Mar 11th, 2009
This is one of the cutest uses for bias tape. Most tote bags have the same generic straps, and webbing from a crafts store isn’t that cheap. Bias tape straps are a unique and economical alternative when making your own tote bags.
Project #3: Simple Tote Straps
1. Choose two contrasting or coordinating bias tapes and cut off enough to make two straps. Cut 14″-15″ per strap for a small strap or 19″-20″ per strap for something you can slip onto your shoulder.
2. You’ll need one bias tape ironed into a single fold bias tape (the main pattern) and one ironed into a double fold bias tape (the coordinating pattern). *If you’d like the straps to be reinforced, cut a 3/4″ strip of interfacing and iron it inside the folds of the single fold bias tape before you move on to step 3.
3. Place the double fold (the coordinating pattern) bias tape onto the open side of the single fold bias tape (the main pattern). Basically you’re covering the raw edges of the single fold.
4. Pin in place and stitch 1/8″ from both edges of the double fold bias tape.
Now you’ve got some adorable decorative straps to add to your next tote bag!
No comments yet | Posted under Craft, Notes
Mar 10th, 2009
Guess where I went this weekend. Uh huh. After months and months of not having the right Sundays off, I finally got to do the Rosebowl Flea Market! It was SO satisfying. I got some really incredible fabrics, and a surprise goodie- some gorgeous vintage wallpaper borders!
Here’s my favorite one, unrolled.
I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them quite yet, but they’ll come in handy I’m sure.
No comments yet | Posted under Notes
Mar 5th, 2009
More adorable goodies in the shop–pouches and wristlets–yay! And part 2 of What the Heck is Bias Tape For Anyway series – Project #2: The Sugar Sweet Pocket:
1. Cut out your pocket. I know that curves might be scary for some new sewers, but with a bit of practice they are really no biggie at all.
2. Cover the top edge of the pocket with the bias tape, pin, and sew into place. Sew about 1/8″ from the inner edge, making sure you are catching the lower layer of bias tape as well as the top.
3. Pin bias tape so that it covers the rest of the pocket edges. Make sure to fold the cut ends so that there are no raw edges showing.
4. Before you turn on that sewing machine, iron your bias tape in place. It makes a HUGE difference to iron the curves especially.
5. Position your pocket where you’d like it to live, then transfer the pins so that they go through all layers of fabric: the pocket back, the bottom layer of bias tape, the pocket fabric, and the top layer of bias tape.
6. Stitch the pocket in place, again, sewing about 1/8″ from the inner edge of the bias tape.
C’est Finis! p.s. it always helps if you sew slowly around curves.
No comments yet | Posted under Craft
Mar 3rd, 2009
Ahh bias tape. Remember way back a month ago when I said I was going to sell it? And then I spent days and days ironing? Well now I’ve got all this incredible bias tape and whenever I talk to people about it I get pretty much the same reaction- What on earth do you do with bias tape? Today, my friends, I am going to tell you. Or, start telling you.
Traditionally, bias tape is used to cover exposed edges of fabric. There are varieties of bias tape, or bias binding (same thing) all around. Sometimes you can find it on the insides of a cool tote bag and a lot of times you’ll find it inside that really cute Gap coat, and quilters use it to cover the edges of blankets and other quilted projects. I’m sure I’m not alone in exploring the many other uses of bias tape and I’m going to share with you some of my favorite uses for it.
Project #1: The Ten Minute Lanyard
This is a great project for the busy lady, or gentleman, who needs her/his keys handy at all times, but is too fashion forward to ever buy one of those polyester lanyards with a sports team logo on it (Or maybe you have, and just thought there were no other alternatives. It’s okay, I understand. I won’t tell anyone).
1. Cut 1 yard of pre-made bias tape. Stitch 1/8″ from the edge all the way around, making one long strap.
2. Slip your key clip onto the strap, place the two ends together and stitch 1/4″ from the edge. Make sure you don’t accidentally twist your strap.
3. Bring the key clip down to the new seam, flip the raw edge inwards, and sew a new stitch, encasing the key clip.
Voila.
There are 2 Comments | Posted under Craft, The Goods
Mar 2nd, 2009
And now it’s cold and cloudy again. If you’ve wondered where I’ve been, I’ve been not blogging! I have actually been enjoying the ridiculously beautiful weather we’ve been having over the past couple of days. I spent the past couple of days painting backdrops for my product photos and then photographing them, plus playing with doggies, ironing some bias tape. Good stuff. I set up shop in the garden at a table, right near the orange tree that I mentioned before. It was absurdly wonderful to sit and work, listening to all my favorite music, feeling a warm breeze on my face, and catching whiffs of orange blossoms. I thought it couldn’t get any better. Until . . . no joke, it did. I was sitting there, painting, listening to The Littlest Birds by The Be Good Tanyas, when I heard this quick fluttering sound, like a beetle flying by me. I turned to look, expecting to see a beetle. It wasn’t a beetle. It was a hummingbird, about two feet from me, hovering and staring at me. The little hummingbird just floated around me, checking me out for a while, and then it moved on and just kind of looked at the plants and then it went away. I know it wasn’t looking for food because it’s been hanging around the orange blossoms for the past couple of days. I made a new friend. Alas, I didn’t get a picture of the hummingbird, but here’s a decent substitute.
No comments yet | Posted under Notes
