1st Bloggerversary: A Crayon Roll Tutorial For You!

Its my 1st Bloggerversary! 

I can't believe it's been a year since I decided to dive into the blogging community.  I love being able to share what I have been working on with you and I LOVE the feed back.  I just want to say thank you for reading my ramblings and leaving such wonderful comments, they make my day!

So as a small thank you I am giving you a tutorial.  I love making these little crayon rolls.  They are great for sticking in your purse or the diaper bag and pulling out whenever the kids need a little distraction: in the car, a waiting room, a restaurant, etc.  They also make wonderful gifts or party favors!

What you will need:

1 outer piece - 12.5 x 5 inches

1 inner piece - 12.5 x 5 inches

1 pocket piece - 12.5 x 5.5 inches

1 piece of batting - 12.5 x 5 inches

1 hair tie

matching thread

Start by folding the pocket piece (shown in the stripe fabric) long ways like a hot dog bun and press.

Using a water soluble pencil mark the center of the long edge of the pocket piece on both top (the folded edge) and bottom (where the raw edges meet).  Then place a mark every inch from the center to the edge on each side of the center mark.  Only make five marks on each side for a total of eleven marks.  This will leave you with 1 1/4 inches from the last mark to the edge.  Do this along the top and bottom edge.

Once you have all marks made you are going to pin the pocket piece to the lining piece.  Line up the raw edges of the pocket piece with the bottom edge of the lining piece and pin well so it doesn't shift.

Starting along the bottom, sew from the bottom edge mark up to the matching top edge mark back stitching a bit at the top making sure to go to the edge, but not over.  This forms the little pockets for the crayons.  

Continue until all of the marks have been connected, 11 total.  It should look like this (the above photo).  Now the lining is finished and you can set it aside.

Take your outer piece and place the batting on the wrong side lining up the edges.  Attach the hair tie to one of the shorter edges (I like to place mine on the right edge when I am looking at it) leaving the majority, about 2/3 to 3/4, of the hair tie on the fabric with the shorter portion hanging off the edge.  Using an 1/8 inch allowance sew the hair tie on back stitching 3 or 4 times making sure it is nice and secure. 

Now place you inner and outer sections right sides together.

Pin the layers together making sure nothing will shift.

Staring along the bottom sew around the edges leaving a small opening for turning.  Be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end.  Clip the corners and turn, making sure to push out the corners.

Once turned, top stitch about an 1/8 inch from the edge back stitching at the beginning and end.

Fill with crayons, roll it up and enjoy!

If you have any questions just leave a comment and I will edit the post with the answer and email you.  I would also love to see what you make!  If you make one, or anything inspired by this blog, please post photos in my Flickr group!

Thanks for reading!

Christine



Pleated Clutch Tutorial

I'm very excited for my first tutorial!  I love making zip pouches, they are so fun and come together very quickly.  But beware, they are very addicting!  It's hard to make just one.

This bag finishes at about 11"x6.25" with a divided pocket on the inside.  It's nice and sturdy due to the fusible fleece attached to the lining.  I also rounded and darted the corners to give it a nice shape that wouldn't just be flat.  I am very happy with the way this bag turned out and hope you are too!

You will need:

For the outer fabric- (2) 5.5"x18" and (2) 2"x11.5"

Lining fabric - (2) 7"x11.5" and (1) 8.5"x8.5"(pocket)

Light weight interfacing - (2) 5"x17.5", (2) 1.5"x11" and (1) 8"x8"

Fusible fleece - (2) 6.5"x11"

Matching Zipper - at least 12" (Mine was 14" because that's what I had on hand.)

Optional:
Outer fabric - (1) 2"x2"
A .5" D-ring

Alrighty, lets get started.  Attach the matching pieces of interfacing to the 4 outer fabric pieces and to the pocket following the manufactures instructions.


Take the 2 large outer pieces and line them up on your cutting mat or use a ruler to mark it for the pleats.  Mark the center of the 18" length, then mark 1" from the center, then 2.5", 4.5" and 6" along the edge.  Repeat on the other side of the center line.  Do this on both the top and bottom of each piece.

Starting from the outside fold the fabric on the first line and then match it up to the second and pin it.  Repeat along the bottom edge.  Now fold the fabric at the second line and match up with the fourth line in the same manner as before and pin it.  Repeat along the bottom edge as well.  Turn the fabric around and repeat the process on the other side.  When finished you should have 2 pleats on each side that fold toward the center.  Repeat the entire process on the second piece.

They should look like this.




Now you need to round the bottom corners.  Just find something small and round, place it on the corner lined up with the sides and trace.  I used a small candle, you don't want anything too big.  Then cut off the corner on the line you drew.



Pin the top bands to the pleated sections.  My pleated sections were slightly larger than 11.5" so I lined up the ends and pinned them and then the center and then again between the center and the edges.  This way any extra would be eased into the 11.5" band.  Sew with a quarter inch seam.  Press the seams up toward the bands.

At this point I also stitched along the bottom just in about an 1/8 of an inch to baste the pleats so I could get rid of all the pins.

Top stitch a scant quarter inch up from the seam on the top band.

Now you need to dart the corners.  I lined up my pieces on my cutting mat and used the 45 degree line to mark an inch in from the edge.  Mark all 4 bottom corners in this manner.  Then fold on the line, right sides together, and sew a line starting on the inside, an inch in, to the edge a quarter inch from the fold.  It might help if you mark the back side of the back side of the fabric.

If you are attaching a D-ring or would just like a loop of fabric you need to grab your 2"x2" piece of outer fabric.  Fold it in half and press.  Unfold and fold the edges into the center fold and press again.  Keep the edges folded in and refold along the center line, press again.  Stitch about about an 1/8 of and inch along along the unfolded edge.  You should now have a piece that measures 2" by about .5".  I hope that is clear, I'm sorry I don't have any photos.  Slip on the D-ring and fold in half.  I usually stitch mine to the left side of the front, but it is up to you, this bag doesn't have a clear front and back so it doesn't really matter.  Stitch it on the top band just above the seam (see photo) about an 1/8" from the edge.

At this point the outer pieces are finished.  Time for the lining.

Start by rounding the bottom corners of the lining pieces the same way you did the outer pieces.  You also need to round the corners on the two pieces of fusible fleece.  Once the corners are rounded you can attach the fusible fleece to the lining pieces, again, follow the manufactures instructions. 


For the pocket grab the 8.5"x8.5" lining piece, fold in half right sides together and stitch down the sides.  Turn right side out, press and then top stitch along the folded edge about a quarter inch down.







Lay the pocket piece upside down so the raw edge is about 2" from the bottom.  Make sure it's centered and sew a quarter inch from the raw edge, press up.  Pin in place and then sew a scant quarter inch up both sides back stitching and the beginning and end.  Then come in about 2.5"-3" from the right side and stitch up from the bottom back stitching again. (Don't mind my pocket piece, it was a little short, but I made it work.)


Dart the bottom corners of the lining pieces in the same manner as you did the outer pieces.

Now the outer and lining pieces are finished and ready to become a bag!



Are you still with me?  I know this is getting pretty long!



Take an outer piece and lay it right side up, place the zipper top/right side down along the top edge.  Then lay the lining piece right side down lining up the top edge with the zipper and top edge of the outer piece.  Pin and sew a quarter inch from the edge.  You can use your zipper foot, but I didn't.

Now flip back the outer and lining piece away from the zipper and top stitch about an eighth of and inch from the edge.


Repeat with the two remaining pieces making sure the outer pieces are right sides together and the lining pieces are right sides together and top stitch.



Flip the pieces back right sides together and unzip the zipper 3/4 of the way.




Pin all the way around the edges making sure to pin the zipper coils towards the lining.  Make sure to pin it good around the zipper so it doesn't shift while sewing.  I made sure to line up the darts and and pleats when pinning.

When sewing around the edges I used a 1/4 inch seam around the outside pieces and more like 3/8 to a 1/2 around the lining pieces.  This just makes sure the lining fits nicely and doesn't bunch up.  Make sure to leave a 3"-4" opening in the bottom of the lining for turning.

Once you've sewed around the edge, turn the right side out and either machine or hand stitch the opening closed.  I always machine stitch it since it's on the inside and no one will really see it.  Stuff the lining down into the bag, shape it up a bit and voila!

I hope this all made sense.  If you have any questions please leave them in the comments and I will respond to you and also update the tutorial.  If you make one please leave a link in the comments, I would LOVE to see it!

**Update**
Feel free to post any photos of your bag in my new Flickr group!