Author: Teresa

Quilts, good books and dogs. Plus a cup of tea. Life is good.

DIY Plastic Grocery Bag Holder

March 15, 2014

Although I carry my own fabric shopping bags to the grocery store, I actually don’t mind getting plastic grocery sacks.  Why?  They serve multiple uses in my house – mostly to dispose of super messy items (like used paintbrushes) and to pick up after Boomer when we go for a walk.

The pantry in my current house is wide and narrow – unlike the deep pantry in my previous home. The plastic crate I used to house plastic grocery bags for nearly a decade no longer works.

grocerysackholderoriginalOne of the books I picked up at the public library during a recent visit was 101 One Yard Wonders Fabric by Fabric.  As I thumbed through the book, I noticed a plastic grocery sack project.  Inspired, I unearthed the home dec samples I’d been gifted last summer and sure enough, I found some that were just the right size and weight for the project.  I kinda/sorta followed the directions on the first one and was pleased with how it turned out, but I needed a slimmer/longer one.

Fabrication requirements for my version:

1/2 yard mid-to-heavy weight cotton fabric OR a fat quarter OR a 26″x26″ home dec sample
3/8″ or 1/2″ elastic (non roll works best, but use what you have on hand)
Thread to match

Sewing Directions:

– Cut fabric into a 17″x23″ rectangle  (or 17″ x however long the FQ “long” side is)

Make tube
– Fold fabric right sides together with the 23″ sides meeting.  This will give you a long, narrow tube.
– Stitch side seam, using 1/2″ seam allowance (optional:  finish raw edges of seam allowance)
– Press seam open.

Make casing for elastic
– Turn up a 1-1/4″ hem on each end of the tube. Press.
– Open hem back out and press up  1/4″.
– Turn the now 1″ hem back up on each end of the tube.  Press.
– Pin the hem in place.
– Edge stitch near the fold all the way around the casing.
– Stitch the other side of the casing, leaving a 2″ opening at the starting/stopping point for elastic insertion.
Hint:  Using a free arm makes this process much easier as does setting your seam guide for 7/8″ when stitching the “hem” side.

Insert elastic
– Cut a 15″ piece of elastic.
– On your cutting mat, make a mark 3″ from the left side.  Now measure over 8-1/2″ and make another mark.
– Insert elastic into casing.
– Overlap elastic ends at marks so that elastic lies flat (make sure it isn’t twisted in casing).
– Sew elastic together along mark (straight stitch or zig zag in place back and forth several times).
– Trim away excess elastic.
– Stitch opening closed (you might have to persuade the fabric to lie flat).

Make strap
– Cut 3″x23″ rectangle
– Press up 1/2″ hem on each short end of the rectangle.
– Fold rectangle in half lengthwise wrong sides together.  Press.
– Open rectangle out.   Fold each long side in so that it just meets inside the crease.  Press along folded edge.
– Fold rectangle in half again lengthwise.
– Match edges and edge-stitch all the way around the strap (can skip lengthwise fold if you wish).

Attach strap
– Decide which way you want your bag to hang.  Make note of the top end.
– Locate the seam on the inside of the top casing.   You will place the strap ends on either side of this seam (inside the bag on top of the elastic and casing).
– Place the strap ends so there is about 1/2″ of space between the seam and the edge of either strap end.
– Pin in place.  Edge-stitch strap in place.  To add a custom look and strength to your project, sew an “X” in the middle of the square where you sewed the strap down.

Place bag into service
– Stuff with 20-30 plastic bags, hang in pantry and enjoy.

Maximizing your quilting dollars

March 10, 2014

Make.use.of.your.public.library!

I’m blessed in that I have access to not one, but THREE library systems where I live.  There’s a city library, county library system and a state wide consortium with branches in two neighboring counties.  I paid to join the city library, but cards for the other two systems were free.  On my first visit to the city library, I borrowed enough books to cover the membership fee.  🙂

Interlibrary loan can be your new BFF.  You locate the title in another library using WorldCat, fill out a request at your local library and in a week or so, the book will be available for check-out.  Usually ILL services are free, but some systems may charge a nominal fee.  

If you live near a college or university, ask to see if you can get a “community” library card. Colleges with textile design, fashion merchandising or consumer & family science programs normally have a wide variety of titles available.  You can also read craft and fiber arts periodicals in the reading room while you are there checking out books. 

Of course, I’m all for buying books for my personal collection, but they can get expensive.  And unless it’s a vintage title, I’d much rather spend my money on fabric!  Just sayin’!

 

Managing your sewing & quilting library collection

March 10, 2014

Much discussion went back and forth on the CREATE2014 ICAP board about managing our personal magazine collections.  I think a lot of it has to do with how one utilizes magazines in his/her creative arts endeavors.  I use magazines for inspiration and ideas.  I keep them for about 3-6 months and either (1) pass the magazine along to a quilty friend or (2) tear out the pages that inspire me.  These pages are either filed away or encased in a plastic holder and put in a 3 ring binder.  I take the remaining parts to school for use in various student projects.

As much as I love print products, I have personally moved the bulk of my magazine subscriptions to a digital format where available.  I read them on my NOOK HD or on my MacBook Pro using a NOOK or Kindle app. Most, if not all of the electronic publications, offer pattern pages on their websites for a free download.  I do have a handful of magazines that are intact and remain part of my permanent collection.  These are housed magazine bins that you can buy at any office supply store or IKEA.

Every so often, it is essential that you cull your books and magazines.  If not, your reading matter stash is going to rival the fabric stash!  Yes, I hate to get rid of books as much as the next person, but it’s an essential part in the care and feeding of a collection. Donate items to your quilt guild, ASG chapter or Friends of the public library.  Gift the books to newbie stitchers. Trade the books in at a place like Charles & 2nd or McCray’s books so you can buy other books.  Donate the books to Goodwill.  Try to sell them on Etsy or Ebay.  If the book is dog chewed, mildewed or otherwise falling apart – please do everyone a favor and throw it in the trash!I

As I work as a children’s librarian in my day job, it should come as no surprise that I have one bookcase full of nothing but sewing and quilting titles.  I weeded my collection prior to our move last summer.  Last month, I donated a number of older titles to my quilt guild’s fledgling library.  I will probably donate more after spring break.  My books are cataloged using Library Thing.  They are arranged on the shelf by subject – general quilting, machine quilting, kids sewing, garment sewing, business, home dec, techniques, etc.  No way am I going to put Dewey numbers on the books!

My personal collection also includes a handful of vintage sewing books that I collect as a hobby.  One of the classes I’d love to take is an archival course on antique book repair.  That’s not something that was taught via distance learning when I was in library school.  You Tube is great for general repairs, but antique books are a little trickier.