Pie Carrier – A Tutorial

Whenever I’m invited to a pot luck dinner or picnic, I like to take a two-crust fruit pie.  This kind of pie holds up well en route, can stand the heat and is something that a lot of people don’t make for themselves.

I like to use a carrier to protect it and have designed a pie carrier that works well.  For special people, I leave the carrier with them as a hostess gift.  It would also work well to carry other food items that will fit in an 11×11 inch container.

This is how I made my latest version, using a vintage embroidery pattern for the top of the lid and 3 orphan blocks for the lid lining, carrier and carrier lining.  A few scraps for the side panels and tie handles along with some stiff interfacing completed the supply list:

Front and back:  Cut 2 pieces 11-½ x 11-½ inches (includes ¼ inch seam) fabric
Cut 2 pieces 11-½ x 11-1/2 inches lining
Cut 2 pieces 10×10 inches of stiff fusible interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz

Sides:  Cut four 3 x 11-½ inch pieces of fabric for carrier
Cut four 3 x 11-½ inch pieces for lining
`    Cut four 2-½ x 10 inches of stiff fusible interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz

Tie:  Cut two pieces 3-3/4 x 16 inches of fabric
Cut two pieces 3-3/4 x 16 inches of contrasting or lining fabric

Lid:
Cut one piece 11-1/2 x 11-1/2 inches fabric
Cut one piece 11-½ x 11-½ inches lining
Cut one piece 10 x 10 inches of stiff fusible interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz

Lid flaps:
Cut 2 pieces 11-½ x 2-¾ inches of fabric
Cut 2 pieces 11-½ x 2-3/4 inches of lining
Cut 2 pieces 10-1/2 x 1-¾ inches of stiff fusible interfacing such as Inner-Fuse by Dritz

Binding:  Cut one piece 1-½ inches x 44 inches

Velcro:  Cut two sets of ¾ inch Velcro 10-½ inches long.

STIFFENER
Attach stiffener to lining pieces by centering on the wrong side of each piece and stitching a cross to secure.  Do this for the top, bottom, four sides, lid and two flaps

TIES
Sew fabric ties right sides together with lining/contrasting fabric, using ¼ inch seams.  Sew two sides and across top of each set (pointing or rounding top if desired).  Trim, turn, press and top stitch each side ¼ inch from edges.

Your pieces should be:
Fabric:
Bottom, 4 sides, lid, 2 flaps, two sewn ties
Lining:
Bottom, 4 sides, lid, 2 flaps – all with stiffener sewn in place.

Sew four pieces of fabric sides, right sides together,  to four edges of fabric bottom, leaving ½ inch at beginning and ending of seam.

Fold corners of sides together and sew from raw edge to ½ inch from end

LINING

Sew four pieces of lining sides, right sides together, to four edges of lining bottom, leaving ½ inch at beginning and ending of seam.

Pin corners together and sew from raw edge to ½ inch from end.

Fold corners of sides together and sew from raw edge to ½ inch from end.

Pin wrong side of lining in carrier, wrong sides together, matching corners and raw edges.  Baste 1/8 inch from edge.

Pin tie handles to the outside of the carrier at the center of two sides of the carrier.

BINDING

Join ends of binding with ½ inch seam and pin to top edge of outside of carrier, right sides together.  Baste 1/8 inch from edge.

Stitch with ¼ inch seam around edge.  Turn under ¼ inch and hand stitch binding to inside of carrier.

LID:
Sew the fabric flaps to the fabric lid on two opposite sides (flaps should be on sides that do not have flaps).

Sew the lining flaps to the lid lining on two opposite sides (flaps should be on sides that do not have flaps).

Place fabric lid and lining lid right sides together and join with a 1/2 inch seam, leaving a 3 inch opening on one side for turning.  Trim, turn, press and top stitch the lid.

On the two sides that don’t have ties, measure down ½ inch from the top edge of the lining flap on the lid and draw a line.  Center the matching Velcro piece with the top edge of the Velcro covering the line and stitch in place.

Measure down one inch from the top binding edge of the carrier and draw a line.  Center the matching Velcro piece with the top edge of the Velcro covering the line and stitch in place.

Place an aluminum 9 inch pie pan in the bottom of the carrier and place the baked pie on top of the aluminum pan.  Place lid on top of carrier and fasten with Velcro strips.  Tie the two tie strips together to form a handle.

Carry by handle, but keep one hand under the pie for security.

                   Fresh Apple Pie

“Can she bake a cherry pie, Billy    Boy?”

Stars and Pinwheels QAL – Block 2 – Flying Fan

Susan of Desertsky Quilting has posted the second block in her block-of-the-month series, Stars and Pinwheels QAL.  The new block is called Flying Fan.  https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/stars-and-pinwheels-qal-flying-fan/

This is an easy, fun block   I am using the blocks in this series to make a different project each month.  This month, I used four of the Flying Fan blocks – the original 12-inch block and three blocks I reduced to 7 inches (thanks to my Electric Quilt software).

I wear aprons all the time and thought a new one for the July 4th holiday was in order.  I like roomy aprons without strings at the neck or waist and with a good pocket.  I used a pattern which is adapted from a 1930s era apron I found in an antique mall.  https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/a-vintage-apron-clone/

The 12-inch block is part of the design element at the top of the apron and a 7-inch block was lined and is used as a pocket.

I had enough fabric left for two potholders, using the 7-inch blocks.  I like to make “slipcovers” for oven mitts and pot holders (this is how I do it).   I’ve been using some good-quality mitts/holders for over 20 years, laundering the “slip covers” as needed and replacing them when they become worn.

This was a good block to use in these projects and I’m looking forward to next month’s block which should be a star.  I’m already thinking what I could put in the center of the star and what the new project might be.

Mug Bag-Mug Rug as Easter Gift

Red Brolly is offering a free pattern for a really cute, easy-to-make mug carrier and mug rug.  http://www.red-brolly.com/2015/03/butterfly-mug-bag-have-you-made-yours/

Update 9/20/15 – A reader let me know that there is a problem with the above link and sent me some alternate ones for the pattern itself.  She said these links are intermittent but she was able to get a printout of the pattern.

Page 1 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/1.Mug-Bag.pdf

Page 2 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2.Butterfly-Mug-Bag-Outer-Casing.pdf

Page 3 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/3.Mug-Bag.pdf

Page 4 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/4.-Butterfly-Mug-Bag-Making-the-Handle-copy.pdf

Page 5 http://www.red-brolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/5.-Butterfly-Mug-Bag-Template-Page.pdf

The bag is designed to hold a medium sized mug about 6 inches tall x 3 inches diameter …

and has a pocket for some teabags.

There is an accompanying mug rug which folds up in back of the mug bag.

I have made four versions of the bag to use as gifts.  I made this one as an Easter gift for my granddaughter.

The fabric is from scraps of an Easter dress I made for her in 2011, back before she became a sophisticated going-on-12 lady who doesn’t wear pretty lace-trimmed dresses any more.

Instead of a mug, I’m using an 8-oz jar of jelly beans in the bag and will be putting a gift card in the pocket.

For my two daughters, I’ll have the mugs filled with candy and will have gift cards in the pocket.

I made one bag/rug to have ready to give to a good friend from Chicago who visits during the summer.

In her case, I made an embroidered mug rug that shows a painter because she’s a gifted artist.

I enjoyed making these bags and rugs out of scraps, including using up a lot of small batting pieces.  I included a snap and vintage button on each one.  It’s a pleasant afternoon’s project with just a bit of hand sewing.

Red Brolly’s post has some beautiful bags made from her pattern by other readers.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Projects From a Box of Discards

A couple of weeks ago, my neighbor asked my daughter and me to come to her house to check out some sewing/craft supplies she was going to throw away or donate.  She knew my daughter and I did a lot of sewing, needlework, quilting, crafts – and thought we might find something we could use.  Naturally, we could hardly wait to go across the street and see what was in those boxes!

There were two big cartons full of sewing notions, craft supplies, miscellaneous fabric and even a pair of worn-out jeans.  My daughter used the waistband from the jeans along with some of the white fabric in the box to make a great bracelet/cuff.

I was excited to use a red luncheon cloth that was a nice heavy fabric and had only a small stain on it.  I made three lined bags with it, also incorporating some of the white fabric and a couple of pieced/embroidered orphan blocks.

I also made a two-piece cushion set for my vintage folding chair.

The wonderful part of this story is that we have hardly made a dent in the contents of the boxes.  We have plans for the Christmas season and well beyond it.

 

Halloween Vintage Embroidery

I’m continuing with projects that use vintage embroidery and lots of autumn-colored scraps.  I found this free pattrn online and made it into a place mat.

I embroidered another vintage pattern and added fabric to make a Halloween pillow.

The scary, feathered owl was a birthday gift from my younger granddaughter who liked it so well that she bought one for herself.

I made a pillow set for my vintage folding chair.  This design is based on a Helan Barrick decorative painting pattern that I first used about 25 years ago.

It’s fun to take the embroidered pieces and figure out what I can do with them, using scraps and reducing the amount of leftover fabric I have to store.

Cosmetic-Sewing Bag with Sections

My daughter gave me a vintage cosmetic bag that she thought I might be able to use as an idea for bags I could make to use for cosmetics, small sewing items, little gifts, etc.

The bag opened out into sections and looked fairly easy to duplicate.

It’s basically multiple bags of the same size, lined and finished with a narrow facing.  One bag has a flap and serves as the base.  The remainder of the bags are stitched to each other to form an accordion-like feature.

I made five bags of varying sizes and thought the idea worked out pretty well.  For one bag that I particularly liked, I made a matching small gift tote of the same fabrics and will be using the two pieces to hold an anniversary gift for my younger daughter in a couple of weeks.

I’m thinking about expanding the pattern to make a larger three-section tote bag.  More on this later.

 

Fall Embroidery and Quilting Projects

I’ve made a few pieces that incorporate my TV-time embroidery panels.  I made another set of cushions for my vintage folding chair.  The nice thing about a folding chair is that it can also go outside very easily.  I just happened to have a blue granite ware coffee pot and skillet to accompany the cushions.

One of the designs I used for embroidery on a table mat is an adaptation of a decorative painting pattern by Helan Barrick.  I used to love to paint her Amish boys and girls.  I adapted this one for fall.

I used another vintage embroidery pattern to stitch a scarecrow with a crow on his shoulder.  I outlined the pattern in black embroidery floss and then used crayons to color the design.  After using the crayons, I placed a piece of white paper on top of the panel and pressed with a hot iron to set the colors.

I made a quilt for my table mini-quilt rack with a 1930s-40s era pattern of a scarecrow and chubby birds.  I especially like the way the trees are worked in this piece.

Now, it’s time to think about some small projects for the Halloween season.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Socks with Soles

My youngest daughter  keeps me supplied with beautiful hand-knitted socks …

…but occasionally, the yarn is too heavy to fit comfortably in my shoes.  Then, they become wonderful sock slippers to wear in the evening while I’m watching TV or reading.  To protect the soles of the socks and provide better traction when walking, I was looking for something to add to the bottoms and thought about using foam inner soles.  They work perfectly.  They are lightweight, easy to sew, economical and wear well with light use.

I used three strands of embroidery floss and whip-stitched the soles in place about ¼ inch apart.

The sock is easy to stitch by placing it over one hand and stitching with the other, but if you happen to have one of these gadgets for helping to put on socks, that works even better.

This would also work well for socks that have developed a worn place on the bottom and allow more wearing and enjoying time for these hand-knit beauties.

A Lunchtime Tote

Every Friday, I prepare 4 lunches.  I leave one lunch on the kitchen table for my daughter who lives with me and take the other 3 lunches to my youngest daughter’s house, about 10 minutes away.  I bring two plates for our lunch plus an extra for her to enjoy later.  I used to pack everything in a big old-fashioned metal lunch basket, but I’m limited now in what I can carry, so I thought it might be nice to have a sturdy fabric tote to carry my lunch plates.  I measured the plates I use (about 9 inches) and sewed together a fabric box 10 x 10 x 7 inches along with a lid with Velcro fasteners.  The lining is made from some heavy cotton duck material that was leftover from a previous project.

The fabric for the outside of the box has special meaning for me.  A couple of years ago, a blogger friend (who passed away in 2012), sent me a beautiful apron in pretty fall colors just in time for Thanksgiving.  I use aprons all the time, so this one was starting to show some wear.  I couldn’t bear to part with it and had the idea to use it as the fabric for my tote.  It worked out perfectly with even the ties working exactly as I wanted them for the handle.

I left the pocket intact and used it for one side panel to hold napkins and flat ware.

I’m off to my daughter’s house today with one of her favorite dishes, Black-Eyed Peas and Chicken Curry.

The three serving plates will be covered in foil and then placed on three plastic racks which will keep them separate inside the tote.

I also made some apple dumplings which will be transported in a small insulated carrier that I reserve for desserts.  For the short distance I have to travel, the meals usually stay hot but can also be popped into the microwave for a quick warm-up.

Looking forward to a nice afternoon of visiting with the two dogs and two cats and chatting while my daughter knits.  I wait until 3 PM to give a quick wave to my high school freshman grandson as he gets off the school bus, then it’s time to head home for supper.

Small Pillow with Frame – Gift Idea – Tutorial

Awhile back, I saw a cute item in a needlework shop – a small pillow that had a frame on top in which a piece of needlework could be inserted and then changed out if desired.  I thought it was something I could duplicate and I worked out the details for a 5×5 inch pillow that would accept a 4 inch piece of needlework (see picture above).
I plan to make some of these pillows as Christmas gift card  or check holders, using a favorite photo and tucking the gift card or check in back of it.  I’ll attach a tag:  Look behind the picture for a surprise.

Here is how I made the pillow:

Cut:

• 1 piece of 5-½ x 5-½ inch muslin for the top of the pillow
• 1 piece of 5-½ x 5-½ inch fabric for the back of the pillow
• 4 pieces of 3 x 5-½ inch fabric for the frame
• You will also need a small amount of stuffing

Press the four pieces of frame fabric (3×5-½ inches) in half lengthwise.

Place the muslin on the table and arrange two of the frame pieces on top of the muslin, matching raw edges with folds toward center.

Place the remaining two frame pieces top and bottom on the muslin, matching raw edges with folds toward center.  Pin and stitch 1/8 inch from the raw edges to secure the frame.

Place the right side of the backing on top of the frame, matching raw edges.  On the bottom edge, place a pin 2-½ inches from each side and leave the center portion open for stuffing.  Stitch ¼ inch seams, beginning and ending at pins.  Remove pins, trim four corners and turn piece so that frame portion is on the front of the pillow.

Stuff the pillow and hand-stitch the opening gap.

For insert, choose a needlework piece with a 3-½ x 3-½ inch design and leave a ¼ inch border around the edge to form a 4 x 4 inch block.  Zigzag stitch around the raw edges of the piece.  Insert into pillow frame.

You could also fussy-cut a pretty design from fabric 4 x 4 inches ….

…or print a 3-½ x 3-½ photo on fabric (such as June Tailor’s Sew-In Colorfast Fabric Sheets) and leave a ¼ inch border around the edge to form a 4 x 4 inch square.

This would make a cute gift with just one insert or, even better, stacking three inserts in the frame with a tag for the recipient to check under the first fabric for a surprise or two.

This pillow is very easy to make and uses up a little bit more of that scrap fabric that is in everyone’s sewing room.