Simple bag tutorial.

Want to make a simple tote bag? I can show how easy it is. 

I started with 2 place mats I bought from a dollar store. Found some matching fabric for the inside and webbing for a handle. I cut two squares I'm the bottom 2 inches. I sandwich one inside with outside right sides facing inward. 

Sew along the top to hold handles in place. 

Iron the sides open.  Place both sides of the bag together right sides facing. 

Then the outside fabric sew all the way on the bottom. On the inside fabric leave an opening so you can pull the inside through.  Take the corners and match up the lines. Ironing helps. 

Through the opening, grab the bottom of bag and pull right side out. 

Iron the top tight and stich across the top to look clean. 

Along the inside bottom iron and stich up. Try to use matching color fabric. 

The measurements I used for the bag was 12 1/2 x10 1/2 the bag handle is 11 inches. I like to use a craft fuse interfacing. I like some stiffness to the bag. 

Made a rough week to a better weekend.

Last week was a long and busy week at work. So Saturday I told my husband that I needed some fabric therapy and I would take our 18 month daughter. She needed a nap and the drive to JoAnns would be long enough. I was pleased to find some reversible jersey knit fabric 30% off and some cute cotton fabric to make a toy catcher for my daughter. So when I got to the register I pulled out my joAnns app and found a 20% total purchase. Very awesome. So when I got home I washed the fabric and Sunday afternoon my daughter took a great long nap so I got some afternoon sewing in. I made that toy catcher and one infinity scarf. Then after the kids where in bed I made two more. One for my mother in law and I have two for me. What started with creative therapy turned into business. Yeah for me! Two people want toy catchers and one scarf. Ready to go back Saturday. Hoping our snow will have melted enough for driving.

This is a better view of the colors and design. I love it. 

Keeping Busy

Sorry no new posts for a while.

Update: My aunt in Kansas just opened a coffee shop and ordered 20 coffee sleeves from me. Which was so great. I'm still able to sew so far. Attempted at some quilting and doing bias tape. Made her a mug rug too for my appreciation for her order. 

I'm 7 months pregnant and Thank God, doing great. Also I think with not having the stress of working full time in a call center and worrying how we were going to live in a one bedroom condo with a baby was a pain. Now I'm at home getting to spend time with my son.

Joy the baker has a new book. Love it. Made her brown butter blueberry muffins, couldn't stop eating them. I've never made blueberry muffins with fresh blueberries before and it was so wonderful.










With Easter closely approaching I've been making small Easter bags for my son and a handful of other kids in my life. Once I started making some I thought oh yeah, them too. It started from 7 to about 15. It was fun and made me feel good. I had made some last Halloween and Drew still uses his when he totes around his trains or planes. I thought I need to do some more holidays and maybe a plain one for toting around.

My shop in Charlotte is going pretty well. I need to keep up with that soon. I've sold 3 coffee sleeves and a bunny bag.

This week I found another place to sell more coffee sleeves too. Things are really turning out how I could possibly want or dream. I plan to make up a bunch of stuff before miss Claire gets here. I don't think I'll have time to sew for the first couple months when she gets here. If we are moving shortly afterwards I may have more delays. Time to get organized and get cutting.

A couple weeks ago my cousin's son got married and I helped out with the wedding shower. It was nice to have a reason to bake. I have been wanting to bake but not eat it. With my husband and I trying to keep the pounds down that wouldn't be nice. I love to bake and love the idea to make them and give them to someone else. Made some great sugar cookies and chocolate chip. Helped decorate too. It was really nice.

That pretty much is what I've been up to since my last post. Hopefully I won't go that long again. Not promising either.

So Good So Far

Well, I've been sewing quite a bit this last couple weeks. I am selling my coffee sleeves and some critter pouches in a handmade store in Charlotte, NC called the Bag Lady. I'm really excited and hopeful that I can get something selling. I'm not that great with online sales and really its a lot more work. My photography skills aren't what I would like either.
Well, after I got my stock set up for the store I have been dying to make these crafty embroidery hoop bags to hang on my wall in my bedroom above my sewing table. After an hour or so I made them and I'm so happy with them. I have had some fabric for oh, 5 years and waited for the right project to use it. This was it and I have found another project to use the rest of the fabric to match it.
Now I just need to make that trip to Hobby Lobby to get the rest of the supplies I need for my next project. I love my time to make all the things I've always wanted to.

Well I've been sewing

Bought this wallet at the Bag Lady.
Couldn't resist. 

A couple weeks ago I found a little handmade store in Charlotte near a Starbucks. Its called the Bag Lady. Which I think is so funny, since my mom used to be called that. She used to make grocery bags when I was a kid and got the nickname. I have been sewing since I was younger and really making things for the last 10 years. I usually keep a coffee sleeve in my purse for when I get coffee, hot or cold. So I stopped in this store with my coffee and sleeve a gal who works at the Bag Lady really liked my coffee sleeve. I told her that I make them and she mentioned I should talk to the owner. I was so thrilled to hear that. So today I'm going to meet with Karen, the owner to talk about selling grocery bags, coffee sleeves, critter pouches and zipper bags. I've tried Etsy and that never became successful. I know I need to work on taking pictures with my camera too. So we will see how this goes. Here are the pictures of what I have made so far. Have a great day.