One-Piece Leather Zipper Pouch

You can never have too many zipper pouches, right? I use them for everything imaginable and they are so handy when traveling.

The leather pouch on top is my old pouch with the worn out zipper.

I made this leather zipper pouch probably about ten years ago. I have had it so long that I have forgotten just when I made it. Probably more than ten years ago. It was one of my first experiments with leather. Leather is a unique beast to sew. It can be done on a home machine with some patience and a few learned skill sets. A walking foot is very helpful also.

The zipper has gone kaputt. I won't toss the pouch just yet because I am hoping that maybe I can fix the zipper teeth somehow. I've seen some magical solutions to this problem though I don't remember them exactly at the moment. If nothing else I will tear it apart and resew with a new zipper. That option will change the dynamics and dimensions of the pouch however. Unlike with fabric, ripping out a seam from leather leaves holes. Unsightly holes. So it's a project for another day.

The project for this day is to make a replacement leather one-piece zipper pouch with a small header. I found some fun leather at Tandy Leather and made this lovely little number.

Materials:
1 9" zipper with plastic teeth
1 8"x 12" piece of leather
1 8" x 12" piece of fabric for lining
Coordinated thread


Place 8" side of leather edge to zipper tape edge, right side of leather facing right side of zipper. I arrange so that the metal stopper beads on zipper are out of the way of fabric edges so they won't be in the way when sewing the sides in a future step. On the other side of the zipper tape place 8" side of fabric to zipper tape edge. The zipper will be sandwiched between the leather and lining fabric. Right sides of leather and lining fabric will be touching. Be sure to align along sides.

After sewing the leather and lining to zipper, finger press back and topstich. I change stitch length to 4 for topstitching leather.

Now do the same for the other side of the zipper with the other ends of the leather and fabric pieces. You will have two loops of fabric.

Unzip zipper and turn. Topstich the second side. It's a little bit of a pain to reach the edge where the zipper head is but you can use a longer zipper if wanted. I just sew as close as I can get because the edges will be sewn in the next step anyway. Turn it back inside out.

Now open zipper at least halfway. If you forget this you won't be able to turn your pouch after sewing sides. Align pouch so that there's about 1" of material above and the rest below.

If you want a tab or ring, tuck it into side, raw end out, along bottom zipper tape. Or you can add a grommet in the header when pouch is finished. Or you don't necessarily need one at all. I cut a slim piece of leather long enough to provide a thumb loop and inserted it by zipper at the loose end before sewing up the sides. I insert tab on side where zipper opens from.

Sew up sides. Be careful of metal stopper beads on zipper. Do not sew over those. Hold zipper securely in place at its loose end until secured with stitching. Backstich and sew over zipper several times to reinforce it. I sew over it, backstich to edge of zipper and sew over it again at least two times.

Dealing with raw edges options:
1. just let them be. The original pouch had raw edges for ten years of use and was not a problem.
2. zig zag along edges to minimize fraying
3. cover with binding
4. trim with pinking shears

If you choose option 2 or 3, only do the edges below the zipper.

Now turn bag right side out. Poke out those corners into nice neat points then topstich 1/4" or 1/2" from zipper to hold header in place. I line up zipper foot with edge of leather along zipper tape.

Just lovely.

Super Easy Fabric Baskets with Decorative Flaps

Aren't they adorable? I think so. And so handy.

Super easy as well. Let's get started. These are my notes on the ones I made for reference.

This basket starts with an 18" square fashion fabric enforced with stiff interfacing and an 18" square of fabric for the lining.

Iron on the interfacing to the backside (wrong side) of the fashion fabric. I used Pellon 808 for this basket and it worked very well. The extra stiff Pellon craft interfacing would work well also but is not necessary for the basket to hold its shape.

Place the two fabrics right sides facing and sew around with 1/2" seam, leaving a 3-4" opening in the middle of one side for turning. Clip corners and turn. Poke out corners and smooth sides then topstich 1/4" from edge around all four sides (this will close the opening left for turning).

Fold in half. Measure 3 1/2" from bottom corner and mark on bottom and side then draw a line to join the two points. Do this for right side and left side. Sew along diagonal line. Be sure to backstitch at edges starting and ending the seam.

Now fold in half on the other side. This will feel a bit awkward as the first two corners will distort the rectangle a bit but it will work fine. Measure 3 1/2" from bottom corner up along side and down along bottom fold and mark then draw diagonal line between the two points for both sides again. Sew along the diagonal line for both sides.

Whatever fabric side is facing you when sewing the corners will be the lining.

Turn inside out. Fold tabs down onto sides of basket. Topstich 1/4" from edge along top to hold tabs in place.

The tabs inside the basket can be tacked in place. Or they can be cut 1/4" from seam and surged or zig-zagged to cover the raw edges. I left in to provide added support.

I ran out of Pellon 808 and the replacement was Pellon 809 which is firm but did not feel as firm as 808 so I attached to both fabrics for the owl/polka dot basket. Worked really well.

Baskets can be custom sized for any dimension.

What I've made so far:

A. 18" square 3 1/2"x 3 1/2" Finished 5" h x 7 1/2" w
B. 16" square 3 1/2 x 3 1/2" Finished 5" h x 5 1/2" w
C. 12" square 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" Finished 3 1/2" h x 4 1/2" w
D. 12" square 2" x 2" Finished 3" h x 4 3/4" w

I plan on making a chart once I get some more done of varying dimensions but this gives a general idea of results that can be expected.

A.

C on left and D on right.

(B got put to use right away so I did not get a picture of it at this time.)

Round Ear Bud Holders with Key Ring

I made these fun little, padded, round ear bud cases a few days ago. They whip up quick and easy and are so handy. They would make terrific gifts.

All it takes to create these are 2 fashion fabric circles, 2 fleece circles, and 2 circles out of a lining fabric. (These are made with circles 4 1/2" in diameter.) And a zipper. I used 7" zippers. Excess will be trimmed away. And a key ring or giant lobster claw. And a small rectangle of fashion fabric for tab. I used key rings.

Of course, the lining fabric can be made from a fashion fabric. I think the term fashion fabric is used in the industry more to designate your outer fabric while lining fabric tends to be a cheaper, solid fabric.

So 2 circles each of fleece, outer fabric, and lining fabric. Cut one of the circles in half for outer, fleece, and lining fabrics.

You now have 1 4 1/2" circle of fashion fabric and 2 semi-circles of fashion fabric, 1 4 1/2" circle of fleece and 2 semi-circles of fleece, 1 4 1/2" circle of lining fabric and 2 semi-circles of lining fabric.

Sandwich the fleece halves between the outer fabric and lining halves with wrong sides against the fleece. Place the sandwich face down on a zipper. The right side of the fashion fabric will be against the zipper and the straight edge of the fabric will match the straight edge of the zipper.

Sew the 3 layers along zipper edge then press back away from the zipper teeth and topstitch. Then line up the other set of halves on the other side of the zipper and do the same thing. Just make sure that the right side of the outer fashion fabric is facing the zipper when sewing it to zipper and facing up after pressing it away from the zipper teeth and topstitching.

Now sandwich whole circles with fashion fabric right side facing down, fleece circle, then lining fabric circle right side facing up. Place on right side of halves attached to zipper, lining up edges as neatly as possible.

Right sides of fashion fabric will be touching and right sides of lining fabric will be facing out on both sides.

Be sure that zipper is unzipped. Zipper head should be in center of circles or you won't be able to turn it right side out after sewing together. Place tab along zipper at the opened end. You can tack this down to keep it in place. Raw edges of folded tab will be lined up with raw edges of circle. Folded end of tab will be inside, between the two right sides of the fashion fabric.

Oh, to make the tab, cut a rectangle about 2"x3", fold into 3 lengthwise, sew down each side about 1/4" from edges. Fold in half with side with raw edge inside.

Sew around circle with 1/2" seam allowance. If your edges are super even you can do 1/4" seam allowance but with so many layers it's simpler to use the 1/2" seam allowance to better catch all those circle edges.

Trim zipper ends flush with edge of sewn circles then use pinking shears to trim around circle edges. If you don't have pinking shears then clip around. Turn right side out through open zipper. Topstitch around outside edge without going across the zipper. This will encase the raw edges. Voila! A handy little carrying case for ear buds or spare cash or a key or a jump drive or all sorts of things.

Instead of using a key ring you could use a clip or a giant lobster claw to attach to a ring on your purse or backpack, etc. Or you could do the key ring.

The first one I did was only 2 1/2" in diameter and that was pretty small, too small for earbuds, but big enough for a spare key or maybe a pair of earrings, etc. I think 3 1/2" or 4" circles would work well also. I think the next set will be cut at 4" diameter for the circles.

A fun project and a very quick sew up. A great stash buster. A great gift idea.

A Blanket That Is a Pillow

Last month I made a fleece blanket that folds into a pocket to form a pillow. It was to be a birthday gift for a three year old. It was fairly straightforward, except that when I moved to Texas I removed the spool cap from the sewing machine that I brought with (to keep it safe) and I could not find it when it came time to sew.

I still don't know what happened to the spool cap. The spool of thread that I took off when I removed the spool cap was right there but no cap even though I took them off at the same time.

That was the large spool cap, which is the only one I ever use. The medium spool cap does not normally work on normal sized thread spools but it was what I had so I used it. What a nightmare! The thread kept catching on the little cut in the top of the spool and breaking. I guess I am lucky that the needle did not break.

So, as a workaround I cut a circle slightly larger than the medium spool cap out of poster board. That worked. It is not a permanent solution, of course. I did find one online and ordered it and it arrived and all is good in the world of my sewing machine working well again.

The blanket is fleece on one side and that soft swirly fabric on the other side. I think it's called Minky or somesuch. Most of the instructions I saw when investigating how to make the blanket said to make the pocket 18" but quite a few said to make the pocket 16". So I made it 12". Yeah, I had a logical reason for that. Don't do that. Make it 16" or 18".

The two fabrics are fairly thick so folding the blanket into the pocket is a struggle and a tight squeeze and after wrestling it into place the pillow is as hard as a rock. If it was just a single layer of fleece then the 12" would have worked nicely. But it's not. It's two layers of thick fabric.

The birthday girl loved it anyway!

If cramming the fabric into the pocket is too much of a hassle she can always use the pocket for a favorite bedtime book or slippers or a snack in the car instead.

Playing with Displacement Filters

I enjoy photography as much as crafts and art projects. Love, love playing in Photoshop. There's so much you can do with Photoshop. There's definitely a learning curve. You can't sit down at Photoshop and expect to create jaw dropping images in the first session. It takes years to master the software and even then it's just the tip of the iceberg with what PS can do. But it's so worth it! And over time you will get better and better and things will be easy instead of a struggle.

I've learned to document the steps I used to create a procedure. Even if you follow a tutorial online that tutorial can vanish in the masses of the internet when you realize you forgot what steps it took to create a specific project and often you stumble into your own version even when following someone else's instructions. So write down some notes, take some screen shots of your layers and workspace as you are working. Even the order of layers can make all the difference in the world.

I know a lot of people aren't happy that you can no longer buy the CC version of PS but have to lease it monthly. I like that it's leased for a reasonable fee. The full PS cost was quite prohibitive for a toy. If you are a professional photographer or graphic design artist then you need PS (or Lightroom) but when you're just using the software to play, $700-800 is a lot to pay.

This photo is a compilation of two photos using a displacement filter. It's quite basic and simple and I love the result. The little girl looks like she was painted on the fence and over time the image has faded and been overtaken by vines.

Last Minute Valentine Gift-Knitted Heart

Here's a quick and easy project for a last minute Valentine's Day gift, or any time of the year when you want to knit up a fun and quick heart.

You can use chunky yarn and big needles or lightweight yarn and small needles. The big chunky yarn on large needles (10-15) knits up at the same rate as the smaller heart but you get a small almost pillow size heart.

These hearts were made with metallic yarn using size 2 needles. If you want to use bigger needles, say 4 or 6, they will work as well but the fabric won't be as solid. I used circular needles but straight needles will also work fine.

First, make the first bump:

CO 3
K3
KFB, P1, KFB
K5
KFB, P3, KFB
K7

Cut the yarn and push the bump back along the needle. Now CO 3 on the opposite needle of the circular needle, or empty needle if using straight needles. Leave a tail 7-9" to weave in.

Make the second bump exactly like the first.

CO 3
K3
KFB, P1, KFB
K5
KFB, P3, KFB
K7

Now push the two bumps together and
K1, P12, K1
K14
K1, P12, K1
K1, SSK, K8, K2tog, K1
K1, P10, K1
K1, SSK, K6, K2tog, K1
K1, P8, K1
K1, SSK, K4, K2tog, K1
K1, P6, K1
K1, SSK, K2, K2tog, K1
K1, P4, K1
K1, SSK, K2tog, K1
K1, P2, K1
SSK, K2tog
bind off by doing slip 1, k1, psso

By casting on to the other needle for second bump you will correctly position it so that when you join the two bumps the knit sides and purl sides match correctly. When you are knitting the row K1, P12, K1 you are knitting the first of the two bumps then the second of the two bumps, thus joining them together. That first stitch when you purl into the second bump can be loose, just tug it back down to tighten it up.

Now make a second heart exactly like the first. Leave a tail from binding off long enough to use to sew the two pieces together. 2x the length of the perimeter might work but I allow a generous 3x to be sure.

The only tail I weave in is in the middle, to stabilize it since it's more flimsy. Using the long tail from the cast off, put the two heart pieces right sides together and sew them together. All those single knit stitches on the sides are for this reason, to make them easy to see and give a nice edge to the finished heart. Leave an opening to turn the hearts right side out. About an inch and a half will do. Stuff the yarn tails up into the heart through the opening. You can stuff the heart with yarn scraps or wool scraps or stuffing or even some pleasant dried herbs. Sew the opening closed, being careful to stay with those edge knit stitches to give it a seamless looking join.

Have fun!

The Reverse Crafting Trend

Craft

noun

an activity involving skill in making things by hand.

verb

exercise skill in making (something).

There is a growing trend in home crafting.

That is a statement that stretches across many decades. I think it’s human nature to want to create, to learn a craft that means that we use our own hands and artistic talent to form a product that is functional and aesthetic that we can say that we made ourselves.

Knitting has come and gone in popularity. Knitting used to be something a majority of housewives used to know how to do but over time it was seen negatively, as something only grandmothers do. Now the slope has reversed and it’s most popular among the younger generation.

One of my favorite newly discovered crafts is using a lucet to make cords. I only learned of the lucet in the past two years yet the lucet was used by Vikings so it’s been around for a very long time. It’s such a simple tool and the movements required to wrap and manipulate the string, thread, yarn, or leather is a basic figure 8 with a tug. Somehow the lucet has managed to survive for hundreds of years despite its low-key visibility.

Sewing is another craft that cycles up and down in popularity. When Singer came out with the first electric home sewing machine every house seemed to have one. Fewer and fewer people seem to sew at home these days. Oh, I think a lot of people actually own sewing machines but fewer and fewer people actually use those machines. Like knitting, I suspect it’s a cyclic popularity which means a return to interest in sewing again.

I like to collect old crafting books. The styles and materials may change but the basic methods remain the same. Everything changes. Yet there is a limit to what exists so we cycle, recycle, visit, and revisit all these methods and items. Pinterest has sure given home crafting a boost. Pinterest has almost become synonymous with the word crafting. But don't limit yourself to Pinterest when exploring crafting options.

I have tried my hand at stained glass, wood working, carving, clay sculpture, jewelry, beading, metalwork, and of course fiber work in all its glorious diversity. I understand that not everyone is driven to tackle every form of crafting out there but I am often puzzled (and even sad) when I learn how many people don’t have any creative outlet hobby at all. Most of the reasons given are that they aren’t “crafty” or “talented” or wouldn’t know where to start.

No one is perfect when they start. Like everything, it takes practice to achieve success. It’s the joy in the discovery that is the most satisfying.

As stated above, craft is the skill of making something by hand. I hope you feel emboldened to try your hand at some craft. There is something so satisfying in taking a raw material and forming it into something that looks recognizable. It could be as simple as getting a crochet hook or knitting needles and a few skeins of yarn and creating an afghan or as complicated as building a stained glass lamp shade. The important thing is to realize that the journey is as much a part of the success as the end product and practice always improves the skill.

Whether carved stone gargoyles will ever come back in style is a mystery. But there is definitely a movement for more people to try their hand at home crafting.

Knitted Cat Hat

For Christmas gifts this year I made my granddaughters cat hats. They are obsessed with cats and they were thrilled with their cat hats.

Instead of doing the conventional straight up hat with a seamed top, I decided to define the ears a bit more. I accomplished this with 2 short rows at the start and middle of the row.

I found this alpaca yarn at Michael's and it is just lovely, so soft and warm.

First step, measure the head. The gray cat hat pictured is for my almost 3 year old granddaughter. Her head circumference measures 19" and the gauge swatch with this yarn and size 15 Addi 16" circulars was about 2 stitches per inch so I cast on 40 stitches. I used a provisional cast on and did the rolled hem method; knit 1, slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front across the first row then slip 1 knit stitch purlwise and purl 1 across the second row then repeat rows 1 and 2 for rows 3 and 4 before working a 1x1 rib for a few inches. I knit two rows then did the linen stitch for several rows to give it a bit of cat fur texture before going back to stockinette. Somewhere along the way place a stitch marker between the 19th and 20th stitch. This is the middle stitch marker.

I formed the ears with two short rows, the second short row 2 stitches less than the first short row. For smaller hats you can go with 8 then 6 stitches for the short rows if desired.

When the hat is the right height, about 6", when you have knit to the height you want, knit 5 stitches past the middle stitch marker and wrap and turn and purl 10 stitches then wrap and turn and knit to start of row stitch marker and knit 5 stitches past that marker then wrap and turn and purl 10 stitches then wrap and turn and knit to 4 stitches past middle stitch marker and purl 8 stitches then wrap and turn and knit to start of row stitch marker and wrap and turn then purl 8 stitches then wrap and turn and knit to end of row and one more row completely around. Use the Kitchener's Stitch to seam up the top. (If you want the ears more subtle, you can do

Use some scrap yarn to sew on buttons for eyes and do a satin stitch nose. Tie two strands of yarn on each side of nose for whiskers. And voila! A fun and lovely cat hat for kids or adults.

For my five year old granddaughter, whose head is 20" in circumference, I cast on 42 stitches with the blue yarn. Blue is her favorite color! Win! Win! A blue cat hat. She absolutely loves it!

Starburst Scrap Afghan Knit As You Go

I made this afghan for my niece for her wedding present. It is the same pattern I shared in January a year ago except the main color is blue instead of beige. You can find the instructions here. It took a few months to make, of course. I whipped up a few medallions each night and tossed them in a bin until I had a bunch then worked them together by working the final row. If I had had the time to sit down and crochet the whole afghan at once it wouldn't have taken so long but it was a squeeze it in during what free time I had kind of project.

The pop of color and hexagon shapes of the medallions just tickle my visual senses. Plus, it's warm and cozy and has a perfect weight to it.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest so a cozy afghan is a perfect gift. I lived in the Pacific Northwest for many years and cold is the main theme out there. Sure, it doesn't get nostril freezing shut, car tire thumping frozen cold. It's just always cold. A steady cold. Afghans and quilts are a normal sofa accessory there, summer or winter.

It turned out great. Just love it. The beige afghan is still the cat's favorite. When I bring it out he appears out of nowhere as if by magic and settles in on the afghan to snuggle with me. Since my niece has a cat, I am certain that at least someone in the household will fall in love with it.

I don't do a lot of knitting in the summer. I'm not big on A/C though I will use it when it gets muggy hot and the best way to avoid turning on central air is to not sit on the couch with a warm knitting project on my lap. Sometimes the urge to knit will be too strong to resist even with the hot summer weather but mostly I knit to make something I want to use and there isn't a big need for knitwear in the summer.

I have a lot of brands in the fire and I need to focus on some other projects for a while so I don't expect to get many crafting posts done in the next several weeks or even months. I will try to post any projects I do, whether knitting, crocheting, beadwork, wirework, or sewing but I won't be able to create projects just for the blog for a bit.

In addition to some other major projects going on I am planning a big move. That will be my big time sink for a few months. Between writing and preparing house to sell and a new job starting next month I will be lucky to get even a monthly post done on here. I will try though.

Sometimes you just have to focus on one thing at a time. I tend to have so many things going on at once that every once in a while I have to stop and focus on one thing or it gets a bit overwhelming.

Don't Be Afraid to Play with Any Crafting Process

When It Comes to Crafting, Experience Comes with Playing

I like to make things. I’ll bet you do also. That’s why you’re visiting my blog, right? Looking for some suggestions or patterns or inspiration to make something? Although we want our projects to “wow” our friends, relatives, or people passing on the sidewalk, it’s mostly about the process more than the finished project.

I mean, if all we cared about was the end result we could just go to some brick and mortar shop stuffed to the brim with unique, awesome products or some eye-catching online boutique, right? It’s about making it ourselves, having the control to create a version of something we saw somewhere but in the colors we want, the textiles we prefer, etc. Right? At least that drives me quite often.

I started on my journey of cross body purse making when I couldn’t find that exact right purse that I wanted. From cross body I went to hobos and totes and luggage then to full on any purse silhouette that I wanted to make. I inserted key tethers, the size pockets I wanted, external pockets, zippered pockets, hidden pockets, and the list goes on. With enough practice creating a bag with fine details and a professional look becomes second nature.

That’s the key, practice. I’m not afraid to cut up an old pair of jeans, an old flannel shirt, or fabric off the clearance rack to make mock up versions to practice. The key is to not be afraid of messing up. No matter how many times you’ve made something, mess ups happen. The thing is, learn from it and move on.

I’ve taught a lot of people how to knit. It’s amazing how many people want to learn and are just afraid to do it. Once I was at work and taught someone how to knit using two pencils. She made a whole scarf on those two pencils! That still makes me chuckle. I always tell new knitters to go get some cheap, smooth yarn at the local department store. It’s a $3 investment and those cheap skeins go a long way. A cheap set of straight knitting needles is just as cheap and a set of circular is a cheap investment. (We all advance to leaving the straight needles behind at some point.) Play and undo and play some more. A night at the movies cost more in popcorn and soda than a skein of cheap yarn and basic knitting needles.

The point that I’m trying to make is to play. Don’t be afraid to try something new. It’s about the process and with enough experience you will eventually create something that will wow your friends, family, or that person walking past on the sidewalk.

Number One Cat Toy #1

Cats have different personalities. Some like a toy mouse. Some love catnip. For my Max it's all about the string.

I was making a fabric stuffed flower and the first attempt I cut the fabric with the wrong dimensions and it created a barrel shape too narrow to flatten for the flower. I ran some yarn through the center and Max's favorite all-time cat toy was born.

It doesn't look like much does it? But the cat loves it. It's so great when mistakes turn into unexpected treasures.

Even hot and tired, he can't resist a few swats.

It took about half an hour total to make and was completely scrap items. I think it took less than half an hour but we'll say half an hour for the first one.

1. Cut a piece of fabric 3"x 4 1/2". Crease or iron 1/4" along the long edges. This keeps raw edges inside.
2. Sew into a tube. I used sewing machine but it's small enough that you could do it by hand.
3. With needle and thread, use a running stitch along the top edge. You can use doubled standard thread if you want a stronger thread. Make stitches fairly large. I inserted needle about every 1/4". You just don't want the stitches too tight because that actually hinders gathering. Pull up thread to gather together and secure with a knot or two. Turn inside out and do the same on other end; use running stitch around edge (in center of the folded fabric), tighten to gather, knot to secure. Stuff. I used poly fill but you can use scraps of wool, yarn, even add some catnip. My Max doesn't care about catnip so I don't bother with it.
4. String about a yard of yarn (or string or cord, whatever you have on hand) onto a tapestry needle, run needle through center of barrel. The gaps at top and bottom from gathering fabric together make the perfect spot to insert the thick needle. Tie yarn. If yarn gets too beat up with lots of play it's really easy to replace. Just cut off old yarn and string on new yarn.

With such a quick, frugal, and well received toy, you can make several to have on hand for play.

Organic Scrap Quilt Loaded with Color

I am tickled pink with how well this scrappy quilt turned out.

I had a box of fabric scraps that were really too small for anything but some of the fabrics were so great that I couldn't bear to throw them away and felt the need to find a way to use them up.

What I did was randomly sew pieces together. I did straighten most of the pieces, so no curves. But other than that it was completely random, often cutting off the excess after sewing strip after strip onto the growing scrap block.

I did square up the blocks. You can likely see that one of the large blocks resulted in leftover log cabin coaster blocks sewn together. There's a mini mountain square patch in the middle of a larger scrap patch.

I used up all those small pieces and then used larger pieces of scrap fabric to fill out the dimensions. I free motion quilted the blocks, cutting the backing squares at least an inch bigger on every side. Then I joined them together by sewing the backs together with a tight 1/4" seam and using 3" sashing strips folded in half for the front. Even the binding is created by joining 3" scrap pieces together. I joined the binding on the back and flipped it over to the front and sewed along the edge. No hand sewing the binding for this scrappy quilt. It was all about down and dirty, quick and easy (though the scrap blocks were started over a year ago), and impact more than perfection.

Dimensions, big enough to cover the love seat. We had a few days of cooler weather last week and it was a cozy little lap quilt to pull over my lap while reading or watching tv but not big enough to cover my toes if I wanted to lay down. I'm still tickled pink with it.

The vibrant colors really thrill my senses. And this quilt was made almost entirely of scraps of fabric that most sane people would have tossed when finishing the original project. So it's a freebie as well as free form. The batting was leftover from a wedding quilt I made two years ago. The backing fabric was the top sheet from a set whose fitted sheet tore. It's a true scrap quilt.

Because of its nature, I felt a great sense of freedom in whatever I did with it, as in processes. I played with the free form quilting, not worried about how it looked, just having fun with it. I experimented with the using the backing fabric to attach blocks together to see how that worked out. It worked out but I definitely learned some lessons for that.

Just take a look at the ladybug quilting I did. That's what it reminded me of, the path of a flying ladybug.

But it's all right. It made me happy to play. This is what a quilter sees but the bigger picture is what everyone else sees. I'm not entering it in any competitions. I am content to have it on my love seat for the next cool evening where it will make me feel good to cover up my legs and lap with a splash of bright colors.

Scrappy Crocheted Afghan Using Leftover Yarn

I love this afghan. It is dense and warm and a bright spot on a cold, gloomy day.

It is crocheted but I think a similar version could be done with knit.

It is a very simple pattern. Crochet a foundation chain of desired length. I think I used a G hook to match the yarn's weight. I don't remember how many stitches I started with. I went with the "this is slightly wider than the depth of the couch" method. It's just a casual throw to use up scrap yarn, after all. I did make a point to use an even number of stitches so that the alternating sc and dc was constant but it isn't necessary.

That's all there is to this afghan, foundation row, alternate sc and dc back, switch colors, sc into dc and dc into sc then repeat back. Pick up base color and work two rows, pick up scrap color and work two rows. I cut scrap colors but leave base color traveling up side.

Amount of yarn will vary. I used up 3 skeins of the beige and lots of miscellaneous partial skeins of other colors.

I intend to do the crab stitch around the entire afghan, which I expect to take minimal at least another full skein.

If I was to knit this, I would knit a base row then slip 1, knit across in the base, switch to scrap color and repeat slip 1, knit previous slip 1, repeating alternating slipping 1 and knitting 1 for the whole afghan to get the jagged effect.

Knit Stuffed Hearts

These knit hearts are a fun project that whip up in a short time. An ideal gift idea.

They are quite easy.
You can use whatever weight of yarn and size of needles you want to use.
For chunky yarn I used size 10 needles because I wanted a dense fabric. I used circular needles but it's just as easy to use straight needles. The orange one is lightweight yarn and size 6 needles and you can see the stuffing peeking through because it was not so dense.

First we make the first "hump"
Cast on 3 stitches,
knit the 3 stitches,
KFB, P1, KFB
Knit 5 st
KFB, P3, KFB
Knit 7, cut yarn

Now to make second hump,
Repeat steps for first hump by casting on 3 sts.
I push the first hump to the left side, wrong side facing me just until I have cast on for the second hump, to keep it oriented correctly.
Now repeat:

knit the 3 stitches,
KFB, P1, KFB
Knit 5 st
KFB, P3, KFB
Knit 7

Now purl across all 14 stitches.
Knit 14
Purl 14

K1, ssk, K8, K2tog, K1
Purl 12
K1, ssk, K6, K2tog, K1
Purl across

continue decreasing on knit side row, until 4 stitches,

ssk and K2tog, turn, slip 1, k1, psso

1 heart complete.

Make a second heart.

Place rights sides (knit sides) together and seam them together, leaving about a 2" opening to stuff with stuffing, turn right side out, stuff, and sew hole closed.

Pattern Weights in Action

In a recent post I discussed making pattern weights. Here they are in action:

The little sour cream packet looking weights took about ten minutes to make a pair. They are filled with dry rice.

The little owl weights took about an hour, I suppose. I did not time their construction.

There are only three pattern pieces that you can make yourself; a quarter circle, about a one sixteenth of a circle, and a 1 - 1/2"-2" circle. The variance is because I did the 2" cardboard with 2 1/2" fabric to cover the cardboard and I think going a bit smaller would be better. The 2" version does give a broad and steady base though.

I used a compass and drew half the 10" circle on a piece of copy paper then folded it in half and cut out the quarter circle. Then I took the second quarter and folded it in half two more times and cut out the 1/16th circle, tapering it out at the tip to allow for seam allowance. Then you sew the two pieces together along the sides. I used two different fabrics for contrast. The 1/16th circle is brown and the 1/4 circle is gray.

Cut out about a 1 1/2"-2" circle of cardboard for the base and then a round piece of fabric about 1/2" bigger than cardboard. Do a running stitch around edge of fabric circle and place cardboard circle in center and snug up thread to wrap fabric edges around cardboard circle. Fold tip of triangle shaped tip down and tack down. Hand sew a running stitch around edges of bottom of owl  to draw up bottom. Put a bit of batting or poly fill into owl, pushing down into head then fill up with dried rice and cinch the bottom closed. Hand stitch fabric covered cardboard circle to bottom of owl. Add buttons. Voila! An owl pattern weight. Works great.

Yes, the fabric in photo is too wrinkled to cut out like that. I just set it up to take a picture and ironed it before actually cutting piece out.

Summer Weather Means Sun Hat Time

Playing with Reversible Bucket Hats/Sun Hats

Summer is just around the corner. I love hats. I like making them. I like wearing them. I have a lot of straw cowboy style hats for the summer, working in the garden, out walking, or attending outdoor events. Hats make all the difference in outdoor activities remaining enjoyable. First, they keep your head cooler than no hat under the direct sun. And they protect the top of your head and your face from sunburn.

I decided to play with making sun hats, starting with designing. First I made a doughnut shape, the outer ring for the brim, keeping the inner circle for the top of the hat and cutting out rectangle sides (crown). Yes, pi is a real thing and it's your friend. The top of the crown and the inner circle matched perfectly. The key is to place the circle down on the machine to allow the feed dogs to do the work of easing the fabric. Despite the crown being straight, same length on top as bottom, the doughnut shaped fabric was tough to ease in and ended up with a crinkly brim. Which is actually really cute. For a little girl, especially.

Pulled out an old bucket hat pattern from my pattern stash. It was Simplicity, McCalls, or maybe Butterick. I always copy pattern pieces onto tissue paper so that I keep the original pristine and organized. Made that version. Cute but the brim did not work for what I wanted. I wanted a brim to shade my face and the only way to wear this and be able to actually see was to push the brim up. Cute. Not really functional as a sun hat.

Time to tweak. To keep the dimensions of the inner circle of the brim, I cut almost to the edge but not through then spread the wedges to give me a wider brim. Worked great!

Top pattern piece is the original. Middle pattern piece is cut to form wedges to spread outside farther out and taped in place. Bottom pattern piece is tissue placed over wedged piece and drawn to new specifications.

I did not use interfacing since this was a prototype to see if the new brim pattern piece was how I wanted it to be but it still works great. It's something that can be tossed in a bag, tote, or luggage and will retain its shape. It can be tossed in the washer then dryer. Very happy with it.

Oh, and the best part, they're completely reversible! You can choose an elegant side or a fun whimsical side. I've been wearing the batik side out. I really like it. The pink/yellow one is nice also and I would wear it when I don't care about needing a brim to block some sunshine from my face.

For a child's hat you could get away with two fat quarters. For an adult sized hat you will need a bit more, simply for placement of the pieces. Since I was experimenting and making prototypes I did a few pieces with whatever I had on hand. You could even create a patchwork look with smaller fabric scraps. You could do a leather one. Even one from oiled canvas for a rain hat. If you're into embroidery you could embroider the crown or the brim before sewing the pieces together. A giant fabric flower with a pin back would be cute as well. The child's version made me think of Alice in Wonderland for some reason and my fingers craved some wild embellishment but since it was destined to be a gift I resisted. Dun dun dun... for now.

Fun, Easy, Quick Charming Pattern Weights

I am not a fan of pinning except when absolutely necessary, like pinning the four quadrants around a round, like a neckline or brim to crown of a hat. And a few other curvy situations where ease is involved. This goes double for pinning pattern pieces to fabric. Forget trying to get a pin through leather without ruining the project. And there's thick fabrics like fleece or berber fleece or flocked pleather. That's where pattern weights come in and shine.

When I made my jacket out of a luxurious suede with a super soft fluffy side I grabbed what was at hand to use as pattern weights. For some standard shirt/jacket/vest I have a pattern copied onto poster board because it gets used and reused and used again. I punch a hole at the top of each pattern piece and hang it from a nail behind a book case in the craft room. Can't pin through poster board on top of extra thick fleece.

When I lost my favorite pattern weight (a rubber stamp of an owl mounted on a wood block) I decided to go ahead and make some pattern weights. My fellow innovative craft enthusiasts know that improvising is rule number 1 in crafting. It does get distracting and frustrating having to stop and find something with some weight but a low profile to use as a pattern weight though.

Voila! The easiest pattern weights to make! I made two and was startled at how fast they went so I made two more and timed how long it took to complete from start to finish. From the time I picked up a scissors to cut the fabric to sewing the last seam to close them up, it took 10 minutes to make 2.

The smallest one started with dimensions of 2.5"x4". I don't remember the dimensions of the other ones. Probably about 3.5 or 4" x6". I like the 2.5"x4" ones. The little tabs are 2"x4". The size can be anything you want as long as there's a ratio between long and short sides.

Just fold tab pieces in half lengthwise and sew up both sides of long sides. Fold in half with raw edged seam inside.

Fold piece of fabric in half, right sides facing. Insert tab inside one short end. You can position it in center or closer to edge if you want. I placed all of mine in center of short end. Sew across short end with tab and down one long side. Leave other short end open. Turn right side out. Fill with dry, raw rice or beans or poly beads or crushed walnut shells, etc. Anything with some weight to it.

Tuck seam allowance inside and fold open short end offset from other end. Sew shut with a topstitch close to edge. Easy Peasy.