Follow Incolororder, filter it, and define how you want to receive the news (via Email, RSS, Telegram, WhatsApp etc.) https://follow.it/incolororder Tue, 05 Dec 2023 22:38:56 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI_CrsjyV4WsFw3HFUzDTIP
Welcome to the second week of the Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along! Today I'm sharing a tutorial for a peppermint stripe bag!

I'll be updating the Sew Along Page each week with all the posts so that you can easily catch up or reference these posts after the sew along ends!

I hope you'll sew along with us! Sew from the tutorial or the patterns:
Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
Lined Drawstring Bag Expansion Pattern

Before we dive into today's post, let's quickly chat about our to-do for week 2 of the sew along!


This week's task is cutting! Finalize those fabric choices and cut out all the pieces for your bags. A few posts you might find helpful when tackling this:

- If you missed last year's post about make templates, be sure to check that out! They're great if you don't want to rotary cut, or just want to speed up your cutting process. Find it here: Making Templates for the Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern

- You may be interested in adding a little something extra to your bags, like pom-pom trim or ribbon. I have a post all about embellishing your bags with these. Find it here: How to Use Trim or Ribbon to Embellish Your Drawstring Bags

- If you'd like to add an exterior pocket to your bag, I've got a tutorial for that too! Find it here: Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial: Adding an Exterior Pocket


When I was brainstorming tutorial ideas for this year's sew along, I knew I wanted to make a bag that was candy inspired! I thought about a pieced candy block (maybe next year!), but then got the idea for a peppermint candy bag! I was thinking of the peppermint starlight mints that are wrapped in cellophane. The ruffle at the top of these drawstring bags reminds me of the way these candies are wrapped! I used red and white strips to mimic that look, but feel free to use any colors you want!

To make this bag, you'll need to piece two strip blocks for the Exterior Main. They're foundation paper pieced.


Sewing Level: Intermediate
Finished size: Approx. 10" tall, 7" wide, 3" deep

Peppermint Stripe Lined Drawstring Bag Materials:
- Strip scraps in a variety of widths (a few at least 12" long) for Exterior Main*
- 1 Fat quarter for Exterior Accent
- 1 Fat quarter for Interior
- 2 yards of 1/2" twill tape, nylon paracord or 1/8 yd fabric
- Coordinating thread
- (2) pieces of scrap paper at least 9"x10.5"*
- Washable glue stick*
- Acrylic ruler
- Large safety pin
- Pencil

*I used one piece of scrapbook paper cut down the size and then realized that brown kraft paper from a package worked just as well!

Looking for supplies? Check out my Pattern Supplies and Resources post.

Peppermint Stripe Cutting:
From Exterior Accent Fabric:
- Cut (1) 4”x21” strip
- Subcut into (2) 4”x10.5” pieces

From Interior Fabric:
- Cut (1) 12.5”x21” strip
- Subcut into (2) 12.5”x10.5” pieces

If using fabric for ties:
- Cut (2) 32”x2” strips

If using twill for ties:
- Cut (2) 32" pieces

Peppermint Stripe Lined Drawstring Bag Instructions:
*Use a 1/4” seam allowance unless otherwise noted*


1. Using a tiny bit of glue from a glue stick, attach a long strip, right sides up, centered on the diagonal of the paper. You want the ends of the strip to be longer than the paper.


2. Grab your next strip, and place it right sides down on your center strip. Again, make sure the ends of the strip go off the edges of the paper.


3. Shorten your stitch length to 1.8, and stitch along the edge of your strips (and through the paper too) using a 1/4" seam allowance. Open your strips up and press with an iron (avoid using steam!), or your fingers.


4. Continue adding strips until you've covered the entire half of the paper.



5. Now flip your work around and do the same to fill up the other half of the paper.



6. Once the paper is covered entirely, press well and flip it over to the wrong side. Using the paper as a guide, trim away the excess fabric. Piece should measure 9"x10.5".


7. Finally, tear off the paper carefully from the back starting at a corner. Press well. Repeat for the second exterior piece!

Optional: You may choose to add additional structure to your patchwork with a lightweight interfacing. I would recommend something like SF101 by Pellon, and interfacing both Exterior Main pieces.


For the bag construction, refer back to the free tutorial or the everything size in the lined drawstring bag pattern, start at step 1.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! I can't wait to see your bags! Please share them with me on instagram @jenib320 + #lineddrawstringbag or via email (jenib320 @ gmail.com)!

Don't forget to pin this post to your Pinterest for future reference!

Happy Sewing!]]> Wed, 29 Nov 2023 12:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI_CrsjyV4WsFw3HFUzDTIP https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLXA_Y9jQ9DmCRFMxTa8z4W
Welcome to the first post of the 2023 Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along! We're kicking things off with this cute Gingerbread House Bag!

I'll be updating the Sew Along Page each week with all the posts so that you can easily catch up or reference these posts after the sew along ends!

I hope you'll sew along with us! Sew from the tutorial or the patterns:
Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
Lined Drawstring Bag Expansion Pattern


Here are a few to-do items for week 1 of the sew along!

This week's task is to plan your bags! It's time to decide how many bags you'd like to make, what sizes, and pick out fabrics. A few things you might find helpful when tackling this:

- I've got a post full of tips for choosing fabrics, specifically for drawstring bags. It includes a bunch of sample fabric pulls too. Find it here: Tips for Choosing Fabrics for Drawstring Bags

- This post is specifically about making drawstring bags for wrapping gifts. I've got some gift ideas for each size, to give you an idea of what would fit in all the different sizes: Tips For Using Drawstring Bags to Wrap Gifts

- Still looking for fabric combination ideas? I'd recommend checking out my Lined Drawstring Bag Pinterest Board and well as the #lineddrawstringbag hashtag on Instagram. You'll find lots of finished bags to take inspiration from!


Today I am sharing a tutorial for making this gingerbread house bag! The block itself is paper pieced, and is perfect for fussy cutting! I put a christmas tree in the picture window! You could put a figure, or animal (or something else) in the doorway! If you're looking for some other pieced bag options, you can find tutorials from the last two years here:

Patchwork Star Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
Present Quilt Block Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial


Sewing Level: Intermediate
Finished size: Approx. 10" tall, 7" wide, 3" deep

Gingerbread House Lined Drawstring Bag Materials:
- 1 Fat quarter for Exterior Main*
- 1 Fat quarter for Exterior Accent
- 1 Fat quarter for Interior
- Scraps for paper pieced block
- Gingerbread House Paper Pieced Block Pattern
- 2 yards of 1/2" twill tape, nylon paracord or 1/8 yd fabric
- Coordinating thread
- Acrylic ruler
- Large safety pin
- Pencil

*I would recommend using a non-directional fabric for the exterior main, which also serves as the background in the gingerbread house block.

Looking for supplies? Check out my Pattern Supplies and Resources post.

Gingerbread House Block Cutting:
Gingerbread House Color:
- Cut (1) 2.5"x1.5" piece for spot 2
- Cut (3) 3.5"x1.5" pieces for spots 3,4,6
- Cut (1) 5.75"x1.5" piece for spot 9
- Cut (1) 6"x3.25" piece for spot 10

Picture Window:
- Cut (1) 3" square for spot 1

Door:
- Cut (1) 2.25"x3.25" piece for spot 5

Roof:
- Cut (1) 5"x1.25" piece for spot 11
- Cut (1) 6"x1.25" piece for spot 12

Background (Exterior Main):
- Cut (2) 4"x1.5" pieces for spots 7,8
- Cut (1) 4.5" square and cut in half on the diagonal for spots 13,14

Gingerbread House Lined Drawstring Bag Cutting:
From Exterior Main Fabric:
- Cut (1) 9”x10.5” piece
- Cut (2) 6.5"x2.5" side pieces
- Cut (1) 1"x10.5" top piece
- Cut (1) 2.5"x10.5" bottom piece

From Exterior Accent Fabric:
- Cut (1) 4”x21” strip
- Subcut into (2) 4”x10.5” pieces

From Interior Fabric:
- Cut (1) 12.5”x21” strip
- Subcut into (2) 12.5”x10.5” pieces

If using fabric for ties:
- Cut (2) 32”x2” strips

If using twill for ties:
- Cut (2) 32" pieces

Gingerbread House Lined Drawstring Bag Instructions:

*Use a 1/4” seam allowance unless otherwise noted*

1. Before constructing the bag, we first need to make the Gingerbread House Block. The block is paper pieced, you can download the free block pattern here: Gingerbread House Paper Pieced Block Pattern

If you're new to paper piecing, be sure to check out my paper piecing tutorial.

2. Remove papers from block and trim to 6.5" square. Press well.


Now it's time to add the borders to the Gingerbread House Block.


3. Sew the two 6.5"x2.5" side exterior main pieces to either side of the star block. Press seams away from block.

4. Sew the 1"x10.5" top side exterior main piece to the top edge of the block. Press seams away from block. Sew the 2.5"x10.5" bottom side exterior main piece to the bottom edge of the block. Press seams away from block. Trim piece to 9"x10.5" if necessary. This is the Exterior Main piece for one side of the bag.

Optional: You may choose to add additional structure to your patchwork with a lightweight interfacing. I would recommend something like SF101 by Pellon, and interfacing both Exterior Main pieces.


For the bag construction, refer back to the free tutorial or the everything size in the lined drawstring bag pattern, start at step 1.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! I can't wait to see your bags! Please share them with me on instagram @jenib320 + #lineddrawstringbag or via email (jenib320 @ gmail.com)!

Don't forget to pin this post to your Pinterest for future reference!

Happy Sewing!]]> Wed, 22 Nov 2023 12:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLXA_Y9jQ9DmCRFMxTa8z4W https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIAjc5D4wGnuXKSkciKEY1s
Happy Monday! I wanted to share my version of Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies) today! I love to make this sweet snack, but really dislike how most recipes leave you with a couple cups of cereal leftover. Last time I made it, I adjusted the basic recipe to accomodate an entire 12ish ounce box of Rice Chex cereal and also a full 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips! My version is a little extra chocolately than the original, but I think it turned out really good! I also call for a bit extra powdered sugar, because I like there to be plenty!

Ingredients:
- (1) 12.8oz box of Rice Chex cereal (approximately 12 cups)
- (1) 12oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups (256 grams) smooth peanut butter
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
- Jumbo plastic zip bag, 2+ gallon. (These are my favorite*)

Instructions:
1. Measure cereal into a large bowl.

2. In a medium glass bowl combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Continue to microwave for 30 seconds at a time until mixture is fully melted. Stir in vanilla if using. (If you don't have a microwave, melt mixture by placing glass bowl over a small pot of lightly boiling water.)

3. Pour melted chocolate mixture over cereal, stir until evenly coated. Let mixture sit for 1-2 minutes to cool slightly.

4. Pour coated cereal into a the plastic bag.

5. Add powdered sugar to bag, seal. Shake until well coated.

6. Optionally, freeze or put in fridge to form delicious clumps, and cool faster!

Enjoy!

Don't forget to pin this post to your Pinterest for future reference!

Happy Making!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Mon, 20 Nov 2023 15:10:32 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIAjc5D4wGnuXKSkciKEY1s https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQK9O54mHV825OifqJurszLU
This year's Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along is less than a week away! I wanted to share the schedule for the sew along so that you know what posts you can expect from me starting Wednesday, November 22nd! If you'd like to break up your bag making across the sew along, I'm also sharing a schedule for making that you can choose to use if you'd like! I'll also be sharing my progress on my personal bags throughout the sew along! Here are the posts I have planned for each week:

Week 1
Tutorial post: Gingerbread House Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
To do: Plan your bags! This week your task is to decide how many bags you'd like to make, what sizes, and pick out fabrics.

Week 2
Tutorial post: Peppermint Stripe Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
To do: Cutting! Now's the time to finalize your fabric choices and cut out all the pieces for your bags.

Week 3
Tutorial post: Exposed Gusset Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
To do: Sewing! Sew your bags through step 10. If you're making a lot of bags and you're short on time, I highly recommend making them assembly line style. This isn't quite as fun, but it's definitely more efficient!

Week 4
Tutorial post: All About Cotton Twill Tape
To do: Final touches! Tackle those drawstring casings, make fabric ties or prep twill/paracord ties. Pull ties through the bags and finish them off with a simple knot or some fun beads!

Each week's post will go up on Wednesday! I'll update this post and the Sew Along page with the links as we go. You can find all of the previous year's sew along posts on that page too!

Participating is easy, we'll be using the #lineddrawstringbag hashtag on Instagram to share our progress. Not on Instagram? That's okay! Feel free to sew along and if you'd like, share your bags with me via email!


Sew from the free tutorial, the pattern or the expansion pattern! Both patterns are on sale, 20% off through 11/24/23. Prices are already marked down. Shop here:

Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
Lined Drawstring Bag Expansion Pattern

Don't forget to pick up some supplies too!
Cotton Twill Tape
Nylon Paracord
Round Wooden Beads
Beehive Wooden Beads

Happy Sewing!]]> Fri, 17 Nov 2023 12:44:03 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQK9O54mHV825OifqJurszLU https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIZDVMFHI-HhVyOSYGFl6uu
Today I want to share some of the things I've sewn (and dyed) for Baby P! It's been fun being able to sew things to use with and for her. It was also nice to not be limited by the available patterns and fabrics of ready-made baby items. I have already made a few more things for her, and will continue to! Will share more projects in the months to come.

One of the first things I did was dye some onesies! I just used my regular Fiber Reactive Procion Dye from Dharma Trading with Gerber brand all cotton onesies*.





I've ice dyed a few Mommy & Me shirts for us! Some of these I wore before she was born, and others I wear now! Not all of these turned out quite how I wanted, but that's okay. It's been fun to be matching!


I made myself an Out and About Dress (pattern by Sew Caroline) this spring out of one of my knit prints from Curiosities*. From the scraps I made a pair of matching leggings using the Knit Baby Leggings Tutorial by Made by Rae and a little hat with the Knit Baby Hat Tutorial by Pin Cut Sew Studio.


I thrifted most of my maternity clothes, including a bunch of dresses to wear once the weather got warm. This one was too long on me, so I chopping about 1' off of the bottom and used the scraps to make a pair of DIY Baby Pants by Early Morning Mom and a hat with the Knit Baby Hat Tutorial by Pin Cut Sew Studio.


I actually ordered a fabric cover for the changing pads that we bought and ended up returning it. The fabric was not nice and the fit was terrible. I ended up deciding to make some covers, so I made four using the Contoured Changing Pad Cover Tutorial by E Tells Tales. I used some cheerful vintage sheets for these and I love how they fit right into our home.


Speaking of changing pads, I made this travel changing pad using the Travel Changing Pad Tutorial by Sew Very Lovely. The back is a thrifted towel! I was able to use up a bunch of binding scraps on this project.


I bought a nursing pillow without a cover, so of course I made a couple covers. I took advntage of my stash of vintage sheets for these too. I used the Nursing Pillow Cover Tutorial by Made by Rae.


A project I already shared is the high contrast baby books I made. I also wrote a tutorial for them which you can find here: High Contrast Fabric Baby Book Sewing Tutorial


Last but not least, I've recently made a bunch of tag toys! She is really loving these, so I made a bunch so that we can have them in a few different spots. They all have crinkle paper* in them. I have very few ribbons in my stash, hence all the Hello Kitty ones!

That's it for now! I will continue to share more projects as I make new things for her.

Have a Great Day!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 15 Nov 2023 12:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIZDVMFHI-HhVyOSYGFl6uu https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIa6x0_ZOYNCHtuT6pSmY81
It's time for our annual Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along! This is the fourth year of this sew along and I hope you'll join in! It's my favorite way to wrap gifts and with the holiday season upon us, it's a great time to build up a stash of gift bags. These bags will help you reduce the amount of single-use wrapping paper you need, and you'll be able to pull them out year after year.

When:
The Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along will officially kick off on Wednesday, November 22nd and will run for four weeks! I'm really excited about the posts I have in store for this year's sew along!

Where:
Each week of the sew along I'll publish a blog post with a new tutorial. There is a dedicated sew along page, which I'll update as we go along. It's a great place to find all the posts from each sew along, there is so much good information and inspiration there, so be sure to check it out.

How to Participate:
Just like in years past, this sew along is going to be casual and no-stress. Participating is easy, we'll be using the #lineddrawstringbag hashtag on Instagram to share our progress. Not on Instagram? That's okay! Feel free to sew along and if you'd like, share your bags with me via email!

Patterns & Tutorial:
Sew from the free tutorial, the pattern or the expansion pattern! Both patterns are 20% off today through 11/24/23. Prices are already marked down.

Shop Patterns:
Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
Lined Drawstring Bag Expansion Pattern

Shop Notions:

Don't forget to pick up some supplies while you're at it! The shop is stocked with lots of different cotton twill tape options, nylon paracord and wooden beads.

Cotton Twill Tape
Nylon Paracord
Round Wooden Beads
Beehive Wooden Beads

Thank you for your continued support. Can't wait to sew bags together!

Happy Sewing!]]> Wed, 08 Nov 2023 12:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIa6x0_ZOYNCHtuT6pSmY81 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIgOi0cHD0m_e4DA87rvhPr
Happy Wednesday! It's time for another Favorites post! I'm transitioning Friday Favorites to monthly favorites! Today's post is extra long, since it's been a while. Catch up on previous posts here: Friday Favorites Archives

- I loved making these sweet stuffed kitties using the new Ghost Kitties Tutorial by Ann Wood Handmade. I made one to look like Dusty and the other two to look like my Mom's cats!

- My next crochet project is these Christmas Amigurumi by Lalylala, and I'm so excited! There is another set too.

- Love the colors in these pillows by Brooke.

- This scrappy quilt by Dana is so cheerful!

- How cute is this new Bunny Bunch pattern by Elizabeth Hartman?

- I made myself a patchwork coat this summer (that still needs photographing) and would like to make more patchwork garments. This dress by Ersa Fibers caught my eye!


- I made two cakes this summer/fall, the first is this Flourless Chocolate Wave Cake. It is now my go-to chocolate cake! It's from the book Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz*.

- The other cake we made was the Big Apple Crumb Cake by Smitten Kitchen. It was a great way to use some of the apples we got in our CSA. We liked it so well we made it twice!

- We discovered this delicious Couscous Lentil Greek Salad recipe and made it a bunch of times with cherry tomatoes from our garden this summer, it's from the book I Dream of Dinner by Ali Slagle*.

- I couldn't resist this card from Trader Joes, it was just too perfect! It was designed by Design House.

- There are so many cute stamps available right now. I ordered these Thinking of You stamps, these Winter Woodland stamps and these Tomie dePaola stamps.

- We recently discovered (and binged!) the show All Things Great and Small. It's just the kind of lighthearted show we need at the moment!

- We also watched The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. It was really sweet!

- I bought my first CD in many years, The New Abnormal by The Strokes*. I still have a CD player in my car, and I really wanted something new to play!


- Dusty has been enjoying using my crochet scrap basket as a bed, haha!

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 01 Nov 2023 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIgOi0cHD0m_e4DA87rvhPr https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJXd0Xq8O1Z7lhGNgNo2_0q
Happy Wednesday! Today I have a few recent lined drawstring bags to share and some shop news.

After almost a year and a half of waiting, I finally was able to restock the Beehive Wooden Beads in my shop! I've been patient, never quite giving up that I could get them again. I'm excited to be able to use them in my projects and share them with you too. They come in two sizes, 3/4" and 1". Both have a 5/16" hole, so they work great with lots of drawstring bag tie options!


For reference, here is the 1" bead on 1/2" twill tape.

You can find both bead sizes in my shop here: Beehive Wooden Beads


Now onto the projects! The first drawstring bag I have to share is this spooky one. I've been making at least one Halloween drawstring bag every year for the last few years, so I was due to make one for this year. You can see past Halloween projects here: Handmade Halloween Project Round-up. For this bag, I used one of my very favorite fabrics, Magic Meows* by Alexander Henry. I have yardage of this print squirreled away to back my next Halloween quilt, but I also have a smaller piece that I cut into for this bag.


This is the project size bag made using the bottom accent variation included in the expansion pattern, and I already have a knitting project in it!


I finished off the bag with some black twill tape and one of my custom woven labels.


The other drawstring bag I made recently was to wrap a baby quilt that I gave to a friend. This one is the artist size from my pattern, which is my go-to size for wrapping baby quilts. The star print (from Hello Love* by Heather Bailey) was already used for a drawstring bag a few years ago: Lined Drawstring Gift Bags. I still had some left, and it coordinated with the quilt so I decided to use it again.


For this bag I decided to use paracord and some wooden beads to make it a little extra special.

Happy Sewing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 25 Oct 2023 11:57:30 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJXd0Xq8O1Z7lhGNgNo2_0q https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKQURULiuYMmH-fx8LWuXng
Happy Wednesday! Today I have a new quilt to share! I finished it over the summer but only just got photos of it this past weekend. Feels like it's been forever since I've shared a quilt finish.


I don't even remember when I picked up these two Carolyn Friedlander Palette Pick Bundles*, but I know I let them marinate in my stash for a while. Finally this past spring I decided to cut them up and make a large size of my Keep Turning Quilt Pattern. I didn't realize it until I was looking at the photos this morning, but these colors are very similar to the first Keep Turning Quilt that I made. No wonder I thought these bundles would look good in that pattern!




These blocks are so fun to make and take advantage of strip piecing. They really come together quick. I did make a slightly error when working on this quilt. I cut and made blocks and was surprised by how quickly I got them all sewn. When I went to lay out the blocks I realized I had only cut/made enough for the small throw, despite my intentions to make a large! I wasted no time in getting more fabric cut and sewing the rest of the blocks.



This is a nice healthy throw size quilt at 64"x80". I paired the bundles with an older print from Sprinkle by Cotton and Steel* for the background. I like how from far away it just looks like a neutral background, but up close you can see the neon pink sprinkles.


The quilting was done by Katie of Autumn Moon Quilting. I chose one of my favorite quilting designs for it, Malachite. I think this is my fourth quilt I've had quilted in that design. It's just so good!


For the backing I dug deep into my backing stash for this floral from Noe by Erin McMorris*. I wish I would have been able to pattern match the back, but it wasn't meant to be this time around.


I wanted the purple prints in the quilt top to pop, so I chose a purple print from Widescreen by Carolyn Friedlander* for the binding. I used it to back myinterlaced quilt years ago, so I had lots of long skinny offcuts to use up!


I love how this quilt turned out. It felt good to cut up those bundles, and to use some long-term stash for all the rest! I really liked that the bundles weren't just quilting cottons, or prints. There was a gingham mixed in, some solids, a couple metallics and other wovens too. It makes me want to be a little more adventurous when choosing fabrics for future projects. We'll see!


Pattern: Keep Turning Quilt Pattern
Fabrics: Carolyn Friedlander Palette Pick Bundles*, Sprinkle by Cotton and Steel*, Noe by Erin McMorris*, Widescreen by Carolyn Friedlander*

Happy Quilting!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKQURULiuYMmH-fx8LWuXng https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI1O_XpqTRKb3OFESPuQWsX
Happy Wednesday! I wanted to start sharing some of the projects I sewed for Baby P, starting with these soft, high contrast baby books! This was one of the more fun projects I made, where as most of the other things I sewed for her were a bit more on the practical side. I didn't see a tutorial for one of these (specifically high contrast), so I quickly drew up my own design for it and thought I'd share it as a little tutorial. I think these would make a great gift! Give it on it's own, or alongside a quilt, clothes or board books.


I'm sharing two versions, a pieced quilt block version and a simple version. The pieced quilt block book uses 6.5" quilt blocks made in black and white solid fabrics. I'm sharing instructions for the six blocks I made, but you could make any 6.5" blocks you want! You don't have to use black and white fabrics either, if you don't want to. The simple book uses 5" charm squares in a variety of black/white prints. Again, you could use any fabrics or colors you'd like. Both versions come together quickly and can be made entirely from scraps!




Here is a look at all six quilt block pages!


A few other modifications you could make:
- Add tags! Fold short pieces of ribbon in half and sandwich them between the page layers so that they stick out.

- Make it a noisy book! Add a layer of crinkle paper* to each page.
- Fussy cut novelty prints for interior pages to make an I-spy book for toddlers or older children!

One quick note as you make your fabric book. The interior "pages" are slightly less wide compared to the exterior "cover". This is so that when the book is closed, the interior pages don't stick out! This is acheived by the different width strips for the "spine".

Disclaimer: Always supervise baby or child when playing with a book made from this tutorial. If you decide to add ribbon tags or other embellishment, be sure to secure well to the book so that it doesn't come loose and become a choking hazard. Be careful to trim all loose threads and firmly secure stitching. Follow these instructions at your own risk and use your own judgement to decide what is right for you.

Simple Fabric Baby Book

Materials:
(2) 5" squares colorful print (for exterior cover)
(6) 5" squares black and whtie prints (for interior pages)
(2) 1.5"x5" strips (for exterior spine)
(2) 1"x5" strips (for interior pages)
(2) 10"x4.5" pieces of fusible fleece
(2) 9.5"x4.5" pieces of fusible fleece

Optional:
(1) 10.5"x6.5" piece of crinkle paper*
(1) 10"x6.5" piece of crinkle paper*

Simple Fabric Baby Book Construction

*Use a 1/4” seam allowance unless otherwise noted.*

1. Arrange (2) 5" exterior cover squares with 1.5"x5" strip in the middle. Sew squares to either side of the strip, press seams open. Arrange two 5" interior page squares with 1.5"x5" strip in the middle. Sew squares to either side of the strip, press seams open.

Apply 10"x4.5" fusible fleece to the wrong sides of the cover and interior page, centering the interfacing.

Place cover and interior page right sides together. If using, add a 10.5"x5" piece of crinkle paper up against the wrong side of the cover.

Sew around all four sides, leaving a small gap open for turning. Trim seam allowance at the corners. Turn right sides out, press well. Topstitch around all four sides, closing the gap.


2. Arrange (2) 5" interior page squares with 1"x5" strip in the middle. Sew squares to either side of the strip, press seams open. Repeat with remaining squares and strip.

Apply 9.5"x4.5" fusible fleece to the wrong sides of the two interior pages, centering the interfacing.

Place interior pages right sides together. If using, add a 10"x5" piece of crinkle paper up against the wrong side of an interior page.

Sew around all four sides, leaving a small gap open for turning. Trim seam allowance at the corners. Turn right sides out, press well. Topstitch around all four sides, closing the gap.



3. Place cover side down on your workspace. Place interior page on top of the first piece, centering it on the cover. Pin or clip pages in place. Sew down the spine through both the cover and interior page to secure together using a 3.0 stitch length.

Care: Book can be washed by hand or machine with warm or cold water. Let air dry.

Quilt Block Fabric Baby Book

Materials:
(1) fat quarter or 1/4 yard black solid
(1) fat quarter or 1/4 yard white solid
(2) 6.5" squares colorful print (for exterior cover)
(2) 1.5"x6.5" strips (for exterior spine)
(2) 1"x6.5" strips (for interior pages)
(2) 13"x6" pieces of fusible fleece
(2) 12.5"x6" pieces of fusible fleece

Optional:
(1) 13.5"x6.5" piece of crinkle paper*
(1) 13"x6.5" piece of crinkle paper*

Make Quilt Blocks
*Use a 1/4” seam allowance unless otherwise noted.*

Cross Block

From black fabric:
(4) 2.75" squares

From white fabric:
(2) 2"x2.75" pieces
(1) 2"x6.5" piece

1. Arrange pieces into three rows. Sew pieces together in each row, press seams open. Sew rows together, press seams open. Trim block to 6.5" square.

Hourglass Block

From black fabric:
(2) 4" squares

From white fabric:
(2) 4" squares

1. Using a marking pen or a pencil, draw a diagonal line across the wrong side of both white squares. Place one white square and one black square right sides together. Stitch 1/4" on both sides of the marked line. Press and cut apart on the marked line to create two half-square triangles. Press seams open. Repeat with remaining squares. Trim half-square triangles to 3.5” square.

2. Arrange pieces into two rows. Sew pieces together in each row, press seams open. Sew rows together, press seams open. Trim block to 6.5" square.

Striped Block

From black fabric:
(6) 3.5"x1.5" pieces

From white fabric:
(6) 3.5"x1.5" pieces

1. Arrange strips into two columns. Sew pieces together in each column press seams open. Sew columns together, press seam open. Trim block to 6.5" square.

HST Block

From black fabric:
(2) 4" squares

From white fabric:
(2) 4" squares

1. Using a marking pen or a pencil, draw a diagonal line across the wrong side of both white squares. Place one white square and one black square right sides together. Stitch 1/4" on both sides of the marked line. Press and cut apart on the marked line to create two half-square triangles. Press seams open. Repeat with remaining squares. Trim half-square triangles to 3.5” square.

2. Arrange pieces into two rows. Sew pieces together in each row, press seams open. Sew rows together, press seams open. Trim block to 6.5" square.

Pinwheel Block

From black fabric:
(2) 4" squares

From white fabric:
(2) 4" squares

1. Using a marking pen or a pencil, draw a diagonal line across the wrong side of both white squares. Place one white square and one black square right sides together. Stitch 1/4" on both sides of the marked line. Press and cut apart on the marked line to create two half-square triangles. Press seams open. Repeat with remaining squares. Trim half-square triangles to 3.5” square.

2. Arrange pieces into two rows. Sew pieces together in each row, press seams open. Sew rows together, press seams open. Trim block to 6.5" square.

Nine-patch Block

From black fabric:
(5) 2.5" squares

From white fabric:
(4) 2.5" squares

1. Arrange squares into three rows. Sew squares together in each row, press seams open. Sew rows together, press seams open. Trim block to 6.5" square.

Quilt Block Fabric Baby Book Construction
1. Arrange (2) 6.5" exterior cover squares with 1.5"x6.5" strip in the middle. Sew squares to either side of the strip, press seams open. Arrange two 6.5" interior page blocks with 1.5"x6.5" strip in the middle. Sew squares to either side of the strip, press seams open.

Apply 13"x6" fusible fleece to the wrong sides of the cover and interior page, centering the interfacing.

Place cover and interior page right sides together. If using, add a 13.5"x6.5" piece of crinkle paper up against the wrong side of the cover.

Sew around all four sides, leaving a small gap open for turning. Trim seam allowance at the corners. Turn right sides out, press well. Topstitch around all four sides, closing the gap.

2. Arrange (2) 6.5" interior page blocks with 1"x6.5" strip in the middle. Sew squares to either side of the strip, press seams open. Repeat with remaining squares and strip.

Apply 12.5"x6" fusible fleece to the wrong sides of the two interior pages, centering the interfacing.

Place interior pages right sides together. If using, add a 13"x6.5" piece of crinkle paper up against the wrong side of an interior page.

Sew around all four sides, leaving a small gap open for turning. Trim seam allowance at the corners. Turn right sides out, press well. Topstitch around all four sides, closing the gap.

3. Place cover side down on your workspace. Place interior page on top of the first piece, centering it on the cover. Pin or clip pages in place. Sew down the spine through both the cover and interior page to secure together using a 3.0 stitch length.

Care: Book can be washed by hand or machine with warm or cold water. Let air dry.


I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! I have lots of other tutorials for everything from quilts, pillows, bags, and holiday items to informational series and techniques. Find all my tutorials here: Tutorials. My online shop is filled with patterns for quilts and bags. Find my patterns here: Jeni Baker Patterns

If you make something using one of my tutorials or patterns, I hope you'll tag me @jenib320 and use my hashtag #jenibaker on instagram!

Don't forget to pin this post to your Pinterest for future reference! :)

Happy Sewing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2023 13:46:23 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI1O_XpqTRKb3OFESPuQWsX https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLJIaLaErGkJOGrEXdXG_66
Happy Monday! After spending the summer away from this space, it's time to slowly make my way back. It was an eventful summer and we have a lot to catch up on!


First and foremost, the main reason I took time away from posting is because we had a baby! This summer we welcomed a daughter to our family and we've spent the last few months getting to know each other and figuring out how to be parents. Many times I thought about sharing my pregnancy here and on social media, but I just never figured out a way that I was comfortable with. I was not a particularly happy pregnant person and keeping it private felt like the right thing for myself and Michael. On that note, I don't plan to share much about her here on the blog. She'll be "Baby P" to preserve her privacy. I will share some of the things I've sewn (and will sew in future) for her! That has been fun, to be able to make things for her. Look for a post soon with some baby-related sewing projects.


I've had a lot of fun shopping for second-hand baby clothes, and have found so many cute things at the thrift stores. Almost her entire wardrobe is thrifted! I love having new things to look for when I have the opportunity to go thrifting. There seems to be no shortage of cute stuff!


Despite having a brand new baby, I did manage to mostly take care of the garden this season. It's definitely done better other years, but most of that has actually been the weather. We have gotten an incredible amount of rain and parts of the garden have drowned. The wet killed nearly all of our pepper plants, and even a tomato plant. Thankfully we still got a lot of tomatoes, enough to put some in the freezer for soup this winter.


The dahlias started to bloom around the time Baby P was born, which was really nice to come home to! I made sure to get out and cut some just about every week. A lot more blooms went to the bees and pollinators than usual, but that's not a bad thing!


I've tried to squeeze in some crafting here and there where I can. I finished up a baby quilt, pieced a baby quilt top, made some blocks from scraps, and sewed a few other odds and ends.


I also started working on some crochet projects, specifically amigurumi. I've always wanted to be able to make them and I'm finally doing it! So far I've made a cat, a turtle and a pear. It's nice to have small projects that I can easily pick up for a row or two. Being able to finish things feels really good too!

Cat and turtle are kits from The Woobles, and the pear pattern is from Crochet Amigurumi for Every Occasion*.


Dusty is doing a great job being a big sister. She is loving all the time we're spending at home and even the late nights. She'll often come help us feed Baby P in the middle of the night, and demand pets of course.


Now that I'm dipping my toes back into posting, I thought I'd share a little of what you can expect from me going forward. My current plan (goal is probably a more accurate word) is to try to post once a week. I'm hoping to share a monthly favorites post and one tutorial/informational post a month, and fill in with project posts. We'll see how that works out. Sometimes it may be less, sometimes more. I'm giving myself grace during this season since my time is so limited.


I am still planning on hosting a Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along this year. I'd love to know what you'd like to see for this year's sew along. If you have any specific post or tutorial requests, please let me know in the comments! You can see past year's posts here.

I think that's everything I wanted to catch you all up on today! I hope you had lovely summers and are enjoying the first weeks of fall. I'll be back soon with a project post.

Happy Making!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:16:38 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLJIaLaErGkJOGrEXdXG_66 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI9248jy51XbuifqJurszLU
Hey there! I wanted to pop in quickly to let you all know that shipping in my online shop has resumed. PDF patterns were available all summer, and now paper pattern, twill tape, book, and bead orders are available for shipping again. I hope your summer has been fun! I'll be back in a few weeks with new posts.

Have a Great Weekend!]]> Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:59:55 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI9248jy51XbuifqJurszLU https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQL7JhUTjLpkYm7fhEn5oRuR
I wanted to pop in to let you know that I'm taking a summer hiatus starting today! Since I started this blog back in 2009, I haven't taken an intentional extended break and it feels like the right time. I want to spend as little time on screens this summer as I can. Hopefully when I come back, I'll be feeling refreshed and energized to share more creative work and bring you more valuable information/tutorials!

Here's what you need to know:

- The plan is to bring new blog posts back starting in September, probably around the start of Fall.

- I will continue shipping physical goods (twill tape, beads, paper patterns, books) from my online shop through the end of June. So stock up while you can! Shipping will reopen in September.

- PDF patterns will continue to be available all summer long, but pattern and email support will be delayed. I'll be available, but it may take me an extra day or two to get back to your inquiry! The best way to contact me during this time (and any time!), is through my contact form which can be found here: Contact Me

- Wholesale pattern ordering will remain open all summer, but response times may be delayed.

While I'm away, I would recommend diving into my archives of over 1,700 posts! Here are a few places to start:

- I've shared 100+ tutorials here on the blog ranging from free quilt patterns to home decor tutorials and informational posts. Check out my Tutorials page for all those posts. I also have a number of video tutorials that can be found on my Youtube Channel.

- Looking for some guided sewing? You can find all the sew alongs I've hosted (including 3 years worth of the Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along) on my Sew Alongs page.

- Summer is the perfect time to dip your toes into fabric dyeing since you can do it outside! Indigo dyeing is a magical experience and I have an in depth tutorial for doing it at home: DIY Indigo Fabric Dyeing Tutorial

- If you've got the itch to organize your sewing space this summer, may I suggest my Sewing Room Organization Series? It's full of inspiration and ideas for making the most out of your creative space.

- It's a great time to catch up on my Friday Favorites Series, for which there are now 61 posts!

- Check out my Pinterest, which I have loved curating over many years! I have dedicated boards for different quilt types, project types and much more.


I hope you all have a great summer!

Happy Making!]]> Mon, 12 Jun 2023 11:09:09 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQL7JhUTjLpkYm7fhEn5oRuR https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI0wMvA5dUoNpu9CxXrVx4c
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post! Catch up on previous posts here: Friday Favorites Archives

- I finished a quilt top, made backings for two quilts and got them both out for longarming this week! I dug into my stash of Erin McMorris* fabrics for both. Still love her fabrics so much.

- A beautiful take on a memory quilt by Season Evans.

- These EPP projects by Madeline Bonner make me want to finally cut into some of my Hello Kitty Liberty prints!

- Love the unique skirt on the Azure Dress Pattern by Closet Core Patterns. It's a part of their Crew Pattern membership.

- I really want to find a spot in our home where I can install some wood shelving like this.


- I made a tiny planter box! It sits in front of our basement window on our driveway, so I can see flower everytime I go down the basement (which is often since our laundry is down there). It's similar construction to the big planter boxes we made a few years ago with this tutorial.

- We watched the series finale of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel over the weekend, and I was so happy with how they wrapped everything up in the last season. Always nice when that happens!

- I think I've settled on a new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, this one from Joy the Baker. I've made it a few times before, but this time it really hit the spot. I chilled the dough for 24 hours before baking and made them quite a bit smaller.

- Ordered myself a new self-inking address stamp* this week, these things are so handy! Would make a great house-warming gift for someone who just moved!


- I caught Dusty taking a nap in a box full of her favorite brown paper. She is obsessed with the kraft paper you get in packages these days. Here she is mid-yawn. :)

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 02 Jun 2023 13:12:13 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI0wMvA5dUoNpu9CxXrVx4c https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKTRgBL4tgwB1hGNgNo2_0q
Happy Wednesday! Today I have a recent mini quilt finish to share!


For the last several Mother's Days I've made my Mom a new mini quilt for her craft room. This year was no exception, and I decided to use this cheater print from Honey by Alexia Abegg* as a starting point for the mini quilt. I pulled a few blenders to match from my stash and a long hoarded low-volume print for the background.


I decided on making a bear paw mini quilt using my Bear Paw Pillows Pattern. The only difference is I ended up leaving off the final borders. I didn't want the mini quilt to end up too big!


The nice thing about using the cheater print is that there were so many colors I could pull in to match! I dug deep in my stash for this dusty pink binding fabric.


I think the final mini quilt turned out pretty cute! I don't make a lot of mini quilts these days, so this was fun. Makes me want to make more. It's nice to be able to play with a design and a color palette without committing to a huge quilt!


For the quilting I did straight lines shadowing some of the piecing. Nothing fancy!


Another deep stash dive for this backing print! It's not an exact match for the front of the mini, but I think it still works with the binding. It's an old print by Erin McMorris.


Pick up a copy of the pattern here: Bear Paw Pillow Pattern

Happy Sewing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 31 May 2023 14:05:31 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKTRgBL4tgwB1hGNgNo2_0q https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLABn6X9bVKju4sICfMfkNm
Happy Friday! In lieu of a Friday Favorites post this week, I am having a weekend pattern sale in my online shop!

All patterns are 20% off (plus a few 50% off) now through 5/29/23!* No code needed, prices are already marked down for your convenience! You can also save 20% off signed copies of my book.

Shop Here

*Pattern bundles are not included in this sale. Sale applies only to jenibakerpatterns.com.


Have a Great Weekend!
]]> Fri, 26 May 2023 13:45:54 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLABn6X9bVKju4sICfMfkNm https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKApq0E8StS7Apx5_w21kha
Happy Wednesday! Today I have a recent tote bag finish to share with you!


As I mentioned in my last What I'm Currently Working On post, I cut a ton of squares to make a couple of plus quilts. I still ended up with extra squares after setting aside enough to make a throw quilt and a baby quilt. I happened to realize that the square size is the same as what you need for the patchwork version of my Workshop Tote Pattern! And lucky me, I had enough squares leftover to make one!


Since I already had all the squares cut, the patchwork panels came together really fast! I got them all stitched together, interfaced and cut linings/handles in one day. It was the weekend and there was nice weather to enjoy, otherwise I could have just pushed through and finished the bag.


On the other hand, when I make bags I do like to do all the prep work one day and then start sewing fresh the second day. This bag is not complicated (and I've made a bunch of them of course!), so it's not super necessary to break up the prep and sewing.


I was so happy to use up most of the leftover squares, and now I'll have a tote bag to match the two quilts I'm making, which is pretty fun! I love how sherbet-y these colors are. I tried to use up most of the focal prints that were left, and used plenty of the repeat blenders on the sides of the tote and the bottom.


For the lining I pulled out this older Carrie Bloomston* print that I've had in my stash for a really long time. I don't stash a lot of cuts that are more than 1/2 yard, so I was glad to find something that matched relatively well. To keep this tote nice and easy I used 1" cotton webbing for the handles instead of making them. I have some stocked in my online shop: 1" Cotton Webbing


Pick up a copy of the pattern here: The Workshop Tote Pattern

I also have a Sew Along for this pattern, which you can find here: The Workshop Tote Sew Along

Happy Sewing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 13:47:43 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKApq0E8StS7Apx5_w21kha https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQL6tikv16RtNjRQaTQYXBS9
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post! Catch up on previous posts here: Friday Favorites Archives

- The beauty bush is in full bloom right now, so as usual I've taken a million photos of it! Been spending so much time outside lately, which is making me happy.

- Speaking of being outside, this SPF lip balm* was a lifesaver last summer. Have already needed it this year!

- Loving the new Austin Dress Pattern from Grainline Studio. I don't love sewing buttons/buttonholes but the adorable button detail down the side of this dress makes me want to make an exception!

- I've been loving Carolyn Friedlander's Me Made May series where she is making blocks from her Shirts Pattern to match some of her handmade clothes. I was so tickled that she made a shirt block using one of my prints from Dreamin' Vintage!!

- This indigo quilt top by Ashley Brown Durand is so dreamy! Would be perfect for all the indigo scraps I've collected.


- I recently baked these sweet buttermilk biscuits using this recipe from Briana Holt. They were fun to make and really tasty!

- Another recipe I tried this week was these smashed chicken meatball sliders. I really liked them and ended up freezing down some of the meatballs for future meals!

- One of my favorite youtube channels to watch lately has been Claire Saffitz's Dessert Person channel. She has a large back catalog of videos so there is a lot of watch.

- Very happy that a new game in my favorite series (Legend of Zelda) came out last week! This video made by another fan of the games made me smile.


- Dusty kitten looking all cute as she keeps an eye on the neighborhood.

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 19 May 2023 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQL6tikv16RtNjRQaTQYXBS9 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKUGrnDRLhfAUZPHFZJLI3I

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a new grow bag tutorial to share, just in time for garden season!

In 2020, I published a fabric grow bag tutorial that used landscape fabric. It was at the very beginning of the pandemic, and it's the material I had on hand. It was very much a "make do with what you have" project. As I've explained in that post, they worked great for a single season, but did not last. Each year since then, I've tried out different materials to come up with a DIY solution and I think I've finally done it!


Last year's grow bag on the left, this year's grow bag on the right

Most nurseries and even some big box stores carry ready-made grow bags (we have some of these and love them too!), so I wanted to be sure that this DIY option was budget friendly and didn't require any hard to source materials. I also wanted to be sure that these bags performed well, so I actually made two last year and tested them for an entire season. Beyond using them for the growing season, I left them outside filled with dirt over the winter to really get a good idea of how they would hold up. I can now confidently share this design and material choice with you!

Felt Grow Bag Experiment
For the material experiment I purchased two different felts from JoAnn Fabrics. As I mentioned, I wanted the material to be easy to source, which is why I chose to shop at JoAnn's. The first was 100% polyester premium craft felt. This wasn't the cheapest felt they carry, it's a couple dollars more per yard and a little thicker. The second was a 35% wool/65% rayon felt. I chose this felt because it was what they had the most of that wasn't polyester.

I made the bags the same size (I used 12" squares for the test bags) and planted a single cherry tomato plant in each bag. The good news is that both grow bags worked great during the growing season! They both drained easily, the tomatoes thrived and there was no difference in plant performance that I could see.


By the end of the season however, the second grow bag (35% wool/65% rayon felt) was already in super rough shape. It continued to disintegrate over the winter, and is now just a pile of dirt!


The first grow bag (100% polyester premium craft felt) on the other hand is still going strong! It has some light wear, but is otherwise good to go for another season. I was able to move it around, the bottom also stayed intact. So, the 100% polyester premium craft felt is my official recommendation for DIY felt grow bags. At the time of writing this post, this felt is regular price $10.99/yard at JoAnn Fabrics. That means the material for this grow bag is around $5, which feels pretty afforable considering the size! With a coupon or a sale, you could make these for even less!


These bags are constructed completely differently than my original fabric grow bag tutorial. For these bags we are creating an unlined "box" made of felt. So the bag will have four sides and a flat bottom.

Custom Sizing:
This design is really easy to customize. All the pieces are square, and the same size. If you use 1/2" seams for the construction as recommended, your bag will be 1" smaller than the squares you cut. So if you want a finished grow bag that is approximately 10" square, you'll cut (5) 11" squares!


The 100% polyester felt grow bag from last year's experiment (shown on the left) is an 11" grow bag. For this tutorial I made a 13" grow bag. This is the largest size you can make with a single 1/2 yard cut of the 72" wide felt since you can get cut all five squares from one strip. Here's how to determine how much fabric you'll need for other sizes:

If your cut square size is 14" or smaller, you'll need one 72" strip of felt.
For example: 9" cut squares = (1) 9"x72" strip of felt or 1/4 yard.

If your cut square size is 15-24", you'll need two 72" strips of felt.
For example: 16" cut squares = (2) 16"x72" strips of felt or just under 1 yard.

DIY Felt Grow Bag Video Tutorial:

In addition to the written instructions below, I also filmed a short video tutorial. In the video I make a mini version so that it is easier to see each step of the process. All the steps are the same, regardless of the size bag you make! Find the video tutorial here: DIY Felt Grow Bag Video Tutorial

DIY Felt Grow Bags Written Tutorial:
Finished size: Approximately 13" wide, 13.5" tall, 13" deep

Materials:
- 1/2 yard of 72" Premium Craft Felt (100% polyester)
- Coordinating Polyester thread (or heavy duty thread)
- Chalk or pencil
- Clips or pins

Cutting:
Cut fabric into (5) 14"x14" squares.

Instructions:
Use 1/2" seam allowances unless otherwise noted.




1. Choose one 14" square to be the bottom of your grow bag. Using chalk or a pencil, mark a short line 1/2" from the edge of each corner (in both directions), so that you have a small "+" at each corner. Do this on the wrong side of the felt (what will end up being the interior of the grow bag). We'll be using these "+" marks as sewing guides in the next few steps.



2. Put one of the 14" square side panels right sides together with the 14" bottom panel. Sew pieces together along one edge, leaving 1/2" unsewn at each corner, using the marks made in step 1 as a guide. Be sure to backstitch when you start and finish stitching.


Repeat this step with the side piece that will be attaching to the opposite side of the bottom.


3. Before attaching the two remaining side panels to the bottom panel, it can be helpful to fold the seam allowance from the first two sides out of the way at each corner. I secured these with a pin.


Attach the remaining side pieces to the bottom in the same way as in step 2. Remove any pins or clips you may have used.


All four of the side pieces should now be attached along one edge to the bottom piece. When laid out, your piece should look like a big plus sign!


4. Now it's time to connect the side panels to each other. Match up each side edge with it's neighbor and clip/pin in place. In the above diagram I've labeled each side's edges with a letter. You'll clip/pin together edge A with edge B, C with D, E with F, and G with H. As you join the edges the "box" will take shape!


Sew pieces together along these edges. I find it easiest to start from the top (open) end and sew down towards the corner. Stitch until you're around 1/2" from the bottom, meeting up with your stitching where the side panel meets the bottom panel.

5. Turn bag right sides out and it's ready to be filled with dirt! No need to finish the seams since felt doesn't fray.

Feel free to add simple felt or webbing handles to the top of two sides if you want!

How I like to fill my grow bags:
1. I start by filling the bottom few inches of my grow bag with old leaves and small sticks. This helps fill some of the space, so that I don't need quite as much dirt. It will also break down over the season, providing some organic material to improve the soil.


2. Next I typically layer in some spent potting soil, again to reduce the amount of good dirt I need to fill my bag!


3. Finally I finish filling my bag with a mix of good quality soil and compost. Now it's ready for plants!


I ended up planting a marigold in the mini grow bag that I made in the video tutorial. Look how cute!!


If you're interested in using up extra landscape fabric to make grow bags, check out the original grow bag tutorial I posted in 2020: DIY Fabric Grow Bags


Last year I shared a tutorial for a simple, budget friendly tomato trellis and I'm excited to use those again this year. Find that tutorial here: DIY Budget Wooden Tomato Trellis

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! I have lots of other tutorials for everything from quilts, pillows, bags, and holiday items to informational series and techniques. Find all my tutorials here: Tutorials. My online shop is filled with patterns for quilts and bags. Find my patterns here: Jeni Baker Patterns

If you make something using one of my tutorials or patterns, I hope you'll tag me @jenib320 and use my hashtag #jenibaker on instagram!

Happy Gardening!
]]> Wed, 17 May 2023 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKUGrnDRLhfAUZPHFZJLI3I https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKR5jgAb6JcAkGT5aWO9DEx Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post! Catch up on previous posts here: Friday Favorites Archives

- I slid my ironing board down a few feet so that it's in front of the window and it has made ironing a much more enjoyable task! Funny how such a small change can make a difference.

- Radha of Sewing Through Fog has put together a great resource of Secondhand Fabric Stores! There are interactive maps for US/Canada and Global, plus a directory of online secondhand fabric stores.

- Krebsbachhuber Crafts makes these really neat reusable glue stick precision tips that turn a regular glue stick into into a precision stick that looks like it would be perfect for english paper piecing.


- Over the weekend we picked up a new-to-us perennial, Geum. It's a member of the rose family, and is adding a sweet pop of orange to our front yard perennial flower garden!

- Recently discovered Remark Glass, a company based in Philadelphia that creates home goods from post-consumer bottle glass in partnership with their non-profit Bottle Underground.

- Rashida Coleman Hale has released a collection of beautiful handmade pincushions, and there are still a few left!


- Revisited another favorite recipe and made some double chocolate banana bread. I'm not sure I've made a non-chocolate banana bread recipe since finding this one years ago! It's so good. This time I baked it in four mini loaf pans so I could give some away!

- This wildflower front yard by Amanda C. is so dreamy!

- Steffi Troy has a fun new pattern for pieced key FOBs called What the FOB!?.


- Dusty has really been into sleeping on the back of the couch lately. It gets about an hour of sun in the morning, which is of course irresistible.

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 12 May 2023 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKR5jgAb6JcAkGT5aWO9DEx