A Little Tote Bag Project

This summer, I found out about a ministry that provides some basic diaper bag-type items for new moms in a foreign ministry. (I'll post more on that when I show the finished bags the girls did).

We just finished a unit on sanctity of life in the high school girls' ministry class, and I thought it would be fun to make the little tote bags that we are to put the goodies in.

They just asked for the cheap poly bags from the dollar store...sort of like this one ---->





3/4 yd of 45" decent quality cotton fabric is plenty; that leaves enough to square the ends up, assuming it wasn't cut wildly off grain.

So..for the straps, tear two 4" strips across the entire length (they will be 4" x 45"); if the selvedges are an issue, just trim them off.

For the bag body, cut two rectangles 15 x 13, with the longest dimension running along the grainline.


Step 1: make the straps.
Fold the strap pieces in half lengthwise, with the wrong side out, and stitch the length of the long seam with a 1/2" seam allowance.

Tip:  Press the seams open, one side at a time, but be careful not to press the fold.

  Turn strap; press flat with the seam centered on one side.




Step 2: Pre-press top hem:

Fold top edge under 1" (use a cardstock template, if you can)  on each body piece; press.  Turn under a second time and press. Do not stitch yet.

Step 3: Apply straps

Matching one raw edge of strap to bottom raw edge, place strap so that the center seam is towards the bag and lies 3.5 inches away from the side edge..  Then carefully, without twisting strap, bend it back  so that the opposite end is aligned with the bottom raw edge again, with the strap parallel to the other vertical edge, 3.5 inches from the vertical raw edge (I did have a photo of that, but somehow it has gotten misfiled.).


Mark the strap 2" below top folded edge of bag.

Edge stitch strap from bottom raw edge, up to pinned mark, across strap at the pin, and back down to the bottom raw edge.  Repeat for other end of the strap, and repeat entire process for other bag body piece.






Step 4: bottom seam

Lay both body pieces right sides together.

Spend a little time entertaining the sewing assistant, who is obviously feeling neglected.






Stitch bottom seam w/a 1/2" Seam allowance.  Zig-zag edges of seam together, press to one side and topstitch down to give a little more reinforcement to the bottom seam.










 Step 5: Side seams

Fold body pieces right sides together again; open out pressed hem edges and stitch from lower seam to top raw edge w/a 1/2" seam allowance.  Finish edges together; don't press them just yet.





 
Step 7: bottom corners

This is the trickiest part of the whole bag.

Turn bag wrong side out and pull out one corner to a point.  Match side seam and bottom seam as they go away from the point (you should have a right angle, with the seams lined up running right up the middle).  Lay a flat ruler so that the 2" mark is right on the seams, slide 2" mark along seam until the 'zero' of the ruler is at one edge and the 4" mark is at the other.  Draw a light pencil mark along ruler and remove the ruler, being careful not to disturb the bag.  Pin across pencil mark to secure, then machine stitch on top of pencil mark, securing stitches at either end.

Trim corner off, leaving 1/2" seam allowance; finish edge of seam allowance.

Repeat for other corner.

 











Step 8: Top hem  

 Press side seams to the side they were stitched down on the corner seam.  Re fold and re-press top edges at the seams.  Turn bag right side out and, with right side against feed dogs, edge stitch hem at inner fold, being careful not to catch straps.

Bad picture of a nice little bag, eh? ;-)

Clipping the 'Wings'

I used to have a sleeveless mock-T top from Lands' End that I wore and wore and wore and was part of the choir wardrobe when fuschia was required. However, last year it obtained a stain that wouldn't come out and it had to be retired.

So I thought I'd replace it, since I had about a yard of fuschia cotton interlock left over from the PJ pants I'd made earlier in the year.

However, it had no Lycra content and, being an interlock knit, isn't as stretchy as the jerseys I've been sewing with. I couldn't count on the stretch of the fabric to let me fudge on fitting.

So, I pulled out my old Kwik Sew 2948 twinset pattern. I'd made various modifications to the mock-T on that pattern...snugging up the armhole, correcting the collar...but the last top I made from that pattern was snug, and that was 10 pounds ago. But I thought I could just add a bit of width and do a FBA and I'd be good.

So, I added a bit of width and did an FBA...and ended up with hugely gaping armholes:



What to do, what to do...

I had a fix that I'd used on a knit top years ago to pull in a gaping neckline; in all this time, it hasn't failed, so I thought I'd see if I could get it to work again.

First, thread up a darning needle with a goodly length of wooly nylon in the closest color match available:




Secure it well to one end of the gaping portion of the garment. Then, using the needle as a bodkin, carefully pull the wooly nylon through the turned-under portion of the edge finish to the opposite seam.

Let the thread relax, so that it's a 1:1 ratio, then pull extra out. (Since I had such bad gapping, I pulled about 2" more thread out). Again, secure it well w/several small backstitches, then knot it off, bury the end and clip.



The result isn't perfect, as you can see, but it's wearable now.
I'll do some more work on that pattern before I try it again.

We made it.

All the soldier tunics/shorts were finished yesterday; a couple of the HMC guys are working on the 'armor' tabbards and additional pieces for wrists and shins (we figured they need 40 eyelets per costume for all the pieces; I expect to clean just about everyone in town out of 1/4" eyelets today. I need to get them 17 more packages)

So, today I am sewing tassels on our priestly garments,cleaning off racks and moving them downstairs from the church attic, labeling the costumes for use and generally organizing things to get ready for tomorrow's dress rehearsal.

I did post a little photo tutorial on Yahoo [edited 11/8/09 because the links broke AGAIN...and I put the commentary back in] about how to wear the head drapes. I deliberately did it without looking in a mirror, so you can see that it isn't hard. Sure, it would look *better* if I'd've had a mirror handy, but it would be wearable even as it was, in a pinch (and we will be pinched...we'll be doing regular worship, in regular clothes, for both Palm Sunday and Easter before changing into the costumes during announcements and offering). Anyway, if you're interested, here's the link:
Head drape how-to

Building Bible Costumes -- Part Three: The Extras

Once the robe is done, you've got the foundation for a ladies' Bible costume, but without the extras it really doesn't look quite all there. We use two 1.5 yard head drapes...45" fabric is best, but 60 can work...if it's too heavy or cumbersome, just trim it down to 45"-54" wide. These work best if they are complimentary to the robe...not matching. A simple serged edge in matching or blending thread is sufficient to finish the edges of those for the stage.

A waist sash isn't really necessary, but it does make the costume a little more flexible; a costume that is a little too long can be tied at the waist and then bloused a bit above the tie to pull the hem up enough so that the character is not in danger of tripping. I have used both 7 1/2" and 8 1/2" strips...they yield a 3" and a 4" sash, respectively. Which you use is your preference. For simplicity, I cut two strips from the remnants (if there are any) of the robe fabric; we really don't want the sash to be a focal point; it's a fitting tool. Usually I will trim one piece down, then seam the two pieces along the short end, right sides together, to make one long piece 72" - 90" long (depends on the, um, girth of the person ;) ). Note: if you use the cut end as one of the ends in that seam, it will leave selvedges for the ends of the ties and...no seam finish necessary ;). Anyway, seam the long edges, right sides together, with a 1/4" seam allowance and turn the tube right side out. Sash done.

The head band...the thing we use on top of the drapes...is a little more involved. I cut 3 strips that are 3 1/2" wide. Which fabrics I use just sort of depends on what's left and how much body it's got...the head band needs something that is just a little stiffish (something drapey, like rayon crepe, just collapses and doesn't work well). Sometimes I will even underline a drapey fabric with a stiffer one to get the body needed. So...that's a per-case judgement...three strips of the robe fabric, one strip of each of the three fabrics...or a mixture of the robe and drape fabrics or, sometimes, I'll pull a fourth coordinating fabric from the remnant pile to make the headband. It just depends on what works. Fortunately, the fabric I used for the grey robe was workable, so I used it for the headband for this costume.

Anyway, take the three strips, sew them into three tubes,wrong sides together with a 1/4" seam allowance, and turn the tubes right side out. Then take one end of each tube and stack them slightly offset from each other and zig-zag them together.




Flip the strip on the bottom of the stack around to the top side to cover the seam, then begin braiding the three strips...be careful not to pull them too tight.







When you have a braid long enough to wrap around your head and a thumb with about 1" overlap, zig-zag the braid and trim off the excess strips (save one of those strips...you'll need it later)



















(the rest of this is hand stitching...I know, bummer, but this is the only hand sewing on the whole costume). Wrap the band around the head, with a thumb underneath (it will be going on over the drapes), and hand sew both the outside and inside edges to the band. This stitching doesn't have to be neat...it's going to be covered...but it should be secure.
















Then take the reserved end and stitch it to the inside of the band at the overlap. Wrap it around the band a couple of times, covering the stitched-down ends of the band. Finish with the wrap on the inside of the band, tuck the end of the wrap inside that tube and hand stitch it down.

Warning... Once we started doing these, no one was content with a simple tied headband... ;)

If you're wondering what to do with the wraps, I've got a little Head drape how-to on how to actually put these things on...there's a photo set for the squarish drapes, and one for a long oblong drape ;).

Building Bible Costumes -- Part 2

This is a further continuation of a tutorial began in The Inseam Pocket Tutorial and continued in Building a Bible Costume -- Part 1


After finishing the neckline, sleeves are next. My preference is to go ahead and finish the sleeves and press the hem up before sewing them in...much less fabric to wrestle around on the ironing board, and the hems are easier to press if you do them flat. (TIP: cut strips of a manila folder in useful widths...1", 1 1/4", 1 1/2", whatever you use frequently, label them, and use them as pressing templates. Makes a job like pressing up the hem on these sleeves a quickie!)


Next, sew the sleeves to the garment with a conventional machine, matching notches and shoulder seam/dot. Serge the seams together, or zig-zag them and trim...but only between the dots! (see photo...dots are clip marked). Press the seam towards the sleeve.


Starting at the sleeve edge, sew the underarm/side seam in one continuous seam, being careful not to catch the finished edge of the pocket (if you put a pocket in per the earlier post). Make sure to 1) have the ends of the seam joining the sleeve to the garment stacked on top of each other and 2) stitch on top of that when you round that curve. Serge the edge, trimming the seam to a scant 3/8" wide, and press seam towards the back. (If you're zig-zagging, trim the curve under the arm to 3/8" and zig-zag those seam allowances together, then clip the ends so that you can open the rest of the seam flat; zig-zag those seam allowances singly and press them open.)


Finish the raw edge at the bottom while the garment is flat...you're almost done!








Starting at the clip mark that's about 7" down from the top, sew the back seam all the way to the bottom with a conventional machine (it should be cut on the selvedge). Press that seam open.





Continue pressing the seam allowance to the wrong side above the stitching. If you have some, a little fusible web slipped under the seam allowance and pressed well will anchor it securely. Topstitch from the finished neck edge, down to the top of the sewn seam, across to the other side, and back up...about 3/8" from the fold.


For the closure, after much trial and error, we have found that the quickest, easiest, least distracting closure is to simply sew a bias tape tab at the neckline and use a snap closure to secure it. Start with a piece of single-fold bias about 2 1/2" long, folded in half. Zig-zag it securely to the wrong side of either side of the back (do you really want to debate 'his/hers' on this? Just pick one) at the top of the opening; edge stitch around the edges and along the garment edge to make it very secure.


I have a snap-setting tool to use...just a few taps with a hammer and the snaps are on! But, if you prefer, you can hand sew a snap in place (note to my sewing ladies...if you bring the garment in at this point, I'll be happy to hammer on the snap! ;) )


Here's what the snap looks like finished. Press the hems on the bottom and sleeves (the sleeves should just need a touch-up press at the seam) and topstitch in place.






And here's the finished sack...er, Biblical-style robe... ;). I'll post some info about the extra pieces (drapes, sash, headband) over the weekend.

Building Bible Costumes ...Part One

(note: the pattern we most often use for Bible Costumes is McCall's 2339

Once the pockets are done (see The Inseam Pocket Tutorial for how to do the pockets), the next time-consuming part is the neckline. I actually prefer to finish the neckline with bias tape, but, since we're making a bundle of these, all from different colors, it's easier to just cut facings than to try and match bias tape to each one. If you've got bias tape, and you'd rather use that, be my guest. :)


First, stay stitch the neckline edges (1/2" from the raw edge) of the garment front and back, and the front and back facings.







Then, stitch the garment front to back at the shoulders and the facings front to back at the shoulders. Finish the edges; serge them together or, if you don't have a serger, zig-zag the seam allowances individually.






Finish the outside edge of the facing.










If you serged the seam allowances together, press the facing shoulder seams to the front and the garment shoulder seams to the back (this will reduce bulk in the neckline seam). If you zig-zagged the edges, just press the seams open.






Press the back seam allowance (5/8", not counting any fringe...most of these were cut with the back edge on the selvedge, so no finish is necessary on the back seam) to the front, then pin the facing over it (the back edge of the facing should end up even with the fold...but these were cut rather in a hurry, so don't worry if you've got to fudge it a bit), right sides together, and sew it with a 5/8" seam.


Trim the facing seams to 1/4" and clip as necessary.










Turn the facing to the wrong side of the garment and press...the back neckline corner is finished, too!









Topstitch the facing down at 3/8"" from the edge. TIP: You'll get fewer bias wrinkles if you follow the curve of the neckline as you're topstitching, rather than pulling the seam out straight in front of your presser foot.






Doesn't that look nice? The last thing we do is put the closure on...that'll come later.

The Inseam Pocket Tutorial

Ok, this is not exactly a generic pocket; I'm writing this up for ladies who are helping me sew Bible costumes; we're adding inseam pockets so that in the event that any of these folks might need a wireless mike at some point in the future, they'll have a pocket to stick the transmitter in... ;)

However, once you realize the placement marks on these pockets can be adapted for whatever other thing the pocket should be added to, then it will apply.


I blatantly copied a Kwik-Sew inseam pocket, which had a mark for the waist. The sideseam notch on the Bible Costume (McCall's 2339) appears to be at about waist level...close enough for costuming, anyway. So, I put a clip at the waistline mark on the pocket to match to the sideseam notch on the garment. There are three clips on the garment...the armsceye notch, the dot where the dropped shoulder seam turns into the side seam, and the side seam notch. The three notches on the pocket are the waistline notch, and the two notches that mark the pocket opening.


On the wrong side of the pocket, draw a line 7/8" from the raw edge between the pocket opening notches. Match the waistline notch on the pocket to the side seam notch on the garment front, then stitch from the raw edge at one opening mark, over to the line you just drew, pivot and stitch down to the level of the second opening mark, pivot again and go straight off the fabric. Go back and, using very small stitches, reinforce the corners by stitching immediately over them for 1/4" or so on either side. Clip into the corners.


Turn the pocket to the inside, pulling the corners out and press it well. Edgestitch it.





















Now, lay the second pocket piece over the first, right sides together, and, moving the garment out of the way, stitch around the outer edge of the pocket. If you don't have a serger, straight stitch it first, then go back and zig-zag the edges. Baste the pocket to the garment front within the side seam allowance.
Now you can treat the whole front/pocket assembly as a regular front; you don't have to stop and start at the pocket opening, and there's no danger of the pocket sewn to the front not matching the pocket sewn to the back. (That photo looks like the pocket opening is huge...it really isn't; I think the telephoto distorted it some).

You just have to be careful not to catch the topstitched edge of the pocket opening in the sideseam when you sew the sideseam...but it looks very nice! :)












This can be used on any pattern that uses an inseam pocket. However, unless your fabric is very firm, for a real life wardrobe, fuse lightweight interfacing to the pocket opening area of both the pocket facing and the garment...that helps it keep its shape.