More addiction, and reminder of giveaway.

I have made some more of these little addictive items for my daughter.

With the remaining red fabric I made the heart pot holder.  I used the tutorial by A Spoonful of Sugar.  It turned out beautifully though next time I might read the instructions properly before making it.

And a reminder that my "just because" giveaway will finish on Friday evening (Australian time), so if you havent already done so I would love for you to pop over here and say hello, to go in the draw.

Tomorrow I am going on a bus trip to Beenleigh Quilt Show, and a couple of quilt shops on the way.

Following on from that, on Saturday we have the first of two bus trips for this year's South East Queensland Quilters Trail.  Ooh, so much retail therapy and quilty things to look at.

  

How to – zippy pouches, and a Giveaway

I have been making lots of clear vinyl see through zippy pouches lately.  They make wonderful gifts, are great for storing all the bits and pieces needed for a project, holding  an embroidery and the threads being used, for taking things to a class, as a pencil case or storage case for a variety of things.  I cannot claim that this is an “original” – although how I make it is different from other tutorials/patterns I have seen, and I have not used a pattern or tutorial to make mine.
They can be made to any size – I will give the measurements for the one I am making, but  by altering the size of the fabric pieces and zipper it can be enlarged or reduced to suit any requirement.
My fabrics for this pouch:

main fabric (gold), contrast fabric (blue leaves), binding, (dark blue –  at bottom), batting, vinyl, zipper
Things to help :  wonder clips, glue pen,
These zippy pouches can be made using leftovers from another project, a fat eighth, or other smallish pieces in your stash.
Cutting:
Main fabric – back of pouch and zipper surrounds    1     11” x 13”                                                                                                       

                                                                                     1     2 1/2" x 14"

                                                                                     1     2 1/2” x 14”

                                                                                     4    1 1/2” x 2”

contrast fabric – inside of pouch                                   1      11” x 13”

Binding fabric –  21/4 inches wide by at least 50 inches – join as necessary to make this length

Batting – I used cotton, but can be whatever you like   1     11” x 13”  
  
zipper – at least 2 inches longer than width of pouch – in this case, at least 15 inches – but can be longer if that is what you have.  It will be cut to size.

Quilters vinyl a little wider than fabric – trim later          1      10” x 14”

Thread for quilting and constructing pouch

Household or paper scissors to cut zipper
Other items that may  help:  Wonder clips,  glue pen,

you can use a leather needle if you have them, though I dont always do so.  I often use a universal needle and it has been fine


Sandwich the 2 11 x 13 main and contrast pieces with the wadding between,  mark quilting lines if desired, and quilt as you prefer.  I usually do a 2 1/2 inch crosshatch pattern, but it can be whatever your preference is.  Does not need to be closely quilted, just enough to hold layers together.

When quilted, press lightly to smooth out (optional) and trim back to make all edges neat and even.  Usually needs only 1/4 inch from each side, but – size really doesnt matter so much with this project.

Now to work on the zipper section:  I enclose the ends of the zipper with the 2 x 1 1/2 inch fabric pieces, then cut off the zipper ends, leaving a matching fabric tab at each end.  This results in a neater and easier finish.
Place 1 2” x 1 1/2” piece right side up. Place zipper bottom end right side up on top, leaving approx 1/2 inch between edge of fabric and metal tab of zipper, Place another fabric piece right side down on top of zipper (see photos)  Dotted line indicates stitching line.

Stitch across on stitching line ..  Reinforce the stitching over the zipper teeth.  (reverse and forward a couple of times, slowly.)  Now cut off metal tab of zipper, using household scissors,  and press fabric pieces open over that end of the zipper.

Now for the other end.
Lay zipper on top of the 13 inch side of quilted fabric,

Left hand side in above photo – 3/4 inch between edge of quilted piece and start of exposed zipper teeth.
Right hand side –  partly open zipper pull. (VERY IMPORTANT IF YOU WANT TO OPEN THE ZIPPER)  sandwich zipper in same way as other end, with the stitching line 3/4 inches from right hand edge of quilted fabric.  Remove zipper from quilted piece, being careful to keep zipper and small fabric pieces in place.  Again stitch and reinforce stitching over teeth.  Make sure the 2 sides of the open zipper are touching as you stitch.

Open and close the zipper before cutting off the ends just to be sure it is working right, then using household scissors cut off the unwanted ends from the top of the zipper. Press fabric ends out over zipper end.

Now all that is left of that part is to trim off the sides level with the sides of the zipper. Leave the ends long at this stage.

Doesnt that look rather neat.
Now to put the strips to the sides of the zipper.
Take the 2 1/4 inch piece of fabric, fold in half lengthwise with wrong sides together.  Press well.  Pin to the top side of the zipper, with the fold aligned along the outside of the zipper teeth.


Using a zipper foot, stitch close to the edge, being careful to not catch the teeth at all. I move the needle to the left so it will stitch close to the edge.  When you get to near the zipper pull, pause, lift zipper foot with needle still down in fabric, and open the zipper till the pull is out of the way. (with some machines you may need to raise the needle to be able to do so.)

Cool. Now take your 2 1/2 x 14  inch piece.  Fold in half lengthways, wrong sides together, press, open out, and press each long raw edge into the middle – like bias binding.  Now press in half again.

Pin the folded edge along the other side of the zipper teeth.  The open edge (at bottom) is where the vinyl will be inserted.
Stitch as per the previous strip.

Now the  vinyl piece.
If possible buy  quilters vinyl from your LQS – it is stronger. 
Do not pin through the vinyl – obviously the pin hole will stay so will look bad, but also will weaken the vinyl.
It is sometimes difficult to see the edges of the vinyl to cut it so I usually cut it a little bigger and trim it at a later stage.  (not much bigger, just 1/2 inch or so).
Wonder clips hold it well wherever you can use them – eg when stitching on binding.  Also a glue pen or similar will hold help the vinyl to the fabric until it is stitched.
The vinyl may stick to your machine and will be difficult to get to feed through as you stitch.  Sometimes just holding it up with your left hand will help.  Or put a piece of photocopy paper on the side of the machine next to the feed dogs, and under the vinyl.  A teflon foot may help also.
STITCHING THE VINYL:
The vinyl is pushed up in the  binding-like part of the last piece sewn on to the zipper.  I run the glue stick along the inside of the bottom one, put in the vinyl, then run the glue stick along the vinyl and push the top layer onto the vinyl.  It is now sandwiched between the binding piece. Make sure the vinyl is inserted as far as possible towards the zipper.  Stitch carefully so as to get a good straight line, and be sure of catching both top and bottom layers (I stitch a teeny bit further away from the edge of the fabric to  be sure)


Hold up like this, or put a piece of paper under the vinyl like this.



The vinyl is now enclosed in the fabric strip.
Time to trim it all up.
Pin the top edge of the zipper/vinyl piece(fabric part) to the top edge of the quilted piece.

Trim the vinyl off level with the bottom edge.  Now secure that edge with 2 or 3 wonder clips if you have them.

You may find it easier to trim with the ruler off the pouch like above, as the zipper can make it difficult to get a clean, straight cut.

secure each edge with wonder clips as you trim it.
Now it is time to add the binding.  The binding is pressed in half lengthwise, wrong sides together as for any quilt.  Start at the top edge, and sew along each side, mitring the corners.as you go.  Join the binding in your usual fashion when you complete stitching it down. 

Turn to the back and hand stitch.  Use the wonder clips to hold the binding while you are hand stitching as well- they hold it so much more securely.

There is your completed pouch, waiting for you to fill it.with your current small project.

A link to a printable version is available here  Please let me know if you try this and it doesnt work.  I havent used it before.

This is quite a long tutorial, and as I make these zippy pouches quite often and know the process so well, I am not sure if I have made the directions clear enough.  Please feel free to let me know if anything is not clear, or if you get totally confused.  I will then attempt to explain it better.

        *   *   *   *   *   *  

And now the Giveaway.  As I already have a collection of zippy pouches, I am going to give this one away.  It will contain some mystery goodies (mystery to me too at this stage).  So what do you need to do?  Just come and visit and say hi.  That is all.  Nothing else – .  I will draw the winner next Friday.

Giveaways are fun. So are Giraffes

Pop over to Designs by Fee and see what beauty she has there in the shape of a giveaway. While there, sign up for her newsletter - I am sure you will be pleased you did.

This is it - part of the giveaway - "Fresh Cotton" by Fig Tree Quilts for Moda

Recently I have been working on:

I have had this pattern of the giraffe from the Pattern Place since just after it was released, but I didnt do too much with it, as I wasnt sure how to go about getting the giraffe to look "right". Recently there was a class at Sew This and That, and going along gave me the confidence to keep going on it. I have now attached all the spots etc, and it is now ready for the grass to be added and then the borders. We have a second class next week to tackle those parts.


But here she is so far:

I am very happy with the fabrics.

The head is looking good too, though the white highlight on the eye will bring her more to life. The patterns are beautiful, very lifelike, and not so difficult once you get started. They just take quite a bit of time cutting out the shapes.