"A Stitch in Time" Book Tour

I could not be more excited and honoured when Sharon Burgess of Lilabelle Lane Creations asked me to participate in her book tour for her new book "A Stitch in Time" published by Tuva Publishing. I have been following Sharon's work for some time now and I am working on a quilt using her Tenderness pattern that I absolutely love and that has a special place in my heart. So I of course said yes because Sharon's work is amazing, inspiring and involves a lot of English Paper Piecing to make you appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of this technique. The book features 18 darling English Paper Pieced projects that combine some embroidery, applique, quilting  and is complemented with delicate tiny details. Bags, mats, pincushions just to name a few.

Bib, Bag and Pouch - a Baby Set

All made out of scraps. Oh, I love tiny scraps of fabric! So many things you can make out of them and at the end you are left with a lovely feeling of achieving something really good. For all the three things I have made I did not cut into any new fabrics, I only used the scraps from my box, apart from a tiny piece of Milk, Sugar and Flower - a cute kitten on the pouch.

Sweet Notes From the Strawberry Patch

My obsession with strawberries is still here and it seems like it's going to stay for a little while. I am myself surprised how much such a simple print can inspire one person. I made picked a few more tiny strawberries in my sewing strawberry patch and this is what I turned them into. Sweet little gift tags.

Neutral Colours and a Birdie

Just a quick post. The last one for May. The Winter is finally here but for most of you it's the long awaited Summer. Wanted to show you one more finished project. A drawstring bag and a bib for a baby. Neutral colours and a small summery print make it perfect for both girls and boys.

Strawberry Patch

This is how I am going to call this bento drawstring bag. So deliciously sweet it is! I absolutely love how these two prints go together. Morning dew, pretty strawberries and a bit of gingham ribbon truly complement each other.

Lavender and Bees

Some time ago, while shopping for fabric, I came across this lovely cotton with lavender flowers and buzzy bees on it. The combination of mauve and yellow, and a tiny splash of green caught my eye, the little bees added more excitement to my find. Once I saw the fabric, I knew what I was going to make. 

Yes, of course a drawstring bag. I still enjoy making them, I had quite a few stacked away in a special box with my handmade goodies but they all found a new home to go to. So this is a good time to update my stash with more bags in a new style. This was my first attempt at using two different types of fabric and I absolutely like the look of it. I made new ends for the cords as well - this time trapezoid shape. I could not stay away from my favourite running stitch, had to add just a tiny finishing touch. The yellow embroidery thread is a bit too pale but still looks good. The purple one is just right to my liking. Have you made any drawstring bags lately?

Tutorial: No Knot Cord Ends - Cute Ball

Here is one more way of finishing off the ends of the cord of your drawstring bag. This method does not require a sewing machine, it's all done by hand. If you know how to make fabric Yo-Yos or Saffolk  Puffs, then you won't have any trouble with making this cute little ball.

Note: for this tutorial I am using a single cord but if you are decorating a drawstring bag, you would have to complete every step twice for each side of the bag. 

Step 1: Use a round template 5.5cm in diameter. Put the template on the wrong side of your fabric and trace it. Cut out the circle.

Step 2: Place the fabric on working surface with the wrong side facing up. Fold over the edge about 0.5cm. Make sure to use a strong thread of a matching colour. Secure the thread in place with a knot and stitch all the way around the edge using a running stitch. For the better result, all stitches should be of equal size and run very close to the edge.

Step 3: End your stitching right next to the starting point. Gently pull the thread to gather the folded edge to make a cup. Do not cut off the thread yet.

Step 4: Wrap the stuffing material around the ends of the cord giving it a ball shape. Insert the wrapped cord ends inside the cup. This step is a bit tricky so you might need a bit of practice before stitching the cord in place.

Step 5: Very carefully pull and tighten the thread. You have to be very gentle to make sure that the thread does not snap. Stitch the cord in place by pushing the needle all the way through the cord and the edge of the cup a few times (from right to left, from left to right, from back to front...). Make sure that you insert the needle between the folds of the cup to hide the thread.

Step 6: Once the cord is securely stitched in place, make a knot and hide it. Cut off the thread. You are done!

Tutorial: Bento Drawstring Lunch Bag

This Bento Lunch Bag holds a box that is about 11x15x5cm in size.

Step 1: Cut one rectangle 26cmx46cm from the fabric of your choice. Use a zigzag stitch to finish all four raw edges.

Step 2: Fold fabric in half with the right sides together. Mark 5cm from the top on both sides.

Step 3: Sew together along the sides using a 1cm allowance.

Step 4: Iron seams open. Pinch the bottom corners together, lining up the side and bottom (the middle line of the bottom of the bag) seams. Iron.

Step 5: Measure 4.5cm from the top of the corner and draw the sewing line on both sides. Sew. You can leave the corners as it is now or you can cut off the corners using a 1.5cm allowance and use the bias tape to finish the outside edges.

Step 6: Turn the bag the right side out. Work with one side at a time. Fold 1cm in from the top and iron. Then fold one more time all the way to the 5cm mark (the beginning of the side seam). Iron well. Repeat with he other side.

Step 7: Stitch in place along the bottom edge. I prefer to make a second seam just 2-4mm below the first one. This is going to be the casing for the cord.

Step 8: Cut two pieces of cord 67cm long each. Using a safety pin pull one cord through the casing until both ends re on the same side. Pull the second cord through so that the ends are on the opposite side of the bag.

Step 9: You can simply tie the ends together in a knot on each side or you can make a decorative fabric ends.

If you use this tutorial and publish pictures on your site, please link to it. If you have any questions, feel free to email me or leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

Have fun!

Drawstring Bento Bag

Do you take your lunch to work or a snack? I do, so as some of my friends. Where do you keep it? In a plastic or paper bag or maybe in a container? I used to carry my lunch in a plastic bag until one day, the day  I bought my sewing machine. I thought of something cute, reusable and practical, something that would put a smile on my face when it was time to eat my lunch. This is how I came up with the idea of making a drawstring bento bag. I like anything Japanese, all sorts of cute little things and these bento bags were just perfect. They are very quick and easy to make and do not require any special sewing skills.