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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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 Envelope Gift Bag from Orphan Blocks – A Tutorial

I enjoy trying pieced blocks just for the experience and many of them are never used in a quilt.  I have a stack of various sizes and developed this envelope-style lined gift bag to hold small, flat gifts and then be useful for storing sewing, cosmetic and other small items.  Each bag uses two orphan blocks of the same size.  Of course, scraps could also be used.

Here is how I make the bags:

• Choose two quilt blocks of the same size, one for the outside bag and one for the lining (my blocks in this example are 12-½ inches)

• Place the two blocks right sides together and stitch a ¼ inch seam on all sides, LEAVING A 3 INCH OPENING ON WHAT WOULD BE THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BAG.  Back stitch at the beginning and ending.

• Trim the 4 corners …

• …and turn the bag right-side-out.  Press and tuck in the opening fabric.  Top stitch 1/8 inch from the edge on all four sides.

This is all of the machine sewing you’ll be doing on this project.  A bit of hand sewing will complete the bag.

• Place the finished piece on point right-side-up on a mat and fold the bottom point to meet the left hand point.

• Pin together so that the sewn edges meet but do not overlap.

• Using needle and thread and beginning at the top edge,  join the two pieces, catching just the edges of the lining fabric so the stitches don‘t show on the outside of the bag and so the edges abut.

• Fold the right hand point over to meet the center and join together.

• Turn and press.

• Sew a small snap on the back flap and center.

• If desired, add a button or other embellishment to the back and/or front.

The 12-½ inch block makes a bag approximately 7 x 8 inches.  It would be a good size for a small journal or paperback book.

A 9-½ inch block makes a bag about 5-3/4 inches square.

An 8-½ inch block makes a bag about 5-¼ inches square – good for a CD or DVD

A 6-1/2 inch block makes a bag 3-½ inches square – just right for a gift card.

These bags are very fast and easy to assemble, make nice holders for gifts and reduce the stack of orphan blocks.

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Fading Charms Quilt

Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue posts wonderful tutorials and her latest is a charm quilt that uses 846 charms (by Deanna’s count – I took her word for it).  The pattern is written for 2-½, 2, and 1-½ inch charms.  Click on the link below to see the tutorial.

http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/tutorial-fading-charms-quilt/

I decided to make the quilt of  1-½ inch charms to use the scraps from 10 years of sewing and quilting, stored rather haphazardly in 6 large dresser drawers.  I spent a lot of time cutting the squares and then enlisted the help of my granddaughter to sort them according to color and to count them.  She spent several Sunday afternoons helping me out.

It was nostalgic for me to cut the squares and then sew them one by one into the quilt, remembering the projects and where/when I bought the fabric.  In most cases, I remembered each square very clearly.  There was fabric from the quilt that started my quilting – a baby quilt for my helper granddaughter….

….pieces from my husband’s flannel shirts that he could no longer wear but wanted made into a quilt the year before he passed away; material used in full-sized quilts for my daughters and grandchildren and in baby quilts for my two great-grandchildren; fabric from a 25th anniversary wall hanging for my youngest son and his wife; lots of squares from the countless charity quilts I made for the Linus Project for hospitalized children.  There were pieces from queen-size quilts (two of which won ribbons at the county fair), and quilted jackets (one of them a 2nd prize winner at the Ohio State Fair).

There were squares from potholders, placemats, wall hangings, tablecloths, curtains, clothing for the family, costumes for the grandchildren, holiday and birthday projects,

I also used scraps to piece the backing and for the binding.  The only fabric I bought was for the background.  My label is in the form of a pocket so I can print out this post and keep it with the quilt to describe how special it is.

So many hours of sometimes pleasant and sometimes frustrating sewing over the past 10 years!  Making this memory-filled quilt made me realize I’d like to do something like this every January, using a piece from each project of the preceding year.  It may be a small project like a table runner or pillow cover, depending on how many items I made in a year, but it will be a nice reminder.

My Fading Charms Quilt measures 36×36 inches and there are a few repeats of charms because I wanted to use only fabric that had been in a previous project.  It is a nice size as a topper for my loveseat in a bedroom.  The scrappy quilt goes well with the red walls and lodge theme.

The quilt is also a perfect size for hanging over the loveseat.

This is a good quilt to make whether you’re rummaging through drawers of old scraps or cutting nice, fresh fabric.  I like it very much.

The granddaughter and quilt that started it all

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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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A Mini Quilt Becomes a Table Cover

Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue has a really nice tutorial for a “Sew Small Sampler Quilt” with 3-½ inch unfinished blocks.  She has directions for 12 old favorites plus measurements for background blocks to set the quilt on point.  The blocks are not difficult and Deanna offers to help anyone who needs a little more direction in making the quilt.

I decided to add borders and size the piece to fit my 1930s era sewing table.

I chose to use up a lot of green scraps to steer this piece in the direction of St. Patrick’s Day.

I did very simple stitch-in-the-ditch quilting along with a free-hand pinwheel motif in each block…

…and decorative stitching in the borders.

As I was piecing the blocks, I used 1-¼ inch scrap blocks as leaders and enders, and by adding a few extra strips of fabric, had enough to make the backing.

The piece measures 26x 16 inches and will be nice for my March sewing table cover.

Check out Deanna’s tutorial for a good project.

http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/tutorial-sew-small-sampler-quilt/

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Pocket Gift Basket from Scraps–Tutorial

For Christmas, I wanted to make some small baskets with pockets to hold little gifts.  I bought a pattern  and made three baskets, but they were very time-consuming and labor-intensive.  They turned out well, but I didn’t want to put that much time and work into the 8 additional baskets I needed.

I drafted my own pattern that made a 5-½ x 5-½ inch basket with a handle and pockets on the inside for the gifts.  It turned out to be just what I wanted and took about an hour to complete each one which included 15 minutes of hand-sewing, as opposed to about 3 hours for the first pattern and an hour of hand-sewing.  I also liked that I could use up fabric scraps to make them.  The basket is not difficult to make – basically two cubes joined with binding and handles.

I thought they turned out very cute and can be used after the Christmas treats are gone.

My daughter wrote on her blog about the three baskets I donated as craft table items at our favorite dog shelter, along with the items my two daughters donated.

LITTLE POCKET GIFT BASKET

Following are the materials I used to make one basket.  The fabric can be different or coordinating for any of the sections.  It’s fun to see how different each one can be.

Basket Outside fabric:

Cut four 5-1/2 x 6-½ inch pieces (note direction of fabric) for sides
Cut two 6-½ x 6-½ inch pieces for bottom (outside and lining)

Lining fabric:

Cut four 5-½ x 6-½ inch pieces for sides

Pocket Fabric:

Cut four 7-½ inch wide x 5-½ inch long pieces for pockets.

Binding Fabric:

Cut one 2-¼ inch strip 24-1/2 inches long

Handle Fabric

Cut two pieces 2-¼ wide x 8-½ inches long.

Stiff Fusible Interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz – A strip 28 inches x 5-¾ inches wide

Cut four 4-¾ x 5-3/4 inch pieces for sides

Cut one 5-¾ x 5-3/4 inch piece for bottom

SEWING – ¼ inch seams unless otherwise noted

• Outside fabric sides and bottom:  Center the fusible interfacing on the wrong sides of the four sides and bottom of outside fabric.

• Flip over and press according to manufacturer’s instructions.

• Pockets and lining:  On the pocket tops (7-½ inch side) turn under ¼ inch and then another ¼ inch.  Stitch in place.
• Finger press the center of each pocket and each lining piece along the wide edge.  Match up lining sides and pockets at the bottom edge – wrong side of pocket to right side of lining – stitch on the center mark from the top of the pocket to the bottom edge of the pocket/lining, back stitching at the top of the pocket.

• Pin pocket to lining at bottom corners and at pocket hems on the sides.  Pin a small pleat on either side of the center stitching.

• Baste along the sides and bottom of the pocket/lining 1/8 inch from the edge.  Make four of these pocket/lining sections.

• To assemble outside of basket:  With RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, stitch a side panel to two opposite sides of the bottom, press.  Be careful that fabric is going in the right direction.  The design should be facing toward the bottom panel.
• Place another side panel beside the panel on the left hand side of the center.  Be sure pattern is going in the same direction.

• Flip the second side panel over on top of the previously sewn panel on the left hand side of the center – RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, matching raw edges at the side and top.

• Stitch along the top, stopping ¼ inch from the point where the corner of the block meets the seam of the panel.

• At this point, keeping the needle down, raise the foot, pivot, and turn the side panel and sew to the next pivot point.

• Once again, pivot, turn panel and sew around to the top edge.  Back stitch at the beginning and ending and at each pivot point.  Don’t be afraid to fold or scrunch the basket to get it in the proper position to sew.

This is how the basket will look at this point.

• Repeat with the remaining side panel on the other side of the basket.

• Turn basket and press into corners with finger to shape basket.

• To assemble lining:   In the same manner, sew together the lining/pocket sections to the remaining bottom piece.  Be sure the tops of the pockets are facing up.  Add the remaining two panels to form a lining/pocket cube.

• Place the lining inside the fabric basket, matching up side seams, pinning at the top and pressing lining into place with your fingers.
• Handles:  Fold sides of handle straps until they meet in the center, press, fold again lining up pressed edges.

• Press and top-stitch on both sides of the handle
• Pin a handle on opposite sides of the basket, 1 inch from the seam edge on each side.

• Baste 1/8 inch from the raw edge, sewing from the inside of the basket.  Be sure all layers have been basted.  Note:  If pins are inserted with the points toward the top of the basket, they will be easy to remove as you sew.
• Binding: Join ends with ¼ inch seam and press seam open.  Press in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
• Place binding on top portion of basket, matching raw edges, and pin.  Stitch RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER to the outside of the basket.  Sew from the inside of the basket.

• Turn the binding to the inside of the basket, allowing about 1/8 inch to show at the top edge.  Hand stitch the binding in place.

Here are the rest of the pocket gift baskets I made.

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Vintage Handkerchief Holder

Last week I blogged about a Vintage Hankie Heart Pillow I made from the book, Hooked on Hankies by Laurene Sinema and Janet Carruth, Suzanne McNeill Design Originals. The post is here.

I have a lot of vintage handkerchiefs of varying sizes and I started thinking how I could use the idea of a pocket along with a holder that could be hung on the wall and that was easy to adapt to different dimensions.

I have a nice collection of children’s scottie  handkerchiefs which are much smaller than the standard.  This is the formula I worked out:

Formula:

• Front – Fabric A – Side measurement of hankie folded in fourths plus 1″
• Pocket – Fabric B – Same measurement as Fabric A
• Backing – Fabric C – Same measurement as Fabric A plus 2 inches extra
• Batting – Same measurement as Fabric A plus 2 inches extra
• Binding – One side measurement of A x 4 plus 3″ extra

I started out by folding the hankie in fourths and measuring along one side.  In this example, it was 5-1/2″.  I added 1″ to this measurement to equal 6-1/2″

For this dimension I used:

• Fabric A for the front of the holder – 6-1/2″ square
• Fabric B for the pocket – 6-1/2″ square
• Fabric C for backing – 8-1/2″ square (6-1/2″ plus 2″ extra)
• Batting same size as backing – 8-1/2″ square
• Binding 1-1/2″wide x 29″ long (4 sides @ 6-1/2″ = 26 plus 3″ extra)

Cut  6-1/2″ square from Fabric A – set aside

Cut 6-1/2″ square from Fabric B and fold in half, wrong sides together.  Press.  Top stitch 1/4″ from folded edge.  Set aside.

Cut 8-1/2″ square from backing fabric and place right side down on worktable.  Place 8-1/2″ square of batting on top of backing.  Center 6-1/2″ square of Fabric A on top of the batting.  Pin in place.

Quilt by sewing straight lines, beginning at the center,  from corner to corner and from each mid-section across the piece.  Decorative stitching would be nice here.

Trim away excess batting and backing.

Place the pocket Fabric B on the lower half of the front Fabric A, matching the bottom point.  Pin and then baste 1/8″ from the two raw edges.

Press 1/2 inch from one end of binding.   Place binding right side down on the right side of the front with the pressed section facing up.  Sew 1/4″ seam to attach the binding and overlap at the end to cover the folded portion.

Trim off any excess binding.  Press and hand-stitch the folded section.  Turn binding to wrong side, allowing 1/4″ to show on the front, fold under binding and hand-stitch to the back.

As a hanger, attach a  ribbon, ring or maybe a vintage belt buckle if you have one.  I like to use drapery clips on my wall hangings.

Embellish any way you like.  I’m partial to vintage buttons.

Fold the handkerchief and tuck it into the pocket – no damage to the hankie itself and easy to change out.

I made another holder for a smaller handkerchief, using the formula …

…and for this standard-size hankie.  I folded it a little differently so more of the floral design would show.

It’s a fun, fast project, uses up scraps, and offers a chance to display some of those treasured handkerchiefs we all have tucked away in a drawer somewhere.

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Wire Hanger Cover

I’ve had a problem for years of wire hangers alternately fighting each other and multiplying in my closet.  Twenty-five years ago a friend made strong, non-violent hangers by combining three of them and then using some kind of crochet stitch to make a cover.  I’m still using these hangers but could never find the pattern and really don’t want to crochet.  I was hoping to find a sewing pattern for covering multiple hangers but only turned up patterns for covering plastic  or wooden hangers.  I tried a few ideas and came up with a way to simultaneously reduce the quantity of wire hangers and the quantity of fabric scraps.

You will need for each set:

• 3 wire hangers of the same general size and shape
• Masking tape
• Transparent tape
• One inch wide strip of ribbon or fabric
• Two pieces of fabric approximately 9-1/2″ x 18″ each

Take one of the three matching hangers and place on a piece of tissue paper.  Trace on the outside of the hanger, leaving a space where the handle comes down.  Draw another line 1/2″ from the outside of the first line.  At the space add a tab about 1/2″ long.  Draw a line along the bottom about 3″  from the bottom edge of the hanger.

Put the three hangers together and tape at various spots with masking tape, being especially careful to cover the tips of the wire handles.

Wrap the handles with ribbon or fabric.  Fabric should be cut into strips with pinking shears to avoid fraying.  Start with covering the handle tips and then wrap the ribbon/fabric around the handle down to the base of the handle.  Tie and then secure with clear tape.  A bow or other embellisment could be added after the cover is on the hanger.

Place two pieces of 9-1/2″ x 18″ fabric right sides together and pin the tissue pattern to it.  Cut the fabric and sew around the sides using 1/4″ seams and leaving the tab area open.

Turn under bottom edge of fabric 1/4″ twice and stitch hem.  Turn cover and press, leaving the tabs on the inside of the cover.

Place the cover over the taped three hangers and add a bow or other embellishment if desired.

This pattern is good for using up small remnants of fabric but can also be used on old knit tops, T-shirts, flannel shirts, etc., which offer a nice soft base for your clothes.

I made up 15 of these hanger sets in all kinds of fabric, greatly reducing my stash of hangers, fabric scrap and old clothes – also reducing my frustration at ill-behaving wire hangers.

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