Style Stitches Sew Along: Key Keeper Coin Purse

Whoo hoo! I finally sewed something again! I can't explain my reluctance to hunker down with the sewing machine for the past few months but it was nice that this month's sew along project was a simple one to help me ease my way back in. Even better that I had a friend's birthday coming up and needed something to give her as a gift. Perfect timing.

I'm going to jump right in and start bitching about the pattern. I officially hate the way the book has us sew zippers. HATE. I made five of the Origami Bags and could never get it right. I assumed this was simply due to a lack of skill on my part but after reading others' reviews about their frustrations I plan to give up on this method for good. The ends don't look nearly as neat and tidy as they did in the zippered pouches I made from Noodlehead's free pattern. That pattern uses pretty little tabs on each end of the zipper and I much prefer that method and the finished look. Next time I shall give that a try instead. Bree from My Crafty Crap (hosting the sew along) did that with her coin purse and I think it looks perfect. She's planning to post a tutorial about how to do it once she gets a few other items off of her to-do list. Like, you know, giving birth to her first baby. I guess everyone has her own priorities. :P


Rant over, I have to admit that this is a cute little bag that sews together quickly. I hope to make one for myself since I can always use more pouches to organize the junk that keeps accumulating in my purse. I'm glad I'm back in the saddle again when it comes to sewing because I did miss the process and the satisfaction that comes with creating something.

The best part is the bag is the perfect size for storing those extra eyeballs we all have lying around the house. I'm sure that alone convinces you that you need to make one for yourself.

Style Stitches: Everything Wristlet

Oops, I wrote this post weeks ago and then completely forgot to post it. Better late than never.

Annoyingly, my mom commissioned me to make a clutch for her friend but I just knew this month's project in the Style Stitches sew along, the Perfectly Pleated Clutch, was not what she had in mind. She's traditional so I know what she wanted was a clutch made from fancy fabric with a flap closure. Well, I departed from tradition in my fabric choices but decided I should at least appease her by finding an appropriate pattern. Fortunately, further on in the book there's the pattern for the Everything Wristlet, which looked to be exactly what I was looking for.

Because I had so much going on at the time in preparation for a Kentucky Derby party and a trip back home for Mother's Day and my mom's birthday I cheated a bit to make the project go by more quickly. I omitted all of the interior pockets and instead just cut and sewed my lining to match the outer bag. As a result, it went together very quickly so I was able to bang out this bag in just a few hours. I made the small version, which is perfect for a hand held clutch to hold the necessities.


I adore the fabric I chose. I bought the yellow houndstooth fabric a few months ago on a whim a from the clearance section at Jo Ann Fabrics. I was worried about how it would hold up since it has a loose weave but once interfaced it did just fine and looks super cute. The green flap fabric was also from my stash (another Jo Ann Fabrics buy) but I'll admit that I did go out and buy the blue polka dot lining specifically for this bag. I wanted something a little fancier than plain old cotton so found this in the clearance section and went for it. I think it adds a fun dimension and it's got a satiny finish more traditionally found in a clutch. I might try this same fabric combination for future bags since I like it so much.

I'm not 100% happy with the finished bag but that's all down to my lack of skills. As with the checkbook cover, I had a devil of a time top stitching around the curve of the flap, probably because of that darn Peltex, so I wound up ripping those stitches out and left it off. I'm sure the bag would have looked more finished and professional with the top stitching but it just didn't work for me. I also may have installed the snap a little too low since there wasn't really enough room for me to stitch around it. There must be some trick to maneuvering the sewing machine foot around or over obstacles like that or maybe I should have switched to a zipper foot. Anyway, what's done is done. I'm hoping that because she doesn't know the stitching's supposed to be there she won't miss it.

I also skipped the final top stitching around the top of the finished bag because it came out all wonky when I tried. Instead I took advantage of the loose weave of the houndstooth fabric and hand stitched some nearly invisible stitches to close the lining and hold it in place.


The book suggests adding a broach to the flap for some added glamor and I think it makes all the difference here. I managed to find a cool thrift store with a large array of cheap broaches to choose from. This one only cost me $2 and really helps make the finished bag look more, well, finished and polished.

I do like the pattern and think the arrangement of the pieces and the Peltex works great. I hope to revisit this not only to work on those top stitching skills but also so I can try it out with the inner pockets. I look forward to having a cute clutch of my own since I was cruely forced to give this one away.

Origami Bags, Take Two

I used to be the most organized, on top of everything sort of girl. I'd remember complete grocery lists without needing to jot down a single item, I knew the balance of my bank account down the the last penny without having to look it up, and I never, ever forgot anyone's birthday. Things have changed a lot in the past few years, especially in that regard. I suspect it's because my life has gotten more complicated since then, that I have more people and responsibilities and tasks to keep track of and my tiny little brain just can't handle it all. Now I have a horrible habit of letting people's birthdays sneak up on me and even if I know one's coming up I can't motivate myself to start brainstorming present ideas until the last minute.

I realized on Wednesday that I have a friend whose birthday is coming up next week. Since I'd just gotten done making my first batch of Origami Bags for myself I figured it wouldn't be too difficult to churn out a few more as gifts. Oh, how wrong I was!

In my first review of the pattern I neglected to mention how surprised I was that these took so long to sew. We're talking hours for just one bag. It's not as if the pattern pieces are that intricate to cut out or that there are any fancy sewing skills required. Yet it seemed to take forever. I wrote it off as being due to my unfamiliarity with the pattern but this time around I really noticed the problem since I was trying to cram in all of the sewing in one weeknight. I only got one bag sewed Thursday night and finished the smaller one last night. I doubt this will become my go-to zippered pouch pattern for that reason alone. The end result is cute but it's a bit too labor intensive for something I might like to mass produce as gifts.

I also had a terrible time with the gussets again despite my using the same pin trick. Perhaps that's because it was late at night and I wasn't fully on top of my game. I had to re-do the interfaced corners a few times until I got it right.


Despite all of the difficulties I'm really pleased with the bags. I stuck with the same color combo as before but swapped in a more mature fabric since I know my friend doesn't have the mentality of a ten-year-old. No crazy-eyed bunnies for her. I once again made a large bag since someone accidentally cut out two extra yellow panels last time around and I paired the large with a mini bag. I have to say, I quite like the mini size and might have to make one for myself. It might be even better suited for carrying around my daily necessities than the small bag I'd previously made.

Now it's off to the post office to get these babies in the mail!

Style Stitches: Origami Bags

After waiting until the last minute with last month's Amy Butler Style Stitches sew along bag I decided to keep the sewing momentum going and dove into March's project, the Origami Bags, over the weekend. The book actually has directions for six versions available, each in a different size. I didn't intend to make a full set but figured I'd pick three fabrics and make three bags with different arrangements of those fabrics.

I chose to make the x-small, small, and large bags. I feel a bit like Goldilocks as the x-small bag is a little too small for me to find it useful (although my sunglasses do fit in it almost perfectly), the large bag is huge, but the small bag is just the right size. I wanted something I can carry around in my purse to organize my necessities: coupons, receipts, and my extensive collection of Blistex and lip gloss. The small bag fits the bill.


It's a simple pattern for the most part. I've done a few zippers in the past so there was nothing intimidating about that. The only snafu was when I tried to line up the side and bottom seams to sew the gussets. I had to rip out all of the stitching from my first one even though I'd been careful to try to align them by pinching along the seams. That wasn't a foolproof method but I did get better at it by the time I got through the eighth corner. I wound up giving it my best shot and first sewing a basting stitch where I thought the corner should go, then checking the alignment by pulling the corner out through the gap in the lining. Some I nailed on the first try but many had to be redone. I found I had the most trouble with the interfaced corners of the exterior of the bag as that extra bulk made it even harder to gauge the evenness.

Since I had to wait until Monday to hit the fabric store and purchase a zipper for my last bag, I posted a desperate cry for help in the two Style Stitches sew along Flickr groups to see if there's some fancy tip I'm missing out on. Bree from My Crafty Crap, who's hosting one of the sew alongs I'm participating in, had the brilliant suggestion to stick a pin through the seams after pinching the fabric, making sure the pin goes through both seams. Once I had that information I was able to master those darn gussets. It worked like a charm!

Once again, I made an effort to work with fabrics from my stash and while I'm sure I could have come up with something more dramatic if I'd been able to hit the fabric store for perfectly coordinating fabrics, I'm happy enough with the ones I chose. I especially love the bunny fabric, which I bought because it was a great price on clearance and because I thought the bunnies looked dazed and demented. Incidentally, that was also my sole criterion for choosing a husband. Even better is that I was able to supply two of the zippers from the large stash my mom gave me, left over from her own sewing days. Note that I used quilting cotton fabric instead of home decor and the bags sit up just fine on their own. I'm not sure why the pattern specifies home decor weight unless Ms. Butler's just trying to rustle up a little extra cash for fabric manufacturers.

I'm participating in two different sew alongs for this book since they're both running on the same schedule. Check out both My Crafty Crap and JemJam to join in and become eligible to win some fun prizes. Last month, I won a $50 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop with my Everyday Shopper so I can attest to the fact that the prizes are legit and, of course, wonderful.

Reversible Everyday Shopper

Yay! I successfully completed my first project from the book I won last month, Amy Butler's Style Stitches. Not only did the wonderful Bree from My Crafty Crap give a copy of the book away but she's also hosting a sew along. I flaked out last month and didn't get around to making the complicated-looking Cosmo Bag so I vowed I'd bust out the sewing machine for this one. I'm glad I waited since the Reversible Everyday Shopper was such an easy bag to sew with nothing more complex than a straight line.

The book is full of patterns for a wide variety of bags. I'm looking forward to trying so many of them out. This is one of the more plain styles in the book and, to tell the truth, it's probably not one I'll probably bother making again as it's written. I don't really have a need in my life for such a huge tote but if you're short on reusable grocery bags it would certainly come in handy for that. Obviously with the bulk it's not the sort of bag you can just roll up and pop in your purse, which is what I prefer to do with mine. I imagine this is intended to be a cutesy bag you carry around at the market and show off while you shop.


This year, I've been making an effort to use up fabrics from my stash so it was difficult to find the perfect combination for this bag. At least I was able to use up some of that Ikea fabric I bought on an impulse and have regretted purchasing since. I swear they must pipe something through the vents in the store to encourage silly impulse buys. There are cute elements that drew me to the fabric in the first place but it's been hard to find a project large enough to show those off. As a result, they've sat unused in my closet for the better part of a year.

Since I was such a slacker and waited until the last minute, I was able to take advantage of everyone else's hard work and read several reviews before I dove into the pattern. I made a few changes to the pattern based on that and some additional ones of my own.

• I used a third fabric for the pocket because I didn't have enough on hand of the Ikea fabric. The bags I've liked the best from others have used three or more fabrics to shake things up and keep the bag interesting. Some used contrasting fabrics for the side panels as well, which I think works great.


• I only included one pocket on the side that will probably be inside most often. Partially because I didn't have enough of the fabric I chose to use and partially because I didn't want to obscure any of the cute Ikea fabric.


• I sewed a seam up the center of the pocket to divide it into two sections. Some of the reviews I read did the same as the pocket was too large and floppy otherwise. Seems like a good choice based on my results.


• I used quilting cotton for one of sides. I couldn't find coordinating home decor fabrics in my stash and figured one layer of sturdy Ikea fabric would be enough. I think the bag turned out just fine and still has plenty of structure.


• I only interfaced the quilting cotton side of the bag but did interface both bottom sections. Again, this was based on others' reviews in addition to my own cheapness. The bag still seems nice and sturdy. Honestly, considering how tough it was to sew through some areas once the bag was assembled I can't imagine how my machine would have gotten through that extra bulk.


• I'm not sure if the instructions state this, but make sure to switch to a thick needle when you're working on the folded section of the straps and sewing around the top of the assembled bag. Even with a size 16 needle I had to hand crank the machine to plow through it all.

All in all it's a neat pattern and I wouldn't mind toying with the size to make a more normal-sized tote. At least now I feel that I deserved the book I won and can't wait to try next month's pattern, the Origami Bag.

Christmas Gift Idea: Gathered Zippered Pouches

For those of us who plan to make homemade gifts this Christmas season now's the time to get started. Here's an easy project you can complete in about an hour with eye-catching results. As soon as I saw Noodlehead's tutorial for a gathered clutch I knew I'd wind up making at least one for myself and lots more for friends. The design's so simple in a "why didn't I think of that?" sort of way but it's unique enough to make an ordinary zippered pouch look snazzy and sophisticated. This was my first attempt at the pattern and I found it easy to follow and hard to mess up, two pluses in my book. It's nearly impossible to screw up when making the gathered front because there's no right or wrong in how the folds lie. It'll look interesting no matter what you do and no one will know you didn't place them that way on purpose.

This set is a birthday present for a friend. The smaller one is the size you get if you follow the pattern as printed. For variety I added two inches to the dimensions and made a larger one as well. I left out the optional divider and card holders as I see these being used as handy pouches inside her purse or suitcase when traveling, not as a clutch. With the interfacing on both outer pieces the pouches are definitely sturdy enough. I've seen people use this pattern to make wristlets by sewing in a little loop into the side with a longer strap attached. I like the look and might try one like that in the near future.

As always, half the fun is in choosing the right fabrics with the contrasting band across the front. Each gift can be customized to suit the recipient's hobbies, interests, or favorite colors. I plan to have lots of fun with the ones I make for Christmas presents! For myself I plan to whip up some using that cute novelty fabric I keep buying that's just a little too weird or cutesy for me to use on the outside of a purse for the world to see. This is the perfect way to feature those without letting everyone know just how weird I am.

Pleats Are Overrated, Right?

Earlier this month I signed up for Sew, Mama, Sew's bag swap. I've never done a craft swap before but I was feeling confident enough in my sewing skills to give this one a try. Perhaps I was a bit hasty in making that grand assessment of my skills because I had a devil of a time with the pleated clutch tutorial I tried to follow from A Lemon Squeezy Home.

My partner's description of her preferences was very vague: "I like reusing materials in new and interesting ways. My style is a little punk rock..." Hmm, not much to go on especially since my definition of punk rock style might differ from hers and the rest of the world's. Even after contacting her directly she seemed content with being mysterious and wanted me to come up with something that reflects me. Such pressure! My detail-oriented brain initially recoiled in terror and I worried I'd wind up making something she'll hate until I realized that she's probably easy to please if she's willing to leave it up to me. It was sort of freeing to be able to come up with whatever inspired me based on that tiny bit of information.

If you know me, you'll know that I agonized over the fabric choice for ages. First to choose the main fabric for the outside and then to find just the right fabric to pair with it. I picked up the fun skull fabric at Jo Ann Fabrics and found the purple and gray striped fabric in my stash. For some reason it makes me think of an old-timey circus although I have no idea why. Perhaps it resembles the stripes on a colorful circus tent? The combination of fabrics is strange but appealing, at least to me. Hopefully to my swap partner as well!

Because I personally prefer something small and subtle if I'm going with a bold or strange fabric I opted to make her a clutch, which is something I've never made before but have been meaning to make for myself. What better excuse to push myself and try something new? The pattern I chose would put my zipper- and piping-sewing skills to the test but, again, I was willing to give that a go. Well, turns out I needn't have worried about those as both turned out perfectly. The problem was the pleats, which I think I messed up by not keeping the fabric even enough while folding down. As a result the pleats were loose and wouldn't hold once the bag was all done. After several failed attempts at undoing stitches and re-doing the pleats I was forced to give up and start from scratch. Good thing I like the fabric so much since it looks like I'm stuck with a deformed clutch of my very own. Because the back piece was un-pleated I was able to flip the clutch over and see how lovely it would be even without those pleats, so on my second try I omitted the pleats and made the clutch a little longer. One of these days I might go back and try to get those pesky pleats right but for now I'm very happy with the clutch. The piping's a nice detail and I like that I was able to feature two fabrics on the outside for a little contrast.


My lucky find was a package of metal Halloween studs in the scrapbook section of Michaels. I saw no reason why they wouldn't work on fabric too so I adorned the clutch with a tiny silver skull. Love the little guy!

So we'll see how my first swap turns out. While I'm sure I'll like what she's made me, I'm hoping that she didn't put weeks of work into it while I whipped hers up in a weekend. But then that's how I tend to sew so it's not as if I didn't put hours of effort into it on top of all the time spent planning and shopping for the right fabric. Bottom line is I'm happy with the bag I've made and hope she is too.

Demonstrating that I have no idea how to properly hold a clutch

Join the Bag Swap At Sew, Mama, Sew!

I've seen numerous craft and sewing swaps out there that I wished I were creative or talented enough to participate in. Finally here's one that's perfectly suited for my skills: a bag swap! It's hosted by Sew, Mama, Sew!, which is a wonderful sewing blog, store, and forum that I've come to rely on for inspiration and technique tips as well as frequent chances to win free stuff.

You can sign up until Wednesday, September 29 and you'll be paired with a sewer with similar taste. The deadline for mailing your bag isn't until October 25 so you've got plenty of time to find just the right fabric and pattern to share with your swap partner. I've signed up and I hope lots of others do too. It should be oodles of fun!

All of the info about the swap can be found here at Sew, Mama, Sew!

"Ghastly" Reversible Tote

Will someone please iron this for me? The bag, not the cat.

I may have lied last week both when I said I'd have my third Halloween bag done that same week and when I said my first reversible tote would be for me. The more I look at it, the more I realize that sparkles + skulls is just not me. I'm not a sparkly kind of gal. I made the bag to try out the new pattern and to use up some fabrics taking up space in my closet, and while the fabrics work perfectly together they don't work with me. It's a great bag but I think I'll put it into storage for my future/hypothetical/potential Etsy store. That said, it's the perfect style of bag for me so I've decided to custom design one just for me.

Seems like the perfect chance to use up some of that Alexander Henry Ghastlies fabric I've been stockpiling. It's a big print so in order to show as much of it off as possible I needed to use a big pattern. The other fabric is actually a window curtain panel from Kmart, which I got on sale because one of my local stores is going out of business. I had a bad customer service experience there so they are currently on "the list." You know the one. The list you keep of people and stores who have slighted you. Surely I'm not the only one who holds grudges! Anyway, I doubt I'll be shopping there again but it won't hurt my feelings too much if you do. It is a really pretty fabric, after all, and quite a deal if you can find it on sale. I've got lots left over for future projects.


I made this one just like the other reversible tote except left off the ribbon closure because I know myself well enough to predict I wouldn't ever bother to tie it. Didn't have this problem last time but I had a devil of a time getting the straps to match up length-wise, probably because the curtain fabric was slippery so I may not have cut it perfectly in the first place. Eventually got it to all come together and I'm super duper happy about this new bag. I'll have a hard time choosing which side to show first!