed and together. This is the first one of these I've made, and it's imperfect, but I learned a lot along the way. First, I wouldn't use flannel again. It's a left over from mask making, so I used it here. Second, I won't 'fold-in' space in pockets again.

Hang it anywhere
Folds up neatly
The fold area and pockets
Laid flat, you can see the roominess

Here's how I built it. Or how I would, were I not using scraps. The interior fabric needs to be a strong enough fabric to take a beating and hold itself together, in shape. I like the pre-quilted fabric for that, or an upholstery fabric. The exterior and pockets should be a fun fabric. My bag is 12x24ish, though I will make the next 16x28-30". Before sewing, fold the interior fabric in half, and then pin up from the fold 1", this is the bottom of the brief case, and should not have a pocket anywhere in this space.

1st Pocket: Interior fabric only! My strip here is 4-1/2" high and 21" long, with elastic zig-zagged along the top and then hemmed. I laid it on the edge of the interior fabric, pinning it on at the 1/2" mark. Then with a quilt ruler, pinned it down at every 1-1/2", using my thumb (though anything else would also work) inside as a spacing quide, before pinning each 1-1/2" pocket. After pinning, I sewed the individual pocket seams down, leaving a 1/2" at the bottom to fold under. Once all the 'side seams' were in, I folded under the bottom, creating a fold in each individual pocket, and sewed it down. What I learned and what I will do different next time:

1. I should have used a pencil and marked exactly where the top of each pocket should align on the quilted fabric, I will next time to keep it straighter.

2. I will put in two lines of wide stitching along the bottom, to gather the bottom when hemming, rather than folding it.

2nd Pocket: Interior fabric only! This pocket is 9" tall and 15" wide, with an inset zipper. I put the zipper in 2" from the top, hemmed the pocket all the way around 1/4" deep, and then ironed in a one inch double fold all around, matched the sides so that they were all the way to the edge, then sewed it down.

What I learned and what I will do different next time:

1. I will put in two lines of wide stitching along all four sides, to gather the bottom when hemming, rather than folding it.

2. I wont hem first, I will hem as I go, on future projects.

3. I will have to use a pencil and marked exactly where the top and bottom of each gathered seam of the pocket should align on the quilted fabric, to keep it straight.

3rd/Whole side Pocket: Interior fabric only! This pocket is 15" x 15". Learning from the first two, this one has double seam, wide stitch gathering along all four sides. It also has an inset zipper (both zippers are 9"). First, gather the top and the bottom so that they are both flush with the sides of the interior piece. I pinned 1/2" up from the bottom fold for this side (up from the 1" fold taken along the bottom, setting in a 1/4 hem as I went, and stitched it down, then do the same about 1-1/2 inch from the top of that side. Then gather the sides so that they fit the pockets size and stitch them in 1/4-1/2" from the sides, being sure the fabric is flush with the sides of the quilted fabric. Having the binding over all the fabrics (pockets and outside) helps make them stronger and looks neater.

Lay the pocketed side down, and then lay the exterior fabric with the pattern up together, and zig-zag along the edge. This makes it easier to add the binding. The binding goes on next, I used prepackaged here, but usually make my own.

Finally, make two handles of the exterior and pocket fabric by taking 16"x1 or 2" (depends how much fabric you like to fold under) strips, folding under and sewing down along one side. Center (about 4" from each end) the these straps 1 to 1-1/2" into the fabric and sew along the bottom, top and both sides, and then add a couple of X's to be sure that they stay affixed (remember, this is for a child, and they are not known for the delicacy with which they handle things.)

Monday, June 15, 2020

Kaleidoscope Quilts

These quilts have movement, but are only one simple block, with 2 different sized triangles. Everything is dependent on the colors. Mine are dark and light for the center pieces and then for the corners, I tried medium colors, divided in to dark and lights.