DIY Tutorial | PERSONALIZED KIDS MESSENGER BAG

This bag is very similar to my all time favorite project on my blog, the Messenger Bag (adult version), with a few changes. I’m not going to show you the personalization part in this tutorial. I have a separate tutorial for that here.
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KIDS MESSENGER BAG TUTORIAL:

Supplies Needed:

1 yard each of 2 coordinating fabrics (you will have leftover fabric)

1/2 yard of an accent fabric (the gray dots is what I used for this)

3/4 yard of fusible fleece interfacing



Instructions:

Let’s start this out by cutting out our pieces.

From your main fabric you need to cut:
1 piece that is 4 inches by about 40 inches (this is your strap so make it longer or shorter depending on how long you want it)
2 pieces that are 12″ x 14.5″
1 piece that is 6″ x 38″
1 piece that is 5″ x 14.5″

**Note: I round out the corners at the bottom of the 2 12″ x 14.5″ pieces and the 5″ x 14.5″ piece (see images below)

From your lining fabric:
2 pieces that are 12″ x 14.5″
1 piece that is 6″ x 38″
1 piece that is 10.5″ x 14.5″

From your accent fabric:
1 piece that is 4 inches by about 40 inches (this is your strap so make it longer or shorter depending on how long you want it)
1 piece that is 5″ x 14.5″
Pocket (optional) see details on this below

From your fusible fleece:
1 piece that is 4 inches by about 40 inches (this is your strap so make it longer or shorter depending on how long you want it)
2 pieces that are 12″ x 14.5″
1 piece that is 6″ x 38″
2 pieces that are 5″ x 14.5″

Make your strap first. To do this grab your two long strips of fabric. Iron the fusible fleece to the back of one of them (doesn’t really matter which) and then place them with right sides together and sew down the two long sides leaving the ends open. Turn right side out, press flat and top stitch to keep it nice and flat:



Set your strap aside. Next we are going to make the front flap of the bag. Grab your two 5″ x 14.5″ inch pieces. Iron the fusible fleece onto them just like you did with your strap pieces. Then, with right sides together sew them together across the middle:







And then top stitch across there making sure to grab the seam from the back into the top stitch just to hold it in place:



Now iron the fusible fleece to the back of your big 12″ x 14.5″ piece as well as your long 6″ x 38″ piece.



Stitch the flap piece that you already sewed to one of these 12″ x 14.5″ pieces to form the back of the bag.

Pin the 6″ x 38″ piece all the way the outside edge of your 12″ x 14″5 inch piece and then stitch it in place:

Now grab your back piece which is sewn to the flap piece and pin it in place the same way and stitch all the way around again:

Now get your lining fabric pieces. If you want a pocket for the inside of the bag it’s time to create it. Cut a piece of accent fabric to be about 8″ by 12.” Fold it in half with right sides together and stitch all the way around, leaving a small opening to turn it. Turn it right side out and press it flat:



Now, get your piece of lining fabric that creates the back flap and position this pocket where you want it. Do it just a few inches up from the bottom of it. Sew all the way around the 2 sides and the bottom leaving the top open. If you want to create some compartments just sew vertical lines down the pocket with the spacing you want.

Now follow the same instructions that you followed to assemble the outside of the bag to assemble the inside.

Once you have that done turn the lining RIGHT SIDE OUT and the outer part INSIDE OUT.

Put the lining down into the bag :

And insert the strap so that it is between to the two layers and sticks out the end. Be careful that it’s not twisted inside the bag.



Now, starting at the top of the flap sew around the flap, across the front of the bag and back up the other side of the flap leaving a small opening at the top to turn.



Now turn everything right side out and stuff the lining down into the bag.

Press it all nice and flat. I like to top stitch along the flap and the front of the bag to keep everything nice.



And you’re done! Want to personalize it? Follow this tutorial here.


And be sure to Join Me on Pinterest for more great project ideas:

credit: crazylittleprojects.com/

DIY Tutorial | Sewing With Kids, Kids Can Sew!

A really good read about teaching kids how to sew from sewmamasew.com

I love sewing with kids! I’ve taught more Sewing Camps and Sewing Classes than I can count. Even when it’s not a sewing class I sneak in some sewing; kids in my Harry Potter Camp sewed stuffed owls and their own Hogwarts cloaks. My next book– Creature Camp, written with my 10-year-old daughter– is written especially for kids, teaching them how to sew (and design) their own softies.

Kids can sew! And here are ten tips for sewing with them, and having fun while you’re at it.

1. How young can they start? Start when they start asking to sew. A lot of people ask me what’s a good age to start. It depends on the kid, and especially on how much experience they have using their hands. My daughter got her first sewing machine at age 4, but I usually recommend starting machine sewing with help at around age 6. Eight year olds can often sew without supervision. Let your kid be the guide.

Some kids think they want to start on the machine, but then they get pretty nervous about it after we have a safety talk. A good solution is to steer the fabric while they work the pedal. It lets them get a feel for how they can control the speed, without having their fingers near the fast-moving needle. If you do this be very sure they understand to take their foot completely off the pedal the second you say, “Stop.” Make sure they’re looking you in the eye and paying attention while you explain this. I’ve done this with dozens of kids and they’re always ready to steer themselves after a few minutes.

2. Let kids use a real machine. I’ve never worked with a toy machine that wasn’t a complete piece of junk; they are extremely frustrating for kids to use. They don’t always fail spectacularly (my daughter’s went up in smoke– very exciting) but they always fail. Kids can use a real machine.

3. Sew slowly! Kids need to understand that fast sewing isn’t better sewing, and you need to pick a day when you’re feeling patient! Some kids will sew more… slowly… than… you… ever… thought. . . your. . . machine. . . could. . . go. Seriously. It can be painful to just sit back and watch, but don’t rush them.

4. Let them choose. Let them choose the pattern, the fabric, the notions, the thread color– everything. They will choose outlandish fabric combinations and bold prints, and they always want to sew with contrasting thread. Always. And why not? You love picking out fabrics for a project– let them feel that joy too.

When I pointed out to my daughter that the strong black and white print she chose for this bunny would make it hard to see its face, she replied that she would be able see it just fine when she was holding him and that was what mattered to her. Of course, she was right.

One exception to this is steering them away from complicated patterns or fabrics that are tricky to work with. If a kid wants to use velvet (oh, do they love to use velvet) I make sure they’re using a dead simple pattern and I often recommend that they make it first in an easier fabric like fleece or quilting cotton. So help them choose when it’s a question of difficulty, not when it’s a matter of style or taste.

5. Let them make the same thing over and over again. If they have fun making a snake and want to make a snake for everyone they’ve ever met, that’s ok! Their comfort level with that one pattern is going to help all their other skills improve. Plus they’re going to start adding variations, which is extremely fun to watch.

These are just some of a horde of snakes made by a couple of kids in one of my sewing camps. By the time they were ready to move on to something else they were masters at cutting fabric, sewing straight lines, turning corners, sewing on buttons, embedding things in the seams, turning tubes right side out, using a funnel to fill them and sewing up the stuffing opening. That’s a lot of skills from one very simple pattern!

6. Avoid flimsy pattern tissue. Trace all the pattern pieces onto cardboard (cereal boxes are a good weight) and let kids trace around them onto the fabric, then cut the fabric out on the traced lines. Punch holes where they can mark for eyes and other things.

It’s very hard for kids to accurately cut two layers of fabric at once, and very, very hard for them to cut around a pinned or weighted pattern. They need to be able to move the fabric around to get at it with their scissors, so tracing onto the fabric works best.

7. Give young kids real lines to sew on. It’s very hard to sew on imaginary lines. Watching the edge of the fabric to keep it lined up with the throat plate markings is nearly impossible for kids under 8; every instinct is telling them to keep an eye on the flashing needle. For those younger kids I usually draw the stitching line right on the fabric. Kids as young as 4 can sew (slowly) right on that line without any wobbliness at all. It’s amazing. By the time they’re 8 most kids are comfortable using the edge of the presser foot as a guide, and then they easily move on to the throat plate guides.

8. Help them cut fabric efficiently. Have you ever made rolled and cut cookies with kids? You know how they always want to cut the first cookie right out of the middle of the sheet of dough? They do that with fabric too. Every time I teach a class I come home with one very large piece of fabric, with a small pattern piece cut right out of the middle of it. Every time. I’ve found that this is something you can’t simply explain; you have to show them how to position the pieces right at the edges of the fabric.

9. Use thick thread for hand work. Use hand-quilting or upholstery thread for hand sewing. It doesn’t tangle as easily as regular thread, and it’s much easier for kids to thread their own needles with the stiffer, thicker thread. I also use embroidery needles instead of sharps; they have larger eyes that are easier to thread. Size #5 works great.

I know this will be controversial, but I don’t tie the thread to the needles or use doubled-up thread – it’s very difficult for kids to fix their mistakes that way. If you thread it like normal they can simply slip the needle off, unpick the bad stitches, re-thread the needle and start sewing again. Show them how to hold things so they don’t pull the needle off the thread, and let them re-thread it themselves when they do. They’ll get the hang of it in no time.

10. Have fun! Their stitches will be crooked and their buttons will be loose and there will be unbelievable snarls of thread hidden inside their first projects, but if you let them do it themselves they’ll have loads of fun and they’ll be so proud! If they have fun, they’ll want to keep sewing, and the more they sew the more their skills will improve.

DIY Tutorial | A Pillow for Remote Controls

Like many other Americans, by living room has been taken over by remote controls. Some I know how to use, and others I do not. It happens once per night that my husband asks, “Linds, have you seen the _____ remote?” It’s not long ’til I’m bending over, digging in between couch cushions or looking under the shaggy rug for one of the remotes.

Enter, the remote control pillow.

It prefers to live indoors rather than outside.

This was a design I hoped would curtail the nightly hunt for remote controls. Each one lives in its own diagonal pocket. The pillow can be flipped around and used as a headrest. You don’t even feel the remotes (or “clickers” as we called them growing up).

I installed a zipper in the bottom and used Sew Mama Sew’s piping tutorial for the black cord edging. The fabrics I used are a canary linen lookalike and a houndstooth home dec print.

For the lettering, I used freezer paper stencils and fabric paint.

Apply the paint in a thin layer, and let dry.

Peel off paper, and trim fabric words. Adhere to pillow front using Steam a Seam 2 and an iron.

Cut ribbon strips and iron on to top and bottom of words, using Steam a Seam 2.

DIY Tutorial | How to Make Custom Roman Shades

One of those put-off jobs was sewing up a roman shade for our bedroom.

I LOVE me some roman shades. If I could (and hopefully eventually I will), I would have them on every window in the house and do away with those dust collecting mini blinds forever.

The problem here lies solely in finding a good block of time where I can sit down uninterrupted and sew away. Our little renovation (I'm stealing the word from a friend cause I think it's brilliant) provided the perfect opportunity.

I thought while I was at it, I'd take pictures and write up with a "how-to" for any of you who might be interested in tackling some shades of your own.

Still with me?

Good.

There are a LOT of pictures...you've been pre-warned! When I learned how to make them, all I had was a bit of chicken scratching and a rough sketch to go by. I would have loved some really clear instructions, so I've tried to do my best here for you.

These shades are not difficult to make, they just require some time and patience.

And hey...in the end you'll have a beautiful custom shade that fits perfectly and matches exactly...for a fraction of the cost. Can't beat that, right?!

First you'll need to purchase your supplies - obviously!

Figure out the measurements of you window and make sure the fabric you choose is wide enough.

I typically buy 1.5 meters (roughly 1.7 yards) and I always have enough to cover a standard window.

- Drapery lining same amount as fabric (I usually use a light blocking liner)

- tube tape (width of window x 5)

- nylon cord (length + width + 1/2 length x 5...I explain this more below)

- 1.5" velcro

- cleat

- circle screws (5)

- cord drop

- slat (width of window)

- 1/4 " dowels (5 - width of window)

1" x 2" board (width of window)

- staple gun

- staples

If you've never heard of some of these items, don't worry, the pictures will better explain what you need to look for...keep reading!

First off, give your fabric a good ironing.

A crisp press makes a sewing project sooo much easier!

I always press both the fabric and lining.

Measure the width and height of the inside of your window where the shade will be hanging.

My window measured exactly 46" x 46".

Then, cut out your fabric adding 1/2" to each side and 4" to the length.

I cut my fabric out at 47" x 50".

Now take your lining and mark out your measurements for the tube tape (show below) with pins.

The first row of tape should be 5 inches from the bottom. The next row should be 8 inches up and repeat with three more rows 8 inches apart.

Tube tape is a fantastic product that has little loops along the top of the tape for running nylon cord through (as shown above) and a pocket along the bottom (shown below) where you can insert a dowel. If you are still unsure of what you are looking for, ask for tube tape used for roman shades at your fabric store and they should hopefully know what you're looking for.

Now it's time to pin down the tube tape. Pin the tape to the right side of the lining and start at the bottom.

You have already measured out five inches and marked it with a pin. Pin your tape down with the bottomof the tape right above the marking pin (as shown above). Keep measuring as you pin your tape across the width of the lining, making sure you are keeping the tape straight.

Lay your next row of tape down, once again above the pin marking (refer to above photo).

As you work your way across, pinning the tape down, measure 8" from the top of the tape to the top of the tape below and you will be able to make sure you are continuing to pin in a straight line.

Continue laying out and pinning your rows of tape until you have five rows completed.

After my fifth row of tape, I had about 13" of fabric left. This is the way it should be!

You don't want to go too close to the top of your fabric or things will look very wonky when you're at the finishing stages!

Now baste your tape onto the lining. I used a bright colored thread in this tutorial for demonstration purposes, but you certainly don't have to. Just make sure when you are basting, that you stitch right along the top of the tape and avoid stitching over the little loops.

Now it's time to stitch the lining to the fabric!

Pin right sides together, and stitch the sides and bottom together with a 1/2" seam, leaving the top open.

Trim the bottom corners and flip right side out, making sure the corners are neatly pushed out. You're going to feel like a professional seamstress when you see your shade coming together!

 Press the edges of the shade out flat.

Now you need to find a slat of some sort to push into the bottom of your shade.

I have used different materials for this with the various shades I've made. The main thing you need to look for when choosing a slat, is that it is sturdy yet slim. I have used gardening stakes before, but for this particular shade, Hubs had some plastic slats from an old mini blind hanging around, and it worked perfectly! It was flexible and yet wouldn't break - which is something you need to watch for if you use a wooden slat. If it is too thin, it can snap. I would say a 1/4" thickness would be perfect. The width of the slat should not be greater than 1.25".

Slide the slat between the fabric and lining down to the bottom of the shade.

Now you will need to stitch a pocket to keep the slat in place, which you can do either by hand or by machine. For this blind, I used a zipper foot and stitched with the machine. This is by far the most challenging step (if done by machine) as you need to make sure you are far enough away from the wall to accommodate the slat sticking out behind you and in front of you, as you stitch.

Stitching by hand will alleviate this problem, but it does take longer.

Time to stitch the tape again! This time you'll be stitching through all the fabric so make sure your top thread and bobbin thread match the fabrics! (Bobbin thread should match the shade fabric and top thread should match the lining.) Once again, pin the tape and fabric together, making sure everything is smooth and flat.

Now you will carefully stitch in the "ditch", as you can see in the above picture.

This will eliminate any chance of accidentally stitching the loops shut.

I suggest pinning and stitching one row at a time, removing the basting before continuing on to the next row.

This way you can be sure to pull the fabric smooth between each row and ensure a better finished product.

Now the shade part is complete! Yippee! You did it!

Give yourself a pat on the back!

Now you will need your 1" x 2" board - measured and cut to fit inside the width of the window (ours was 45.75"), dowels, circle screws, velcro, nylon cord and cord drop.

Using leftover fabric, "upholster" the 1" x 2" board. To be honest, this part is optional. The shade will work just fine without covering the board...it just won't look as nice!

At any rate, if you choose to cover it...wrap it much the same as you would wrap a gift...just use staples instead of tape!

Tuck those ends in and staple them neatly too!

Now staple the "hook" side of the velcro to one edge of the board.

In this example, we stapled the velcro right over the staples fastening the fabric underneath, so everything is neat and tidy.

Now you will need to stitch the "loop" part of the velcro to the lining side of the shade.

My window is 46" in height, so I marked a pin at 46.25" and pinned the velcro just above the "marking pin".

(Hubs makes a great hand model, hey?!)

Stitch down both sides of the velcro.

Trim the excess fabric down about 1/2" away from the velcro, as shown.

Attach the velcro on the shade to the velcro on the board.

If you're like me, you'll be getting very excited right about now! You're going down the home stretch!

Now you will need to measure out and predrill holes for the little circle screws.

Start by measuring in 2" on each end. Predrill. You want each of the screws to be roughly 10" apart, so in our case, we predrilled right in the middle of the board, and then again in the middle of the two "sections".

It should look something like this...

-->2"------->10"------->10"------->10"------->2"--

Screw in the circle screws.

They should be about 1/4" from the edge of the board that is closest to the shade.

Now it's time to pull it all together with your nylon cord.

Decide which side you want to have your cord drop (the side you want to pull the shade up) and start working on the opposite side of the shade. You will need to tie a bulky knot - and this is important because you don't want that knot eventually pulling through the loops on the tube tape. I usually knot it about three times, and then thread the cord through a large blunt needle.

So again - start at the bottom of the opposite side you want your cord drop.

Measure 2" in from the edge and pull your needle through a loop on the bottom row of tube tape.

This picture should give you a good idea of how you will need to thread your cording.

Continue measuring in 2" from the edge and work your way through all the rows of tube tape, then through the first circle screw and continue through all the other circle screws until you get to the opposite side. Cut your cord at roughly the halfway area on the opposite side of the shade. For example, my shade is 46" in length, so I cut the cord at 23".

Now go back and thread another row, starting 10" over from your first row. Thread it through the loops, measuring to make sure you're continuing in a straight line, thread through the circle screw and continue through the rest of the circle screws until you get to the opposite edge once more and again cut the cord at 23". Continue moving over until you have five rows threaded as shown in the picture above.

Now - just to make sure that knot doesn't come untied in the future (the nylon cord can be slippery), I like to stitch my knot together with a regular needle and thread. Just run some stitches through it all and eliminate a possible headache down the road.

Next, insert the dowels into the little pockets in the bottom of the tube tape. You may need to trim down the length of the dowels to fit neatly inside the tape, and that can easily be done with a utility knife.

Ta-da! The construction of your shade is finished!!

Now you just need to attach it to your window!

I hope you are very proud of yourself right now...you deserve a pat on the back!

You may want a couple extra helping hands at this point. It can get a little awkward for one.

Line up the shade edge of the board with the outside edge of your window casing, and predrill through the board and into the casing. We usually use three screws - one of each edge and one in the middle.

Screw the board to the casing.

At this point you can step back and see if the shade is hanging level, and if not, simply unscrew the board and adjust the shade by pulling apart the velcro and moving it however needed and then screwing it back up again. The beauty of it all is that the velcro side is sandwiched between the board and the casing so you will not be able to see any of the adjustments.

Now you need to determine where you would like your cleat.

In this case, we fastened it to the inside of the widow casing, but you could also fasten it to the wall beside the window. The choice is all yours!

Thread your nylon cording through the cord drop and tie a knot, then trim off the excess cording.

Guess what?! You're all done!

Pull your blind up and adjust the folds. I've found that it takes a few days to "train" the fabric to lie down into nice folds, especially if the fabric is thick and I've used a light blocking liner.

This shade cost me around $30 for all the material and supplies and it fits my window perfectly and the color and style is exactly what I want. That makes it all worth the effort for me and I have to say I'm hooked on making them. 

Good luck and happy sewing!

I think you will soon be just as addicted to customizing your shades as I am!!