Sunday 29 March 2009

project caddy..........

Well you can tell I have had not a lot to do this week with my sore foot with all these posts but a girls got to have something to do.............I have several more posts nearly ready to go........

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I have been busting to get one of the sewing caddies made from GDITC............Rosalie's project..........but as I will be too slow to get it stitched (and to many stitcheries to finish too) I decided to make it up out of some other fabric............do you think blue chooky fabric will suit...

......I have not shown this I think but it was a gift from Colleen - thanks Colleen I love it.......

.....anyway back to the subject.........I had a blond moment and stitched the ends together wrong..........it was perfect just wouldn't turn out the right way.............yep well I missed the bit where I was supposed to turn it thru the right way then join the ends..............lol...........and I will not tell you how long it took me to work this out but...................I did...........

and then I learnt my new skill..........we had to attach the bottom to the top with ladder stitch............never done this before so off to the net and googling "ladder stitch"........yep I can do that..........you just can't see where I have joined the pieces - beautiful and this is the first time I have used this stitch..........I am sold on ladder stitch and will be using it heaps more..........

the other thing is you are supposed to put template plastic in the bottom well I had some old xrays from my nan and I cut one of those up and put into the base perfect.............

Here it is all done.............the quick version of Rosalie Quinlan's Welcome Friends Project Caddy............love it........will be making lots more thanks Rosalie..........

If you are interested in the patterns for this project Rosie said they will be available about 20th June

I Need you help now

>>>>>I was making another one to match the needlecase but you should not iron and chat to the "queen of chat" at the same time............not that i did anything toooo bad but I scorched the cream on my other project caddy...........does anyone know if this can be fixed.............does anything remove scorching????? (otherwise it will be a short fat project caddy)

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>>>>>and my pet HATE while making the bag and any bag for that matter is the handles..........does anyone have an easy method for turning the handle straps thru...........it just kills my fingers trying to get it thru...........I have a loop turner but it only works for me when I don't have pellon ironed onto the fabric.......do you have any tips

.........take care til next time.............
.......Chookyblue..........

36 comments:

Gail said...

I always use a safety pin to turn through handles....pin to one side of the handle end and thread through like elastic,..the first bit is tricky sometimes but once you get started it is easy!!!

AJMC said...

Take a look at Bloom's blog Donna -where she gives the wonderful tutorial on faux piped handles there is a tip using a length of poly pipe and a piece of dowel - sounds like faffing about, but once you have the tools, or improvised ones! it's easy. Sure beats tatterd ends and frayed temper.
There must be a story behind the "crook foot"?
Bye
A

Kris Meares - Tag Along Teddies said...

Hey Donna! Oh, now, I resemble that remark!! But think I have to share the crown with you! Tee! Hee! Hee! Have emailed some suggested scorch sollutions to make up for it. Oh, and I use the ol' safety pin method to turn handles, too. Works pretty well for anything over 1/2" wide, just change the size of safety pin to suit - or buy cotton strapping and cheat! :0) Bear Hugs! KRIS

Calamity Jane's Cottage, Bonnie said...

Hi Donna,
Love your bag and I'm not sure on the scorch area. Have you tried baby wipes, they get out a lot, but not sure on scorch.
I keep a long flat head screwdriver in my sewing caddy. Make a strip about 1/2 longer than both handles length (one piece) Sew across one end and down the side, then turn it with the screw driver and cut off the sewn end. Does that makes sense. You can cut the lengths you need. Also put your seam in the middle and press seam open. I do this instead of having on the edge.
Still no package?
Keep Stitchen'
Bonnie

Anita said...

Bag looks great!! What is wrong with your foot?
With the handles, you can cut it wider than you need, then fold each side into the middle, then fold in half, then topstitch on both sides. Clear as mud?? LOL
Will try to find it in a pattern for you.

Lissa Jane said...

hmm if they are wider handles, I sew the strips together then put a wee hem across one end, then use a wooden spoon to turn them through, no fingers used.. if they are smaller I use a thick straw (like a McDonalds straw, they are wider) and a shish kebab stick with a bit of wadding wrapped around the end.. seems to work ok.. I have loop turners too, but can never find those suckers..


Lissa
as for the glue, sometimes if you heat it up again and quickly rub it you can get it off.. worth a try.. I use bosito's to get loads of sticky crap off stuffs, its spray on eucalyptus spray, worth a try too..

Aussie Nanna said...

Hey Chooky
I use cleaning vinegar to get scorch marks off.....but if it is heavily scorched - maybe it is there forever! Ordinary white vinegar will do it too.
I sue a pin for turning handles but like some of the other suggestions....hmmmm...
Hope the foot is improving

Another weekend just about gone!!

Bec said...

Turning handles is one of my pet hates too. Though the last time I did the pattern (can't tell you what - alzheimers) said to use a safety pin, and it worked a treat. Much easier to do. Don't know why I didn't think of this with having threaded so much elastic into casing for shorts/pants/skirts for my children.
Your caddy looks great, and what other fabric could you have used CHOOKYBLUE! LOL.
Bec xxx

May Britt said...

Why not make the handles this way:
http://reannalilydesigns.blogspot.com/2008/05/quilted-purse-handle-tutorial.html
Then you don't have to turn the handles throug

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

Fantastic bag...now how did I know that the Queen Of Chat would be Kris...good guess I reckon...LOL

Fee said...

Hi Donna,

I use a chopstick for most of my fiddly turning. Hope the foot is better

jodie said...

Cute bucket. no tips I'm afraid, I use a chopstick, works for me, but no great secret.

Lurline said...

Oh, I know what I was going to say - I used to hate turning handles, too - soon, when I get around to it, I will send you a great method - project is to come out in DUQ maybe issue after next!
Hugs - Lurline♥

Anonymous said...

hi donna hope the foot is feeling better. what have you done to it? I laughed when I read your blog sounds like me sewing I usually do more unpicking than anything!!

judy said...

whoops forgot to put my name on that msg judy

Anonymous said...

Love Love Love the caddy. Great fabric. You never stop learning do you? Looks like there are a lot of great suggestions for the handles. I've tried nearly all of them...... Good luck with the next try.

Judith Tetley said...

Love it Chooky....there will be lots of uses for that sweet "bucket". I'm like Gail, I always use a large safety pin (the biggest one that will fit in the handle end) to turn out my bag handles. Once you get it going; you just keep moving the pin along you handle tunnel and then pull the whole handle out.
Hugs...Judith

quiltygal said...

I dont turn I press the handle in half then open it out turn each side to the middle press fold together press topstitch both sides....its so much easier & I find stronger...hope this helps

Joyce said...

So many ideas for turning handles! I sometimes sew a long piece of heavy cording into it and across one end. Be sure the other end sticks out of the handle. Then you can use the twine to pull it inside out. If that's not clear you can email me. Somewhere I saw a tutorial on it but I'd have to search for it.

Willow Grove - Kez said...

I use a straw (mac donald ones are good, big and strong) and a skewer. Put the straw inside the fabric and then poke it through with the skewer. Hope that makes cense. Hope i have helped??? Good luck

Tracey @ozcountryquiltingmum said...

Hmmm, as a sucker for a container...and anything with chooks on it...you can imagine how that impressed me..well done CHooky!!
Now I have read and double read..what's wrong with the foot? Hope it isn't gout from too much grog?? Surely not!
The weekend away looked fabulous!! Love Rosalie's designs...and great tea swap work-I am sure yours will show up soon... or else I will just have to send you cards to make up for it...and that wouldn't be the same!
Love Tracey

Unknown said...

The fabric is perfect for you!

Kate said...

Like alot of others I use the safety pin method, as for the Ladder Stitch......I love ladder stitch, I use it to sew down binding, hemming school dresses, needleturn applique heck I use it for everything. Glad there is another convert :)

and I hope your foot is feeling better, I am intriged as to what you have done!

Kate said...

BTW I ove the bag and will be wathing out for the pattern to be released. I think I need a couple sitting on my sewing table.

TFS

Anne Heidi said...

Oh I love the project bag- it looks just perfect :) When it comes to handles I make them right side out, so there is no need for turning them!

Jeanne said...

Cute bag! I agree with Anita on how to do the handles. The little handles for the fabric basket by Pink Penguin were done that way. It was so much easier than turning.

Jenny said...

It turned out lovely and that fabric is just right!

Anonymous said...

Very cute!! No ideas about scorched fabric. I'd be thinking nothing fixes that. Sorry!! I never do handles in a tube anymore cause they drive me crazy! I turn the sides over 1/4 inch (and iron) and then fold in half length ways and then top stitch. I know it's cheating... but that's what I do!

Trudi said...

Visit www.creativehomemaking.com/articles/123003c.shtml to find some tips about removing scorch marks....if all fails you could tea/ parisian essence dye the whole piece to make it less noticeable! As for turning out handles you could try sewing some ribbon (a long piece for a handle) into one end, then use that to pull it through.

simplestitches said...

Oh Chooky! You do make us all laugh and brighten our day so much....thanks.

I use the saftey pin, wooden spoon or the non turn variety depending on what the handles are for....always with a few choice words I might add! I think it depends on how wide (or small) the handles are....

There is a tutorial out there somewhere....went for a bit of a search (just can't remember who it is)I'll keep looking and when I find it again, will let you know, it's very quick and easy and it doesn't matter about the size...always works a treat....

still looking...
cheers Julz

Katherine said...

Great caddy, Chookyblue! I love the fabric, it's so cute.

Bloom said...

Hey Chooky. This is how I turn my handles. It's not pretty, but it works a treat! http://bloomandblossom.blogspot.com/2007/11/my-very-inelegant-kind-of-weird-but.html

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna, when I make handles I turn the main fabric thru with a pin and press.Next I cut wadding a tad smaller and pull through the fabric with a pin.Then stitch a quarter inch in either side.Works fine for me. Regards Lyn

Unknown said...

Love your Caddy....can't help in the handle dept Sorry..not one of my fortays...Fairygirl is getting quite a collection..Lucky Girl..
cheers

Mistea said...

A stuffing tool works well for turning those handles through, just make sure you push the fabric through the tube and don't try to turn outside.

Chriss said...

Pink Pengiun has a tutorial for making fabric bins and makes hte handles differently, no turning thru! No idea of web address but maybe you could experiment...