Showing posts with label paper crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paper crafts. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Hanna's Birthday



So few and far between. I've been doing things, I swear. Just nothing to write home about I guess.

My sister is going back to school and needs a good tote bag. I decided I could push the limits of my sewing knowledge far enough to create something decent. I spent 3 full days hunched over my sewing machine with nothing but determination.



I saw this fabric at Joann's and in the words of Bella Swan, "About three things i was absolutely positive. First, this fabric would give the tote bag that funky punch I was looking for. Second, it was on 50% sale that day only. And third, i was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with it."

So basically I had no patten that I followed and messed up so many times that I don't feel comfortable explaining the process yet. I can list the supplies and give some words of advise:

2 yards of heavy cloth like duck cloth
1 yard lighter fabric used for liner and lid decoration
1 yard quilt padding
1 yard medium flex fusible interfacing
1 buckle
3 yards nylon strap- 2", 1", whatever
1 packet of adjustable thingies for straps
1 packet of hook thingies for straps
Mega Heavy duty machine needles, no all-purpose needles need apply.

Tip: Anything sewn on (lid decoration, pockets, buckle, strap hooks, etc must be planned out and affixed before putting together the inner and outer layers.



I also found a use for those amazing 1960's Good Houskeeping gardening encyclopedias. Greeting cards! My sister lives so far away so maybe this will force her to write me a little note.