Guest Post: Lelanie Denso To Sew With Love

My princess was in school this morning while my li'l guy was having his mid-morning nap, so I have decided to whip up a little something out of some fabrics I have in my stash. I still had some of the linen fabric I used for this'>http://tosewwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/02/15-minute-organizermake-up-purse.html">this project and the Michael Miller print fabric I used for other projects (this'>http://tosewwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/02/15-minute-organizermake-up-purse.html">this and this'>http://tosewwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/01/variations-for-your-heat-packbelt.html">this).


So, I took what was left of my linen and MM fabric, some lace and zipper from my stash and made this

Yeah... It's somewhat similar to this'>http://tosewwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/02/15-minute-organizermake-up-purse.html">this organizer/make-up purse I made except that it's bigger, has one more compartment inside (compared to just one card holder of my purse project), has one zippered pocket outside (as shown above) plus it has this:

So, your child spilled her juice... you don't have to struggle while in a hurry to zip open your diaper/wipes holder to get one wet tissue! Great, right? So, you wanna know how you can make one? 

So, you will need:

4 pcs. 11.5" x 8" (2 exterior, 2 interior fabrics)

1 pc. 11.5" x 7.5" (exterior fabric, for inner compartment)

1 pc. 9" x 8" (exterior fabric for zippered pocket)

1 pc. 9" X 4" (interior fabric for zippered pocket)

4 pcs. 2" x 1.5" (exterior fabric and interior fabric as zipper end covers)

1 pc. 14" x 1" bias tape (interior fabric)

1 pc. 11" long zipper

1 pc. 9" long zipper

lace for embellishment

Get your zipper end covers and fold as shown below.

Sew them on to each end. It would be better to adjust your velocity knob to the slowest for this part so your needle won't gett caught or break when it hits the metal parts of the zipper. Just do it slowly. Do the same to your other and shorter zipper.

Get your exterior fabric for inner compartment (measures 11.5" x 7.5") Fold it in half lengthwise, and sew a straight stitch leaving a 1/4 seam from the folded edge of your fabric.

Get one of your interior fabrics (11.5" x 8") and sew your compartment piece on it with a basting stitch, with your interior fabric (pink, in my case) right side up as shown below. Just sew on the three sides of your fabric (in my case, the linen). Leave one side of your linen unsewn (below, it appears to be topstitched)

Get the center of your fabrics by folding it in half, crosswise. Sew a straight stitch on the center of your linen fabric. 

So you now have two compartments or two pockets. See? ^^)

Now, get your linen outer pocket piece (9" x 8"), fold it in half lengthwise, right sides together, in between them place the shorter zipper with the ends already covered. Attach your zipper by sewing a straight stitch. Always do backtracks!(shown below)

Turn your piece...

Place your lace as shown below then topstitch.

Get your pink fabric and attach the other side of your zipper to it.

Get one of your linen purse piece and attach your pocket to it as shown below. You could sew on top of the stitches you just made to attach your zipper to the pink fabric.

Now, you have to sew all three unsewn sides of your pocket to the linen purse piece. Start by sewing both short sides. But before you start sewing, fold each short side (all three layers of fabric of your pocket) under the pink fabric (I hope I make sense...)so you can sew you pocket's sides close. The layers of fabric you just have tucked in are not visible since they will now be under your pink fabric.

This is how it will look like after you've sewn both short sides of your pocket.

Then sew close your bottom edge. This is to make sure you'll catch all layers when you construct your purse later.

I have also sewn the zipper ends cover.

Now, we have a zippered pocket!

Attach the long zipper to your purse pieces. You can follow these'>http://tosewwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/02/15-minute-organizermake-up-purse.html">these detailed instructions but it's basically the same as what we did with our zippered pocket. I have sewn some lace on one side of the purse (the side with the opening for the wipes)

As you can see below, I already have the holes done for the wipes. Basically, you just trace where your opening should be and cut carefully. Now, arrange your fabric pieces in such a way that you have two linen fabrics facing right sides together, and two pink fabrics facing right sides together. You can pin to secure your fabrics.

Sew a straight stitch then a zigzag stitch or serge along all sides. Do not sew through the zipper ends covers but just beside it (see'>http://tosewwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/02/15-minute-organizermake-up-purse.html">see here)

Sew a straight stitch 1" away from each tip of your purse. Then cut excess fabric.

So, you'll have these blunt edges which will give your purse more "room".

Turn your purse inside out through the holes you have made for your wipes. If you decided not to create an opening for your wipes, then you should leave your zipper open before assembling your purse. Align and fix well the hole of your purse and sew a basting stitch.

Get your bias tape and sew it all around the hole. I wasn't able to make photos of each step but just to explain how I did it, I will be using pictures from another project. Please do not get confused like me ^^)

Well, our bias is folded in four parts, right? So, all we have to do is turn our purse so we'll have the pink fabric outside and the linen inside. Align the edge of your bias (wrong side up) with the edge of the opening (hole), make sure to fold the end of the bias towards you, downwards. Just fold about 1/4" of your bias, when you do then the folded part of the bias and the rest of the bias will be facing wrong sides together. 

Now you can start sewing following the crease of your bias. You can pin before sewing but I like to be able to adjust my bias while I sew so I just adjust it making sure to follow the contours and curves of the opening (hole) as I go.

Leave at least 1/2" of your bias (measured from where you have folded your bias before you started sewing) and you can cut off excess bias. Turn your purse so you'll now have the linen outside, fold your bias and sew as shown below. 

When you're finished with the bias, you'll have this:

A view of the interior of the purse/organizer with the interior pockets in use.

Oh, I need some wet tissue. Fast!

Well, here you go! ^^)

And oh, the zippered pocket in action...

You could even add a wristlet if you want, see here'>http://tosewwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/02/15-minute-organizermake-up-purse.html">here.

I really like how this came out. Though, I am already planning on making another one. I am thinking of adding a separator so inside it's like having 2 purses in 1. The other side is for the diapers and wipes (of course, with the hole!) and the other side would hold baby's nappy cream, maybe mom's lip balm, health care cards) and I will still keep the outer and zippered pocket. ^^)

This project is so easy-to-do. It actually took me longer to write the tutorial than sewing it! I hope you'd make one and show me your own 30-minute Diaper and Wipes Purse/Holder!

Happy crafty wednesday everyone and I hope you liked today's tutorial. Next week, I'll show you the summer dress I made as a birthday'>http://tosewwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/03/guest-posting-for-kaysi.html">birthday gift for my princess' friend and I will post a tutorial, too ^^).

Hugs,

Lelanie


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