Episode 46 - Home again, home again

It's good to be home again, home again, after a super trip to Prague. Here's the link to the full episode.

Here are our travel bags against the colorful backdrop of the quirky little Prague lock bridge.

Listener Nancy asked for a tutorial on the messenger bag -- tutorials aren't my strong suit but I'd like to practice on them so yeah, I'll do that soon. Thanks for asking!

The kitchen rug is done and looks great -- but as far as photos go, it looks even cuter with Betty hiding under it.
OK, here are the slippers made out of heavy cotton placemats and cotton flannel scraps. The soles and uppers have three layers -- placemat, fleece interfacing, and flannel. The section around the heel is just a strip folded lengthwise with wide elastic inserted through it. I stitched the fused uppers to the soles first, then added the strip with the elastic -- quarter-inch exterior seams all the way around. A little binding around the edges would definitely improve the looks, but so far I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Odd looking, but so comfy and they really stay on! If I do get around to making a more attractive pair, I can refer to these as the prototype. Until then, I'm using and enjoying them.

Look how easy it is to make your own pattern. One piece of paper, one pencil, one foot. Just cut out your pattern a quarter-inch outside your tracing line. Make your upper pattern to fit right around the toes, then flare out to extend about an inch either side of the sole piece. Go slowly in stitching them together, easing the larger piece into place. Easier than it looks!

Other stuff from this episode:

• Read more about Patagonia, the apparel manufacturer encouraging us to buy less.

• Interested in making fabric storage boxes? They are super easy and really handy. The instructions that first inspired me are here. Want more? Here's a link to more instructions.

Finally, here's the 9 x 12 quilt from the guild's summer challenge: "My Life with Fabric." Lots of textures, recycled materials, sentimental scraps from family and friends. What would your quilt look like?

Good to be back on a schedule - talk to you all soon!

GreenStitch Episode 41 - Five bags of summer

This episode gives us a chance to talk about some fun, very easy bag projects that just have summer written all over them. Listen in here.

Here's the almost-finished library bag/car organizer based on this tutorial from Katie at Punk Projects. Thanks, Katie! Gotta find that button foot so I can finish it up - buttons go where you see pins here.

This view shows you a little more how the strap goes around the passenger's seat. Depending on your tolerance level for floppiness, you might be able to skip this strap.

Here's what I was trying to explain about making an outside-pocket bag out of a single strip of fabric. I'm not good with adding text, but maybe this will help.

E-mail me if this isn't clear. Honestly, this is one of the fastest bag-making methods ever.

Here are the produce bags we use. The check-out folks at our local Wegmans have never had a problem with them, and if they get sticky, they wash like a dream. (the bags, I mean. I assume the same's true for the Wegmans staff.)

Odd and quirky little farmer's market bag out of a T-shirt. Looks funny, but really handy.

ETA on 7/27: Thanks to listener Elisa, we now have the link to this bag tutorial. Here 'tis. Thank you so much, Elise!

Ah, yes, the yippee-aye-oh-kai-ay camera bag. I've gotten so used to it that I don't even think twice about it anymore - it's just the right size and the fleece interior makes for a very nice padding.

Finally, here's the link to Martha's Beach Towel Tote. I think the basic idea is really good, but I'd definitely stitch sides into it to make it more reliable as an actual bag. Let me know if you make one - I'd love to feature your photos and thoughts.

Episode 25 - Wow, it's Episode 25!

Thanks for celebrating podcast 25 with me! Listen in here.

Here's a partial result of our Scrap-a-palooza event at guild. At top, you can see the ever-vigilant Inspector Betty - who did not go to guild, but was happy to see the project that came home.

Here's more information on how to make these blocks. You don't have to use a foundation muslin, but it does make the project a tad easier.

And next - the giveaways!!! Just leave a comment (by noon ET on Sunday, Feb. 27) telling me where you typically listen to the podcast - I'll draw three names, e-mail you if you're one of them, and you can win one of these three prizes:

Here are 25 (it had to be!) 7-inch felted wool squares, cut from spanking-clean-washed-in-hot-water sweaters. You can add these to your own squares and have a great, cozy throw - they're also super for potholders. Have fun with them!

And here's the quilted jewelry roll! Surely you'll want this for some of your bedazzling finery when you travel to Prince William's wedding this spring.... ;-)

If one Morsbag is good, two will be better! OK, so I haven't made the second one yet, but I'll have it done by the time I draw winners on Feb. 27. Keep one, give one to a friend! Genuine vintage tablecloth at work here...a friend gave it to me after cleaning out copious amounts of table linens from her grandmother's home.

UPDATE: Forgot to add these felted hat and mittens photos last night. So thick, so warm, so cozy!

Hope you can see how these pattern pieces work - one thumbless piece for the back of the hand, two thumbed pieces for the palm. Then just add a cuff from the ribbed sweater bottom. Make the ribbed cuff just a tiny bit smaller than the bottom of your mitten, and ease it in. Instant warmth and great fit.

And as we indulge in a little toast to Episode 25, here are two lovely ladies enjoying Finger Lakes Wine Country wares with clever hand-knit wineglass holders - made out of scrap yarn, and just the ticket for a chilly night!

And here's their warm-weather cotton version -- just made out of a scrap of fabric with an elastic casing at the bottom to secure the wine glass. Suzanne even put some cute button embellishments on the top edge - so cute for a warm summer's evening. People were coming into the store all evening saying, "we just saw these women with the greatest wine glass holders...!"

Thanks so much, and don't forget to enter the giveaway drawing!! The question: Where do you listen to GreenStitch?

GreenStitch Episode 21 - Channeling our inner Ma Ingalls

Haven't yet listened to this episode? Here's the link.

I'll start with the braided coasters, since the scrap-recycling nature of the project is very true to Ma Ingalls and the Little House on the Prairie family.

First, here's the link to Carolyn's blog post. Bookmark her blog and go back - she always has terrific ideas!

Here are my coasters. I'll make different colors next time, but these are the T-shirts I had handy - and I must say, the coasters have been put to great use already.

Here's the little pouch made out of the skirt lining. You can also see above the little paper template I drew to make it. Nothing fancy, that's for sure.

The shopping bag is small, but a useful size to keep handy for little purchases.

And because of the thin, slick fabric, look how easy it is to stuff that shopping bag into the tiny pouch.

Clipping the pouch just inside my purse means I won't have to dig for the shopping bag -- and will help avoid using a little plastic.

As for the quick-as-a-wink quilt block, above is step one -- seam two 3-by-5 1/2-inch rectangles together, the long way.

Attach two more rectangles, top and bottom.

Finish it off with two more rectangles that you've joined on the short ends. A great 10 1/2-inch block - and when they're all sewn together, they have a great vitality. Super stash busting! I still have visions of making a quilt like this entirely out of plaids from old shirt. Someday...

Oh, and if you're the Facebook sort, will you head over here and give GreenStitch a "like"? Thanks so much!

GreenStitch Episode 13 - Be a Wrap Star

Haven't heard the episode yet? This click will take you there.

Here's a loaf of bread in all its dollar store tea-towel finery -- I just used large hand-basting stitches and the bag looks dandy. And the bag for the jelly jar will be a great size for someone else to use for a small gift.

Here's another tea towel dressing up a loaf of bread. I really can't believe I'm lured in dollar stores from time to time - the siren song of the inexpensive tea towel is powerful indeed.

Even a small box can look pretty good wrapped in a tea towel. I had this red lace in my stash from some eBay assortment of trims I got ages ago. Since I'm not needing to decorate a bordello anytime soon, the wide red lace lent itself nicely to some gift-wrapping.

Wine bags of various origins. I think I'll stick with the ones made from cloth napkins.

Meet the Morsbags! These are just a few of the batch that I've made. I smile when I look through this stack and remember how all these bags started out -- some pillow covers from the Salvation Army, my friend Beth's old curtains, some leftover upholstery fabric, and a cute but outdated jumper I picked up at my friend Peggy Jo's garage sale.

Other links from this episode:

The Sew Mama Sew/Green Bag Lady challenge

Hip To Be A Square podcast

Quilted Cupcake - Project Night Night

Spoonflower fabric printing

GreenStitch Episode 11 - Sew many solutions

Hope you got a few ideas for coming up with simple solutions to little everyday challenges with the creative use of recycled materials and your sewing machine. It was fun to revisit Episode 3, when our friend Ginger from Wienerdog Tricks put the idea into words!

Here's the sleeve for my new laptop, made out of a couple of thick placemats. For closure, I sewed a big flat button on either side and joined them with an elastic hair band. I must admit, I really enjoyed seeing this festive stripe poking out of my work bag last week. The little tiny bit of lateral stretch in this ribbed weave makes for a great fit.

Here's the fold-up charger/cord organizer. T-shirt scraps made the perfect stretchy pockets for various chargers and a flash drive or two. Clearly, this would not win any contests for design or craftsmanship. Did that matter to me when I could quickly and easily find all my gadgets during my recent trips? It did not!

Here's the scissors pouch, which hangs from the side of my sewing table, always at the ready. The thick ribbed weave of the placemat is easily tough enough for this task, and large knitting stitch markers make the pouch easy to hang. The lower photo shows how I boxed off the bottom. Easy!

The little camera pouch, made out of part of a hemline from an old wool skirt. I actually made several pouches out of this skirt. Those elastic hair bands come in so handy, too.

Make a very useful storage bag for your interfacing out of the plastic sheet of instructions that come with the yardage. Not rocket science, but it sure is practical.

I freely admit, the plastic-bag-dispensing shirt sleeve looks creepy -- like a dismembered Halloween scarecrow! However, if you're hanging it anywhere near your cat's "facilities," it will be a very functional addition and your cat will not complain! :)

I'm crazy about my new tote bag for my music folder, but can you imagine how this print looked when it was in its original skirt form?!

Have any useful sewing solutions you'd like to share? Just leave a comment. And as always, thank you so much for listening! See you soon.