TRYING SOMETHING NEW...

Back when I made my blue and white handbag, I made a "med bag" to go along with it.  As you can see the zipper has not held up to hard use!

As someone with numerous health issues...incuding diabetes, I need to carry around a LOT of supplies!  What I need is a bag that is bigger than the blue and white bag pictured above.

Quite a while back I was in a thrift store when I spotted this fabric.   The fabric turned out to be the makings of a dress that someone had chosen not to complete.  That's okay, their lack of motivation would be my gain!

However, I was in love with the WRONG SIDE of the fabric, problematic given the long pieces of colored thread on the back of the fabric.  There is no doubt that these threads would pull and break within the first 24 hours that the med bag was in my purse!  What to do?

Somewhere in my quilting/sewing experience I had heard about iron on vinyl.  I was anxious to see if this could provide a solution to the problem of loose threads on my chosen fabric.

 

I cut my fabric to 9 x 7 inches for the front and the same for the back.  I basted a seam across the top and bottom of the fabric where the colored threads were likely to unravel.  

I carefully followed the instructions on the bag of vinyl.  It was SO easy!

Within no time I had two squares of fabric covered in vinyl!  The mark on the right hand piece is a crease in the fabric that I was unable to iron out prior to applying the vinyl.  I think the fabric had been folded in a closet for a long, LONG time!  No matter, I planned to place that crease at the bottom of my med bag so it wouldn't be as obvious.

I went into my zipper box and found a metal zipper repurposed from something else.  Hopefully this zipper would hold up to excessive use!

I used my zipper foot to attach the zipper to the bag.

I repeated the process for the other piece of fabric.

I sewed across the zipper so that I could cut the large amount of excess zipper away.

 I folded back the zipper on the inside and ironed it flat.

 A little bit of top stitching and the back of the zipper would not get caught.

See how nice the first topstitching looks?

Using my Sizzix I cut some graduated sized flowers out of fabric that coordinated with the stripes.  I glued the button to the top flower and then sewed it in place with blue thread.

Here it is all attached, but it needed something secure the petals to prevent bending and creasing them in my purse!

I used my free motion foot to "thread paint" a lacey design on top of the flower.

I moved the zipper pull to the middle of the pouch to enable me to turn the pouch right side out after it was sewn  shut.

Here it is sewn all around and turned inside out.  As usual I really messed up the left side of the zipper.  I don't know WHY I have such a hard time with zippers!  However, my med bag will still work fine even though the zipper is not right!

Here it is all filled up!  I LOVE the vinyl on the outside as I will be able to wipe it clean as needed.  This bag is handled A LOT!!!

And the best part?   There is still room to add a few more items should the need arise...although I have more than my share of health problems and am not looking for any more!

All in all the iron on vinyl was a breeze to use and I would highly recommend it for its ease of use.  I will keep you posted as to how the vinyl wears over time.

Toodles...

BACK IN THE SADDLE...

After several weeks of feeling too "under the weather" to even turn on my sewing machine, I have spent two days this week making birthday gifts for J's lovely girlfriend.  Both of them are REALLY into camo, he the regular Realtree and his girlfriend the Realtree pink camo.  I am not much of a fan, but it is one of the plethora of things they have in common!

Several months ago G (J's dear girlfriend) had asked me to make her a headband.  I found a free pattern online and made the first of what I had planned to be 2-3 headbands (leaving room for one or two to be in the wash at a time).  However, after following the directions to the letter, I was unsure if this headband was exactly what she was looking for.  After giving it to her as part of her birthday gifts, we have both decided that the best course of action is for her to wear it for a while and determine what, if anything, she would like me to do differently when making more.

As part of her birthday presents, J had gotten her a new set of earbuds for her phone.  Many moons ago I had made myself a zippered pouch for my earbuds.  I loved how they were always safe and secure in their pouch and I could find them in a flash.  I showed her my pouch and asked if she thought she would like and/or use a pouch of her own.  She loved it and said that she would love to have one...in pink camo, LOL.  No big surprise there!  Even though I had made this pattern previously, my sewing machine was having major problems sewing through the multiple layers.  My thread broke at least 10 to 15 times and resulted in much muttering and cursing under my breath.  Some days I am SO happy that I am home alone for most of my sewing, LOL.  When it was finally finished I added a cute little silver heart...a constant reminder that she is the daughter of my heart!

A while back, G asked if I would like to spend some pamper time with her while she did both of our nails.  Because of my tremor, doing my own nails is an absolute impossibility.  We had a great time talking and laughing as she painted my nails...all the while trying to hold my fingers still!  It was quite the undertaking!  We talked about how she had to borrow the polish because hers had been taken without her permission and never given back.  I decided right then and there that I would be buying her some replacement nail polish for her birthday.  She also mentioned that she would love to have her nails done professionally...time spent being pampered and taken care of by someone else!  I remember the days of being a young mother and decided that a certificate to a local nail salon would also be part of her gift! 

I knew I had seen a pattern for a travel manicure set online, and with a little searching I came upon this wonderful free tutorial by Noodle-head.  What a GREAT way to package up the nail polish I was giving her! 

I can honestly say that this pattern by Noodle-head is fabulous!  It was SO easy to follow and the results were even better than I had hoped!

Here is her travel kit, all ready to go.  Before wrapping, I popped the certificate (appropriately pink) into the zippered section.  It was a little taller than the section so I couldn't close the zip...but it made it all the more obvious that there was an additional component to her gift. 

G seemed to love her presents and we have made plans to go to the nail salon together for manicures.  We could ALL do with a bit of pampering!  While never one for camo, I have to say I LOVE the way the Realtree pink camo fabric made up.  I guess it's finally growing on me!

Hopefully within the next few days I can knock out my huge basket of mending and then get back to the quilt for her adorable little boy, K, and also finish up the quilting on my first charity quilt.   I think I have finally gotten my mojo back! 

Stay tuned for more to come...

Toodles...