Pocket pencil case

I'm on my way to making 20 of these - they are cut and pieced but I need the zips I have ordered to arrive!

If you want to make your own, you need:
One 12" zip
A pocket from children's jeans, cut to 6" square.
Two contrasting pieces of denim, each 6" x 4".
One piece of denim 12" x 6".

Sew the two contrast pieces to the sides of the pocket.
Sew the resulting piece to one side of the zip along the top.
Sew the other piece to the other side of the zip.
Open the zip and stitch all the way round the three remaining sides.
Clip the corners and turn right side out.

If you had more time than I do in my mass production mode you could easily line these, top stitch all seams, etc etc.  I'm going for quick and unashamedly cheap here - these pencil cases are designed to be affordable for children to buy.

I'll be sharing this project at the following link parties:

We Did it Wednesday
Create and Share
Made by Me

Cat phone case

This was my second creation on Satuday.  Again, I made a "job lot".  This one is an original however - I designed it myself.  Given that I am no artist, I am pleased with the results.  Hopefully someone will want to buy a cat phone case at some point!

I'm adding this to the following link parties:

Ta Da Tuesday
Sew Cute Tuesday
Trash to Treasure
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Inspire Me Monday

Pentecost in the Park

Yesterday was a lovely, sunny day, which I spent outdoors, at a large Christian event in Northampton.  There was music all day, sunshine with a pleasant breeze (and shade under the gazebo!) and lots of people.

I sold a huge number of owl phone cases.  Great - but it does mean that I will have to make some more before my next sale in two weeks time.  Not too sure I am ready for that after the last 50 only a couple of weeks ago!  I have a list of bags I need to restock - for once I rememebered to create this at the event!  I need to make:
Belinda bags
Monster purses
Small owl bags
Pencil cases with pockets
Diamond bags
Big Bow Shoppers
Little Tote with flower
Panda phone cases sold out - but I have no more white jeans to use to replace them!
Wide shoppers

Hmmm ... what are my chances of getting all of those done in the next two weeks, I wonder...!

Just to encourage myself - this photo always remind me why I am doing this when I feel a little overwhelmed at the task in hand:

This shows two of the children being fed by the feeding programme in Utange.  Every time I sell a purse (my cheapest item) I remember that its sale feed a child on the programme for a week - a cooked meal on Saturday and a bag of maize to keep things going during the week.

Penguin phone case

I had some creative moments yesterday, making two new phone cases.  I have eight versions of this one, all slightly different (of course!)  I don't like to repeat myself... This was inspired by a picture I found online; I can't claim all the credit.  I like how it turned out, however.  I will be interested to see how it is received at the sales I am due to attend - three in the next six weeks, the first being today.

I'm posting this at the following link parties:
Sunday Funday
Craft School Sunday
Sundae Scoop

Pocketed drawstring backpack

My latest creation - and my latest attempt to use up pockets!

This is a drawstring back with pockets back and front, and the strings loop over the shoulders to form handles.
Here's how!
You will need 8 pockets from denim jeans, cut inside a, 8" square.  Two denim strips 15 1/2" x 3". One piece of lining fabric 15 1/2" x 18".  Two lining pieces for the tabs, each 3" x 6".  Piping cord - about 4 metres, cut into two equal pieces.

First sew the pockets together in pairs:

Sew the pairs of pockets together to make a block of 4:

 Sew one denim strip to the top of each block:

Make the tabs by folding the lining strips in half lengthways and pressing.  Open out and fold the sides in to the centre.  Press in half again.  Then press in half widthways as well.
Sew the two denim blocks together, right sides facing, sewing along the two long sides and the base, fastening the tabs about 1" from the bottom of the bag on each side. Leave a gap in the top strip about 1" long for the cord.

Make the lining by sewing the lining pieces together along the two long sides only.

Turn the main bag right side out.  Put the lining over the top.  Stitch around the top edge.
Turn the lining right side out and stitch the bottom.  Push inside the bag.  Sew two seams all round the top of the bag at the  top and bottom of the gap you left for your channel.

Thread the piping cord through the bag.  Start at one of the gaps and thread all the way round.  Then pull through till the ends are equal. Put one end through the tab and tie in a double knot.  Repeat with the other side.

One drawstring bag to enjoy! I think these would be good for the gym.

I'm sharing this at these link parties:
Sew Darn Crafty
You Inspire
Sew and Tell Saturday
Sew Crafty Saturday
Strut your stuff
Once Upon a Weekend

Sunflower totes

I used the idea of a contrast panel from the small bags I made earlier this week to make a larger tote bag.  I think I like these even more than the smaller bags; the sunflower fabrics work really well on this scale.

I'm sharing this at the following link parties:
Catch a Glimpse
Things I've Done Thursday
Hookin Up with HoH

More pocket purses

I seem to have an ever increasing pile of pockets of various shapes and sizes.  Pocket purses have proved very popular at recent sales, and I am hoping they will continue to be so throughout the summer, particularly as I have a number of sales coming up where the audience will include many children.  So I have experimented this week with more pocket purses in different sizes and with trims.

I'm sharing this post at the following link parties:
Create and Share
Hoo's got talent
We Did It Wednesday
I Gotta Create
Catch a Glimpse

Sunflower bags

This is my second project from the current edition of Popular Patchwork.  I used the remainder of a jelly roll I bought some time ago for the contrast stripes.  I didn't go with the fastening in the magazine, but instead added a flap on two of the versions and a button and loop closure on the third.
I think these look cheerful and springlike.  If only we had the weather to go with them....

I'm sharing this post at the following link parties:
Serenity Saturday
Polkadot pretties
Strut your stuff Saturday
Once Upon a Weekend

Feature Panel Bag

The pattern for these bags came from this month's Popular Patchwork magazine, which is a bag making special with patterns for 13 bags inside.  I am currently cutting out the second set of bags I intend to make from this magazine.  These bags were my first make.  I found them surprisingly fast to make. I think I will use the feature panel idea on other bags, but I may try a different shape.  These are small bags and would be good as handbags I think.

I'm sharing this bag at the following link parties:

Things I've Done Thursday

Hookin Up with HoH

Monster phone case tutorial

Here are the instructions!
You will need:
Two 6 x 4" rectangles of your main fabric and two of your lining fabric.
One 3 1/2" square piece of your main fabric and one of your lining fabric.
Scraps of white felt.
Two buttons for eyes.
Small scrap of velcro.

Take the 3 1/2" squares and curve the bottom edge to make the head / flap. From the white felt cut triangles for the teeth and ovals for the eyes.

Applique the eyes onto the smallest piece of your main fabric.

Sew one piece of velcro to the head lining piece and the other to one of the main fabric body pieces.

Add the buttons to the eyes.

Put the two head pieces right sides together, with the teeth pieces sandwiched between them, and sew all the way round the curved sides.

Clip the edges and turn right side out. Press.
Sew the body piece which has the velcro to a corresponding lining piece along the top edge (where the velcro is).

Sandwich the head piece between the other two body pieces, with the main fabrics facing each other. Sew along the short edge.

 

Put the two pieces together, right sides and same fabrics facing.  Sew round three sides, leaving the short edge of the lining unsewn.

Turn through the gap and slip stitch or top stitch the gap closed.  Push the lining inside the case.

One toothy monster phone case!
I'm sharing this at the following link parties:

We made it Wednesday
Threading My Way
Tutorial Tuesday

Strut your stuff
Once upon a Weekend
Sew Crafty Saturday
Sew Darn Crafty 
I Gotta Create
A Round Tuit
Craftastic Monday

Panda Phone Case

I found some photos online which inspired me to produce these:

They were easy to make.  I only wish I had more white denim so that I could make some more!  I have a feeling these will sell quickly.
I'm sharing these at the following link parties:
Ta Da Tuesday
A Round Tuit
Craftastic Monday
Sew Cute Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Monster phone cases - both toothy and toothless!

I finished 15 monster phone cases this weekend.  Unfortunately I wasn't totally focused on what I was doing, and forgot the teeth on the first few.  I did consider going back and unpicking, but decided not to bother, especially since I clearly had not cut enough teeth for all 15 cases!
I'm putting together a tutorial for these, which hopefully will be finished later this week.

I'm sharing these at the following link parties:
Sew can do
A Round Tuit
Sew Chatty
Inspire Me Monday

Owl phone cases finished!

Well, this batch at least!  I had another 24 cases, so a grand total of 50 this time.  Here are the latest lot - personally I am really liking the silver eyes I put on some of them.  I just happened to have some metallic fabric scraps, and used them up.
The new buttons (thank you Ebay) work well too - will definitely be ordering more of those.

Shared at
Sew darn crafty
Craft School Sunday
I heart nap time