Recently in Go GREEN Category
I'm so excited about the NEW Bosa Nova Bag pattern by Shelly Stokes for Cedar Canyon Textiles -- of Shiva Paintstik fame.
Bosa Nova Bags is a gift bag pattern in 3
sizes.
These adorable and absolutely delightful bags are featured on the back
cover of the October Quilting Arts.
Full color fold-out pattern has step-by-step photos and instructions for bags in 3 sizes as well as tips for making custom-size bags.
The pattern uses LazyGirl HandyTabs to create a unique carrier for the bag's ties. This is an exceptionally ingenious idea!
Receiving a gift wrapped in a Bosa Nova Bag is like getting a double-gift. The beautiful bag can be re-used for years and keeps paper out of landfills.
The Bosa Nova Bags pattern is available for order from SewThankful.com - click here to take a closer look.
September is National Sewing Month! Celebrate by sewing up some fun with non-sewing or new-to-sewing friends.
Joan Hawley of Lazy Girl Designs has issued a "Make 2 - Give 2" With Love Totes CHALLENGE to her Lazy Girl Yahoo Group. What's a With Love Tote? The With Love Tote pattern is a a Lazy Girl Designs free pattern for a fast & fun 1 yard/1hour tote bag project.
What's this all about? You can read all about Joan's Challenge and you can download a PDF file of the pattern by visiting Joan's blog, click here (scroll down until you see the link).
I am proud to say that I am a Lazy Girl and I've taken Joan's challenge! Yesterday I made 4 bags--2 each two new friends (one is a beginner/occasional sew-er, the other does not sew). Want to see the bags I made?
I did make a couple changes (of course--I can't seem to do anything without making some kind of change):
What could the long bags be used for?
Joan Hawley of Lazy Girl Designs has issued a "Make 2 - Give 2" With Love Totes CHALLENGE to her Lazy Girl Yahoo Group. What's a With Love Tote? The With Love Tote pattern is a a Lazy Girl Designs free pattern for a fast & fun 1 yard/1hour tote bag project.
What's this all about? You can read all about Joan's Challenge and you can download a PDF file of the pattern by visiting Joan's blog, click here (scroll down until you see the link).
I am proud to say that I am a Lazy Girl and I've taken Joan's challenge! Yesterday I made 4 bags--2 each two new friends (one is a beginner/occasional sew-er, the other does not sew). Want to see the bags I made?
I did make a couple changes (of course--I can't seem to do anything without making some kind of change):- I used 1" cotton webbing for the handles. I like the sturdiness of the cotton webbing and they helped the pattern go together even faster.
- I made 2 of the bags a different size than the pattern specifies. It was easy to change the size; just use the same technique. The blue bags are approximately 10" wide by 21" long.
What could the long bags be used for?
- They are perfect for carrying a bottle of wine and a French Baguette and a couple other items.
- They would also be a great way to gift-wrap a long/tall box or package.
- This size would be a great size for Trick-or-Treating (long enough to prevent spills). They are light weight and sturdy! Just choose a Halloween Fabric and the kids will love them!
- Use your imagination!
I love these bags so much I need to make some for ME!! Perfect shopping bags (go green--carry your own). They fold up so nicely you can tuck them into your purse and/or glove compartment so you never have to "forget" again.
Joan's patterns are very easy to follow...just read and follow the instructions and you will have a bag you like and can truly use! This pattern was the same. I am very pleased with my results and enjoyed sewing the project.
OH YEAH...it's a great way to use up some of that stash that's been building up!
Whether you are a newbie sew-er or an old pro, you can join in the fun and inspire others to give sewing a try. Check out Joan's blog and consider taking her challenge. Click here.
Great pattern, great idea Joan!!! Thank you sew much for sharing your talents.
Joan's patterns are very easy to follow...just read and follow the instructions and you will have a bag you like and can truly use! This pattern was the same. I am very pleased with my results and enjoyed sewing the project.
OH YEAH...it's a great way to use up some of that stash that's been building up!
Whether you are a newbie sew-er or an old pro, you can join in the fun and inspire others to give sewing a try. Check out Joan's blog and consider taking her challenge. Click here.
Great pattern, great idea Joan!!! Thank you sew much for sharing your talents.
About a year ago I made some curtains for Jeff's office because it gets SO hot in the summer. Jeff's office has a rather large east facing window and when temps hit 95 degrees before 9AM, it means a painfully hot day or a horrendous sting when the electric bill arrives. Thankfully we do have refrigerated air, but with this window and the sun penetration it was killing us cost wise to keep the room bearable.
With energy costs what they are, I wish I could multiply the hours in a day so I could make some insulated curtains for every window in our house. The layer of mylar reflects heat back toward the window in the summer (cold gets reflected back in the winter) instead of absorbing it or passing it through to the room. If prices keep going at the rate they are, I'm going to have to MAKE time.
The picture below/left shows one panel hanging down and one tied--to allow best natural light for taking the pictures.
I made these over a year ago and didn't use a pattern so I'll do my best to describe what I did. If I had it to do over I would make them about 3" longer. They are bulky and they do darken the room which can be good or bad depending upon what you want. They are not "flow-y". But they are attractive and very functional.
NOTE: There are many ways to make curtains, this is simply the method I used and I like the result. Quilted curtains would be wonderful also!
OK...so how I did it:
I figured my needed width and length for my top fabric, allowing extra for the top to make the rod pocket and a little extra length at the bottom for the hem where I would not want to double the Insul-Bright & lining because it will only add bulk. The Insul-Bright and lining were not extended up into the top area (rod pocket channel) or into the bottom hem allowance.
Keeping in mind my placement allowances for the top (rod pocket area) and the hem at the bottom, I layered my panel fabric (right side up), lining fabric (wrong side up), then Insul-Bright on top.
Stitch each vertical side.
Turn right sides out so that Insul-Bright is now in the center and your side seams are inside. Smooth and press.
Top-stitched down each vertical edge (along the seams you just sewed & turned).
Press & make sure the top edge of lining fabric & Insul-Bright is straight all the way across (horizontally at the top and bottom). I pinned & stabilized the top edge of Insul-Bright & Lining start with a large zig zag. A basting stitch would work also.
Finish the bottom edge which should be panel fabric only, fold up to cover the bottom edge of the lining & Insul-Bright, hem the bottom.
Finish the top edge of the panel fabric.
Fold over finished top edge down (toward the back of the curtain) to form your rod pocket area, slightly overlapping and covering where the zigzag or basting stitching of the lining & Insul-Bright lay across the top. Make sure it's straight, press, pin, stitch all the way across.
Using the top edge of the fold and the stitching line you just made, mark your rod pocket channel (this should be 2 horizontal lines). Stitch the channel, reinforcing the stitching at each end.
With energy costs what they are, I wish I could multiply the hours in a day so I could make some insulated curtains for every window in our house. The layer of mylar reflects heat back toward the window in the summer (cold gets reflected back in the winter) instead of absorbing it or passing it through to the room. If prices keep going at the rate they are, I'm going to have to MAKE time.
The picture below/left shows one panel hanging down and one tied--to allow best natural light for taking the pictures.
I made these over a year ago and didn't use a pattern so I'll do my best to describe what I did. If I had it to do over I would make them about 3" longer. They are bulky and they do darken the room which can be good or bad depending upon what you want. They are not "flow-y". But they are attractive and very functional.
NOTE: There are many ways to make curtains, this is simply the method I used and I like the result. Quilted curtains would be wonderful also!
OK...so how I did it:
I figured my needed width and length for my top fabric, allowing extra for the top to make the rod pocket and a little extra length at the bottom for the hem where I would not want to double the Insul-Bright & lining because it will only add bulk. The Insul-Bright and lining were not extended up into the top area (rod pocket channel) or into the bottom hem allowance.
Keeping in mind my placement allowances for the top (rod pocket area) and the hem at the bottom, I layered my panel fabric (right side up), lining fabric (wrong side up), then Insul-Bright on top.
Stitch each vertical side.
Turn right sides out so that Insul-Bright is now in the center and your side seams are inside. Smooth and press.
Top-stitched down each vertical edge (along the seams you just sewed & turned).
Press & make sure the top edge of lining fabric & Insul-Bright is straight all the way across (horizontally at the top and bottom). I pinned & stabilized the top edge of Insul-Bright & Lining start with a large zig zag. A basting stitch would work also.
Finish the bottom edge which should be panel fabric only, fold up to cover the bottom edge of the lining & Insul-Bright, hem the bottom.
Finish the top edge of the panel fabric.
Fold over finished top edge down (toward the back of the curtain) to form your rod pocket area, slightly overlapping and covering where the zigzag or basting stitching of the lining & Insul-Bright lay across the top. Make sure it's straight, press, pin, stitch all the way across.
Using the top edge of the fold and the stitching line you just made, mark your rod pocket channel (this should be 2 horizontal lines). Stitch the channel, reinforcing the stitching at each end.
