More Zipper Pouches

The zipper pouch parade continues.  These are slightly larger than the headphone cases from yesterday.  Just large enough for computer charging chords  In order to make it easy to see which cable is in which case, I made the front from window screen.  We happened to have some hanging out in the storage shed where the lawn mower lives.  I am planning to keep the cords all tucked in safely while the computers are charging to keep them from constantly tangling.  Then, if the computers need to go anywhere, it will be easy enough to tuck in the ends and take the power cords along.  Along with the sewing, I've been cleaning out the closet under the stairs.  We took some overdue books back to the library and did a couple of loads of laundry.  Exciting right?  

Red Zipper Bag

Last Saturday I made some string fabric out of red scraps.  I made it quilt as you go on batting so that I could use it to make another boxy zipper bag.  Here are some basic instructions which can be combined with this tutorial to make a cool zipper pouch.

 To make a boxy bag, you will need two pieces of outer fabric, each 10 by 12 inches.  You could use interfacing to stabilize a piece of beautiful focus fabric, but you could also use scraps and an easy quilt as you go method to put some of your scraps to good use.
Start with two pieces of 100% cotton batting 11 by 13, this will give you a little room to straighten every thing out at the end.  The 100% cotton part is important, polyester might melt with the iron.  I'm sure you can find something in your batting scrap bag that will work.  I know I did.  Also cut a nice pile of random strings, each about 13 inches long.  Use whatever widths you have on hand.  Mine were between 1 and 2 inches wide, but anything will work.

Place two strings, right sides together, on top of the batting.   Then sewn it down, right through the batting.  This will attach the strings together and quilt them at the same time.

Press the strip open, and then add another to each side. Continue to add strips until the batting is covered completely.

Trim the entire piece to 10 by 12 inches.
After you have prepared two pieces of quilted fabric, you are ready to follow the directions shown here.  The pattern is a free download at craftsy and gives you all the details about how to make this adorable bag.

It is boxy and cute and just the right size for all your bathroom things on a long trip or a few sewing things to keep you busy in the car.  

Slowdown Sunday

 I had to smile when I saw Kathy's post this morning about hand sewing on vacation.  We are just back from a family trip to Hilton Head South Carolina and I did indeed bring along handwork for the car.  I was SO close to finishing up the center blocks for Dear Jane.  I had just these two little blocks to go when I heard a pitiful little voice from the backseat asking if I was going to be done with that quilt soon because Sydney was cold.  Of course I immediately took out my needle and passed it back.  I'll be able to start on the border soon which is pretty exciting to me.

 So instead I pulled out this little stack of basket blocks that gotten put away and forgotten about for a while.  I had seen pretty little applique baskets on several different sites but didn't have a pattern.  So I drafted my own and got these blocks done before getting sidetracked again.  There are a few more ready to be sewn so they will be ready to go for the next trip.

Back on the home front it has been craft crazy around here.  I am having a blast sewing little zipper pouches in all of the colors of the rainbow.  The little round ones are for headphones, the smaller boxy ones are for charging chords and the large boxy ones are for bathroom things on trips.  Though the purple paperweights might become a take along sewing kit.  Anna also wanted a pencil pouch for school, so that is the flat purple one on the upper right.  I still have a few more ideas pinned to my Hold it ALL page on Pinterest, so you might be seeing more bags in the near future.  I've gotten quite handy with zippers, and even did a covered end on my last project -- fancy, right?  Last but not least is some lip balm that the girls and I made together.  Summer is so much fun!  I wish I could have it all year long.  

More Zipper Pouches

I'm on a roll with zipper bags.  Still recovering from vacation and feeling a bit tired, these little cuties are keeping me busy without requiring too much energy.  The big one is a No Guts Boxie Pouch.  It is another free download on Craftsy.  Then I downsized it a bit to fit a smaller zipper to  make the black bag.  I think I'll try a scrappy one next.

I'm about to run out of zippers though, and that will be so sad.  I guess that will mean a switch to something productive.  Or maybe a nap?  That sounds good too.

Tiny Zipper Pouches

We are HOME again.  This year Kurt's family decided to gather at Hilton Head for a family vacation.  Most of them got houses or condos for a full week, but our kids are always done before the end of 7 days.  So instead we got a hotel room for part of the week.  As predicted, we had lots of fun and were definitely ready to head home by mid-week.
So after a few days in the car digging for headphones and charging chords, I wanted to try out a few ideas I had pinned for small zipper pouches.  Such a fun way to play between unpacking and catching up with laundry.
First, the circle one on the right was made from a tutorial found here.  It came together quite nicely despite my inexperience with zippers.  There was no zipper foot involved as the entire project was sewn with the regular quarter inch foot.   It does leave quite a bit of zipper exposed, but I think it is a nice look if you have a nicely coordinated zipper to use.
The one on the left was made from a tutorial I found here.  The actual pattern is a free download from craftsy, but all the directions are explained in the video except for the size to cut the rectangles (which is 3.5 by 5 inches).  I thought it came together quite well and the directions were very easy to follow.  I skipped the zipper foot again, but it all worked out pretty well I think.  I'll make a few more in assorted colors to match the random zippers that I happen to have hanging around.