I know that I am usually here talking about bags but I just had to show you all this make! This skirt is the newest release from Sonia Estep Designs, Jessica (aff) https://soniaestepdesigns.com/products/jessica?aff=8! The beauty of this pattern, however, is that it has options…crossover skirt or dress, asymmetrical hem skirt or dress, crop top, plus dress it up or down with fabric choices!!! It is so good and ridiculously easy to sew! This adorable Jack fabric is in round 110 at Oh So Pretty Custom Fabrics https://ohsoprettycustomfabric.com/ and as soon as I received it, I knew it wanted to become a Jessica. My only issue was that I only had a yard and that is not enough if your fabric is directional. The dilemma…do I make the not crossover option or do I stick with my original crossover plan but use a coordinate to make it work??? I opted for the 2nd option and do not regret my decision!
This pattern is a bodycon dress, and I have made that option, but I wanted people to realize that it is also perfect for casual wear! I used cotton spandex (I’m basically wearing pj’s) and paired it with a Summer tank (also from Sonia Estep Designs). You probably noticed that the tank is the same pink I used on the skirt! Something awesome about this fabric…Oh So Pretty stocks the solids in retail!!! They ship super fast, tons of colors available AND they are around 70″ wide…this is huge, my friends! I made this entire outfit out of 1 yard of pink and 1 yard of Jack PLUS I still have scraps big enough for a bag or color blocking another top!!!
Sonia Estep Designs is, by far, my favorite pattern company ever! They are all so well drafted and tested…even before they get to the testers! The fit is spot on every time and the instructions are easy to follow! Oh So Pretty Custom Fabric has become my favorite for fabric! They offer a huge variety of bases during preorders and carry a lot of retail, including solids, vinyl and tons of custom print options! I highly recommend you check both of these fabulous shops out…you won’t regret it!
*some links in this post may be affiliate links, and I receive a small commission. I appreciate your support!
This is a self-drafted pouch I made yesterday! My creative juices are drained so this cutie does not have a name yet!!! Side note: if you have a name suggestion, leave it in the comments! But it was too cute to not show you!
All Seam allowances are 1/4″. All measurements are listed as height x width.
At the end of this tutorial, I will show you an option for adding an id window to the back and also for making one in vinyl. There aren’t too many changes but some!
Here’s what you will need:
4 pieces (2 main, 2 lining)- 4″ x 5″
1 piece (pocket)- 6″ x 5″
2 pieces (snap tap)- 3.75″ x 2.5″ Round bottom edge if you’d like.
1 piece (back accent)- 1.5″ x 5″
1 piece (connector)- 2″ x 2″
1/2″ swivel clip or connecting hardware of choice
#3 zipper tape-at least 6″ but I prefer longer and cut down later
#3 zipper pull
Spring snaps/setting tools
Step 1- Making your snap tab.
Place your 2 tab pieces right sides together and stitch around the sides and bottom, leaving the top open. Trim your seam allowance down and turn right sides out. Topstitch.
Next we will mark the center of the tab and make a mark 1/2″ up from the bottom center. Make a hole for your snap. TIP: if you are using fabric, you will want stabilizer behind your snap. I use Peltex, then just slide a small piece in between the layers.
At this time, I also mark the snap on my pocket, so I can just set both at the same time. Pay attention to this part! Take your pocket piece, fold in half(it will be sewn along the bottom) and crease. Find the center along that crease and make a mark 1″ down. Only make a hole through the front side of your pocket, do not go through both layers. That said, I made one through both layers and it was fine, so if it happens DO NOT scrap it! Again, for fabric, you will need a stabilizer behind the snap. Set the snaps on the tab and pocket. Set your pocket aside for a minute!
Step 2– Attaching the tab to your pack piece.
Take your back main piece and find the center. Make a mark 1″ down…you can draw a line all the way across if that makes it easier (it will be hidden). Match the center of your tab to the center of the back at the 1″ mark you just made. Both back piece and snap tab should be right side up. TIP: I like to use a little dst to hold it in place.
Now you will take the back accent piece, draw a line down the center and fold each long edge in to that center line. I use a strip of dst down the center to hold it. If your machine doesn’t like tape, just give it a good press! Use dst or pins for the next part. Lay the strip you just made over the raw edge of your tab and topstitch.
Step 3- Making the front pocket
Take your pocket piece, fold in half and sew the bottom edge only. Turn right side out and topstitch the top edge only. Place the pocket on the front exterior piece (approx. 3/4″ up from the bottom). Baste both sides in place and topstitch along the bottom.
Step 4- Adding the zipper
Add the #3 zipper pull to the zipper tape. TIP: I like to have my tape longer than my project so I can keep the zipper pull out of the way. Lay one lining piece on your table right side up. Put the zipper tape along the top edge with coils facing up and pull to the left. Lay the back exterior piece(with the snap tap) on top, face down. Sew along the top edge. Press the exterior and main pieces back and topstitch. Sidenote: On this one, I pushed the snap tab out of the way to topstitch. It was not easy, so my 2nd one I topstitched the tab down…I highly suggest going this route!!! Repeat all steps with the opposite side.
Step 5- Making your connector
Take your connector piece and draw a line down the center, Fold both edges in to that line, then fold the entire thing in half to enclose the raw edges. TIP: this method works best with woven. If you are using cotton spandex or vinyl, use the method I show below on the vinyl instructions. Topstitch. Add your swivel clip.
Lay your main piece on the table. OPEN YOUR ZIPPER NOW!!! Baste your connector in place along the side with the open part of the zipper.
Step 6-Finishing it up
Fold your zipper tape in half, with the edges of the tape pushed towards the exterior pieces. Clip both exterior pieces right sides together. Then go to the lining, and fold the bottom edges on both lining pieces up 1/4″ to the wrong side. Clip the sides. The lining will remain open to turn the pouch through. Start at one side of the lining, sew up, around the exterior and back down the other lining side. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.
Trim off your zipper ends and clip your corners. Carefully pull the entire pouch through the opening. Push out all corners. Topstitch the lining closed and push it down inside!!! Seriously, how cute is that?!!!
Continue here for vinyl instructions!!!
When using vinyl, the main measurements will be the same as above. I like to do my snap tab and pocket differently (personal preference), feel free to make them however you feel most comfortable! In this one, I also show you how to add an ID window. You can easily add this window onto your fabric version!
Here are the additional pieces you need: If you use these pieces, you do not need the following pieces from above: pocket, snap tab, back accent or connector.
1 pc (pocket main)-2.5″ x 5″
1 pc (pocket coordinate)- 3.5″ x 5″
2 pieces (snap tab)- 3.75″ x 2″
1 piece (back accent)- 3/4″ x 5″
2 pieces coordinating vinyl (id window accents)- 1″ x 5″
1 piece clear vinyl- 2.75″ x 5″
1 piece (connector)- 1″ x 3″
The main construction will be the same, we just want to make a few minor modifications to reduce a little of the bulk that comes with vinyl!
The snap tab for vinyl is smaller because we will just be placing them wrong sides together and topstitching. No turning!!! TIP: I like to keep one of my pieces square, then I trim it up after I sew them together. This gives me a little extra wiggle room for mistakes!
To create the front pocket: add your spring snap to the main pocket piece. 1″ down from the center. I forgot to do this step until after I had the coordinating piece sewn on…the snap on this one goes through both pieces, and it is completely fine! Don’t get the seam ripper out if you do this same thing! Take your coordinate piece and draw a line 1/2″ from the top and bottom. Use dst to secure the main to the center of this piece. Fold both edges of the coordinating vinyl to the front. Topstitch along both raw edges. Attach pocket to the front piece according to instructions above.
To create the back panel: We will center our snap tab, 1″ down just like above. The difference is the accent piece that covers it. This piece does not get folded at all. If we fold this one plus the vinyl from the id window, it will be way too thick there. Just cover the raw edge of your snap tab and topstitch it in place.
To create the ID window: Take your 2 accent pieces and draw a line down the center. Dst is especially handy for this step, but it can be done without…just go slow and use clips! Lay your clear vinyl just below the line you drew on one of your accent pieces and fold the top over to the front, enclosing the top edge of the clear vinyl. Repeat with the opposite edge. Topstitch both raw edges and the top edge only. Lay the ID window over top of the snap tab accent strip. Baste both sides and topstitch the bottom edge.
To create the connector from vinyl (or an interfaced knit): Draw a line down the center of the long edge (1/2″ in), fold both edges in to the center and topstitch. When you baste this one in place, don’t attach it folded in half…this creates a lot of extra bulk. If you make a “V” with it, you will easily be able to sew it!
Finish the rest according to the tutorial above!!!
I hope this all makes sense and you have fun sewing it!!! Thanks for joining me!
The tutorial for Binder Buddy is finished and published to my YouTube channel!!! This is a scary but exciting journey, and I hope you all love it! This is a very beginner friendly pattern, however, it is made with vinyl or cork because the edges are exposed. Don’t be afraid, my testers all used a domestic machine!!!
Now, I will start going through all the old blog tutorials, and make videos for each of them! You can subscribe to my YouTube channel here to make sure you don’t miss any! https://youtube.com/channel/UCHLSJW6isikidPuWDbP2PYg
I’m so sorry that I’ve been silent lately. Life has been crazy and my creative juices for writing a blog post have just not been flowing. I’ve been sewing… A LOT😂. But also trying to hang out with my kids for the summer. It’s been hectic!
I am currently working on a tutorial for an adorable binder pouch that my customers have named Binder Buddy!!! I’m still not much in the mood for writing, and I always get asked for videos to go along with the blog tutorials, so I’m going to head to YouTube! I haven’t fully decided if I will keep the blog but I do know that I am going to work on a video tutorial for each of my previous blog tutorials! The first video (hopefully next week) will be for the Binder Buddy! Here’s a sneak of this cutie!
When I have my first video up, I will come back here with a link to my YouTube channel! I appreciate all of your support to this point and I hope this change will be well received!
These adorable little car trash bags are the biggest seller in my shop! I mean, who doesn’t need a beautiful bag to fill with trash! LOL They are lined with vinyl for quick wipe downs, but if they get too gross you can throw them in the washing machine on cold and hang to dry!!! Moms really love these! I have even been told that in a pickle, they can contain vomit from a carsick kid! But please try to avoid that if at all possible.
This is my own pattern, I spent hours and lots of trial and error to get the size that I liked. I am happy to share this pattern with you and don’t even mind if you sell what you have made, but I do ask that you give me credit whenever possible. Link back to this blog when it is allowed, ask people to follow here and if you want to share the pattern with friends…please don’t just give them the pattern, have them come here to check out my blog. I am always happy to share and will likely share more of my patterns soon, but I am just starting here and would appreciate the followers.
Now, let’s sew!
~Materials/Supplies list:
10″ x 11″-2 pcs (front and back) plus interfacing for both
4″x 17″- 1 pc for strap plus interfacing
4″x 2.5″- 1 pc for d ring tab-no interfacing
20″ x 11″- 1 pc lining fabric
20″x 11″- vinyl fuse
1″ swivel clip and d ring
marking pen or chalk
ruler
1/4″ Seam allowance
Cut all of your fabric, interfacing and vinyl fuse
Fuse your interfacing to each outside piece and the vinyl fuse to the lining piece, according to product instructions.
To make the d ring tab, start by folding it in half and making a crease. Open it back up and press both sides into the center crease. Then fold the entire thing in half. Topstitch, add your d ring and set aside.
For the strap, we start by folding one end over about 1/2″. After you do that, just follow the steps from the d ring tab!
Topstitch and attach your swivel hook…make sure you backstitch a couple times when you are sewing in the hook.
Lay your front and back pieces right sides together and clip in place.
Now you will take your lining piece and fold it in half right sides together, put a couple clips on the fold side to hold it from shifting.
You want to trim the outside and inside pieces so they are the exact same size, otherwise they will not go together and you will end up with puckers. Keep in mind that your outside will be 1/4″ bigger because it will have the seam allowance on the left side and the lining is folded. I like to lay the outside piece on top of the lining, but pull it over to the left 1/4″, then trim the right side so that they match up. I hope this makes sense…it’s easier to do than to explain!
Sew with 1/4″ seam allowance around 3 sides of the outside pieces and just the right side and bottom of the lining.
I guess I forgot to take a picture sewing the lining, but you get the idea! LOL
For the boxed corners, you are going to reach inside and push the corners out to make a triangle. Do this for all 4 corners. Tip: When you are doing the lining piece on the fold side, I like to draw a line right on the fold and snip up to the stitches (that is now your make believe seam)
Take your ruler and mark a 4″ line. Tip: a square quilting ruler makes life so much easier!!! Just place the 2″ line right on top of your seam. Then you will stitch over the line you just marked (remember to backstitch). Trim corners to 1/4″.
You will turn your outside piece so that it is right side out, but leave your lining piece inside out.
This is the part where I remove the accessory tray from my machine so that I can slide the bag around the arm of my machine and sew in a circle!
Fold your outside piece in half to find the center of the back and mark. Measure 1.5″ to each side of your center mark. Place your strap to one side and the d ring tab to the other, so that there is 3″ between them. Baste in place.
Place your outside piece inside of your lining piece, so that they are right sides together. Leaving an opening at the front, stitch around the top with 1/4″ seam allowance…make sure to backstitch at the start and stop or you will be mad at yourself!
Now it’s time to birth this cutie!!! Carefully reach inside the trash bag and pull it through. Tuck the lining down inside the outside. Close your opening and topstitch all the way around.
Stitches By Christy 