Friday, April 17, 2009

a quickie...

So Lu is rummaging around my closet yesterday looking for a "bag" for her books.

I say, "Where's your bag? (And stop digging around in my purse stash.)"

She says, "The strap broke yesterday."

Me: "Let me see it, maybe I can fix it."

Me: (looking at the ginormous, irreparable rip) "Ummm..."

Lu: (nearing panic) "I need a bag, I can't carry all my books loose! And it has to be open-top!" (Ok, I am embellishing the open top part for dramatic effect, but that's the rule at school.)

Me: (looking in mirror at un-flat-ironed hair and one eye mascaraed) Sigh.

Ten minutes and a 1/2 a yard of lavender print linen later and we have this:


Tips...
1. No scissors! I ripped the linen instead of digging around the sewing box for my shears.
2. I eyeballed all measurements. We've all used Composition notebooks, right? I just eyed that size & added a bit of height for a turned under hem at the top of the bag.
3. I never iron my clothes the night before, so the iron was already nice & hot. :P

I used half a width of linen, about 20" tall. Press under 1/4" then 1" for hem at top, stitch. Stitch down side & across the bottom. Repeat the side/bottom stitching for durability.

Handles were 2.5" wide by one width of fabric. Cut that in half and voila you have 2 handles! Press each long side in (to center of strip) then press in half hotdog style. Stitch. That way you have a nice, weighty strap. I did take the time to pin & stitch the handles in the same position (approximately 1.5" from the side seams) on the front & back of the bag.

Lu: "Thanks mom!" Shoves books in bag and runs out door.

Me: Mascaras other eye. Unplugs unused flat iron & puts hair in clip.

Next up...
I've decided to attempt this dress from the November 2008 issue of BWOF. (#133 in the plus section). It looks a bit uninteresting in the line drawing.
But how great is the model photo!


I have a solid fabric in mind for it, but I'd have to go purchase it. I'd rather just cut & start sewing, so I'm going to attempt something wild and crazy with a VERY OLD stash fabric...in STRIPES!


Obviously with all that seaming and curves it would be hideous in a vertical or horizontal stripe. So I'm thinking...chevrons! We could be headed for Epic.Fail. here, this I know.

I hereby accept the risk. Because if it works....man. That's going to be one cool dress.

6 comments:

  1. Wow, that's either going to be the coolest dress in the world or the scariest dress I've ever seen. I love that fabric.

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  2. Keeping my fingers crossed for you! May the sewing Gods be on your side...

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  3. You get the cool mom award for the day!! I like the dress and the stripe, anxious to see them come together.

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  4. Great job on sewing a bag in 10 minutes. I'd never be able to do that, I'm way too pokey of a seamstress. I think the line drawing of that dress is great! I hope it turns out for you. Why again don't you want to use a solid color? :)

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  5. Dude. You crack me up on my own blog. LOL!

    Best Mom Award for sure. And to add a Bad Hair Day to it as well ... you rock!

    The solid dress in the photo scares *me.* Where would the rolls and bulges ever hide?? ;-)

    Oh, I never iron in advance either. I was actually contemplating doing some today (ironing that is) to, you know, clear off my ironing board so I could pile more sewing stuff on it. But I just couldn't do it. And it's only like 3 or 4 things.

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  6. Bag fix: Aren't you glad you sew? Great save!

    Dress: I loved that dress too, but I don't have the body for it. I'm glad you're making it so I can enjoy it vicariously.

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