I made so many mistakes on this that I hesitated sharing it but I like showing that I’m not perfect and nobody is. Maybe my mistakes will help someone else somehow.
I should never sew when I’m tired and my back is sore because I just wind up powering through things and I make mistakes which just adds to my frustration.
I don’t usually like writing a dissertation before I get to the “How To” section but I thought some fellow crafters might get and understand some of the craziness that was going on while I was sewing.
My craft table is to the side of our small kitchen where the kitchen table used to be. I often use the kitchen counter to iron small items but I couldn’t do that today because my grandson was learning how to clean out the refrigerator with the help of my significant other, Max. They had food out all over the stove and counter as we all chatted and did our own things.
And then there was the dog who thought he needed to go in and out ten times while we were all busy. The sliding glass door that goes to the back yard is right behind my sewing machine. He is a big dog and will stand at the door scraping at the glass until we let him out or back inside. It’s nerve racking. I finally had to lock him in his kennel so we would stop tripping over him. You should have seen the dirty look he gave me when I locked him up like “How dare you, Cruella!”
In the middle of making the pin cushion, my sewing machine started messing up. I accidentally hit one of the buttons with my finger because they are inconveniently placed (but that’s a whole other rant) so I had to re-thread it a few times, turn it on and off a few times, change the needle and take the needle plate off to see if anything was stuck under it. There wasn’t. After the third time re-threading, it started sewing correctly again.
Let’s get to the thread catcher. I looked up a few patterns and kinda sorta went off those. Next time, I will probably make the bag a little smaller.
Outside fabric
Cut
17.5″x 8″ (outside of bag)
5″ x 12″ (pin cushion)
3.5″ x 7″ (strap)
Inside of bag
Cut
17.5″ x 11″ (inside)
Optional – 1″ to 1 1/2″ cotton webbing. I used 1″ wide heat and bond. It’s just to help the top of the bag hold its shape.
You could cut your own from fusible interfacing too.
First mistake – I sewed the bag part first which would have been fine if I would have left the seam open to sandwich the strap piece. I’m just going to show you how I did it.
Put right sides together of the inside and outside lengthwise and sew.
I folded it afterwards so the two raw edges met and ironed it to know where the top of the bag was and used that seam to place the heat and bond strip and iron it onto the other side of the fabric.
Fold this with right sides on the inside and sew around the three edges but leave a space open at the bottom of the lining piece so it can be turned inside out. I turned it right side out just to show you what it looks like but had to turn it wrong side out to complete the next steps.
With it inside out, flatten out the seam at each end so it is centered in order to cut off the corners. This is hard to explain but hopefully, the photos will help.
Take a square quilting ruler and use the diagonal guides to do this and measure an inch and a half from the corner and draw a line.
I pinned it in place to sew it.
I feel a nursery rhyme coming on.
Sew on each line and cut the points off.
Note: It’s tricky to do this on the lining or inside piece because of the opening so I pinned it closed to help.
Turn it right side out and sew the opening closed.
Fold the strap in half with right sides together and sew, leaving an opening to turn right side out.
I have to add that my machine tries to suck everything down so I am constantly fighting it and trying to keep things straight. It doesn’t always work.
Optional: Top stitch around.
You don’t have to close the seam because it will be hidden.
Take the pin cushion piece and fold it in have to fingers the middle. Then center the strap, putting the open seam at the top, and sandwich it inside. Sew around the sides, leaving an opening to turn inside out.
When I turned it right side out, the Eiffel Tower was upside down so I ripped out the seams and resewed it but put the wrong edge of the strap at the seam. I left it because it wasn’t that noticeable and I really didn’t want to rip it apart again.
Add rice or stuff with something that has weight to it like sawdust.
Sew opening closed.
You can topstitch around but I didn’t because my machine was being a jerk.
I sewed the strap to the back of the bag. The stitches weren’t straight but, at this point, I was exhausted. My hour long project had turned into hours so I just left it.
It’s not perfect but it will do the job.
Crazy Crafty Lady 