Thursday, July 24, 2014

Getting ready for the new school year!

My daughter in law teaches at a local primary school. She asked me if I could make something that would allow her students to hold a book at their chairs.
She wants them to have access to their library books so they can read when they have any free time.
I came up with this. . . . . .



































I am going to make 5 of each color.(blue, red, yellow and green) Nice
bright colors.
'Duck" fabric is perfect for this.

Here is the view from my sewing studio window.  My dear husband loves to take care of his flowers.  SO PRETTY.


Saturday, July 12, 2014

How to make a zippered pouch!


This is how I make a zippered pouch.


- cut top fabric and lining fabric the same size
  (this one is about 10 1/2 by 7)


[I use light weight batting and quilt the top fabrics a little just to give the pouch a little shape]















- place zipper (right side down) to the right side of the top fabric and place the lining fabric right side down onto the zipper
be sure to line up the top of the front and lining to the top of the zipper and pin in place.




















- sew zipper on using a zipper foot



- repeat on other side of the zipper




















Once I sew zipper in I secure it by sewing a small seam on either side





















- I add a small loop to the side of the pouch.  sew loop onto right side of pouch like this        ( use a scant 1/8th inch seam just to hold it in place)
....be careful not to attach it to the lining....




















- unzip the zipper about 3/4 of the way then pin pouch and lining together and sew all the way around leaving an opening at the bottom of the lining so you can turn the pouch out once it is sewn together




















- using a small square piece of cardboard ( this one is about 1 inch square), mark off all four corners on both sides of the top and lining




















- pinch together corner and sew along the line





















- clip off corners




















-turn pouch right side out, sew the bottom of the lining closed and you are finished



Thursday, July 10, 2014

It's quilted!

I quilted the latest quilt top.  I am determined to quilt them as I make them.  I usually have a stack of about 6-8 quilt tops before I get to quilting them and now I am doing my best to quilt them as quickly as I can once the top is made.

Here are a couple of close ups of the quilting I did on this one.  Instead of quilting in the "ditch" I sewed a seam about a half inch on each side of the ditch!

I like the look of this quilting........