Potholder Pass 8 Nuclear Summer!

This is my second round of swapping with gals online through "Flicker".  It has been so much fun to see what everyone is creating.  This pass is divided into 3 categories, "Tea Towels", "Grocery Bags" and "Pot Holders".  I thought it would be fun to participate in all three, so I have three different ladies to sew for this round and three different ladies will be sewing for me as well.  I won't know what I'm receiving until it arrives and I love the surprise!  Here is the "Tea Towel" package that I just received from Jeannie in Florida, it's so beautiful and it was packed full of goodies as you can see!  

The bag below is my creation that will be going out to my "Grocery Bag" swap partner with all the associated matching goodies.  The bag pattern is by Keyka Lou.   I named it Nuclear Summer, it's so bright.  We went from snow to 100 degree weather here in a week and that was my inspiration.  John says the paper pieced pocket looks like a nuclear warning sign...all those that remember crawling under your desk for the nuclear air raid drill, raise your hands!

 

Close up of the paper piecing "warning sign".

A cute little sunglass case, to protect those lenses that keep that nuclear summer glare out of your eyes.  I modified this patter just a bit, instead of quilting it, I used the pattern and cut out two coordinating fabrics for the outside and inside, sandwiched them with a piece of heavyweight fast 2 fuse double sided fusible stiff interfacing and then stitched all around, trimmed, folded in half and stitched the side and bottom to complete the case.  Took minutes.  If you wanted to you could bind the edges for a little nicer finish.

A little tissue case and a key fob

And finally a little wallet to round it all out.

It really is so much fun, trading patterns with the other gals and watching them create amazing things, I'm so inspired!  I blogged about the "Tea Towel" portion of the pass already and I am now well started on the "Potholder" portion.  Thanks to Jeannie in Florida who made the cute tea towel set for me which included a darling reversible apron, I have already completed a companion apron to go with my potholders.  Pictures to follow soon...come back and visit!

Tea Wallets and Tutorial

I have had a blast this weekend making little Tea Wallets!  They are quick and easy and would lend themselves well to mass production if you are so inclined.

Step 1.  Cut 4 pieces of fabric 5" x 7" (if you want to put credit cards in them, you will want to go 5" x 8")  Cut 1 piece of interfacing the same size.  Cut 1 piece of fabric for your closure 1 1/2" x 6"  or use a piece of ribbon or elastic if you wish.  Once you make one, you can change it up as you need.

Step 2.  Take two pieces of the fabric and fold in half length wise and press,  now top stitch along the folded edge.

Step 3.  Place the interfacing behind one of the remaining pieces of 5" x 7" fabric and line up one of your "pocket" folded pieces  1 inch from the bottom and stitch in place along the bottom only of that "pocket".

Step 4.  Place the next pocket, again with the folded edge to the top, raw edges placed along the bottom of your wallet and again stitch in place along that raw edge on the bottom only.

Step 5.  Line a ruler up, half the width of your piece, in this case 3 1/2 " and make a mark on the pockets with either disappearing ink or chalk (something that can be erased or removed easily) this will be your stitching line for the pockets, you do not need to stitch all the way to the top.

Step 6.  Take your narrow strip and fold it in half length wise, press.  Now fold the raw edges into the center of the fold and press again so that you have created a finished strip.  Place them straddling the bottom pocket as shown below and stitch in place.  Have your fold the way you want the closure to look as it will not change direction or shape when the wallet is completed.

Step 7.  Place your remaining piece of fabric on top right sides together, pin your corners and if necessary, your edges, then stitch around all sides leaving a 2-3 inch space at the bottom for turning.

Step 7.  Trim the corners carefully and turn the wallet through the opening at the bottom.  I use the blunt end of a bamboo skewer to pop out the corners, you can use a knitting needle, just be careful not to puncture the fabric.  Press and top stitch close to the edge.

 Step 8.   Stitch a button to the front side for the closure...I have yet to decide what I want to use as a button for this one.

Here are some other wallets I made this weekend...

Baby Blues

A friend of ours is giving birth to a baby boy in about a month, so I whipped up a Baby Blue quilt and Diaper bag.  I'm waiting for my next trip to Roseville to get some flannel for the backing to finish the quilt, but the top is done and so is the diaper bag.  I modified a quilted bag pattern that I found at http://mypatchwork.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/charms-tote-bag-with-inside-pocket-tutorial/

I modified the pattern directions a bit and added some embellishment.  I'm not sure about the closure button, may change that out to a fabric covered one, it seems to clash with the mother of pearl buttons centered in the yoyos.

Baby Blue Diaper Bag

Sophie the Quilt Inspector, going in for a look.