Tote Bag Tutorial - Lesson 5: Boxing the Corners, Combining Outside Shell and Lining

Now that the Tote Bag Lining and the Tote Bag Outside Shell have been covered, and you know how to make the handles, the next step in making a functional tote bag is to Box the Corners. This step makes the bottom of the bag sit flat by squaring off the corners. It is a very simple step once you know how to do it, and makes such a difference in the look of a bag.


Before boxing the corners, I folded the Black outside shell in half right sides together and stitched up both side seams. I also did the same for the Paisley lining.


I placed my tape measure on the bottom folded edge of the Black with the 3 inch mark even with the seam stitching. I placed a pin at the end of the tape measure to mark how far in from the corner I would be stitching my boxing line and also to mark the center of the bottom fold of the fabric.


I opened up the bag and stood it up to flatten the bottom so that the seam was lined up on top of the bottom fold of the fabric, forming a point. Then I let the rest of the bag collapse so I could finish this corner. I felt through the seam for the pin I had placed at the center of the bottom fold to make sure that the seam was even with the bottom fold. I adjusted the seam to line up with the bottom fold by just sliding it back and forth until it lined up, making sure to keep the point at the end of the seam.


I placed my tape measure on the seam line, with the 3 inch mark at the corner, and pinned through all layers at the end of the tape measure. This should match where the pin was on the underside. That pin should be removed at this point so you don't sew over it.


Then I placed the tape measure across the seam so that one end was on the new diagonal fold of the fabric and the 6 inch mark was on the opposite fold. The 3 inch mark should line up with the seam. I pinned along this line and stitched it, stitching back and forth a few stitches at each end to secure the ends.


This is how it will look after the first corner stitching line is done.

At this point, I realized I was in such a hurry to move this project along that I had forgotten to sew the pockets and trim onto the outside of the bag. So I had to rip out both side seams and the corner seam you see in the picture above. That was not a fun project because black on black is so hard to see. Thank goodness for reading glasses and a good task light! But oh how frustrating! I did the outside pockets and trim that you have already seen, sewed up the side seams and the first corner stitching line, and then continued.


Here you can see in the side seam where the two horizontal trim pieces matched up with each other, and also all the stitching lines from the pockets and the other trim pieces. Now I'm back on the right track!

So after I stitched the first corner stitching line, I stitched another line about 1/4 inch away towards the point just to add strength and stability to the corner.



Then I cut the corner about 1/4 inch away from the second stitching line. And that is how to Box a Corner! I did the same for the other corner on the Black outside shell, and also for the two corners on the Paisley lining which already had the pockets sewn into it and the side seams sewn.


The next step is to join the outside shell and the lining. Since this bag will have a zippered extension sewn onto the top edge, the outside shell and lining pieces will be put together with their wrong sides together, just as they will be when the bag is finished. The raw edge around the top of the bag will be hidden when the extension is added in a later step.

So to do this, I turned the outside shell so that the right side was out and slid the lining piece inside of the shell, poking the corners of the lining into the corners of the shell. I matched the side seams and raw edges and pinned around the top to hold everything in place. Then I stitched around the top.

At this point, you can get a pretty good idea of how your bag will look when finished and just how big it will be. So far, so good, don't you think? And not too difficult I hope.

In the next lesson, I will show you how to sew up the zippered extension piece. I have had some emails from readers who are following along with this tutorial and have expressed some concern about "putting in a zipper" but let me assure you that this is nothing like putting a zipper into a dress or pants. You will see that it is a very manageable process and really quite fun.

Make sure you sign up for my Whirl Into Winter Giveaway before Jan 15! I don't want you to be left out in the cold!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Fun New Year's Quilting Projects

There are so many creative and generous people out here on the internet sharing their ideas and patterns and imagination with anyone who wants to click or bookmark or subscribe. I have found a couple of long-term projects being shared by designers I have been following for quite a while now, and I thought you might find them exciting as well.

The first one I want to share with you today comes to us from Sandi Andersen in Minnesota and her website A Legacy of Stitches.

This is the Block of the Month for January, a handsome snowman with a smart hat and scarf to keep him warm and cozy. I can't resist a cozy snowman so this one really caught my eye. Sandi offers her pattern for this right on her website or you can request an email of the PDF file. Sandi will be sharing a block a month for 2009. These blocks will feature something special about each month and she suggests making them into one quilt or finishing each separately to be used as seasonal wallhangings. I am sure each one will be more creative than the last!

The other project I want to share with you today is found on Helen's website Hugs from Helen. You might remember that Helen was the brains behind the Stitcher's Angel Swap that provided me and so many others with great opportunities to make friends from all around the world.



Helen's project is a 65 inch square Mystery Quilt which she will be presenting during Australia's summer holidays which coincide with our very cold and icy winter up north here. She calls it The Great Summer Holiday Mystery Quilt. The fabric requirements are posted this week, and next week she will begin with the instructions. If you just can't stand a mystery and you must know what you are getting yourself into before starting, Helen even provides a link that will reveal the mystery and show you what the finished quilt looks like. But that would be spoiling the fun, don't you think?

If you are looking for a new project for the new year, there are two fun ideas that could keep you busy and creative for quite some time. I have admired Helen's and Sandi's work since I first started following each of them and I just know they will not disappoint.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Tote Bag Tutorial - Lesson 4: Outside Shell Pockets and Trim

The outside shell of a tote bag provides a great opportunity to use your imagination and creativity, along with the knowledge of your own tote bag requirements, to come up with a fun design that also works for you. The tote bag I am making in this series is a gift for one of my sisters who is a teacher and also very crafty. I knew from the beginning that she would want lots of pockets inside and out, and roomy pockets too! I also knew that, although her color of the day -- every day -- is Basic Black, she would also like a little Fun, Pizazz even, on her tote bag. So the outside pockets and trim would be just the place to add that little bit of Spunk.

Here's how I summoned the Spunk...


I spread out the 21 x 36 inch piece of Black with the right side up. I folded the two 20 x 14 inch pieces of Paisley in half right side out so that they measured 10 x 14 inches. Keeping the folded edges facing away from each other and towards the raw edges of the Black, I pinned the 3 raw edges of each Paisley pocket to the Black. You can measure for exact placement if you like, but I usually just line the fabric up on my cutting mat and use the lines on the mat to help eyeball the placement of the pockets.

Here again, you can make the pockets just about any size you want or eliminate them altogether. You can also use a single layer of fabric and hem the top edge as I did for the inside pocket piece. You can embellish your pocket with trims or beads or buttons, or even embroider it with a design of your choice as I did on my Angel Swap Tote Bag. This, of course, would need to be done before pinning the pocket to the outside shell fabric.

Once the pockets were pinned in place, I stitched around the 3 raw edges. These edges will be covered with the trim as you will see next.


Next I took the Gingham trim pieces and prepared them just as the Handle strips were prepared, by folding them right side out and stitching a seam about 1/4 inch from the raw edge, then pressing the strips flat, opening up the seam on the top. I pinned the strips over the side edges of the pockets, extending them to the top edge of the Black. I stitched close to both folded edges of each Gingham trim pieces.


Then I pinned another trim piece over the bottom raw edges, extending those edges all the way to the side of the Black. When the bottom of the bag is boxed and the side seams are sewn, this bottom trim piece will look like it goes all the way around the bottom of the bag.

Do both pockets the same or stitch down the middle of one pocket through the Black shell fabric to make a divided pocket on one side. Again, make these pockets to suit your own needs, as big or as small as you want them to be. Change up the trim or embellish as you like. Be creative and make a one-of-a-kind piece of functional art. Try it -- it's fun!

The next lesson will be on Boxing the Corners which is a handy technique you can use, not only for tote bags, but for pillows and other projects as well.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Tote Bag Tutorial - Lesson 3: Handles

Here is a quick little lesson on how to sew handles for this Tote Bag or for any other project that might require handles. I have already done a little tutorial on this technique I use for handles and trim from when I was making my Angel Swap tote bag for Lyn. I'm going to add this tutorial in here to go along with the other lessons just so the series will be complete. Besides it would look a little weird to have those blue denim and paisley handles on this very black and gingham tote bag!

If you are interested in the previous lessons for this series, you can find Lesson 1 HERE, and Lesson 2 HERE. I'll put them all together in a neat little package on my sidebar shortly so they will be easy to find.

Now on to Sewing Handles!


Lay out the 4 strips of handle fabric -- 2 Black and 2 Gingham. Fold each of them long ways with the right side out and press or pin. Sew a half inch seam along the long edge keeping the raw edges even.


Open the seam allowance and press it open, pressing each strip flat with the seam running down the middle as shown in the Gingham and Black strips above. Then turn a Gingham strip over onto a Black strip so that the seams are hidden between the strips. Pin in place. Sew just inside the long folded edges of the Gingham through all layers to complete the handles.

Isn't that just the easiest way to make a pretty and sturdy handle? I have never enjoyed turning tubes of fabric right side out and now I can avoid that unpleasant task altogether while making a very attractive tote bag handle. And you can too!

Stay tuned for Lesson 4 in which you will see how to sew the pockets and trim on the outside shell of the tote bag.

If you haven't yet signed up for my Whirl Into Winter Giveaway, make sure you check it out before it's too late. The winner will be announced on January 15 and I'd sure love for it to be YOU!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Tote Bag Tutorial - Lesson 2: Inside Lining and Pockets

Who doesn't just LOVE a big tote bag with lots of pockets? I mean, what's the point of having a giant tote bag to haul your stuff around in if you can't also organize it in some way?

The first lesson was on fabric requirements. And here's the next lesson in tote bag construction - the Inside Lining and Pockets.



Working on a 21 inch edge of the Gingham pocket fabric, turn under about a half inch of the fabric and press, then turn it under again and press.


Stitch close to the first fold making a nice neat hem for the upper edge of the inside pocket. Do the same for the opposite edge.


Cut a piece of stiff batting 21 inches by about 11 inches and fold it in half long ways so that it measures 21 by about 5 1/2 inches. With the Paisley lining fabric right side up, lay this batting across the center of the Paisley, matching the edges. Lay the Gingham pocket fabric, right side up, on top of the Paisley and batting, matching long edges and center lines. (I use the fold in the fabric to mark the center.)


Pin all layers together along the long edges and along the edges of the batting to hold everything in place.


Stitch up the long sides, and then stitch across the fabric along the edges of the batting through all three layers.


Stitch back and forth from edge to edge of the batting in any design you choose. I did a big free-hand zig-zag. This holds all the layers together to help stabilize the bottom of the bag.


Decide how big you want the inside pockets to be on each side of the bag and stitch a double line from the top edge of the pocket all the way down to where the batting begins. This will serve to separate the pockets. I made two pockets on one side of the bag...


...and three pockets on the other side. You can make your pockets any size you like. Also if you want pockets that are not as deep as the bag itself, you can stitch a line from side to side, making the bottom of the pocket higher up the side of the bag.

This completes the Inside Lining and Pockets section of this tote bag. If you do not want inside pockets on your tote bag, you can skip this step altogether and simply continue your tote bag construction with the Paisley lining fabric as it was cut in the first lesson.

An alternate pocket idea for the inside of the bag would be to cut a piece of fabric a little bigger than the finished size of the pocket. Hem the top edge as shown above. Turn under the other three edges once. Sew pocket onto the right side of the lining fabric wherever you want it to be.

Pockets are one of the many places you can get so creative with your tote bags. Use your imagination and knowledge of your own needs to come up with pockets that work for you!

In the next lesson, I will show you how to prepare the straps for the tote bag. In the meantime, I have a few projects I need to finish up and get mailed out. Don't worry -- they are not Christmas gifts! I might even let you peek at them before I close up the packages!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Tote Bag Tutorial - Lesson 1: Fabric

Way back in October, which now seems very far away, a package came in the mail from Denver Fabrics with some fabric for a tote bag I planned to use for a gift...some basic black, some gingham and some pretty paisley, all durable duck cloth.

Since I have talked so much about this tote bag pattern I love to make, I thought I would share a little multi-part tutorial on making it. While constructing this gift, I kept my camera handy, and finally here is Lesson 1 of my Tote Bag Tutorial.


Fabric

I started out with a 21 x 36 inch cut of Black for the outside shell, a 21 x 36 inch cut of Paisley for the inside lining, and a 21 x 26 inch cut of Gingham for the inside pockets.


Then I cut 2 pieces each of Black and Paisley 21 x 7 inches for the zippered extension. The Black will be seen from the outside and the Paisley will be the lining, to match the outside and lining of the bag itself.


Then I cut 2 pieces of Paisley 20 x 14 inches for the outside pockets, which will be very generous in size. If you want smaller outside pockets, simply adjust the measurements. You can also leave the outside pockets off altogether if you like. The finished size of each pocket is 10 x 14 since the length of the fabric is folded in half, making it unnecessary to hem the top edge and also making it more sturdy. You can use a single thickness of fabric here if you would like.


Next, I cut 2 strips of the Gingham 3 inches wide by the width of the fabric for the trim around the outside pockets. I also cut 2 pieces of Gingham 4 1/2 x 28 inches and 2 pieces of Black 5 x 28 inches for the handles.


The only other supplies I needed were a zipper and black thread. I purchased a heavy duty sport zipper which was 22 inches long. A regular zipper will work just fine too, but I prefer the heavy duty zippers for their bigger teeth and larger zipper pull.

In the next installment, I will show you how to put together the inside of the bag with the lining and pockets. But stay tuned tomorrow for my Whirl Into Winter Giveaway post which you won't want to miss!

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Whip Stitch Video Tutorial

Whip Stitch is a good technique to know since it is used in all kinds of sewing, knitting, crocheting, and quilting projects to join two pieces together. It is sometimes also used on an edge just for decoration.

Here's a short video showing the technique...




The little project I was using in this video to demonstrate the Whip Stitch is my friendly knitted bear you got to meet not too long ago. The Whip Stitch was used to sew up the cast on edge at the bottom of his legs. It was used again to sew up the front and back of his head since those parts were knit flat and left open for stuffing.

I also used Whip Stitch around the edges of the Merry Christmas Wallhanging and the Tree Skirt to attach the felt backing pieces which hide all the knots and threads and give the pieces a little more stability. This was done using thread to match the felt and helps to keep the edges from getting frayed and fuzzy over time.

There are many other joining stitches for thread or yarn projects as well, but for the types of projects mentioned above, Whip Stitch is a great technique to use.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Appliqued, Embroidered and Beaded Merry Christmas Wall Hanging

When my husband and I first married, we both worked full time and he also went to school at night so I spent most every evening by myself in our little one bedroom basement apartment. Of course I had plenty to keep myself busy with all my handwork. Back then, it was more contained though. One project at a time and no big stash in a sewing room to pick through and get inspiration from. How things change in 26 years! Now the sewing room I have is probably bigger than the kitchen we had in that little apartment. And my work area outside my sewing room is probably bigger than the whole apartment! Of course that apartment was perfect for us at the time.

Anyway, one of my projects that kept me company was a Dimensions Felt and Sequin Appliqué wall hanging kit that took me many months to complete. It is still one of my favorite decorations to hang in the house each year and it has a special place in the front hall.



Here it is in all its glory! Isn't that just plain cheerful? Every piece of felt was cut and stitched and embroidered. Every little sequin was sewn on and secured with a little glass bead on top.


Santa is such a jolly looking guy with his rosy cheeks showing over his fluffy white mustache.


I love the uncomplicated lines of the background embroidery, all done in simple outline or stem (I can never tell the difference but I know there is one!), satin and straight stitches in white.


There are a few little French knots inside the round berries.


The snowflakes on the background are done with lazy daisy stitch along with some straight stitches and clear glass beads for sparkle. The Merry Christmas writing is also in either outline or stem stitch with white embroidery floss.

I hand stitched the white rick rack around the entire piece, and then I backed the whole thing with another piece of red felt that I purchased myself, attaching it by whip stitching around the edge using red sewing thread. On the backing piece before I attached it, I embroidered my name and the year I completed the piece...1984!

I hope Santa visits your home tonight and leaves you something nice!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

How to Make Bias Binding from a Fabric Square - Easy and Fun Too!

Here's a little picture tutorial on how to make bias binding from a square of fabric. This is the method I used to finish the Mystery Quilt Project recently, and many other things over the years.

I hope you find it useful the next time you need to make bias binding for a project.

First you need to find out what size square to start with by looking at this handy bias binding calculator. Then cut the square in half diagonally and sew the two triangles back together as shown below.

Two of the short sides are sewn right sides together and the long sides are parallel and opposite each other. In the picture above, the long sides are on the top and on the bottom of the picture running horizontally.


Draw lines parallel to the long side of the triangle at intervals equal to the width you need for your project. In this example I am drawing my lines every 2 1/4 inches.


This is what the wrong side of your fabric will look like with your lines drawn.


With right sides together, bring one short side over to meet the other short side, folding up the rest of the fabric in the middle. This will seem very awkward because you will not be able to flatten out the fabric and it will be all bunched up underneath.


Taking into account the seam allowance and where the stitching line will be, match up the ends of the lines you drew, offsetting them by one line, so that the ends of the two short sides are not even with each other. Pin in place.


Now if you make this pinned seam diagonal and straighten out the rest of the fabric, you will see that you have a tube of fabric with one corner of each triangle sticking out at each end, and the lines you drew should follow each other from one triangle to the other.


Now bring this odd piece to the sewing machine and stitch the seam.


Now here comes the fun part! Beginning at one overhanging corner, start cutting on the line that you drew.


Keep cutting around and around, making sure you are only cutting one layer of fabric, until you get to the end of the line and have cut your way all around the tube.


And here is your long piece of bias binding in your desired width, after having sewn only two seams! I still giggle every time I do this. I think it is the coolest ever time saver in sewing.

I first used this method of making bias binding many many years ago when I was following a pattern for a scalloped tree skirt which called for bias binding around the entire outside scalloped edge. I have used it since for many other things, just taking whatever size fabric square I had available and following the same directions. If I needed more, I would cut another square and do it again. Then I found that super handy bias binding calculator on-line and using that solves the problem of having to guess what size fabric square to begin with.

I hope this method of making bias binding helps you save time too, and maybe even makes you giggle!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Mystery Quilt Project Finishing Finale -- Finally!

The last few finishing details are all that is left for this fun Mystery Quilt Project I've been working on. The next thing I did after layering the backing, batting and top, and machine stitching the quilting lines, was the binding. On other quilt projects, I have left the backing big enough around the edges so that I could simply fold over the extra and stitch it in place on the front, but for this quilt, I decided to cut bias binding from my leftover piece of backing fabric and bind it that way.

Here's an easy way to make bias binding from a square of fabric...

You can go to this handy bias binding calculator to see how big your square of fabric needs to be in order to get the length of binding you need. For this little quilt, I used a 17 inch square of fabric and drew my lines 2 1/4 inches apart which gave me enough to bind the quilt and have about 8 inches leftover.

So you figure out what size square to start with, then you cut the square in half diagonally. Sew your triangles together with two short sides right sides together and the right angles at opposite ends from each other. Mark lines parallel to the long side of the triangles the required distance apart for the size binding you want to make.

You can either cut the strips at this point and sew them together end to end, or you can sew the other two short ends of the triangles together, matching up the marked lines but offsetting them by one. This will seem very awkward, but if you do it this way, you will only have to sew this one seam instead of having to piece all the short strips together individually. After sewing the offset seam, start at one overhanging side and cut along your marked line, going around and around until you have one long strip of bias binding. It's a real time saver once you figure it out!

The next step in binding the quilt is to fold the binding in half with the wrong sides together and pin the raw edges to the raw edge of the quilt on the top side. Stitch the binding to the quilt using a 1/4 inch seam.


Now bring the folded edge of the binding to the back of the quilt and pin it in place over the stitching line.


Using the blind stitch, hand stitch the folded edge of the binding to the backing of the quilt. To do this, you simply take a small stitch in the backing fabric, bring your needle up into the binding fabric and take a small stitch, then back down into the backing fabric and so on, in a sort of weaving motion, until you have gone all the way around the quilt. This makes an invisible seam where the thread runs along the edge of the binding, alternating between the backing and the binding.


This is what it looks like on the back once the binding is complete.



Remember the little stitching mistake I made where I stitched the edge of the backing to the back of the quilt? I figured out how to cover it up...this is where I placed my label. It was actually a good place for it since it was close to the edge. Now that mistake can be our little secret, right?


On a scrap of the gold fabric from the front of the quilt, I wrote my little label with the quilt name and date and my name on it. Then in keeping with the "criss-cross" theme again, I stitched it onto the back using the herringbone stitch, just like I used in the assembly of the "Here Kitty" scissor holder I made for my Angel Swap friend Lyn in Australia. I think it's such a pretty stitch anyway, don't you?


So this is what the finished back looks like.


And here is the finished front -- finally! I think I will put this in the center of the table at Christmas with a pretty wreath or flower arrangement on it. A very satisfying finish to a fun project. Thanks Myra!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Mystery Quilt Project Finishing Begun

Myra's Mystery Quilt Project, Criss Cross Applesauce, is almost finished! It was so fun to work on a little project like this that could be completed in such a short time. The layering and quilting is complete and I used something on my sewing machine that I have never used before -- the darning foot. You must understand that I've only had this machine for 25 years, so we can't rush into things you know!

Here's how it all came together...



The backing is the same green leaf fabric as in the 9-patch blocks. I layered that with the batting and the quilt top and then pinned it at regular intervals to keep the layers from shifting while I sewed the quilting lines.


I got my darning foot all attached and my thread and bobbin ready, then I folded up the quilt so it would be more manageable at the sewing machine. Then I stitched diagonally from corner to corner, right through the green squares making a big X of green machine stitches on the quilt. I then stitched in the same manner the four shorter rows of green squares. This wasn't enough quilting so I decided to stitch an X through each of the four big tan blocks and extend those lines through the border blocks as well.


I am not very good at eyeballing longer straight lines, so I used masking tape to mark where I wanted this second set of stitching lines to go. Stitching just along side of the tape, I was able to stitch four pretty straight lines starting from the corner of one border block, going through two big tan blocks and finishing at the far corner of the other border block. I used tan thread for these stitching lines.


This is the design that the quilting lines made on the back of the quilt -- nice neat squares, unless you look too closely. Then you would see that this really is my first experience with the darning foot and having to guide the piece myself and move it along to regulate the stitch size. Some stitches are longer and some are shorter, and sometimes the stitching strays from the path just a bit, usually from where I had to stop and adjust the quilt and then start again.


And here's another mistake I made. Can you tell what happened here? The edge of the backing was folded underneath the quilt and I stitched it to the back. Ooops! Luckily I was able to cut around the stitching and not cut into the fabric that was needed for the back of the quilt. Whew!


So here's what it looks like with all the quilting done. I really enjoyed using the darning foot once I got the hang of it. I liked how it raised itself up with each stitch so that the fabric wouldn't bunch up on the top and leave puckers. I also like the simple straight line quilting design I did on this, sort of in keeping with the "criss-cross" theme of the quilt.

Now all that is left to do is the binding which I will show you next time, along with a super easy and efficient way to make a really long piece of bias binding from a square of fabric. If you've never tried this trick, you won't want to miss it!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

A Fun Find - Red Delicious Mystery Block of the Month

I've always wanted to do a Block of the Month (BOM) quilt, but have never been brave enough to take the plunge and just do it. I was browsing around some new websites and came across Esther's Blog for the first time and I liked what I saw there. Her fabric stash is amazing and she is offering a very fun Mystery Block of the Month pattern to use up some of that stash.



The Red Delicious Mystery BOM pattern will be available for download from her website sidebar for a short time each month. Once a new block is available, the previous block will be removed. So if you are interested in doing this mystery quilt, you might want to bookmark her page or add it to your following list.

I don't have a very extensive fabric stash myself, so I think what I will do with this is use the fabrics I have anyway which will make the quilt not so Red, but hopefully still Delicious! We'll see.

I thought this sounded like a fun project to do for the new year and I'm looking forward to having a little something to ... well ... look forward to each month. Won't you join me?

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com