C. With the wrong sides facing out, pin the exterior A pieces together. Stitch ½” seams along the sides and bottom.

D. Match the side seam line with the bottom seam line at one of the corners. Pin in place and stitch a ½” seam. Repeat on the other corner.

E. Trim the seam allowances at the corners about half way to reduce bulk. Turn the bag exterior right side out and set aside for now.

Step 4: The Lining
A. Align the 2 pocket B pieces with the wrong sides facing out and pin. Stitch 1/2” seams along the four sides, leaving a 2” opening (approximate) on one side for turning.

B. Clip the corners to reduce bulk. Turn the pocket right side out and press. Stitch a ¼” seam along 1 long edge. This will be the top of your pocket.

C. Pin the pocket to the right side of one of the lining A pieces. Place it 7” down from the top edge and centered between the sides. Remember that the stitched edge is the top of the pocket. Stitch 1/8” seams along the sides and bottom (you will close the opening along the way).

D. Following the manufacturer’s directions, attach ½ of the magnetic snap to the lining piece A. Place it 1.25” down from the top edge and centered between the sides. TIP: For added reinforcement, place a square of fabric that is slightly larger than the snap on the back of the snap on the wrong side of the fabric. I like to use canvas or felt. Attach the other half of the snap to the other lining piece A.

E. Align the lining A pieces with the WRONG sides facing OUT. Pin in place. Stitch ½” seams along the sides and bottom. Leave a 5” (approximate) opening on 1 side for turning.

F. Create the bottom corners the same way you made the exterior bag corners (see step 3-D).

Step 5: Finishing
A. Place the exterior bag inside the lining (with the lining inside out and the exterior right side out). Pin around the top edge. Stitch a ½” seam.

B. Reach through the opening in the lining and pull the exterior of the bag through. The lining will now be right side out. Slip the plastic canvas through the opening and place it in the bottom of the bag.

C. Fold the raw edges of the opening in the lining in and pin. Stitch a ¼” seam.

D. Push the lining into the bag exerior. Topstitch around the opening.

E. Admire your work!
TIP: Try adding embellishments such as bows, buttons, fabric flowers, doilies, etc.

The post Messenger Bag Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

I had such a great time creating this fun project for Michaels Big Brand Sale, which launches next week. I had the opportunity to pick a favorite brand and immediately chose Crayola.

I mean hands down it is the best crayon brand out there right?! We all know it doesn’t stop at “crayons” and includes: chalk, markers, colored pencils, paints, clay, and on and on. Perfect for creating with the children and for the teacher’s classroom.

Today, I want to share a technique I’ve been playing around with – using glitter crayons on canvas for a “chalkboard” effect!

I used this simple idea to create a Chalkboard Tote Bag Tutorial.

SUPPLIES:

• Crayola Glitter Crayons
• Tote Bag (I chose black for the chalkboard effect)
• crayon sharpener

I bought this Ultimate pack of crayons because I was in love with the container and the many different colors and types of crayons in this set. You can use any light crayons for this project, however I found the glitter and metallic crayons are best as they have a silky, smooth feel.

DIRECTIONS:

Start doodling and coloring on your canvas tote bag. Oh, and I found a pack of three tote bags at Michaels for $9.99 and used my 50% off coupon so they’re really affordable.

If you don’t feel comfortable coloring directly with the glitter crayons, trace your design with a pencil first.

The fun part about this bag is that you can draw a picture, put a funny craft saying, an inspirational quote and have fun using the other glitter crayon colors! The brighter/lighter the crayon the better it will pop for that chalkboard look!

Feel free to try this on a black art canvas for a creative home decor project. My children want to make library totes, too!

CRAFT TIP: Now I haven’t tried to wash this tote bag so I’m not sure how it holds up. I can honestly say I’ve never needed to wash a craft or library tote, but another great idea would be to use the Crayola Fabric Crayons if you’re worried about that

Michaels carries a wide range of Crayola for you and your next kids’ next project in stores and on Michaels.com – and the best part, all Crayola product is on sale from 8/2-8/8 – just check out the Big Brand Sale landing page for more details!

POST BY:

This post was sponsored by Michaels. Project and opinions are mine.

The post Chalkboard Tote Bag Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

Today we are all about sharing FREE beautiful bag patterns from amazing gals with jaw-dropping talent!

Find many different styles below…

Little Girls Pleated Purse Tutorial by Stitched by Crystal

Mini Book Tote Tutorial by Crazy Little Projects

Tohoku Tote Tutorial by I am Momma Hear Me Roar

Fat Quarter Drawstring Tote Tutorial by Diary of a Quilter

Fat Quarter Purse Tutorial by Crafts Unleashed

Reversible Tote Tutorial by Tea Rose Home

Bandanna Backpack Tutorial by U Create

Messenger Bag Tutorial by Crazy Little Projects

Mini Messenger Bag Tutorial by Ali Foster

Petal Backpack Tutorial by Happy Together

Kids Reversible Bag Tutorial by Grandma’s Chalkboard

Library Tote Tutorials by U Create

Retro Travel Bag Tutorial by The Polka Dot Chair

Ruffled Tote Tutorial by Blue Robin Cottage

Cosmetic Bag Tutorial by The Girl Inspired

Gathered Flower Purse Tutorial by Sew Dang Cute

Simple Summer Tote Bag Tutorial by Hearts and Sharts

AND…

…let’s end with this amazing purse organizer tutorial by Fresh Crush!

Customize it to whatever size you want and keep that bag/purse organized!

The post Free Beautiful Bag Patterns appeared first on U Create.

 

1. Cut two 3 inch squares from your scraps.

2. Apply light fusible interfacing for stability.

3. Cut squares in half from corner to corner to create triangles

4. Sew two sides (right sides together).

5. Turn right side out and iron flat.

6. Top stitch around the two sides you sewed together.

1. Decide where you want the eyelet.

2. Trace the inner circle.

3. Carefully cut the mark you traced.

4. Insert eyelet.

5. Place eyelet on base.

6. Place top thinner piece on top.

7. Insert the hammering post and give it 4 or 5 good whacks with a hammer.

8.  You’re done.

  

  

 

 

1. Take one of your halves and thread one end through an eyelet…it doesn’t matter which one you start with.

2. Find the half mark of the string and stick a safety pin there.

3. Thread the safety pin and string through one of the casings.

4. Leave a loop when you reach the other side.

5. It should look like this so far.

6. Take the other 2 yards we cut earlier and fold it in half.  Place the safety pin at the half mark (like before) and thread it through the other casing. 

7. Don’t leave a loop on this side, however. Pull the other end all the way out.

8. Take the end you pulled out and put it around the ropes hanging out of the casing in step 3. {NOTICE THE PICTURE}

9. Put your safety pin in the end and thread it back through the casing you just pulled it out of.

10. Take the ends of the rope and thread it through the loop you left from step 4.

11. Take one of the rope still in your hand and thread it through the empty eyelet.  Tie a knot; good and tight!  Go tie a knot at the other eyelet too.  Cut off the excess and burn the rope ends to keep from fraying.

 

The post Bandanna Drawstring Backpack Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

Silhouette Cameo Cutter

6.  Hang them to dry.  I hung them from my blinds in the kitchen, but my son came up with this “better way” using 2 wooden dowels, a rope, and some knots he learned in scouts.

7.  I let them dry completely and ironed the canvas part of the bag…don’t iron the handles; they melt!

8. Using my Silhouette Cutting Machine and the Janda Spring Doodles Font, I created some small heat transfer to doll the bags up a bit more.  One more reason EVERYONE should add a craft cutter to their craft supplies!

9. I filled the bags with crinkled paper and small treats; now they are ready for neighbors and friends.

Check out our Egg Decorating Round-up for more fun Easter Ideas.

The post Canvas Easter Gift Bag Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

Hi my U Create reading friends! I love being over at U Create and I am LOVING this Fat Quarter Series that Kari and Becky have going. I’ve got a bit of a thing for fat quarters (proof here), so it’s fun to see all of these ideas. This is Amber from over at Crazy Little Projects joining you today with a quick and easy sewing tutorial using 2 fat quarters. Now, this project is a perfect fit for me. I’ve got a Learn to Sew series for kids and teens going on right now and this project will be perfect for kids and teens. Or anyone really.

I’m calling it my Mini Book Tote. It’s similar to my most popular project ever, the messenger bag, but in small form:

It’s made to fit small books (you can adjust the sizing as needed). I actually made this one to be a scripture case-it fits a set of scriptures perfectly. But you can use it for anything…

Mini Book Tote Tutorial:

Supplies Needed:

2 Fat Quarters: 1 for the outside, 1 for the inside {If you pick a directional fabric though, you are going to need one more fat quarter in that fabric}

Fusible Fleece Interfacing

Instructions: Cut out your pieces. You need to cut these pieces out of the main fabric, the coordinating fabric and the fusible fleece interfacing. Here are the measurements I used:

• 2 pieces that are 7″ x 9″
• 2 pieces that are 4 1/4″ x 7 1/2″
• 1 piece that is 4 1/4″ x 9 1/2″
• 2 pieces that are 2 1/2″ x 11″

If you want to adjust this bag to fit a different size book simply measure the book and change the measurements from there. My book measurement was about 6″ x 8″ and was 4″ deep, so I used 7″ x 9″ with 4 1/4″ as my cutting guide. So adjust yours depending on your sizing. Here’s a layout that will allow you to cut all the pieces from a fat quarter. You can see that this isn’t going to work with directional fabric-that one strap piece up at the top is going the wrong way. So, if you have directional fabric you’ll need one more fat quarter:

One you have all of your pieces cut, iron the fusible fleece interfacing to the backs of your main pieces

Now, beginning with your main pieces let’s assemble the bag. First, attach the two 4 1/4″ x 7 1/2″ pieces to the 7 inch sides of your main piece with right sides together. Then get your 4 1/4″ x 9 1/2″ piece and attach it to the bottom of your main piece, again with right sides together. Do this with both of your main pieces so that you form a little box:

Now sew the side and bottom pieces together at the corners. (See above-in the bottom left corner of this picture I have sewed those two pieces together. Next sew a straight seam in 6 places-one down each of the short sides and one across each of the bottom sides.

This will assemble the rest of your bag. The trickiest place will be at the corners. Make sure you are sewing just through the 2 layers of fabric that you want to and then catch the corner in it at the end of the seam. Your corners should look like this when you are done:

Turn it all right side out and you should have a nice bag formed. Check to make sure there are no holes or anything. Then do the exact same thing with your inner pieces. Now you need to make some straps. Take your long 11″ pieces and place them with right sides together and sew up to the long sides leaving either end open:

Then turn them right side out and press them flat. Then top stitch them on each of the long sides. (The top stitching isn’t shown in this picture.)

Time to put it all together. With your outside piece INSIDE OUT and your inner piece RIGHT SIDE OUT, put the inner piece down into the outside piece. Match up all the corners and everything and pin them all in place. Stick your straps down inside the bag with the ends sticking out (double check to make sure you don’t get them twisted up and that you have them facing the way you want them to:

Now sew all the way around the top leaving an opening between 1 of the handles:

Snip off the extra ends from the straps:

Turn everything right side out and push the inside down into the outside and press it all in place. Then top stitch around the top-closing the opening and making it look all pretty. And you are done my friends.

Love to Sew? I’ve got a few other favorites you might enjoy….

Messenger Bag Tutorial:

Or how about a beach tote for summer:

The post Mini Book Tote Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

Hello U Create Readers!! My name is Bev and I blog over at Flamingo Toes.  I am sooo excited to be here today and I am loving this Fat quarter series! It is so fun to see what everyone is making – there are such cute projects and great gift ideas too. I’m looking forward to making a dent in my fat quarter stash! Today I’m making a sweet little Zipper Pouch! It’s nice and tall so you can stash lots of things inside, and it’s embroidered with a sweet little Arrow and Heart detail.

The embroidery uses simple, beginner stitches, but if you don’t like to do embroidery, you could easily change out the center panel and just use a cute contrasting fabric…

This project uses a fat quarter for the outside, and one for the inside, along with a small piece of fabric for the center detail. I also used some leather pieces for the detailing on the center panel. So let’s get started! You’ll need:

• 1 fat quarter for outside fabric
• 1 fat quarter for lining
• fabric for center panel: 3″ x 10 1/2″
• leather pieces for center panel edging (can substitute fabric or piping here): 2 pieces – 1 1/2″ by 10 1/2″
• fusible fleece: 2 pieces 8″ x 10 1/2″
• embroidery floss for arrow stitching
• Arrow & Heart Embroidery Pattern
• 7″ zipper

To begin, start with your embroidery. Trace the pattern onto your center panel fabric with a disappearing ink pen.

Embroider the arrows with a back stitch and the center heart with a satin stitch. If you need help with the embroidery, I have tutorials for those stitches on my How to Do That: Embroidery Page.

If you haven’t already, cut out the center panel piece, 3″ x 10 1/2″. Cut out the leather pieces if you’re adding those in, and cut out 2 pieces 3″ x 10 1/2″.

Fold each leather piece in half long ways. Line up the raw edges with each side of the center panel and sew the pieces to the center panel with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Sew the two main fabric pieces to each side of the center panel, right sides together, with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Press the seams towards the center, so the leather pieces face away from the center. (Make sure you don’t iron over the leather. Press from the back side.) Topstitch the center panel just inside the seams.

I just love the color that mint green leather adds! Cut another panel from your main fabric: 8″ x 10 1/2″. This will be your back piece. Iron fusible fleece to the wrong sides of the front and back panels.

Now we’re going to add in the zipper. Line up the zipper edge with the top edge of the front, top panel. The zipper should face down. Place the lining piece right sides together with the front panel and sew the top edges together with a 1/4″ seam allowance. You’ll want to use a zipper foot too – and you will probably want to move the zipper out of the as you sew.

Repeat for the other side with the zipper. Lay out the back panel and lining and line up the top of the panels with the other side of the zipper. Sew.

Lay the front and back main panels together and the lining panels together. Sew all the way around the lining and main panels, but leave a 3″ opening at the bottom of the lining for turning.

To make the box corners for the base, make a triangle with the corner by making the corner a point with the side seam and bottom seam lining up. Sew across the corner 2″ down from the point. Do this for both corners on the main fabric and both of the lining fabric.

Trim off all the corners. Turn the pouch right side out and sew the opening in the lining closed. Tuck the lining into the pouch and press everything so it doesn’t look like you just wadded it into a ball to turn it right side out.

Yayy! Now you have a super cute new zipper pouch for all your makeup, or even your secret candy stash.

Isn’t it fun? I think it would make a great gift too!

I hope you like it! I’d love for you to stop by Flamingo Toes and say hi! You can check out my other projects on my Tutorials page. Thanks for including me in the series Kari!

The post Arrow Embroidered Zipper Pouch Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

This bag finishes at about 13″ long by 10″ wide. In addition to altering the gusset, you can change the length of the bag by trimming some of the fat quarter length before you start sewing. I promise after you’ve made one, you’ll be able to start whipping them out quickly. They’re great for holding craft projects, birthday presents, Legos, you name it.

Here are a few other simple Fat Quarter projects. These projects are perfect for beginning sewers and once again, would be good summer sewing projects with kids too.

Thanks so much for having me, U Create girls!

The post Easy Fat Quarter Drawstring Bag Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

Supplies:

1-Fat Quarter (which is a half yard of fabric, cut in half)

1-3″ x 7″ piece of fabric (Navy with stars)

1-7″ x 10″ piece of fabric (green with skulls)

2-2 1/4″ x 54″ strips of fabric for straps (I used extra of the strips I had left from binding a quilt.)

The post Summer Reading Sack Tutorial by iCandy Handmade appeared first on U Create.

What you need:

–Pattern Piece One
–Pattern Piece Two
-One fat quarter for outer.  This will be what you sew the pintucks on, so the pintucks show up better with a fabric that isn’t very busy.  Depending on how large you make your pintucks, you will most likely have some left over.
-One 10” x 16” piece of fabric for inside of pouch.  I liked the patterned fat quarter so I used that, but didn’t use the whole piece obviously.
-One 10” x 16” piece of fusible interfacing
-pintuck foot (optional:  I’ll talk about this more later—you don’t have to use one!)
-twin needle (if using pintuck foot)
-button, snaps, velcro, or magnetic snap for closure.  I will just be showing the button in this tutorial.
-wash and iron fabric
-use about a 1/4” seam, maybe a little bigger if desired

About the pintuck foot:  I love this foot!  If you have ever made pintucks, you know how tedious it can get without the foot.  With that being said, the pouch is not large so you don’t need to sew a ton of pintucks.  If you are new to making pintucks, Sew Much Ado has a tutorial HERE on how to make them without the pintuck foot.  See Kate Sew has a tutorial HERE how to make them with a pintuck foot.

I used this size of twin needle:

If you wanted larger pintucks you can get a twin needle that has larger spacing between them.
One more thing before we start.  I wanted to show you the difference (pictured below) between the pintucks by using a different stitch.  On the left, you’ll see a pintuck made using See Kate Sew’s tutorial, using a straight stitch and tension set at 9.  On the other two, I used a zig-zag stitch set at 0, tension set at 9. I liked how the straight stitch method created the larger stitches and also the pintuck was raised a little bit more.  I’m sure this can be accomplished on either stitch, but in case you don’t want to guess, that’s how these were made.  Also, I recommend a high quality 100% polyester thread.  On my practice run I didn’t use very good quality thread and it kept breaking with the tension set so high.

First start by folding your fat quarter in half and make a crease.

You can space your pintucks however you’d like.  You should have plenty of fabric with the fat quarter if wanting to make the pintucks larger or spaced closer together.  I had nearly half of my fat quarter left after making pintucks on the other half of fabric.  You can move the needles to one side to make the pintucks spaced differently.  First, sew down the crease you made.  No need to backstitch as you will be cutting out the pattern pieces from this.

I spaced my next pintuck along the furthest groove of the foot.

Just keep sewing pintuck after pintuck until you have enough to fit and cut out your pattern pieces.  It would make a fun option to put the pintucks on the diagonal when cutting out your pattern!

Cut out your pattern pieces—the outer pintucked fabric, the inner lining, and fusible interfacing.

Iron the interfacing to the lining fabric by following the interfacing instructions. If using a magnetic snap closure, this is where you’ll want to put that in.

Now is a good time to sew on any labels you have.  I sewed mine onto the back middle of the outer fabric.

Place the right sides of the outer fabric together and the right sides of the interfaced lining together.  Pin.  Sew all the way around the two layers on the outer.  On the lining, leave a 3” space at the bottom for turning the pouch later on (I’m pointing to where my space will be).  Make sure to backstitch where you begin and end.

Clip curved corners of what you just sewed.

Turn the lining fabric right side out.

Place the lining inside the outer fabric, right sides together.

Pin around the flap and opening of pouch as pictured below and sew.

At the corners, stop with the needle down, lift your presser foot, turn the fabric a 90 degree angle and continue sewing.

Clip corners and curves.

Turn pouch right side out through opening in lining and stitch the lining closed, close to the edge.

Press the pouch well and topstitch along the flap and edges of opening.

Add your closure, which in my case just meant sewing a buttonhole and the button on.

All finished!

Great for sticking inside your purse or diaper bag to hold make-up or other small items.

Thanks so much for having me today Kari and Becky!  I’m looking forward to seeing all the creative ideas!

The post The Pintucked Pouch Tutorial appeared first on U Create.