How to sew cases, bags, and buckets

Check out these instructions for making things that hold other things. Maybe you know somebody who needs a handmade gift?

iPad or Kindle cover tutorial at Craft Buds
Pleated tote bag PDF from The Long Thread
Geometric DIY painted totes from Collect & Carry
Round fabric storage buckets by Film in the Fridge

Find even more things to make at Sew 4 Home, like this laminated tote with a zippered pocket or a round pillow that reminds me of peppermint candy and grandmas.

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How to make an infinity scarf the lazy way

Scarves are everywhere, which makes me want to resist them since everyone is doing it. But they're so comfy and nice and make you feel like you're wearing a cozy blanket. If you close your eyes, you can pretend you're still in your bed. Plus you can wear old jeans and a worn out t-shirt, and as soon as you add a scarf, your surprised friends will tell you how nice you look. At least that's what happens to me.

So I went to buy couple more at the mall, but was not impressed with $20+ price tags. Instead I found seller FABULACE on Etsy and bought a couple pieces of knit jersey for about $3 a yard. The piece I cut up for this scarf was 1 1/2 yards long by 60" wide, so that's enough to make two scarves!

There are a million infinity scarf tutorials on the internet, but the ones I saw all involve hand sewing where the loop joins together. That's for lovely people who are patient and care about doing a really nice job. This thing will get all wadded up around my neck, so I'm thinking no one will see that I sort of cheated and did not care about doing a really nice job.

I cut a rectangle of fabric 22" wide by 1 1/2 yards long.

I folded it in half lengthwise with the right sides together. I sewed along the open edge to create a long tube.

Then I turned the tube right side out.

To join the open ends together to form a continuous loop, on one end I turned the raw edges to the inside about 1/2". I stuffed the other end of the scarf inside the opening and pinned them together, then sewed along the pinned edge.

Keep the seam behind your neck or hidden under a loop of fabric, and nobody will be the wiser.

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Free sewing patterns and tutorials

If you've got fabric yardage crawling out from under your bed waiting to trip innocent passers by, it might be time to use some up. (Possibly that's just me.) These DIY bag and clothing projects might put some of that surplus to good use!
Backpack at Hart & Sew
Backgammon skirt by Ellen Luckett Baker at I'm Feelin' Crafty
Half apron with jumbo pockets from Sew 4 Home
Little Grey Dress at Un Petit Design (plus FAQ here)
Reversible tote bag at You Can Do That Dot Me, based on this tutorial
Little Betty Bag from The Mother Huddle

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Triple-zip pouches you can sew

My mom (known as Grandma G in the comments around here) sent over photos of pouches she made using the Triple-Zip Pouch tutorial from A Quilter's Table. Has anyone else tried it out? Looks like fun! I asked Mum if she had any comments or notes on the tutorial.

She said:
"I don't have a lot to say about this tutorial. Simply put, these pouches were FUN to make! I loved how each layer was added on, step by step, and suddenly you turn it right side out, and it becomes the pouch! With THREE (easily installed) zippers! I think the design was brilliant, and the tutorial was clear-cut and easy to follow. You have to pay close attention to the details and follow them exactly, but once you get the hang of it, it goes together quickly!

I eliminated the fusible fleece, since the fabric was home dec weight, and it worked out just fine, except that it made the upper corners a bit more bulky and harder to turn out, but IMO that's no big deal.

I also love that the tutorial is available in a PDF file, so I could download it to my iPad and work from there!

Thanks, Debbie, for a great tutorial! I'm off to make another pouch!"

Mum used a lot of exclamation points there, so that means she liked it. I'm embarrassed to say I had to think long and hard what "IMO" might mean. She's cool. IMO.

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Tutorials for small things to sew

For some handy coasters, cases, and bags, check out the following DIY sewing tutorials. Thanks for sharing these, kind citizens of the internet!

Felt laptop sleeve at Just Crafty Enough
Block coasters by Abernathy Crafts
Pieced hexagon coasters from Canoe Ridge Creations
Grocery bag that folds into a strawberry at Craft Passion
Gift card pocket from Making the World Cuter
Zipper pencil case by Craft Passion

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Make a felt hot air balloon mobile

Hot air balloons are floating all around the internet lately. I'm not sure they'll ever reach owl status, but their popularity is certainly on the rise. Make a colorful hot air balloon mobile from felt using How Joyful's free pattern (via Craft Gossip). Or if paper is more your speed, try the gorgeous woven versions at PaperMatrix— they've added new designs #3 and #4, plus a basic video tutorial on how to assemble the balloons.

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DIY zippered pouch with gusset

Those who like to sew small, cute things (as opposed to large, ugly things?) might enjoy the zipper card pouch tutorial from Joanne at Craft Passion. My mom just tried it out and here's the result. Adorableness! Mum, did you put your Discover card on top because you knew I'd like the orange ball?

You can store some credit cards or a bit of cash in there.

Or put in some wallet-sized photos of your favorite grandchild to show off to friends and family. If you don't have a grandchild, maybe you have a pet or a houseplant.

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Satchel sewing pattern review

My mom, known to you guys as Grandma G, has made another bag! This is the "Too Cool for School Satchel" pattern from the book A Bag for All Reasons by Lisa Lam. The fabric is my Skiff print in Dawn. How fun is this? I'm always a sucker for hardware on handmade bags since it makes them look smart and professional.

Along with photos, Mum has provided a review of this pattern in case anyone else wants to give it a try. About this "Too Cool for School Satchel," she says:

This is a very cool bag, and it isn't as hard to make as it might look. Yes, there's a lot of fiddly work to it, with all the flap and strap tabs. They take some extra time and careful sewing to get the shape consistent, but they're not really difficult.

The hardest part was sewing around the curves, especially attaching the front pocket to its gusset, since there were a number of layers, and the curves were smaller than those on the main bag body. But again, it's just a matter of taking your time and sewing carefully to get a nice curve. I used binder clips to hold the thick layers of fabric together, which you can see in the photo, and that worked really well.

I'd recommend this pattern! The instructions are very clear and easy to follow, and everything you need to know is included in the book. The hardware adds so much for making the bag look great. One thing I would note when buying the buckles is that Lisa's buckles have a little bar across the male end for threading the tab through with no sewing needed. The ones I used did not, so I had to stitch the tab down, though it's not a big deal... just something to be aware of. If I'd had enough rivets on hand, I would've used them instead of stitching. I did add rivets to the strap tab (which you can't see in the photo), as Lisa did on her bag.

I would change one thing if I were to make the bag again. When carrying the bag, it tends to pivot at the points where the strap is attached, so it leans forward or backward. I think I would attach the tabs closer to the top of the gusset, even though all the satchels of any kind I've seen in photos online have the tabs lower like that. Maybe there's something else that would keep the bag from leaning one way or the other? Any ideas?

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