Recycling jeans : a clothes peg bag

Sometimes I am sewing things  following strange ideas.
I have to repair the old clothes peg bag. Suddenly saw the leftover from jeans I used for making a roll for my everyday gym.
 Voila.
I made plan to make a bag and use the pockets.

I have the hook hanger from the old one.

Some directions if you like it .

1. Cut out the inside pocket bag of the front pocket.
2. Stitch the side and bottom seams.
The tricky action - because the waist band is very thick I used additional bias piece to bind it. Make as quilt binding.
3. Stitch along the waist band , put the hanger and finished by hand to keep in place.

Easy, right? One hour project.

Drawstring bag tutorial

After some months without working and sewing I began doing small activities.
The summer almost gone so I have collected and dried much herbs. I need useful drawstring bag to store them.
I stitched many bags . On each one I have put a label with written letters.
Here is one of them.

Do you like it? Do you need a tutorial? It was so easy to make.
The seam allowances are quarter inch.

1. Cut the following rectangles:

 The size depends on how big bag you need.
I have put them on my cutting mat for easy orientation. (one square is one inch)
I have chosen to make the front panel from canvas. It is heavy cotton so adding a strip on the top edge to put inside drawstrings was a good idea.

2. Preparing the hook.
Fold in half lengthwise and iron the piece.  Then open and fold again to the inside and stitch.

3. Stitch the strip on the front panel right side together. Iron well seam allowances towards upper edge.

4. Place the front and back panels right sides together and stitch both sides and bottom as shown.  Begin and finish the stitch 2 inches from the top end.

5.  Fold the top corner and stitch to the side seam as shown.

Repeat with the other three.

6. Making the tunnel for the strings.
Fold twice the upper edge and stitch. When reach the middle insert the hook.
I usually put a pin as a mark.

This is the finished top edge.

Repeat with the front side.

7. Make a secure stitch about half inch on the side seams both front and back pieces together.

I forgot to put a label at the beginning so stitch at this step. It was not so easy :)
So stitch it at the step 1.

8.Thread the drawstrings.
Thread the first as usual - from the right side to the left in the back tunnel and then in the front tunnel from left to right. Make a knot.
 

The second drawstring goes in opposite way. From the left side in the back tunnel and from right to left in the front tunnel. Make a knot.

9. The bag is finished.

So easy to make.

The Floating piers bag

Till the last day before my travel to the famous Floating piers I was involved in sewing my bag and had no time to write a post.
But the result is pretty much amazing.

 

And the inside is amazing yellow fabric, too.

I could use it inside out, too. I like to have dresses and bags with two faces.

I wander if I make a pattern? do you think it is interesting?

When almost all the world is speaking about the piers and great artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude more than 500 000 people have been going on the water.
It was amazing installation of modern art.
There are 5 days left and all will be history.
The temporary items are most remarkable.
Thank you, Christo!

Polka dots - new baby quilt

The story began with a kid duvets and set of sheets for a baby. They are so sweet and grandmother-to-be want to have a baby quilt and sleeping bag for her first grandson.
The room is decorated vintage style and she want to surprise her daughter (future mom) with this present.
Here are the sheets.

And the pillow cases.

The quilt has to be the same style and colors.
I decided Polka dots similar colors will be perfect addition to the set.
The cubes I have designed earlier will fit in the center of the quilt.
New version of the cubes is available here.
Immediately began drawing and calculated the fabrics.

First I have paper pieced the cubes and gathered them.
I decided applique on a rectangle and make a frame with squares.
Folded the cube's edges by iron without removing paper, then torn off and appliqued.

Next step was to cut squares. If you have jelly rolls by hand they are perfect stash for this quilt.
The small squares are 2.5". The stripes are 2.5", too.
The big squares are 4.5".

I have ordered 4 of the squares on the table and have sewn them together.

I have gather squares randomly keep in mind to put "the warm" colors next to "the cold" ones.

Order all the finished 4.5" squares in 2 rows to create frame.

 

 Then stitched to the center rectangle with appliqued cubes, quilted by hand and bound.
Here is the finished quilt.

I have made a sleeping bag in addition.

And small pieces which has left place on a cardboard to make a card.

Dear Victor, welcome to this world!
Wish you the most beautiful life full with surprises and miracles!.

Sleeping baby bag

After some discussions about size, closure (zipper or buttons) and batting's thickness I am happy to introduce the second part of baby present.

The sleeping bag!

And the back.

And opened



Come on,  little baby!

I wish you the sweetest dreams.

Memory bag for graduation

In my country all students celebrate on 24 of May .
It is very special day for those who finish the school. Every year many young boys and girls celebrate their graduation.
A daughter of a friend of mine invited me to her graduation party. I wanted to make her day special and remarkable. Decided to sew a memory tote from her loved children clothes.
Her father gave me some blouses, jeans skirt and a top she loved too much.
I have wandered about the size, but finally I made it to fit a notebook - she is going to be a student and this size is more useful.

The back - I have collected some strips from the blouses and denim background.
The idea is that each family member - father, mother and daughter has a triangle shape which meet together.

Inside I set a zipper pocket.
The lining is a new fabric matching to the tote.

After finishing bag I have some pieces left so made this pouch for the mother - the same triangle as the back of the bag, the same lining, too.

This is a glass case for the father - the triangle and lining are the same colors, too.

The presents were finished on time and hope will keep sweet memories.

Tibetan magic bag

For my followers - new and old.

I have received some questions about Tibetan drawstring magic bag, so I have updated the post with more detailed explanation.

The tutorial is absolutely FREE.
Look how the bag works here.

I would like to see your finished bags soon.

Another upcycled shopping bag

Do you remember the shopping bag some posts ago?
It was the second one I have made using recycled fabrics.
The first one was with a special pocket.

I always lost my "have to buy" list and was angry finding I forget to buy something I need.
Of course I go the shop again.
This idea inspired me suddenly by night. What will be happen if I have by hand my list.
On the shopping bag.
Yes, this would be great. A special pocket for the list.
Think a little bit what is the perfect size of a bag.

Sew the pocket first and then follow the tutorial from before.
The finished "windows"pocket is 4"x 8". 
Sew together some scraps to have 4,5" x 8,5" rectangle.
Cut a small rectangle 2" x 6" inside (I made a curved shape for one side.)
You could make oval schape, too. It is up to you.

Cut the same rectangle from lining.
Right side together sew ONLY along inner edge.

Clip the corners and curved seam allowance  half inch apart to stay flat after turning over.
Fold the edges and stitch only the upper one.

Place a piece of elastic cord  for fastening and pin.
Place on the front part of the bag and stitch.

Now you can put your Have to buy list and go shopping.

Recycled denim shopping bag

Everybody has a pair of old jeans. Or more, probably.
A friend of mine asked me to sew a shopping bag from her son's old jeans.
The only desire is to keep the back pocket. It is nice with the red stitch lines.

Oh, you want to see the bag, do you? Here it is.

I have took some pictures during the sewing so now I am writing a tutorial.

First of all cut the seam of the inner side of the jeans.

Fold in half and cut the back part for the bag.

Note that the side seam is not in the middle. The front and back parts of the trouser's leg are not equal.

The front part is collected from different pieces including back pocket.
You can cut them where decide from. Or follow my way. These jeans were not so big and I have to be careful with cutting .
From other trouser's leg cut the pieces.

Sew right side together half inch seam allowances. First sew upper row.

Press seam allowances open and stitch zig-zag with a thread different color.

I have seen this method on Victoria Gertenbach's site. 

I love it and used different threads for the different seams.

Cut from the rests 2 pieces for the handles and add this way.

Press well.

To be completely green I recycled an used shirt for the lining.

Put a piece of the shirt under the bag's part and cut.

Sew the handles along - first the side seam then the middle.

Make some back stitches at the end of the handle and leave open for turning over.

I used a gray threat so it is not visible - I have pointing with the pencil.
Turn over and iron well.

Repeat the same with the other part. Then order them right side together and stitch only along the side.

Open the seam allowances and zig-zag only the denim fabric.

Turn the side seam 2" towards the middle and stitch the bottom. I recommend to stitch twice for more  strength and security.

Now it is time to connect the handles.
Place two parts of the handles and stitch the denim only.

Insert one part of the lining under another, pin and stitch. It is possible to sew by hand.

Repeat the same with the other handle.
The bag is finished.
I have added a button and piece of elastic for fastening when fold the bag.

 Sew inside the pocket.
Add a button under the bottom of the pocket.

How to fold? It is easy. Place on a flat surface, fold, roll up and fasten with the button.

It is time for shopping :)