Easy Handmade gift #3 - Zip Clutch

For that rock chick girl I made this easy little pouch with a little handle

Materials: front and back 28cm x 20cm (I used a stretch pleather with a black backing piece that is already attached - from Darn Cheap Fabrics)
zip


My zip was too long so I simply cut it off - from the bottom. Make sure your zip is done up before you chop it because if you lose the head of it, it is useless.
I sewed little pieces of fabric about 2cm long and as wide as the zip over the top and bottom of the zip.

Then I sewed the zip on the outside for effect. My fabric doesn't fray so I had a few more options.

Make sure both sides are even when you sew both pieces to the zip it should look like this below.

To sew the seams of the bag, put right sides together and pin. Just make sure that you leave the zip open a bit so you can turn it back in the right way. Sew along the three edges.

Turn bag the right way out through the gap in the zipper.

And your bag is almost done - I added some top stitching for detail - but you need to make sure all of your corners are pushed out. The points of the scissors are great for this.

I did a double row of stitching along both edges, and this hides my side seams nicely.

But it still needed a little something so I made a handle which attaches to the zip pull. 

I used black pleather which was 14cm long and 4 cm wide. I sewed it in half lengthwise.

Turned it out the right way using this tool.

And added two rows of stitching

Then using a ring and a leather end piece from my jewellery stash I finished it off. 

And it looks great! I may have to make myself one too!

Easy Handmade Gift #2 - Plastic Coated Tote Bag

This was the bag that was gifted today to a fellow school mum. Luckily I had it tucked away in my present cupboard.

I have made a few of these bags as gifts and they are always well received. Whats better than that is they are always well used and I still see people with them. They are a really good size - they can fit a foolscap folder if you need but the plastic coating stops them getting dirty - from the outside anyway.

Here are a couple more variations - this one is coated fabric from Amy Butler. This went to Alexander's gorgeous year 2 teacher.

This one was by request. Wendy wanted a bag for school. The base fabric for this one is denim with appliqued cotton. The pattern is the braille formation for W

And these ones are made from various ikea fabrics back in March 2010 - yes three years ago for this very same birthday season. Click here for my tutorial on making your own bag.

Recycled Computer Chip Bracelet - tutorial

I love my new geek computer chip bracelet. Some time ago I noticed the square little chip on the edge of my printer cartridges and started saving them. They are fairly simply to pry off, but make sure you have USED the ink first because the computer doesn't like them without this chip.

 MMy little chips sat around in a little container silently increasing, waiting for a project.

 As you can see there is already a little hole at the top of each intricately designed chip - all ready to be repurposed into jewellery.

MATERIALS: 

•  tail wire and closure
• a selection of chips
• jump rings
• beads

 Attach a small jump ring to each chip.

Thread your beads and chips onto the tail wire in desired order. I chose to put all the chips on the same way - there is a black dot on the other side. I chose gold seed beads and used 5 between each chip.

Once bracelet is desired length add closure. I have a bullet style screw closure which the wire was tied into as this suited the look of my bracelet. In retrospect it also could have worked on elastic as it is tricky to close.

 Wesr and enjoy! It has already proven to be a great conversation starter!

Celebrate with Bunting Tutorial Part 1

 I was asked to make some bunting for our school fete. It is to decorate the table around our cake stall and they provided the fabric. It is really easy to make and I thought I would share how I made it .

 Materials:

1 metre stripe cotton

1 metre dot cotton

1 metre white (this was for backing so should actually be 2 of this fabric. I however made do)

10 metres bias tape.  You can make your own bias easily, but for convenience I purchased mine.

 Flag Template. I create one out of cardboard. 

Trace template on to fabric to maximise number of flags while keeping flag on straight of grain.

Cut  out all of your flags. I think this is the most time consuming part of all but worth the precision.

Pin  the right sides of two flags together. I put a black and a white together as you will only see the black fabrics.

Sew  with a 1/4 inch foot the two longer sides of the flag. (leave the top open to turn inside out)
 I prefer to sew off the fabric at the point (create an x as below) as this is more even.

Trim  back the seam allowances around the point of your flag as pictured below.

This ensures the point is sharp when it is right side out.

Turn  right side out making sure you push the point right out. Press the flag and stack until you are ready to sew your flags onto your bias tape. That will be in part 2.

Easy Handmade Gift #1- Glass Beaded Bracelet

 March/April sees a cluster of my girlfriends celebrate birthdays and I like to give them handmade gifts.
The first will receive this lovely beaded bracelet made by Benji!

I was inspired by my recent craft table experience at school that I pulled out my box of beads for the kids to play with. I have quite a collection of glass beads and Benji chose these yellow ones.

Project Materials 

• Approx 25 cm or 1/4 meter elastic. I prefer corded hat elastic as it is stronger than the rubber elastic especially when working with glass beads. It comes in black or white.
• Beads of your choice.

I tie a bead on the end of the thread to stop the creation from falling off (from one end at least) and cut it off when finished. Then simple thread your beads and tie a double knot at the end. I twist the beads so as to hide my knot in one of the beads. This always looks neater.

Different beads but same technique. This one has a decorative silver spacer. 

Mission - ipod update

Xandy is off to a sleepover tonight with 14 other boys, (I know - crazy Mum!!), and his primary concern was taking the new to him ipod touch. A cash converters find for a mere $60 of his own purchased while on a fishtank holocaust investigation.

The poor plain black ipod would be lost in minutes if we didn't brighten it up and personalize it. This was our mission once the apps and music were added.

1. Purchased new bright cover - this one from Smiggle

2.  Put his name ALL OVER IT. Thanks to my silhouette, some vinyl and Harry P font. Mission accomplished. And with the reverse of the letters we now have a spare, named case should the need arise. 

My creative space

I have a few projects on the go at the moment - but nothing finished to report.

 I started this dress above last night. The fabric is very sheer and needs a lining so I have had a bit of a go at a seperate lining so an not to change the fall of the fabric.

This dress V8870 is what I am making out of the red but I have made a M and it may be a little big. Needs hems and topstitching to finish but I am worried it my need to much 'styling' for it to be wearable and than may be too much trouble. Still a work in progress. 

This dress got tossed aside due to a visit to Darn Cheap - the back room. I have always dreamed of getting in there but they are mid season and don't actually have much. It wasn't the aladdin's cave I've dreamt it would be. 

I did get some grey ponte (at retail price!) in order to start this project - Vogue V8848. 

I had some stretch pleather which I had bought for bindings, sleeves etc or for a bag. Now it is going to be the front panel of this dress. The sides are going to be the black grey. I think it will be great for winter. Now to finish it.....