Giving Away My Best Stuff?

Over a month ago I guest posted over at Sew Bitter Sweet Designs.
I was glad to help out Melisa in her time of need.
She asked for volunteers, and I volunteered.
I had been meaning to put together a tutorial for my new stitching bag.
I thought I could do that for her.

Then I started thinking about it when I saw that someone had pinned it.
It is so exciting when you are on the everything board minding your own business
and see something you made (and it is not even your sister who pinned it).


This is what I started thinking...
Melisa was getting traffic for my bag. 
I am glad to help but did I just give away my stuff?


What if everyone started pinning my bag,
and then everyone started making my bag.
And the whole time Melisa is getting the credit.
I realize that that is probably not going to happen.


I am new to this whole blogging thing and didn't know,
is it OK to recycle when guest posting?
Did I do the right thing, in doing it the way I did?
I don't know.


I thought about it a while and decided to just go ahead and re-post it here. 
I worked hard on it, and it took awhile.
I should get something from it right?

If you want to "pin" it, I did take new pictures, 
You could totally "pin" the new picture it is pretty cute.
I mean look at how much it can hold.
And the lined drawstring parts, adorable.
Also you can't go wrong with a little Happy Zombie in your life.
Speaking of which and this is no lie, while I was making this bag I was watching.
Zombieland, it was on TV and how could I not.

Cardio!!!

So now that I have gone on far to long,

here you go all the instruction on how to make one for yourself.

Please feel free to pin it and share with your friends.

And just because it is nice, to be nice, to the nice.

Don't leave me any sassy comments like the lady did when I was guest hosting.

I would really appreciate it.

I would like to think that I am tough but I am not.

Robyn's Patchy Stitching Bag

There is always some stitching project following me around.

I used to take it with me in a Ziploc bag, not cute.

Then I used a bag that my daughter's doll came in.

Still not cute.

Now I have this super cute patchey bag.

I am going to give you a for warning, there are a lot of pictures, 

but I don't want you to get lost along the way.

Also I was making two bags at the same time so some of the pictures don't match up

Are you ready? Here we go.

You will need.                                                            

Bag                             56 - 2 1/2" squares.

                                                 Lining (2)                           10 1/2" x 12 1/2"

                                                 Brim (4)                             2 1/2" x 12 1/2"

                                                 Handles (4)                        2 1/4" x 12"

                                                 Drawstring closer (4)          8 1/2" x 12 1/2"
                                                 Interfacing

Start with your 2 1/2" squares. 

I was lucky enough to get these super cute Happy Zombie ones. 

2 1/2" square

Sew them together, I chained them, and then sewed the two together,

 and so on until you have something like this.

Four rows of six and one row of four.

Then sew them together.

Do it twice, so that you have a front and a back.

Then sew them together.

Iron what will be your bottom seam open.

Next iron it on to some interfacing.

You can use what ever is your favorite. 

Fusible fleece is nice and soft.

I would like to take a minute to talk about what I used.

My sister gave this to me.

You can only get it at Joann's in the sewing center.

If you sew bags you know that the best thing to use is fusible fleece.

If you use fusible fleece then you know that it is $7.00 a yard. 

This is a little lighter weight then the fusible fleece but is only...

brace your self...

.99 cents a yard.

You can buy a whole bolt for $10.00 the same price as 1 1/2 yards of the fleece stuff.

Your welcome.

Moving on... 

Sew your lining pieces together 

then press that bottom seam (12 1/2") open.

Iron your lining, brim, and handle pieces to the interfacing. 

All of your prep work is done, now is a good time to take a break.

I am going to pick up my daughter from preschool I will be right back.

OK I 'm back, 

trim all of your pieces from the interfacing.

Let's sew the whole thing together shall we.

Sew down the sides.

Press the seam open.

Now you have this funny little chunk missing, this is how we are going to fix it.

Line up the bottom seam with the side seam,

sew it together keeping the seams together.

Turn it inside out and voila a square bottom bag.

Shall we do the lining next, lets go.

Sew the side seams

Line up the side seam with the bottom seam pin (on the other side)

Measure four inches across, like this.

Mark it with a line.

Sew on the line.

Now if you want you can trim off the excess, I didn't.

Fold the extra toward the center, and put inside the bag,

lining up the side seams.

Baste together.

You are doing great, we are half way.

Now we are going to do the handles and the brim.

Ready or not here we go.

This is a trick I learned and when I first saw it I was like

"How did I not know this!"

Maybe you will be the same, or you will think I am a dork for not knowing.

Anyway put in a safety pin like this with the head pointed in.

Sew down either side.

Start pushing the pin through.

Look at that totally turned inside out.

Awesome!!

Topstitch on both sides. 

I like to use my open toe foot for this, it is a nice guide.

For the brim sew all the sides together.

Make a mark four inches from the side, on both sides.

Yes I do do this with a razor blade. 

Be careful not to go beyond your seam allowance. 

See look at that nice little mark.

Center your handle on the mark, pin in place.

Sew the top closed.

Turn inside out and topstitch the edge, again with the open toe foot.

Look how cute it is.

Now with right sides together, place it on the bag.

Almost done now we just need to make the drawstring closer.

Layer all your drawstring pieces together and on the 8 1/2" side 

make a mark that is 1 1/2" down from the top. 

Cute little mark, that is where we are going to start sewing.

Sew your side seam.

Press this seam open, if you hold the unsewn ends just right

They will lay open and let you press them down.  

Topstitch down either side of the seam.

Once again using the open toe foot, start where the seam is split open.

Do both sides of both the front and the lining.

With right sides together, sew the two pieces together.

Turn inside out and topstitch around the top.

Beginning at the point where the slit stops, 

topstitch around the top again, making a casing.

We are almost done I promise.

Now we are going to make a sandwich.

Like this bag, brim, and the drawstring top.

Make sure you have the right sides together.

Sew around the top keeping shy of the basting stitches.

All sewn together.

Trim off the excess seam allowance. 

Pull up on the draw string part..

and tuck it inside the bag.

Lift up on the brim....

and topstitch with your quilting foot around the bag

make sure to keep it all taut, pull out on the brim and pull back 

on the drawstring part as you feed it through.  

Look how nice that finishes, the outside...

the inside.

The very last step. 

Thread ribbon through the casing on one side...

and then on the other side.

Tie a knot in the ends and burn the edges so that they won't fray.

Pull them tight and,

You

Are 

DONE!!!

I knew we could do it. 

I hope you like it and I can't wait to see if you make one.

Lala's Confirmation Dress

Well that took longer then I thought. 

In our faith after you are baptized,

 you are given the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This is called a confirmation.

I made a dress just for that.

I figured after the first dress got wet 

she might need something dry to wear.

Since she is out #1 twirler 

I knew that it had to be a circle skirt.

I thought about making a panel skirt,

and then remembered that I did not want to, or have the time to be that crazy.

If I had I think I would have needed to start about a year ago.

I have my Grandmother's embroidery patterns.

There is one that has been my favorite forever.

I used it to embroider the sleeves and the front yoke.

It is made of raw silk and silk chiffon.

I made a fancy lace band on the hem out of English netting lace,

it turned out adorable.

OK are you ready to see,

or did you want me to change the subject to something else?

Just kidding here it is.

I think she might like it, 

what so you think?

I can't make a little girl dress with out sashes,

I tried once and just not as cute.

That is one cute profile.

Here is a close up of the sleeve

I like that face :)

and those missing teeth.

Here is a close  up of the embroidery.

I did bullion petals with pearl centers for the flowers.

The lace hem I was telling you about.

See what a great twirler a circle skirt is.

On Sunday she was called up to the podium to get 

her certificate of baptism, she looked so cute up there.

Shaking hands and being presented as the newest member of the church.

I loved it and her for making this big step in her life.

Now I can get sewing other things, and I just don't know what to do next.

That is not true, I promise Nanette you are next.

Have a great week, and I will chat at you soon.

Lala's Baptism Dress

Lala was baptized on Saturday.

It was a very special day for all of us.

She was so happy, and excited, and nervous, and scared....

all at the same time.

I was making her dresses until 3:30 in the am day of the baptism.

I started sewing on Thursday.

Grandma Kath was here to watch the girls.

She had the girls deep cleaning all day,

 so that everything was sparkling clean on Saturday.

I finished her confirmation dress on Thursday.

(the one she wore after the baptism)

The lace for Lala's baptism dress did not come until Thursday afternoon.

Thursday night I started on a blessing outfit for grandma Kath's grandson in Arizona.

He was being blessed on Sunday morning at 8:00 in the morning.

It was kind of important that I not forget that one.

The sad thing is that I did forget to a picture, before it flew to Arizona.

Needless to say it was a busy sewing week (or two days) for me.

So did you want to see what I did?

Do ya?

Yeah I thought so...

She did not want a jumper like Lizzy's,

she wanted a dress.

She is pretty sweet. 

I really like the way she is pointing her feet.

Instead of a CTR crest I shadow embroidered eight little lily flowers.

I thought about piecing in lace around the waist,

but it was around midnight at that time and I thought it would be OK with out it.

At 3:00 I changed my mind and made a belt with lace and ribbon.

Here are her very big sleeves,  Anne would be so pleased.

Like I always do there is one pin-tuck for each member of the family.

Because her family will always have their arms open to her.

Get it.

The lace we were waiting for was this lace, it has lily flowers on it.

This is the hem of her dress. 

There on the top are the three tucks that stand for the God Head.

To remember to always have the lord with her through all the step of her life.

Get it down there by her feet.

Here is the back with her sash/belt.

That is suppose to represent the temple clothes.

Baptism is her first covenant with the Lord, and the Temple the second.

Look at that cute foot.

She is our #1 twirler.

When ever I make her a dress or a skirt, she wants to make sure it is going to twirl.

Here she is with her Dad.

It was a great day.

I had to give a little talk a spotlight about her.

I told how she was a difficult baby, who only wanted to sleep in the crook of my arm.

She couldn't just sleep next to me, she had to be in my arm.

I got so used to her sleeping there, that if she ever fell asleep next to me 

It would knock me out, just listening to her breathing.

Then I shared this story that upset my two oldest.

I was once asked who my favorite was.

I said that you can't have favorites,

but...

I really like Lill.

Like I said you can't have favorites.

She is at a birthday party and I need to go get her,

So I will post her other dress in a little bit.