Projects | FabGrandma

Sewing Projects: A New Bag For Donna

March 14, 2012 By Fab Grandma Leave a Comment

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I posted this pic on Facebook for Donna to pic a fabric

I was getting ready to cut up some of those girlie girl fabrics I got at the Quilt Expo when I got a message from a friend, Froggi Donna, asking me if I had time to make her a tote bag before her hubby goes in for some surgery. I had made her a bag some time ago, but it is too small to hold all her electronic gadgets.

This is the front of the bag. It has one pocket with a flap, and 8 pockets inside.

We chatted back and forth on Facebook, with me posting pictures of fabrics I have on hand in the colors she wanted, and she decided on which ones to use. Then I set to work, to get this knocked out before Fabgrandpa and I go to Cherokee, North Carolina on a short road trip, and before her husband, Stu, has his surgery appointment.

One end of the zipper has a key ring attached.

I worked all day today, because we’re leaving tomorrow. I was almost finished but then the zipper didn’t work right, so I had to get out my trusty friend, Seam Ripper, to take the top part off and start over. I finally got it done around 9:00 p.m.

This bag is bigger than the last one. It measures 11" top to bottom.

A bag like this one costs $35 and that includes shipping. If you’d like one, email me or use my contact form and we can talk about colors

Before I started on this bag, I cut out four or five projects using those girlie fabrics, so stay tuned next week to see what I am making. I am so excited to see the finished projects myself. And, they WILL be for sale….

Filed Under: Fabric, Projects, Sewing

My Fabric Haul From The Quilt Expo

March 12, 2012 By Fab Grandma 6 Comments

On Friday, my sister-in-law, Jody, and I went to the Quilt Expo in Duluth, Georgia. We were a little disappointed with the show because we thought there would be more fabric vendors there. Also, they did not allow you to take pictures inside the building So, while there were some very lovely quilts that inspired me to no end, I have no pictures of them to keep me inspired. Way to go, Quilt Expo!

There were lots of vendors there, selling everything imaginable for sewing, from sewing machines to pins and needles to cutting mats to trims and sequins, but not much in the way of fabric. There was even someone there selling shoes. SHOES! I was a little perplexed by that one.

Even though the fabric vendors were lacking, that didn’t stop me from buying as much as I could from the ones who were there. See:

I liked this combination of oranges and greens

This was just too cute to pass up

This is a girlie combo of pinks and greens

From Laura Dunn's new collection. It looks way better than this in person.

Moda charm pack-42 5" squares of different fabrics. I can see a quilt out of this soon.

I love this picture

Sew Serendipity Bags

Out of everything I bought, I think I love this Sew Serendipity Bags pattern book by Kay Whitt the best. I also bought fabric to make one of the ruffled purses shown on the cover of the book. I can hardly wait to sew it up!

Filed Under: Crafts, Fabric, Sewing

You May Have Been Wondering

March 8, 2012 By Fab Grandma 4 Comments

I guess you may have been wondering why I haven’t been sewing lately. The last time I wrote about sewing was here, when I had that baby quilt all laid out ready to sew it up. Just a couple of days after that, Emily called me with the awful news that she had miscarried again. So, that project is still just sitting there in a pile on my sewing machine. I don’t have it in my heart to finish it just yet. I know I will someday soon, and I’ll put it for sale in my shop, but I just can’t look at it right now.

Yarn for Spencer's socks

The other day when we went on our girls day out, Emily picked out some yarn to make Spencer, her son, a pair of crocheted socks. I’ll be starting on them tonight. I found out that I really like crocheting socks. It was an easy project, and I can pick it up at any time and work on it. The end result is useful and doesn’t take too long to make.

My pretty yarn for my socks

I also picked up some pretty yarn to make another pair for me. I can’t wait to get started on them.

Filed Under: Projects

OH! Look What I Did!

March 1, 2012 By Fab Grandma Leave a Comment

My first pair of socks!

I have never learned to knit–I am rather clumsy and can’t hold two sticks at the same time and work the yarn with them. I never learned to use chopsticks either. TryIng to hold two sticks and the yarn without getting all tangled up is bad enough, but when I think about holding four needles to make socks, it makes me think I need to check out PCHTreatment.com for anxiety. But, I am pretty good with a crochet hook. My daughter, Becca, and I are members of a forum that has a needle work challenge each month, to complete projects for points. I have only made simple things like scarves and neck warmers in the past. But I have seen such beautiful things that the other girls and women have made, including such pretty hand made socks, and I decided that I would make a pair of socks.

They don't match

The hardest part of making crocheted socks was finding a pattern. I looked for a pattern for about three months but it seems most socks are knitted, not crocheted. Finally, I found a pattern book at Joann Fabrics. The American School of Needlework Learn to Crochet Socks book has 12 sock designs in it. This pair I made is the basic sock pattern. I wanted something simple and easy to start out with.

I bought the amount of yarn the pattern said to buy, and started crocheting the first sock. There wasn’t enough yarn to make both socks, so I had to go to another store to buy some more. I tried to match the new yarn up as best I could to what I already had, but it doesn’t match exactly. So, my socks don’t match. However, it is the first pair I have ever made, so I am really proud of them!

I love my socks

I’ll probably make another pair soon.

Filed Under: Projects

The Diaper Bag Is Finished, Now On To The Quilt

January 29, 2012 By Fab Grandma 3 Comments

Monkies all over this bag

This diaper bag turned out really cute: it has long handles, and lots of pockets inside. It matches the nursing cover and changing pad, too.

Lots of pockets inside

When I finished the bag, I started on a baby quilt. I began by cutting 3″ strips, and sewing them together. After they were all sewn and pressed, I cut them into 3″ pieces, and sewed those together. I now have twenty-four 7.5 inch squares. I think I need one more, so I can have a 5X5 layout instead of a 4X6.

These 9 patch squares turned out pretty good.

I laid them out on the floor, and I do think I need one more square:

Baby quilt squares laid out on the floor

Tomorrow I’ll make one more square, and then decide what to do about sashing.

Filed Under: Projects, Quilting, Sewing

Crocheted Neck Warmer Tutorial

January 29, 2012 By Fab Grandma 4 Comments

I have had a little bit of time this week to work on something other than, gasp, sewing. Yes, I CAN do other things. I decided to make a little “mini-scarf” or neck warmer. I used cotton crochet yarn because I don’t like wool up against my neck. This little scarf if just right to wear when you don’t need a big jacket:

my new mini scarf

It goes nicely with my favorite sweater

it's all single and double crochet, easy to do

crocheted mini scarf, crochet projects, neckwarmer

Braid the ends, and make a tassle and you're done.

It was a fun little project to do while I was sitting waiting for other things to happen, and I got a nice little wardrobe accessory to boot!

To make this:

Chain stitches to be the lengtht you want (measure around your neck). # of stitches must be divisible by 5+3 stiches. I used 73 stitches.

Rows 1-3 Single crochet three rows. 4th row, *Double crochet three, chain two, skip next two stiches*, continue to end of row, ending with double crochet three. 5th thru 7th rows, single crochet.

Cut 18 strands of yarn, 18 inches long each. Attach 9 strands on each end of the crocheted piece. To do this fold each strand in half, and pull the loop through with crochet hook. Once you have all the strands attached, you’ll have 18 ends on each side. (2X9). Using two strands for each part of the braid, braid the strands into three braids. Then braid the three braids together. Wrap a piece of yarn tightly around the ends, about3.5 inches from the unbraided end, and tie tightly. Unbraid to the wrapped piece of yarn, then trim tassle to 3 inches. You’re done.

Filed Under: Crafts, Projects, Sewing Tutorials