Look what came in the mail the other day--pink snaps! These are from Snap Source and are the size 24 ones. These are my favorite snaps and pretty much the only ones I use when I need a snap.
This ready-to-ship Cord Keeper can be found in my etsy shop here. The sewing pattern to make your own fabric cord keepers is available here or here on etsy. Info about this fabric is in this blog post and more info about snaps can be found here.
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It's Sample Sale time! Sold out. Today's sample is Size 2 from the Zip Pocket Pouches Wristlet pattern.
This size is the larger of the two sizes in the pattern. This size was added to the pattern not long ago, so if you have this pattern but only have one size, get in touch with some sort of proof of purchase and I'll let you know how to order the updated pattern for only the price difference.
The fabrics used for the exterior are a print called Spring Bouquet by Sandy Klop for Moda and a light weight denim from Robert Kaufman. The inside is a patchwork of quilting cottons.
This is quite large--at least for my patterns--and the main pouch is big enough for items 7.5" x 10" and up to 0.5" deep. Below it is shown with a composition notebook in the main pouch and a few other items for size reference:
Sold - Thanks!
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This post contains affiliate links.
Other tasks were vying for my attention this week, so there wasn't a whole lot of sewing happening. But a few things still got made! Mostly because this adorable pink fabric from the Tiny Happy Lucky collection is new to me and sometimes all you need to make it happen is some new fabric.
I've had this cherry print before, but in the aqua colorway. Quite a few Cord Keepers were made from the blue version and when it ran out, I ran out (aka: sat down at my computer) and got some more.
This print comes in three colors and yardage is available at these links:
The links are to the shop where I purchased this fabric. She was quick to respond to a request for a custom cut and shipped right away. I'd definitely shop with ShuShuStyle again.
If you are outside the US, these three colors are also currently available in modes4u's etsy shop. They are in Hong Kong, which (I think?) makes for less expensive shipping and faster transit times for those of you in the EU/Eastern Hemisphere.
This print really is pretty perfect for this cord keeper (sold out, but check here for more):
This is the small size in the Cord Keepers pattern (also available here on etsy or here on Craftsy).
It also made a very sweet card wallet:
This is Size 1 in the Card Wallets pattern (also available here on etsy or here on Craftsy), but with a size 24 Snap Source snap in matte black.
And finally, one fat eighth of this print is available here if you just want a small piece to add to your stash.
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Extra Large Grocery Bag
Grocery Bag pattern is available at michellepatterns.com, etsy, & Craftsy.
Oh hey, look, it's a giant Grocery Bag!
This is my best selling pattern and for a few good reasons--the bags are endlessly useful, they are super quick to make and only take about an hour to make once you've made one or two, and they are a great stash buster.
If you've made these bags, you know they aren't complicated. They can easily be resized and with a few basic considerations you can make them for almost any size square or rectangular cut of fabric.
For the bag shown here, the measurements used (given at the bottom of this post) were used for two simple reasons:
Large & Extra Large Grocery Bags
Before going over this size shown in the photos here, let me tell you why the sizes in the pattern are what they are...
This pattern is written for quilting cotton, which is pretty sturdy fabric, but it's not going to hold up to packing around a ton of weight. I doubt it would rip, but it would wear out quickly. You can of course make these bags from all sorts of other fabrics, but the pattern is designed to provide a practical purpose and a good use for all those pretty, pretty prints many of us love to collect.
All three sizes can be made with less than one yard of fabric, and even though the instructions aren't written specifically for 1/2 yard cuts of fabric, these bags are an amazing 1/2 yard stash buster!
I can't say for certain, but think 1/2 cuts are the most popular size for people to buy and stash away for quilting. With 1/2 yard you have enough to use either in a quilt or to make binding. Plus it's enough fabric to satisfy the wanting part of why we buy fabric, affordable, and not an unreasonable amount to store.
Now you might be wondering why I didn't write the instructions for three 1/2 cuts and the answer is it's easier for most people to think in terms of two fabrics. I make lots of patchwork and mix together many different prints, but still notice the increasing difficulty of picking three prints that "go together". So the pattern is written for two fabrics only to keep things simple.
This bag can be made from any square or rectangular cut of fabric. The only things to keep in mind are the size of the fold determines how deep the bag will be from front to back, and the handles need to be long enough to be able to come together in your hands.
If you want to make some other sizes, but don't want to think too much about it, one simple change is to add depth by increasing the height of the fabric pieces. Then the folds and handle length and placement can remain the same as the instructions.
If you add width, this is where the handle changes come into play. For this bag in the photos, I added 3" to the width and 1" to the cut on fold end of the handle. I also move the handles in towards the center slightly. These were just guestimates based on the fact that width was added. There aren't any hard and fast rules.
If you only add an inch or two to the width, moving the handles further from the side seams might be all that needs to be done.
Other than that, feel free to experiment! I can't see how you really can make any mistakes and even if turns out not quite right, the finished bag can be put to use for storing something (these are fantastic storage bags!).
Extra Large Grocery Bag
Ok, back to the bag in the photos here...
This bag is going to be a good size for light weight groceries like paper products and packaged goods. It's going to be really heavy for things like juice, milk, canned goods.
I personally would find it too heavy for anything but very light things, but if you are up for it, and plan to use it to haul somewhat heavy loads, you'll need to use heavier fabric than quilting cotton.
A 7 - 10 ounce utility fabric like denim or canvas is a better choice for a bag this size. The bag here is 7 ounce canvas with quilting cotton lining and it is still light weight (10 ounces finished), but durable.
Another idea for this larger bag is to use it for laundry bag. This bag is what I'd consider a "large" load of laundry for a basic washing machine.
It will be great for a travel laundry bag, or for anyone who goes to the laundromat to do their laundry. The bags are easy to carry, the laundry can be sorted into separate bags so each bag can just be emptied into a machine, and the bag can be tossed in the wash too from time to time.
The Extra Large size ends up measuring about 14.25" h x 15.5" w x 5.75" d (36cm x 40cm x 15cm).
Here are the changes to make to sew this bag:
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Made a few cord keepers yesterday and thought I'd take a moment to point them out and also share some snap info.
First off, if you are going to make your own, these are the small size in the pattern.
If you'd like to order one or more of these in the photo, they are listed separately and can be found here, here, and here.
The fabric for these is Spring Bouquet by Sandy Klop for Moda. This is OOP and the last fat eighth I had available in this grey colorway sold just yesterday, but there is one fat eighth of this print in green right here.
Now about those snaps...I LOVE Snap Source snaps and pretty much exclusively use them in size 24. The higher the number, the larger the snap cap.
You can order them directly from Snap Source here. There are a bunch of colors and finishes. Do make sure to update the size if you want size 24. The page defaults to the smallest size.
Also check out their manufacturer pricing for a discount if you order a small lot.
Packages of these can also be found on etsy. The following links are etsy affiliate links:
Don't forget to check out this long winded post with general snap info. It's on my to sew/do/fix list to boil this screed down into something shorter. There are times I need to shut the heck up, but can't seem to stop myself... :0] There's just so much to say!
P.S. I use the Dritz pliers mentioned in that post linked above to install the Snap Source snaps.
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