Repurposing a Hamper Rack – A Tutorial

I have a hamper rack on which the hamper portion wore out very quickly.  I wanted to recycle the rack as well as use up a lot of fabric scraps, so I drafted a very simple pattern and used a Log Cabin variation to make the front and back.  The lining is from some old home dec curtains.

The only repair I did on the rack was to replace two side straps.  I cut two pieces 7 x ½ inch of scrap leather (could be from an old purse) and cut a small hole ½ inch from the ends on each piece.  I removed the screws on the broken straps and screwed them through the holes on each end to affix the replacement straps.

The rack measures about 16 inches wide x 25 inches high with ½ inch diameter legs – similar to the hamper racks sold by Ikea.

I used pieced blocks for my hamper, but, of course, any kind of fabric could be used.  Here is what you will need.

SUPPLIES

• Hamper rack approx. 16 inches wide x 25 inches tall.
• 2 pieces of fabric 28-1/4 inches wide x 24-¼ inches long for hamper bag
• 2 pieces of fabric 28-¼ inches wide x 24-¼ inches long for bag lining
• 10 pieces of fabric 4 inches wide x 6 inches long for tabs
• 10 pieces of Velcro ¾ inch wide for tabs

HAMPER BAG

• Place hamper bag fabric right sides together and sew with ¼ inch seams along two sides and bottom.
• Keeping right sides together, at each side seam on the bottom edge, mark and cut out a 2-½ inch square.

• Fold the cutout portion of the bag together, placing the seam in the center …..

…and sew a ¼ inch seam.

• Repeat for the other corner. Turn and press.

• Use the same procedure to sew the lining.
• Make a mark at the top center front of bag.  Then mark 3-3/4 inches two places on either side of the center.  Repeat with back of bag.
• Pin a square of each set of Velcro pieces centered over each mark with the top of the Velcro patch ¾ inch from top raw edge.  Stitch in place.  Repeat for back of bag.

TABS

• Along 4 inch edge of the tab fabric, press edge ¼ inch to wrong side of fabric.

• Fold piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.

• Open fabric and fold each side to meet at the center fold.  Press.

• Fold in half lengthwise and press.  Top stitch around sides and bottom of piece.  Repeat with remaining 4×6 pieces of fabric.

• On the finished edge of each strap, sew a ¾ x ¾ inch piece of Velcro.

• On the wrong side of each tab, mark 1-½ inches from the raw edge.  Place tab inside bag at top edge, wrong sides together, matching 1-½ inch mark with top pressed edge and aligning with the matching piece of Velcro below.  Pin.  Repeat with remaining tabs.

• Place lining inside the bag, wrong sides together, matching corners.
• Pin every two inches along the top edge.
• Top- stitch 1/8 inch from top edge, being sure to catch the 1/4 inch of fabric turned under on the bag and lining.

• Place on rack, looping tabs over the rack and securing with the Velcro patches.

The hamper can be folded for storage.

This makes a nice storage unit for lightweight toys (think stuffed animals), sewing, clothing, towels, etc.

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Quick Fabric Christmas Cards

Every year, I try to come up with a handmade original Christmas card for my two daughters and two youngest grandchildren.  These have been in many forms in past years and this time, I decided on fabric cards.  I started by choosing the four envelopes and cut the fabrics so they would fit.

For the two daughters, I made small Dresden plates from Christmas fabrics, sewed non-woven fusible interfacing to them, trimmed, turned and appliquéd the plates onto a piece of 4×5 fabric which would fit my envelopes well.  I cut a backing the same size, sewed right sides together with an opening for turning, then top stitched.  I included a panel on the backing with my handwritten “to-from” information.  A button or other embellishments can be added.

I always include a dollar bill with the grandchildren’s cards, so in this case I made a pocket big enough to hold a bill or check or gift card and appliquéd it to a 4×5 piece of fabric.  Then I added the backing as I did for the Dresden plate cards.  It made a nice little holder for their dollar and is something their mother will save for them as a keepsake.

The most time I spent was in doing the piecing, but a cute piece of fabric would work just as well.  A quick, easy project.

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New Curtains for Christmas

Last summer, I took down the venetian blinds in the kitchen to give it a more open, airy look and repurposed some old lace panels to make curtains.

When fall came, I didn’t want to put the blinds up again but wanted a little more covering for the windows.  I found some wonderful reproduction feedsack fabric while in Ohio Amish Country and made some curtains that looked great with the autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations.

I really liked the curtains but I thought they might clash with all the bright reds and greens that go up at Christmas time, so once I again I made a set of curtains using white and red gingham.  They were the first things to go up in the kitchen before I began my holiday decorating.

They’re so bright and cheerful that they might be up until Valentine’s Day and into spring.

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Some Goodies for the Animal Shelter

Each year, I make some small items to be donated to one of the no-kill shelters I support (League for Animal Welfare).  These go on a craft table to be sold at their annual Christmas party.

Helen, my blogger friend in Australia, has sent me gifts on two different occasions and each time thoughtfully included the link for making the items.  One is a small notebook cover with a tutorial by Lara Cameron. For a 3×5 spiral notebook, I cut the cover and lining pieces 3-¾ x 11-½ inches.  For the pockets, I cut 3-¾ x 5-¾ inches.

Another really nice gift is a List-Taker from a pattern for sale by Jennifer Casa.

This cover includes space for a 5×8 inch pad and pen and has a large pocket for carrying fabric swatches, patterns, notes, etc.

My daughter donated some pretty cat and dog charms for the ties and assembled them for me.

I hope these cute covers in animal prints make a little bit of money for the shelter.

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A Cincinnati Reds Shirt for the Playoffs

For my birthday, a friend gave me a Reds messenger bag and a great T-shirt.

The shirt is very special to me because on the back is “Applegate – 80” (my maiden name and my age).  I haven’t used the Applegate name for over 60 years.  The shirt is the right size but was cut in a way that it would even be snug on my skinny 9-year-old granddaughter.   I really wanted to wear this shirt for the Reds’ playoff games and had to quickly come up with a way I could keep all of the key elements but have it in a comfortable size.

I had a new T-shirt that was about two sizes too big and used one of my tried and true patterns to trim the sides and to trim down the sleeves.

I cut the side seams of the Reds shirt ….

… then lay it on top of the white  shirt and pinned at the shoulder, down the center and around the neckband.

I drew a chalk line, allowing for a ½ inch seam, from the shoulder to the bottom of the front and back on each side and trimmed along that line.

I turned under the ½ inch allowance and top stitched the red shirt to the white one.  Then, I  VERY carefully trimmed away the center white portion front and back.

I sewed the side seams, sewed in the sleeves, sewed the hem and the shirt was finished.

Now, I have my shirt ready to wear and watch the Reds win the playoffs (sorry, St. Louis granddaughters).

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The Amish and the Honey Bees are Visiting my August Kitchen

My favorite vacation destination is Amish Country in Holmes County, Ohio.  It is so picturesque with photo-op scenery around every corner and each bend in the road.  In August, I display a few items that have been purchased and some that have been handmade.  The two cast-iron figures on the window sill were a recent gift and I love the one of the woman quilting.  On my shelf I have a set of 4 figures that I’ve had for many years.  They look so similar to the families we see walking along the road when we visit Amish Country.

My first cast-iron Amish figures were an engagement gift from a friend in 1952 -a set of salt and pepper shakers.  This little guy’s mate was lost many years ago and he’s a little the worse for wear because all four of my children carried him around when they were toddlers.

I have two beautiful framed  pieces made by my oldest daughter …

…and two wall hangings that I made ….

My daughter loves bees and contributed several items when she moved back home.  I made two of her embroidered pieces into wall hangings  …

For me, displaying these beautiful things is a nice segue from summer into fall.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

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Small Projects and Tutorials

Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue posted five days of small projects last week, along with links to tutorials.  I made two of the projects and was very pleased with them.

http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/all-small-week-day-1-business-card-holder/

These card holders were easy and fast to make.  I like to have something handmade to hold gift cards and these were perfect.  I chose to use snaps as closures and I thought they turned out very cute.

http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/all-small-week-day-4-pincushions/

I also made the Cathedral Windows pincushion.  I had tried a Cathedral Windows block years ago without much success, but this one turned out pretty well.

It was fun to check in each day to see what Deanna had for us.  Here are the other three projects she posted:

http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/all-small-week-day-5-denim-storage-bins/

http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/all-small-week-day-2-circle-skirt/

http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/all-small-week-day-3-fabric-nesting-baskets/

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An Early Mother’s Day Surprise

I came out to breakfast this morning to find this wonderful hanging my oldest daughter had made.  She lives with me and likes to surprise me with advance gifts on holidays.

She scanned a picture and then colorized it and appliqued it onto a vintage standcover.  She did all of the embroidery, hand quilting, crocheting and embellishing – she even made a hanger for the piece.

I remember the day the picture was taken very well.  It was in the summer of 1949 at the house in the country where my grandmother and aunt lived.  I would be beginning my senior year in high school in the fall and my sister (the blonde) would be in her freshman year.  My mother (center) made our dresses which were of very light voile.  We were wearing the latest fashion in shoes that summer – flat black ballet slippers and carrying matching purses.  We dressed alike very often since it was more economical and efficient for my mother to make two dresses in the same style of the same fabric.

Mother passed away in 1991 and my sister, in 2010.

I love this Mother’s Day memento.

Click on pictures for close-up views.

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Recycling Old Lace Curtains

When we moved into this house 11 years ago, the previous owners had left behind three lace panel curtains.  They were too pretty to get rid of but I really had no use for them and they have been hanging in a closet since 2001.  Yesterday, I finally decided to do something with the panels and made new curtains for my kitchen windows.  I needed bottom panels and valance for the window over my sink and three valances for the bay window area.

I was able to make use of the pretty bottom edging on the panels for the window over the sink ….

…and cut all the valances sideways to be able to use the pretty side edging for the bottoms.

I took down venetian blinds to make the kitchen brighter and more open.  Although I’ll be replacing the lace curtains with heavier ones in the fall, I don’t think the blinds are ever going back up.

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Cute Valentine Bookmarks

Karen at Sew Many Ways has a a great tutorial for a heart bookmark that is perfect for Valentine’s Day.

http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/2012/01/tool-time-tuesdayfabric-heart-bookmark.html

These literally take minutes to cut and sew.  The only change I made was to trim the seams and do some decorative top-stitching.  I made these to enclose with my Valentines to the family this year.

Red fabric is good for Valentine’s Day but I couldn’t resist making one in an animal print for a daughter who loves it.

The back has a little pocket which slips over the bottom corner of a book page to keep your place.

To accompany the bookmark and to help explain how to use it, I looked through my collection of vintage cards for something with a book and came up with this one.

I scanned it and added the caption, “A Valentine Bookmark just for you”.   The bookmark was slipped onto the bottom edge…

….and I wrote a personal message on the back of the card.

I think this will be a nice surprise as I continue the tradition of sending Valentines to special people.
This Valentine was sent to my mother by her first grade teacher in 1923

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