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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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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A Beautiful Beaded Stiletto

I’ve been getting advance gifts from my daughters for my upcoming 80th birthday, but I was surprised by a wonderful gift from my blogging friend, Freda, at The Adventures of the Empress of the Universe.  Last week, she had posted a tutorial on making stilettos from turkey lacers to use in sewing – and she sent me one!  It’s so precious and will definitely be used.  Freda enclosed it with a card by one of my favorites, Mary Engelbreit.

To learn how to make these beautiful stilettos, go to Freda’s blog:

http://imperamagna.blogspot.com/2012/07/up-to-mischief-again.html

Thank you, Freda, for making my day.

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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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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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Quilt Blocks and a Bag from Leaders and Enders

For years, I’ve heard about leaders and enders (little scraps of fabric inserted at the beginning and ending of a seam to avoid tangled threads and to save thread), but my attempts to do this were always distracting and I’d give up on it.  Lately, though, eye problems have made it difficult to thread the needle and I re-evaluated the leader and ender pieces of fabric.  I know a lot of quilters keep a box of scraps near the sewing machine to use in this manner and eventually have enough scraps sewn together to make a quilt.  Anything that will use up small scraps appeals to me and I got out my jars of scraps which are sorted by color and cut several colors into 2-inch squares.  This size accommodates a lot of my fabric pieces and is easy to stitch together.   I carried it another step further and put the pieces together to make a 9-patch rather than having another box full of 2-inch patches to put together – SOME DAY.

Before I begin to sew, I put two 2-inch squares right-sides-together and stitch them.  Then, without breaking thread, I sew the seam on my current project.  At the end of this seam, I insert another two squares and stitch them together.  I cut the thread on the first set of 2-inch squares, add another square to make a row and this becomes my “leader” or “ender” as needed.  I keep the rows for one block on the ironing board beside me until a 9-patch is completed – then it goes into a basket and I start another set of patches.

I used this technique on a recent mini-quilt project and when I had finished the quilt, I had made 19 five-inch blocks   They are all in coordinating colors so they can be put together easily as needed for a pillow backing, small quilt or wall hanging backing, gift bags, etc.

Now, I’m so accustomed to putting 2-inch scraps together as I’m sewing that I use the process for any project, including making clothes.  No more birds’ nests at the beginning of the seam, no more wasted thread and a minimum amount of needle-threading – plus, I’ve used up some scraps and have nice blocks on hand to use with other projects.

I was able to use some of the blocks recently to make a lining for a small bag I made to give to some friends with jars of pickles and blackberry jam.  I used 1-1/2 inch sashing between the 5-inch blocks.  The lining is pretty enough to make the bag reversible.

For the outside of the bag, I used two orphan blocks.

All I had to do was add straps and facing around the top to make a nice little gift bag.

I also have strips cut 1-1/4 inches wide which I like to use for log cabin blocks and pieces cut in 1-1/2 inch squares.  I make sure my basket is full of scrap leaders and enders before I begin any project.

P.S.  My friends liked the bag and the home-canned goods.

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An Easy, Warm Balaclava

Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue posted a tutorial for this nice, warm balaclava.  I was unfamiliar with the term, but when I saw a hood tying tightly around the face with a piece coming up to the nose, I knew it was just what I needed for my three-times-a-day walks in all kinds of weather with my dog, Rusty.

You can find the pattern and tutorial here:

http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/tutorial-balaclava/

The pattern prints out onto 6 sheets of paper which are easily taped together and cut out.  In printing my pattern, I found there was a small gap between the 1st and 2nd rows of paper on the right hand side, but it was easy to see where the cutting line should be.

There’s just one pattern piece to cut out and a simple zigzag stitch to put it together plus a couple of notions – elastic cording and cord stops.  I couldn’t find the single barrel stop Deanna mentions but used Dritz #493-1 2 Cord Stops along with Dritz #9342B Round Cord Elastic (JoAnn’s).  I shortened the cord by about 10 inches for the medium pattern so that the cord stops are on either side of the balaclava, about eye level.

Also, the piece of fleece remnant I picked up was only 22 inches long but worked fine by reducing the cuff to 1-1/2 inches. I had enough left from a 60″ wide piece to make another balaclava if I wish.

I’m sure I’m going to get a lot of use out of the balaclava in the next few months and thank Deanna for the good tutorial.  My youngest daughter served as model.

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