Glitzy Pillows - Trenna

Three 20" pillows made from Glitz Garden, Glitzy Flower and Glitzy Diamonds.  All Michael Miller fabrics.  Made for Trenna Travis Design Studio by me.

Scrappy Pinwheel Flying Dutchman Quilt Top

Here is a quilt top I made with fabric that my sister-in-law, Denise got sick of looking at and put in her "Ugly" fabric box.  I figured something good could be made from it and took it off her hands several years ago without a real plan as to what to do with it.  Then one day when I was watching the Fons & Porter tutorial on how to make Flying Geese without cutting a bunch of triangles, I thought it might be nice to try a new method and this might be an easy way to use her fabric and whipped it up.  I wish the yellow pinwheels showed up better. This will be a practice quilt for when I finally save up enough to buy the long arm quilter that I want (which will take several years).  Until that point, I hope to squeeze in making several quilt tops so that I have things to practice on when that time comes. 

Princess Pillows for Trenna

The month of March was crazy busy with sewing for Trenna.  Here are some pillows made from three fabrics that have a princess theme.  All made from Michael Miller fabric.

 There are two 16" pillows made from Princess Charming.










 2 Euro pillows I made from Princess Blossoms.

 And 2 standard pillow cases made from Unicorn Frolic.

Unicorn Princess Nightgown - Trenna

Cute little nightgown made for Trenna Travis Design Studio with Michael Milller's Unicorn Princess fabric using Butterick's Fast and Easy pattern #B4910.

Confection Whisper Baby Sling - Trenna

To go with the bassinet set, Trenna asked me to sew a baby sling.  From the Michael Miller Whisper collection in the color "Confection," this is made in the fabric called Maxine and is lined in Melanie.

I used this tutorial as my guide.
http://lifemoresimply.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-to-make-ring-sling.html

Confection Whisper Bassinet Bedding - Trenna

From the Michael Miller Whisper collection in the color "Confection", Trenna, with Trenna Travis Design Studio asked me to make this bedding for a bassinet.  Don't worry, she and I both know that you don't put pillows in a baby's bed, but in a photo shoot you do things that you wouldn't do in real life.  Fabric names listed below.

 Bassinet Sheet in Melanie.

 Pillow: Front in Maybelle, back in Melanie.

 Small quilt in Miriam for the front and Maybelle for the back and binding.

 I got the privilege of quilting this and I chose an all over free-motion floral pattern.

Making a padded handbag - Tutorial

Some time ago, Trenna asked me to make a handbag for a photo shoot.  There was no pattern, just the fabric and some handles she had purchased.  "I want it about this size."  So here is the process I took for making a handbag without a pattern.

 1.  I cut from the fabric a 22" piece (still 44" wide).  

 2.  After cutting off the selvage, I cut it so that I had 2 identical pieces that were 22" x 16". All seam allowances were 1/2".  I went this way because of the direction of the pattern.  To save on fabric, you could make it a little smaller and get two pieces out of a 16" width of fabric cut.

3.  From the left over fabric, I cut a 2" strip that was at least 12" long.  That strip was then sub-cut into 4 pieces, each 3" x 2".

 4.  Fold each of those 4 pieces in half lengthwise (so they measure 3" x 1") and iron.  Unfold then fold the raw edges into the center fold line and press again.  You should then have 4 pieces that fold, with raw edges in, to 3" x 1/2" size.

 5.  Sew close to the edge on each of the 4 pieces.

 6.  Next cut 1 piece of fusible batting to the same size as your fabric pieces (16" x 22").

 7.  Following the manufacturer's directions, fuse the batting to the outside piece of fabric.

 8. Lay your purse with the outside fabric right side up on the table.  (This is the fabric that has the fusible batting attached to it).  Using a ruler, position the little strips you just made so they are centered on the purse body as well as being the exact width of the handles.  It was approximately 4.5" away from the edge, but measure yours and be precise.  Repeat for opposite side of the bag.

 9. Baste the strips in place.  Thread the strips through the proper place on the handle and sew.  Do for both handles.

 10. My machine has a way to decrease the amount of pressure down on the foot.  If you have this feature, decrease - I went down to the lowest on my machine, but do what works best on yours.  This will help prevent the fabrics and batting from shifting and not staying lined up.

If you don't have this feature, you may wish to baste things together before sewing so that if things shift, you can unpick more easily.  Also, hold on to the fabric in front of, and behind the foot to have equal tension on the upper and lower fabrics and help feed them through more evenly.

 11. Fold the bag in half with both tops and strap pieces matching on the top.  Pin to keep them lined up straight.

 12. Sew side seams using a 1/2" seam allowance.  (In the picture you see two seams.  That is because I had basted the batting to the fabric previously with a 3/8" seam to help keep it from shifting).

Also, sew the side seams on the fabric that will be the lining using a 1/2" seam allowance.

 13. With the folded edge at the bottom, and the open top farthest away from you and using your ruler, cut a 2" square from the bottom 2 corner.  This 2" square needs to be measured from the seam on the side and from the fold on the bottom.

Therefore, my square is actually a rectangle that is 2.5" on the top and 2" on the side which takes into consideration the 1/2" seams on the side.  If your seams are not precisely 1/2", make sure you are measuring the 2" from the seam, not the edge.

Repeat for bottom corners on both the outside fabric as well as lining fabric.

 14. Box the corners of the lining by pinching the front and back of the fabric right at the cut out corner in the center and pull out.  This will bring the side seam and the fold on the bottom together.  Make sure it lines up straight and sew across the cut edge using a 1/2" seam and having the side seam open as shown in the photo.

 15. Repeat for the outside fabric to box the corners.

 16. The bottom of the bag should now be squared and the bag should look something like this.

Now comes the tricky part.

 17. With the outside of the bag right side out (as in the photo above) and the lining inside out, put the lining on the outside of the bag, as shown in the picture to the right.  Line up edge seams and pin well.

 18. Sew most of the way around, leaving the side from one handle to the next open for turning.

For this, I began at the strap of one handle and sewed, first securing that by back stitching.  Continue sewing, back stitching at each handle to secure it.  When you reach the 4th handle strap and have secured it, stop.  Because the handles are not flexible, you need more space for turning it right side out than if they were flexible handles.

 19. Now turn the bag right side out through the opening you have.  With the stiff handles this is a bit tricky, but you can do it.

 20. Next sew the opening closed and top stitch around the top of the bag at the same time.  Here I sewed about 1/4" from the edge.

 21. Because the top stitching was 1/4" from the edge, the area that I had turned the bag right side out through gapped.  I could have done another top stitch closer to the edge to fix this, but instead I opted to hand stitch - using a ladder stitch, to close the gap and make that open invisible.

 22.  All Done.  Pictures to show you both sides.

Easy way to sew in sleeves - Tutorial

I used to follow what the patterns say when I put in sleeves - sew shoulder and side seams, then sew the sleeve in the circular hole.  I found it easier to sew with the bodice under and the sleeve visible to me under the foot.  But then I learned that with the natural easing that the feed dog does, you are always supposed to have the sleeve on the bottom so that it can be eased in properly.  Of course the first sleeve I tried that with was a baby sleeve and I was extremely frustrated and decided my first way was better.

When I was finishing up the cushions for MaryLynne, she told me a trick that I'm forever grateful for.  Today I will share it with you.  This may not work for every sleeve that you ever have to put in, but it will work for most of them.

 1. Sew the shoulder seams but DO NOT sew the side seams up.

 2. Match up the shoulder seam with the center marking on the sleeve.  Pin.

 3. Match notches and pin. 

 4. Gather as directed in the pattern.

 5. Sew from notch to notch.

As you see in the picture to the right, the sleeve is attached except about 2" on either side of the under arm seam.

 6. Match up side seams on both the sleeve and the bodice.  Pin as needed.

 Close up of the pinning.

 7. Sew each side seams, keeping the sleeve and bodice separate as you sew.












 Picture showing that the sleeve seem and the bodice seem are being sewed one after the other, but not attaching them yet.

  8.  Now complete the rest of the seam that is holding the sleeve to the bodice.  This should only be the 2-3" under the arm between the notches.

Picture from a different angle showing step 8.

 9. Now the circle is completed and the seam allowance can be trimmed and finished the way the pattern tells you to.

 All done and the seams match up beautifully and no one will ever know that you sewed most of that flat!  Yay!!!