Simple Sewing Saturdays: Volume Seven: Completely Easy Towel/Bib

Purging my kitchen with extraneous items last week, I stumbled across something that I had not seen nor thought about for some time.  It was a handy little towel bib that I made eons ago for Eldest/Admin, who is now 31 years young.  It's survived the many Tempera Painting Events that happened regularly around our house. The little terry bib was perfect for covering everything and it was handily handed down to each of her siblings.  Little Visitors to my home enjoyed the fact that Mrs. Cory was not afraid to use real paint, not the poor excuse for paint in those little Child Box of Paints that people are so fond of, the ones with the pitiful brushes. No indeed.  I would place the paint on a ceramic paint in great appealing globs, demonstrating for my own selfish enjoyment, the unbridled joy of mixing colors and the brilliance of adding white to change the tone.  And I made sure that we had decent brushes, for crying out loud.  Have YOU ever tried to paint with those things?  Impossible.  Get good tools so that your children feel successful, not blighted with poor equipment.  Anyway.  I digress.  Again.

For those children that need a little protected cover for the times when really good clothes need to be covered, this little gem is it.  Made of a towel, it washes well, absorbs too and slips easily over pony tails. So let us continue on.  You might need a quick gift this afternoon, and this just might be it!

Use a towel from  your closet.  Okay.  You can actually buy one, but isn't it more convenient to use what you have on hand?  Of course it is. And used towels are softer and more pliable. Use a hand towel, good size for a toddler/young child.  Fold down a third way down, as in the photo. Right in the center of the fold, mark a spot two inches down from folded edge.  On four inches on either side of this mark, place a pin.  You will be making a semi circle to make the neckline.  Using a pencil or fabric marker, mark the dot two inches down and join the curved line on either side to make a nice curved neck.  There is a nice little way with string and a compass to do this, but this is just a short walk; you can do it free hand.

Cut out the neck on the line formed by this curve.

We will edge the neck with good ol' bias tape. We shall not even unfold the tape for this go around, it is that simple.  Just sew the folded edge of the bias tape to the raw edge of the neck line, right sides together, leaving a bit of a tail. Now just roll over the bias tape to the other side of the bib and top stitch close to the folded edge, folding under the extra tail and stitching right on top of it.  Finished neckline, quick, quick!

With right side of the bib up, measure six inches from the shoulder.  Mark with a pin close to the bib edge.  Stitch horizontally about 2 1/2 inches, toward the center.  This makes the 'arm holes'.

Never to leave something alone, I make a little pocket to go on front.  You could make an initial, simply zig zagging around a cut out letter you did free hand with some fabric and your scissors.  As you can see, I think that I can do it without a template.  It turned out a bit wonky, but doesn't everything I make have a bit wonkiness to it?  Perfection is not my strong suit.  No comment.

I sewed two hearts together, sewed them wrong sides together and stitched around, leaving 2 inches open to be able to turn it.  See how you trim around curves?  Outer curve; clip and open V shape; inside curve; clip.

And here we are, less than an hour later with a fine little gift or a handy little cover up for your budding artist!  Now wasn't that fun?  The options are only limited by your towels in your linen closet!  Just remember if you do actually buy a towel, to make sure you have good paint supplies available and shun the pitiful offerings of paint kits that they make for children.  Give them good stuff; they have their cover up all ready!  Happy Sewing!

Simple Sewing Saturdays: Volume Four

On today's Simple Sewing Saturdays, we are going to venture to the very useful skill of pocket making. Whether you're making a purse, tote, apron or skirt, when don't you need a pocket? At the end of the day, I can unload my pockets to reveal where I've been that day; scraps of paper with hastily written reminders, receipts, litter found in my yard, wrappers, change, used straws from Vivie.  You name it.  So, we must have good pockets.

To Begin.

Pockets come in all sizes.  Today, I'll use a large rectangle that shall be divided into compartments. The size will depend on your bag lining. And you'll need two of them.  I like to use fusible fleece on the back of one of them.  Helps shape the purse/bag/tote/apron better.  Here is another place to use handy sized scraps.  Carefully line up the lining piece to the top piece, right sides together. Sew a half inch seam on three sides, leaving one of the short sides open.

Trim the two corners diagonally.

Turn the pocket right side out, one end open. Press.  Top stitch around, 1/4 inch from edge. Fold in 1/2 inch on open edge, pressing it down then topping stitch it as well.

Center the pocket on the interfaced bag lining, making sure you have enough room on the sides for your seam allowance on the lining.  Sew pocket onto the bag's lining, back stitch in the first and last stitch.  Reinforce on the bottom of the pocket in case you carry heavy loads. Like dinosaurs.  Do not laugh.  I was known to carry large scale dinosaurs with me in my early Mother of Two Sons Stint.

As previously mentioned, I am sectioning off this rather wide pocket.  The size is approximately 10x7 so I will be taking 2 1/2 inches for a pen/pencil pocket.  I love these.  I hate searching the bottom of my bag for the elusive pen at the check out.  Yes.  I still write checks. And no, I hate to borrow the cashiers. Eek.

The leftover space, I divide into two good size pockets.  Good for pocket mirror, lipstick, comb (yes, I still use those too.)  Didn't realized how archaic my purse is making me out to be.  I also use these pockets for crayons. And small note pads.  And people are glad that I pack 'em.  Manicure set. Hot Wheels.  Gum. Mints.

There now!  You have a dandy, well supported, clean edged Pockey Poo for your most fun purse!

And as a Special Treat, this weekend, Simple Sewing Saturdays, is going to expand to Simple Sewing Sundays!!

Yes! A second edition on Further Adventures in Pocketing!  After all, there is another side to the inside of your purse...Shouldn't we do that side up nicely as well?  Two more types of pockets tomorrow!!