Bunting Tote Bag Tutorial

March 29, 2019 · Leave a Comment

Bunting Tote Bag Tutorial

This is a post I actually wrote 3 years ago when a new law was introduced in the UK that required shops to charge for plastic bags.

I’m recycling it because it fits in nicely with the Year of Bunting!

For making the bunting tote bag, I’d recommend using a strong fabric, like a heavy weight cotton. The canvas I used was left over from some curtains I’d made, and the appliqued bunting from scraps of cotton from dresses and other things.

If you don’t have any canvas, you might have an old tablecloth or some curtains you could use.

If you’d rather use a lighter cotton or polycotton fabric, you could line it to make it stronger, or just decide to use it to carry bread and flowers instead of potatoes and gallons of milk!

The bunting tote bag has boxed corners, which means that depending on what you put it, it should stand up.

How to Make a Bunting Tote Bag

1. Cut a rectangle of fabric. Good dimensions would be the same width as a Lidl bag (or other bag for life) and twice as long, plus seam allowance. Mine measured at 48 cm x 120 cm.

If you are using fabric with a directional print, cut 2 rectangles and sew them together.

2. If you do not have an overwhelming urge to cover everything in bunting, you can skip this bit and go straight to Step 3.

To make the bunting, cut a rectangle 9 cm x 10 cm. Fold in half lengthways. Cut diagonally from the folded corner to the corner opposite. Use this triangle to cut 5 triangles. Position them onto the fabric, allowing for seams. Pin in place, then applique them to the fabric. Sew a piece on of ribbon so that it covers the tops of the triangles.

3. With the right sides together, pin the side seams then sew them up. Trim the seams. Finish the seams with zigzags, or an overcasting stitch if you don’t have an overlocker. This could be the difference between getting all of your shopping home and the bag breaking and veg and milk and stuff ending up all over the road!

4. To make the boxed corners, press firmly on the fold at the bottom. Squash one of the corners flat so that the seam is aligned with the fold at the bottom. Measure up 6 cm from the corner. Pin. Sew across the corner. Cut the corner off. For more detailed instructions for making boxed corners, visit this tutorial here.

5. Hem the top of the bag.

6. To make the handles, cut 2 pieces of fabric 40 cm long and 10 cm wide. Fold in half lengthways. Then fold the outer edges into the middle. Fold in half and pin. Sew. I like to sew along both edges so that it looks symmetrical. Repeat for the other handle.

7. Sew the handles to the bag. You will need to sew them on in a few places to ensure that they stay on when the bag is full of shopping.

Now all you have to do is remember to take it with you when you go shopping!

Tips

Heavy weight fabric will be strongest, but other fabrics can be made stronger by adding a lining.

Ripstop will make good bags that are both strong and waterproof.

You could make bunting tote bags in different sizes.

Decorate them as you like to jazz them up.

If you will be carrying your shopping a long way, add some wadding to the handles and quilt them to make them more comfortable.

They make great last minute Christmas gifts and are a good way of using up fabric that you don’t know what to do with!

Year of Bunting Pincushion Tutorial With Mini Bunting

February 22, 2019 · Leave a Comment

Year of Bunting Pincushion Tutorial With Mini Bunting

I’ve got a thing about pincushions.

It’s partly because I associate them with a simpler time, when milk lived in jugs with beaded crocheted covers and everybody ate boiled eggs, toast and cake for tea.

It’s also because when it comes to making pincushions, the possibilities are endless. And it’s fine to have a few!

My favourite pincushion is this one that I can wear on my wrist. That way I don’t lose it in the mess that always seems to accompany making things!

I have others as well, including these that I made last year while my concentration was taking a holiday.

I even have a Pinterest board devoted to pincushions!

The Year of Bunting needs a bunting pincushion, so I’ve made these.

The bunting pincushions are made from white felt with appliqued cotton circles on the top and bottom and bunting on the side. The button on the top actually runs through to another smaller button on the bottom. This allows the pincushion to sit on a flat surface without wobbling about to much!

For some bunting fun, I made some tiny bunting from diamond shaped pieces of cotton and bakers’ twine. The bunting is strung across the pincushion by some pretty flower headed pins.

I filled the bunting pincushions with polyester filling recycled from an old pillow.

You might prefer to fill yours with wire wool or emery, so that your pins are sharpened when you stick them into your pincushion. There’s a tutorial for making a pincushion with emery here.

I’ve got some kits for sale here and here on Etsy if you want to make some like mine but you can’t be doing with faffing about finding everything.

How To Make a Bunting Pincushion With Mini Bunting

You Will Need

Felt
Scraps of cotton fabric
Filling for your pincushion (polyester filling, emery or wire wool)
2 buttons
Bakers’ twine
Longer than normal pins

Or you can buy a kit here.

Cutting Out

From the felt, cut 2 circles and a long rectangle. The rectangle needs to be as longs as the distance around the circle.

When I was learning about pi at school, I’d never have guessed that I would use it as much as I do!

It doesn’t matter an awful lot if you can’t remember anything about it! The only thing you need to remember is that the distance around the outside edge of a circle is about 3 times the distance across the circle passing through the centre.

So your rectangle needs to be 3 times longer than the straight edge of your circle if you fold it in half, plus a bit extra.

You’ll also need to cut 2 smaller circles from cotton fabric. I used jam jars for the circles.

For the appliqued bunting, cut 5 tiny triangles from the same fabric you used for your smaller circles. For the bunting that’s strung between the pins, cut 5 diamonds from the same cotton.

Assembling Your Bunting Pincushion

Applique the cotton circles to the felt circles.
Applique the bunting flags to the side of the pincushion. To do this, I sewed the sides of the flags, then sewed across the top a couple of times. I sewed past the end of the flags by a cm or so.
Sew one of the circles to the side. The official way to do this is probably to sew the side into a circle, then to sew the circle. The problem with doing it this way is that the circles have to be exactly the same size! The way I did it was to start with one end of the rectangle and sew it all the way round the circle. I then sewed the rest of it so that it overlapped.
You might like to hand sew the seam of the side piece, although it might be fine to leave it if you are in a hurry.
Sew the other circle to the side, leaving a gap.Fill the pincushion then sew up the opening.
Cut a length of thread and tie it to the button that you’re planning on putting on the bottom of your pincushion. With a needle, pass the thread through the pincushion in through the other button. Take the needle back through the button and the pincushion to the button at the bottom. Pull the thread, then tie it off.
Making the tiny bunting proved to be fiddly! I tried a number of ways and this is the one that proved to be easiest. Take one of the cotton diamonds and fold it over the bakers’ twine. Sew a couple of stitches in the centre of the flag to hold both halves together.
Push a pin through the bakers’ twine at one end of the bunting. Do the same at the other end. Push the pins into the top of the pincushion.

30 Minute Storage Basket

January 11, 2019 · 2 Comments

30 Minute Storage Basket

One of the things I’ve discovered since I began home educating my 3 younger boys a few months ago is just how much more stuff there is!

A while ago I posted this photo in a home ed Facebook group.

Obviously the boys had been very busy, but unfortunately we also use that table for eating! Quite aside from the fact that I don’t especially want to eat my dinner with Barnabas’ eyeball for company, the stuff takes up so much space, there was hardly any room for the plates!

In December I cleared all the stuff off the sideboard and rehomed things. This was so that I had a decent space to put out the Lego Christmas village.

Since Christmas, the Lego has gone away but I haven’t got round to collecting up all the stuff that used to live there and putting it back.

So I decided to make some storage baskets that can live on the sideboard. Hopefully they will help to keep the table clear enough so that we can eat there without eyeballs and science projects.

Whatever stage of life you are at, a storage basket is always useful. There’s always stuff that needs a home, especially after Christmas!

About The Storage Basket

Size. The baskets can be made whatever size you like. I cut the outer sections of the 2 larger baskets so that they were about the same size as a tea towel. I made the third storage basket smaller because the piece of fabric was smaller.

Fabric. I used ticking and a cotton/ linen blend that I had left over from another project. Medium weight fabrics will work well. Cotton or polycotton is fine too as long as you use interfacing.

Storage baskets are a great way of using up bits and pieces from your fabric hoard, so just see what you have. You could even use actual tea towels!

Interfacing. I made one basket with fusible synthetic buckram, and 2 with firm interfacing. Both worked, but I think on balance that the interfacing was better.

The fusible buckram was great, nice and stiff, and the basket holds its shape well. The problem was that synthetic buckram has no give at all. If your lining is not exactly the right size, you can’t stretch it to make it fit. It was also difficult to press the seams properly.

The interfacing made a storage basket that was less rigid but it was much easier to sew.

Lining. Cotton or polycotton is fine for lining the baskets. Just see what you have already!

To cut the lining, use the outer piece as a template. Find the longer edge and add about 8-10 cm (3-4 inches). You need enough to fold it over the edge of the outer then tuck the raw edge underneath.

Timing. I’ve called this a 30 minute storage basket. To be honest, I didn’t time myself making them. I usually do a bit, then sort kids out/ make dinner/ drink tea etc, so I don’t actually know how long it took me.

The point is that they didn’t take me very long! It might even have been less than half an hour. I have made storage baskets like this before, and things often take a bit longer the first time you do them. Once you’ve made a couple, you’ll be knocking them out like nobody’s business!

How To Make 30 Minute Storage Baskets

You Will Need

Fabric for the outer (cotton, polycotton, canvas, ticking, oilcloth will all work well).
Fabric for the lining (Cotton, polycotton or something else lightish, although medium weight fabrics might work too. Try it and see!).
Firm interfacing, fusible buckram or similar.
A teatowel for measurements.
Usual sewing supplies.

Cutting Out

Using the teatowel as a guide, cut a piece the same size from the outer and the interfacing.

For the lining, use the teatowel as a guide again. Find one of the longer edges and instead of cutting along the edge of the teatowel, move 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) away, then cut it. You should end up with a piece that is as long as the tea towel, but a little bit wider.

Sewing the Storage Boxes

If you are using fusible interfacing, fuse it to the wrong side of the outer.

Fold the outer in half lengthways with the right sides together. Pin the short edges together, then sew. Trim the seams and press them open.

Take one of the corners. Open the box out then squish the corner flat so that the side seam is next to the fold at the bottom.

Measure about 8 cm (3 inches) up from the corner. Pin so that the pins are at right angles to the side seam. Pin the other corner in the same way.

Sew across where you have pinned. Cut the corner off. Do the same with the other corner.

Repeat steps 1-5 with the lining.

Turn the basket outer the right way out. Pop the lining inside the outer so that the wrong sides are together. You might find it helpful to pin the corners.

Fold the lining over the outer. Tuck the raw edge of the lining underneath. Pin, then sew around the outside of the basket, keeping close to the folded edge.

Tips For Making Several Storage Baskets At The Same Time

Choose fabrics that go well together. Try stripes or spots for the outer with a neutral lining, or quilting cottons from the same collection.

Batch the jobs. Do all your cutting out, then all your interfacing fusing, then all the side seams. As well as being more efficient than making each basket separately, it also means that if you have to move your sewing machine so that people can eat dinner, you’re more likely to get a whole stage done. This also works better for those of us with short attention spans!

Use a rotary cutter and pattern weights for cutting out. There’s a tutorial for pattern weights here if you need one! Doing it this way is much quicker because you don’t have to faff about pinning everything and you can cut out several bits at once.

If you make some I’d love to see! Please share them on social media, or you can email me :). And let me know how long they took you!

DIY Embroidered Christmas Star

December 19, 2018 · 2 Comments

DIY Embroidered Christmas Star

When I was younger, I did a lot of Christmas crafting. I used to make cards and decorations and bake stuff.

Then I had kids and everything changed! I’d plan to make lots of things, then feel frustrated and annoyed that I hadn’t managed to get them done.

One year I tried to get round the fact that I had several tiny children by starting early. I was making stuff from August onwards. But because I’d been thinking about Christmas for so long, by the time it eventually came round I was sick of it!

So a couple of years ago, I made the decision to not worry too much. I’d do a bit if I had time and if I felt like it, and not attempt anything too ambitious. There is a limit to how many decorations I can hang off the tree anyway and I don’t send that many Christmas cards.

This year has been different again. Home educating my younger three means that I have boys at home in the day again. As they were showing signs of needing a break from the academic stuff, we spent most of last week doing Christmas crafts while listening to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. It was lovely!

One “grown up” thing that I’ve been working on recently is an diy embroidered Christmas star.

It’s made from felt with a snowflake design embroidered in the centre. The stars are sewn together using blanket stitch.

It’s a perfect project for a busy person who’s left things a bit late! It doesn’t take long to make. You can do a bit when you have a minute. You can make one, or a few and string them together. And to make things easier, you can download a template with the snowflake design at the bottom of the post.

How To Make a DIY Embroidered Star

You Will Need

Felt
Embroidery thread
Ribbon for hanging
Star shape
Snowflake design

Making the Star

1.Cut 2 stars from felt.

2. Embroider the snowflake design onto one of the stars.

3. Sew the 2 stars together. I used blanket stitch, but you could use back stitch or running stitch if you prefer.

4. Attach some ribbon or twine for hanging.

If you would like the template I used, please enter your email address in the form below. Please note that by doing this, you will be added to the Tea and a Sewing Machine email list. I never send spam, only a weekly email containing updates, links, and other things that you might like. You can unsubscribe from these emails at any time. For more information about why I do this, please click here.

chimpy_form(’41’)

Christmas Embroidery Project With a Free Pattern!

September 28, 2018 · 5 Comments

Christmas Embroidery Project

Although I love Christmas and making things for Christmas, over the last few years I’ve given up on the idea of making masses of stuff specifically for Christmas.

It’s just too busy! And it has a habit of sneaking up on me. I know the date never changes, but by the time the Season of Birthdays is over (my boys’ birthdays are all in the autumn, in the space of 2 months!), we’re halfway through November. By the time I’ve got my act together, it’s December, there’s Nativity plays, shopping, present wrapping, baking and everybody’s tired!

Having a little Christmas embroidery project is a nice thing. It’s something you can pick up when you have a few minutes. You can work on it in the evenings without people complaining that they can’t hear the telly over the sewing machine! And if it’s a little thing, it’s going to be achievable and you’ll feel pleased when you’ve finished it. With a longer project, if you don’t finish it by Christmas it’s just going to end up in the UFO pile and you’ll feel annoyed with yourself (I do!).

So I’ve got a little Christmas embroidery project for you!

You can download the pattern here.

And here are the instructions!

Christmas Embroidery Project Instructions

1. Transfer the design to your fabric. There are a number of ways of doing this. The easiest way is to use dressmakers’ carbon paper (affiliate link). You could also use a light box (you can make one yourself using your phone and a plastic box), or you could try printing directly onto the fabric using your printer. If you do this, it’s best to tape the fabric to a piece of card first.

2. Embroider the letters. Start off by sewing them all in backstitch. To get the calligraphy effect, identify the bits of the letters that would be downstrokes if you’d written them. Add an extra line of backstitch to those bits.

3. Now sew the tree. Work each line in backstitch. Then go back and add the leaves.

4. It’s up to you how you’d like to do the star! I sewed around the edge in backstitch then added some French knots to the centre. You might like to try leaf stitch or satin stitch.

To finish it off, wash it in warm water and washing up liquid. Rinse it, then let it dry flat. Iron it on the reverse. Then decide what you’d like to do with it. You could put it in a frame or you might prefer to display it in an embroidery hoop.