Over the weekend I received a custom order for some cushion covers. It has been one of my first custom orders on Etsy and it has been a great experience working with my client to make something she likes.
I spent the last two days cutting out fleece and felt for them and lots of pinning and measuring too.
I completed three of them so far and have another 6 to finish by the weekend, so will be very busy!
Well as I said on Friday, I was eating a sun lolly and thought the shape would make a super cute purse. So I used the wrapper as a guide to cut out my fabric and sewed it all together, I took a couple of pictures while going to make a little tutorial for you, but in the end I really did not like the purse 🙁
The shape doesn’t work well with small 3″ zips (opening is too small), and a bigger purse would look funny so I wont be sharing that tutorial with you.
BUT annoyed at my silly purse I was determined to make a different one using my new lovely zips and I made these!
They are super easy, fast and cute. They are big enough to keep bank cards, public traffic cards and a bit of spare change in. And I included a little ribbon loop so they can go on your keys too.
To make I used wool mix felt from sew sweet, 3″ zipper from zippit, some ribbon and sequins I had lying around.
Step 1
Cut two 9.5cm by 10.5cm squares from your felt, and a 6cm length of ribbon.
Step 2
I added a scalloped edge to the top of my felt (the 9.5cm side). Depending on what felt you use and how good your scalloped scissors are this may be easy or hard, so I suggest trying on a scrap piece of felt before you ruin the main pieces of felt.
If you don’t have scalloped scissors you can try cutting a wave yourself, you just need to not make it too big.
Step 3
Pin the shorter edge (9.5cm edge) of the felt along the edges of your zipper. And sew along the edge to secure it to the zipper. Repeat for both sides
Step 4
Now to decorate your purse (you could do this before you sew it to the zipper if you prefer)
I had some sequin butterflies lying around so sewed them on, but you could make a felt flower, or embroider a cute picture onto it or buy some premade felt embellishments, lots of options!
Step 5
Fold your ribbon in half and pin it about 1cm down from the zipper along the edge.
Then fold the felt squares right side together and pin around the edge.
Step 6
Sew all the way around the purse. Be careful of the metal gripper at the end of the zipper!
Cut the excess zip fabric off at the end the zipper connects. And at the other end fold over the edges at an angle and add a few stitches to keep them down and out of the way of the zipper (I don’t suggest cutting these as it will weaken your seams).
Turn your purse right way out and it’s all done!
I can see how some people can get addicted to making baby bibs. I fear I may be falling into that group too. Today I made…
and baby girl bibs
and baby boy bibs
and I still have more to finish off too…. for now I will stay in the denial stage of my addiction I think.
Yesterday I worked on the first project that was in my cut fabric pile. A new Rapunzel storage tower. I just love making these because they look so cute when finished!
I decided to make a blue one as I had some spare blue cotton, and although I was worried it would look to “boyish” I just love how it turned out!
Something new I used for this Rapunzel tower is a pretty green leaf ribbon from Sew Sweet. Before I did it with my machine but I think this ribbon just looks lovely on it and it saved me so much time too!
I added the tower to my etsy shop today, and I still have plenty left to sew 🙂
I also came up with a few ideas for my zips while enjoying a sun lolly (hint hint), will share that over the weekend.
I love to sew, but I don’t love cutting out fabric to sew with!! I get so jealous when I see photos of other people craft spaces, people who get a whole room for sewing and crafts… oh one day I will be one of them!!
But for now I living in a student house I don’t have room for a dinning table in my room so instead I have to cut out my fabric on my coffee table.
It is a bit difficult moving the fabric around, getting it to lay flat and cutting things out, but I managed to get lots done so I have sewing projects for the next week. (please ignore the mess in the background).