I really needed something in the car to stash litter.  What do you think?

I started with my 9 inch pie plate as a template for the circle bottom, cut out a 8 inch tall band to go around. The interior fabric is some outside patio fabric I found in the remnant bin; the exterior 100% cotton. Tute now follows pics by request.






Find something round to trace - I used a 9 inch pie plate.  Cut out a circle from your hefty outdoor material and from your cotton material. Cut a really long piece as wide as you want it tall. I think mine was about 8 or 9 inches wide. For length, I used roughly 27 inches long, after the second one.  But the first time I just used a really long piece.  ((There is a formula, but it never works for me!))

Now, sew a "stay stitch" line a half inch from one of the long edges of the long pieces. You are not sewing anything together, just a line. Now cut little snips along that same edge about an inch apart, but don't go past your stay stitch line.  This helps that long material go round the circle.  You'll have to do this for both the cotton and outdoor long pieces. NOTE: I found I needed to use a longer stitch on the outdoor fabric.

Now sew the circle to your long piece.  Be sure right sides are together and you are sewing along the edge that you stay-stitched and snipped.  Leave the first inch or two of the beginning of the long piece unsewn. Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance. When you start, be sure to backstitch a time or two. Sew a little, then rearrange the long piece so that it curves around the circle piece. No, I didn't pin - it was easier without the pins but make sure that stay stitch line doesn't show, sew right on top of it.) Once you get around the circle, stop about 1/2 inch away from where you started and backstitch a time or two.  With any luck, you'll have a wad of extra fabric at the end. Pull the whole thing out of the machine and use fingers or pins to judge where that seam for the long rectangle should be.  Line up the long rectangle's sides so that they are even.  You'll want to stitch the seam nice and perpendicular to the sides now. Back in the machine!

Now that the side seam is done, trim off all the excess material and go back and finish that little bit of circle that isn't done.  These are the thrills of sewing with no measurements.  (If you DID have excellent measurements, you could sew the long rectangle into a tube first, then sew onto the circle in perfect precision.)
Do this same circus act with the outdoor material, but remember the longer stitch length might be needed.

Now, Cotton material bucket should be right side out, but lining material bucket needs to be right side in.  Stick the cotton bucket inside the lining bucket. The two right sides will be touching. Now sew around the top edge with a 1/2 inch SA, leaving a gap for turning.  Don't forget to back stitch at start and stop points. 

Birth the bag! This is always my favorite part.  Turn your bag right side out (and if you are like me, you've made your gap too small and it takes some minutes of labour to get it all situated). Stuff the lining back down into the bucket.  It should look nearly done!

Top stitch 1/4 inch around the bag, being sure to tuck the material at that gap down and make it look nice and smooth.

Figure out how long you want your strap, cut and sew a tube and turn it right side out. Tuck the ends of the tube back inside 1/2 an inch and sew with reinforcing x's onto the bag straddling the side seam.

Hi all! Little Sis's birthday was the 1st. She's going back to school at the ripe old age of 28! Way to go Sis! As a great surprise, her in-laws and our mom got her a laptop that would actually handle the programs she needed to use for school.

So, for my part I whipped up this quilted laptop bag with batting to cushion the fragile electronics. The outside has a large pocket with a smaller buttoned pocket. Inside I have room for the laptop and a big folder pocket too.  The strap is also padded with batting. I think she's coming over today, hope she likes it. What do you think?

These were lots of fun to do and a big hit at the baby shower. Featured are stacked birds and umbrella; bird; elephant and hedgehog.

Squeezed this out of 1/2 yard of main fabric and 1/2 yard of lining fabric...I had nothing but threads left!

I was hesitant...I'm not sure if I should put this in the homewares section, but since the sandwich wrap goes with the lunch bag and the lunch bag is a bag... and the sandwich wrap holds a sandwich...I'm sticking it in here! 

I think these sandwich wraps are just the greatest things! No more plastic baggies in the trash! And they are much cuter than plastic baggies any day of the week.  What do you think?








(tho...please let me know if I assumed incorrectly on the forum it should go )

I actually created this pattern myself!  What do you think? ((excuse the wind that came from nowhere))

I'm really happy with how this came out.  Now I'm going to make one for each of the boys and hang it from their door handle for them to use!  Tell me what you think?

Here you see a little dress I'm making for a friend.  This is the fabric she gave me.  First I'm afraid it looks a bit dreary or morose ...Should I add something to cheer it up ??  This is sized for a young girl...size 6-8 (sizing seems weird to me, so I'm hitting low towards 6)

also, you'll notice the peterpan collar doesn't quiet match....any suggestion?  Ripping it out and starting over is an option but the teal fabric was horrid to work with.

Thanks for any suggestions (not hemmed and hanging crooked on hanger...ignore my explosion that happens when I sew))

What do you think of these? I thought they'd be great to take to school or work!

I've had this fabric for ages.  I originally bought it to make some market bags, but instead, the mushroom lover in me discovered this hiding in the fabric  

Comments/Crits welcomed!