Aunt Polly's Porch

Friday, July 4, 2014

Happy Independence Day!!

Happy Fourth of July!!

So, what’s on your To-Do list for today?

Some of this?

Lot’s of this?

Hope you have a marvelously relaxing day!!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Odds & Ends

I’ve been a lazy blogger recently… so sorry! I’ve been keeping busy potting flowers and plants for our front porch and patio out back.

And I put up a regular bird feeder and a humming bird nectar feeder.

I have really been enjoying seeing the variety of birds coming by each day!!

I finally got around to making a new nametag for our local guild here in Haymarket.

And I made a new purse organizer insert. I thought you might like to see how I made it in case you want to make one, too!!

I used stash scraps of some decor weight fabrics for this project, because I like the heavier weight for sturdiness.

I measured the size I wanted to fit my purse and added an inch all around for ease and seam allowances, then cut two pieces of fabric for the outside and two pieces for the lining.

I used fusible Pellon DecorBond interfacing on those pieces to make them stiff. I thought about how many pockets I needed for my stuff and what size they needed to be, as well as, where I wanted them- inside or outside the insert.

I cut out the pockets according to my needs- adding 1/4” to all sides for seam allowances. With right sides together, I sewed the top edge only of the larger outside pockets, then flipped it right side out, pressed that seam and topstitched it.

I used the stitch and flip method for these pockets- meaning I laid the unfinished bottom pocket edge where I wanted the pocket to end-facing up toward the top edge on the right side of the insert.

Then I stitched across that pocket edge from side to side using a 1/4” seam allowance. Then when I flipped the pocket up, and pinned the sides, the bottom raw edge of the pocket is enclosed inside the pocket. I hope I explained this method well… it’s kinda hard to put into words sometimes!!

I decided to leave one large outside pocket as it was for coupons, so I just basted the pocket to the sides.

But I decided I wanted the other large outside pocket divided into two pockets, so I marked where I wanted it divided and sewed through all thicknesses on that line, creating two pockets on that side.

Next, I sewed the inside pockets with right sides together, leaving an opening each time, to turn it through.

I then turned them right sides out and pressed them and topstitched them on the top edges.

I placed them where I wanted them on the insert lining pieces. On one side, I was putting one tall pocket and one elastic strip to hold pens and my reading glasses tube.

I pinned that pocket and inserted one edge of the elastic under the pocket, so the raw edge would be hidden behind it. Then I sewed the pocket on, then sewed the elastic into loops to hold my items. The other raw elastic edge would be enclosed by the side seam!

The other inside lining piece would have two long shallow pockets for holding my checkbook and some business cards. I placed them and sewed them down on three sides.

Now, sew the two side seams on both the outside bag and the inside lining pieces.

I wanted two loops for the top of the insert, so I cut two strips and made the loops using the same method as I make my quilt binding- by pressing the strip in half lengthwise –

open it back up and fold and press the raw edges into the center fold. Then I topstitch the two long edges.

Next I basted those loops onto the right side of the bag lining over the side seams.

Place the outside and lining with right sides together, matching side seams and stitch around the top edges with a 1/4” seam allowance. Turn right side out and press and topstitch around that top edge.

Next, turn the bag with the outer right sides together, and pin and sew across the insert bottom. I then zigzagged the seam edges to finish it.

Lastly, I boxed the corners, by aligning the bottom seam and the side seam forming a triangle. Draw a line across wherever you want to create the depth you want.