Big Flower Tote Bag Tutorial

For my newest creation from my stash of green, blue and white striped upholstery fabric, I made this tote bag with a giant flower on the front.

I am selling this bag in my Etsy shop, beadobsession!

*Note: I broke two regular sewing machine needles on this project. I found I needed to use a heavy duty needle to complete the flower portion of this bag.

I made the flower first. I took 4' of fabric that was about 2" wide and sewed it into a long tube. After turning the tube so right sides were out, I used a needle and thread to make large stitches and gather the fabric. (I tried to use my machine, but the thread kept breaking. So I did it the hard way and used stronger upholstery thread!)

Tuck the raw edges of the tube inside.

I cut out the lining and decided to add two large pockets. I divided each pocket into smaller pockets for a total of six pockets.

I hemmed around each pocket before sewing them into the bag. (Since the fabric is striped, I lined up the stripes so they matched.)

I cut my pieces 18" x 21". Cut two lining (seen below with pockets) and two outer fabric pieces.

I didn't show this with any pictures, but I made the handles each 33" long. To make them, I folded each piece in half and pressed it flat. Then, I unfolded it and folded each raw edge to the midline I had just created. Then I folded it again (to hide raw edges) and sewed a running stitch the length of each strap.

Sew the lining together on three edges with right sides together. Leave a space at the bottom large enough to insert your hand.

Fold the fabric at the bottom corners so your side and bottom seams run parallel to each other. Measure 2" from the tip and sew a straight line to create a gusset. Cut the triangular corner off. Repeat for the other side of the lining.

Don't sew the outer pieces together yet!

To sew the flower onto the front of the bag, determine the circumference of the largest portion of the flower by coiling your gathered fabric tube into a circle. Pin just the bottom row into place. Unravel the whole thing except the pinned bottom row. Sew the bottom row into place. (This is where I broke my regular needles and had to upgrade to heavy duty grade needles.)

Keep sewing the flower together like a spiral. I didn't take time to pin every row onto the fabric; I just kept sewing (slowly!)

Next problem: I got the whole thing stuck when I got to the middle; my sewing machine's foot didn't lift up enough to squeeze the flower out from underneath. My solution was to just remove the whole foot!

Remove the gathering stitches with your seam ripper. Be careful not to remove the stitches you just made to attach the flower to the fabric.

I added a vintage button to the middle of my flower. To attach the front and back of the bag together, repeat the steps taken to make the lining. Make gussets for the outside of the bag, too.

Make the closure piece for your bag. I used velcro; I've never worked with snaps but would like to sometime! My closure piece was about 2" wide and 5" long and I made it by sewing a tube, turning it and then pressing it flat. I added the velcro. Insert this piece so that it will face the front of the bag when you close it!

To assemble the bag, place the lining and outside of the bag with right sides together. Place the straps inside so that the strap ends will be caught in the seam. Also, place the closure piece so it is caught up in the same seam. Pin everything together.

See the raw ends of the straps?

After sewing the seam around the whole bag, insert your hand into the space at the bottom of the lining and turn the whole thing right sides out. Then add the second velcro piece to the bag's front. Press and then topstitch the bag's upper edge. Close the hole in the lining.

If you don't feel like making this bag, you can buy my version on etsy! I don't need another bag, so I'm selling it in my re-opened etsy shop, beadobsession. Check it out!

I think it would make a fun beach bag.

Seeking Advice from the Mamas...

When your little 20-month old child has a stomach virus, what do you do?

I feel so bad for him! Thanks for your motherly advice:)

Homemade Play Dough

I just made my 19-month old son some blue playdough and he LOVES it!

Pay no attention to my "sewing room" (a.k.a. dining room) in the background...

It only took me ten minutes to make. Plus, I had all the ingredients on hand.

Here is the recipe I used:

1 cup cold water

1 cup of salt

2 t vegetable oil (I used Olive Oil and it worked out fine)

food coloring (I used the neon colors)

2 cups of flour

2 T cornstarch

Mix the salt, water, oil and food coloring. Add the cornstarch and flour little by little until the mixture resembles bread dough. If it is too sticky, add some extra flour. Store in an airtight container.

I read online that there are many recipes for DIY playdough. This one in particular doesn't require cooking, so it won't last forever. But my son has only played with it for about an hour, and already it has a lot of stuff stuck in it, so I don't think we would want it to last too long! Besides, we can make more fun colors with the next batch! A fun, frugal idea for when you and your kiddos are going stir-crazy on a sub-zero degree day!

Want to Make: Wall Art

When we get moved into our new house, (if the weather ever breaks so they can start building it!!) I have got to make some wall art for our bedroom and my son's! Some ideas:

made from a burlap coffee sack!
cute for a kid's room
again, for a kid. These are GREAT!
I'm not so good at painting, so maybe this is a good idea
oh, Pottery Barn, how you do inspire the masses to create!
a tree...for our room, not a kid's room!
for out little boy's room.
let my little boy create his own! fingerprints and footprints!
squares
without a canvas. apparently you can buy the wood and stretch it yourself.
you don't have to paint for this one! just mod podge and scrapbook paper!!! I love this!!!


here's the actual blog post for the mod podge

Simple Fabric Cuff Bracelet Tutorial

This is a great project to try if you have a small scrap of great fabric sitting around. Also, if you wanted to practice your button hole making skills, this is for you!

Start with a piece of fabric. Mine was 3 1/8" x 10". I used some interfacing. I have no idea what kind of how large (it was smaller than the fabric!)

I folded the fabric with right sides together and then put the interfacing on the wrong side. I pinned it together.

I sewed a tube out of the fabric, leaving one end open. I clipped the pointy corners and turned the tube so right sides were out.

After ironing the whole thing flat and making sure the open end's raw edges were pressed in, I top stitched around the whole piece. Then I made a button hole.

I hand-sewed on the button and was all done! I am thinking of adding more buttons for decoration. This is pretty plain.