Summer Sewing: Soda Can Cozy Tutorial

The Sew Something Summery swap is open for sign-ups on Craftster for a few more days; if you are a member of that site, I hope you will join us!

To prepare for the swap, I sewed the flip-flop bag and soda can cozy, above (I had already made the Happy Cloud Notebook).  I liked the can cozy so well that I want to show you how to make your own.  It's easy and quick to make, and I have just discovered how much more pleasant it is to drink from a can when it is wrapped in a cute cover like this!  I really appreciate not having to hold a cold, wet can, and my husband and I no longer have to ask each other "is this your soda or mine?"  This cozy also adds insulation, so the soda stays colder longer.  It makes a nice gift, too!

 Soda Can Cozy Tutorial

A note before you start sewing: 

Two of the items I used in my cozy are a bit unusual.  For the layer between the outer fabrics, I used Insul-Bright, which is a type of batting with insulation material in it.  If you can't find it, regular quilt batting would work just fine.  I also added a strip of Grip Tight (fabric with little rubber dots on it) to the back of my cozy, to keep it from slipping off the can when I'm holding it.  It is more of a precaution than anything; the cozy without the Grip Tight stays on well, especially if you position the buttons so that it closes tightly, so go ahead and skip it if you wish.  I'm a "better safe than sorry" kind of girl, so I used the Grip Tight!

I pieced together strips of fabric for my cozy.  If you wish to use a single fabric for the outside of yours, cut that fabric 9" x 3 1/2".

Materials:

7 different fabrics.  Cut six of them 1 3/4" x 3 1/2"; cut the seventh one 2" x 3 1/2".  (That last strip is a little wider to make the cozy fit perfectly around the can.  Use the wider strip on one of the ends.)

Backing fabric cut 9 1/2" x 4"

Insul-Bright cut to 9" x 3 1/2"

Grip Tight cut to 8" x 1"

Lightweight iron-on interfacing, cut to 8 3/4" x 3 1/4"

One hair elastic and two buttons for the closure

 
The picture below shows my fabrics.  I find it easier to just cut long strips and make several cozies at once.  Also pictured are the backing fabric and the Insul-Brite and a strip of Grip Tight.

If you use the Grip Tight, center it and sew it to the right side of the backing fabric using a zig-zag stitch.

Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew your fabric strips together. Press the seams to one side. . Cut one piece 9" x 3 1/2".  Apply iron-on interfacing to the back of it.

Here are the main components of the cozy: Insul-Bright or batting, pieced front, and backing.

Layer the components together in this order:  backing, face up; then the pieced front, face down; then the Insul-Bright (there is no front or back to this product).

Pin the layers together.  For the loop closure, tape a hair-tie in the center and cut it in half.

Postition the loops 1" apart on one of the short ends, between the backing and front fabrics.  Pin in place.

Using a 1/4" seam, sew all around the four sides of the cozy, leaving a 2-3" opening on one of the long sides for turning (my hemostats are pointing to the opening in the picture below).  Trim the excess fabric on all sides and turn the cozy right-side out.  Press.

Top stitch close to the edge of the cozy, all the way around.

The front:

The back:

Wrap the cozy around a soda can, and mark the spots where the buttons will go.  Sew on the buttons and you are done!

The one on the left is the first one I made; I happened to have these fabrics already pieced together in my scrap bag!

Please enjoy your new cozy and your summer!

Storage Jar Labels with Tutorial

Here's another one of the projects I made for the Master Craftsters campaign on Craftster.  The very last picture shows the wonderful new cubbyhole shelf I had just gotten from The Pottery Barn--I had seen it in the background of someone's post on Craftster, and I HAD TO HAVE IT!!  I ordered it online, and I just love it to pieces!  Coincidentally, a month or two prior to that, I had bought a case of canning jars at the grocery store with the intention of filling them with goodies to add to swap packages; but when I tried it out, the relatively small size of the jars, combined with their weight, made them a poor choice for a fun extra in a swap package, so I scrapped that idea and they were just sitting on the floor of my living room, taking up space.  As soon as I had the shelf set up in my sewing room, the lightbulb came on over my head:  Canning jars would fit in the cubbies!--The jars needed labels!--The Bernina 380 sews words!--I know what my next project will be!!!!

If your sewing machine doesn't sew words, you could make labels similar to this by either hand embroidering onto the felt; or, using cotton fabric or linen, you could rubber-stamp the words.


Storage Jar Labels using the BERNINA 380

     

I have a new cubby-hole shelf in my sewing room, and I'm using pint-size canning jars for storage there. I wanted some labels for the jars, and the BERNINA 380 just happens to be able to sew letters and words--this is a perfect project to experiment with that!

     

For 12 jars with a 10" circumference, you need 12 fabric strips cut 1 1/2" x 11", 12 pieces of 1/4" wide elastic cut 10" long, and wool felt in two colors.

     

Start by making the straps to hold the labels in place: using a 1/4" seam, sew the fabric strips in half lengthwise, right sides together, then turn them right-side-out. Thread one piece of elastic through each fabric tube. (I used the turning tool in the picture above to do both.) Then overlap the ends of the elastic 1/2" and sew the overlapped area securely on the machine.

     

You don't have to finish the ends of the fabric, since they will be covered by the label.

     

Now it's time to make the label! The manual for the BERNINA 380 gives easy-to-follow instructions for selecting the letters you want to sew. You scroll through the alphabet and make your selection. 

   

     

Then you step on the pedal and the machine sews the word! It's so cool!

     

I sewed my words onto white wool felt, leaving spaces in between for cutting.

     

Carefully cut the words apart, leaving 1/4" of the felt on each side. Then, cut along each edge with pinking shears.

     

Measure and cut the gray felt 1/4" wider and longer than the white felt. Pin the word to the gray felt, and sew it on the BERNINA.

     

Beautiful!

     

Cut a second piece of gray felt (for backing) the same size as the one on the label, and layer a strap between the backing and the label. Pin them together and sew close to the edge of the gray felt, all the way around all four sides with the machine.

     

This is how the finished labels look, front and back.

     

Slip a label onto each jar and you are done!

     

Here are my jars, all neatly labeled. This was a fast and fun and practical project--I love it!

Fun Pillowcase Tutorial

This is another of the projects I made for the Bernina Master Craftsters campaign I was involved in on Craftster.  I started making pillowcases last year for my daughter (she loves them and can't get enough!)  They are fairly quick and easy to make, so I'm always on the lookout for fabrics she might like.  I made this one with her in mind--she is an art student, so the colored pencils and paint boxes were perfect for her!  I actually used it as a gift bag for her other birthday gifts this year:

Here's the tutorial--enjoy!!

Fun Pillowcase using the BERNINA 380

    
A pillowcase made of special fabrics can be a great gift, especially for kids and teenagers. Who cares if it doesn't match the sheets? Pillowcases are fun!

I made this pillowcase with French seams and a double layer of the blue fabric, so all the seams are enclosed, and it has a nice substantial feel.

     

Here's how to make it: start by washing and ironing your fabric. Then, cut two pieces of the main fabric 24" x 21", and two pieces of the contrast fabric 13" x 21". Using a 1/4" seam, sew one piece of contrast fabric onto one end of each of the main fabric pieces, as in the picture above.

     

Next, iron under about 1/4" of the contrast fabric, then fold it down to cover the seam, as in the picture above. Pin the fabric in place over the seam, and iron the top edge of the contrast fabric.

     

At this point you could just sew a straight stitch near the lower edge of the contrast fabric to hold it in place, but I wanted to try out a decorative stitch on my BERNINA 380. I had 115 stitches to choose from!! After much deliberation, I finally decided on number 79, a row of hearts; I entered the stitch into the machine, and you can see the number on the display in the picture above.

     

Once the number was displayed on the screen, all I had to do was step on the pedal and guide the fabric. Easy!

     

The row of hearts looks equally good on the front and the back of the fabric (that's the front on the left, and the back on the right.) Next time I will use a different thread color so there is more contrast.

     

Now, to sew the French seams, layer the two pieces of the pillowcase WRONG sides together. (It seems so wrong, but it is so right!!) Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew around the three raw edges of the pillowcase.

     

Then turn the pillowcase inside out and press the seams flat. Using a 3/8" seam, sew along the three sides you just sewed. This will enclose your seams.

     

Turn the pillowcase right-side out and press. Ta-da! It looks so professional! It's ready for gift-giving!

     

Exciting Project Updates!!

I have two exciting updates to share with you today: 

Remember my Happy Heart Card Tutorial?  It has been included in an e-book of Valentine projects for all ages!  Go to  Sidetracked Sarah to download your FREE copy!  Sarah only asks that you subscribe to her blog in return for the free e-book.  Thanks, Sarah!

Also, my cute little Ring Dish  tutorial will be featured on Craft Gossip this coming Tuesday, Feb. 7th.  If you are not familiar with Craft Gossip, you are missing out!  Go there and subscribe, and each morning you will get an e-mail full of all kinds of really great new crafty projects (like my ring dish!).  Every day I find several things that pique my interest, and I am sure you will find interesting things there too.

While I have your attention...don't forget about the great big, incredible, awesome, unprecidented  Seven Days of Giveaways that will begin here the day my blog reaches 100 followers!  Check back often so you don't miss out!

Fabric Basket Tutorial

There is a well-known quilter and crafter named Ayumi Mills, with a fabulous blog called Pink Penguin.   She posted a fabric basket tutorial  a few years ago that inspired me to make some baskets.  I took pictures recently as I made a basket, so you can see how I made mine (it's almost the same as Ayumi's).  Her tutorial is the definitive one; mine pales in comparison!  I only offer this because I was asked to show how I made my particular version of this fabric basket.

This is the first basket I made based on Ayumi's tutorial:

They are not too hard to make, and you get such a feeling of accomplishment from making something so useful!

In the very near future, my friend Susan and I will be organizing a swap of fabric baskets, bins, buckets and boxes on Craftster (sign-ups begin February 6th).  At the request of one of our regular swap participants, I took pictures recently as I made a fabric basket using my own design.  I will show you how it's made--the tutorial starts NOW!!

Here's the finished product; it measures 5 3/4" wide x 4" deep x 4" tall.

1.  Choose two fabrics, one for the inside and one for the outside of your basket; a fat quarter of each will be enough.  To make the basket sturdy, you will also need two kinds of interfacing.  They can be bought by the yard at fabric stores.
--1/2 yard of heavyweight sew-in interfacing (also called stabilizer)
--1/2 yard of featherweight or lightweight iron-in interfacing  (also called fusible interfacing)
(I buy mine by the bolt.  Pellon is a good brand.)

2.  Cut the fabrics to these sizes:
--inner fabric:  one piece 12 1/4" x 10 1/4"
--outer fabric:  one piece  12 1/2" x 10 1/2"
--handle fabric (I used the outer fabric):  one piece 2 1/2" x 10 1/2" (this makes both handles)

3.  Cut 3 pieces of the iron-in interfacing just a little smaller than each of your 3 pieces of fabric.  Following the package directions, fuse it to the wrong side of each piece.

4.  Cut 1 piece of the sew-in interfacing just a little LARGER than your outer fabric.  Pin it to the wrong side of the fabric, then baste it to the fabric using a 1/8" seam allowance, and your longest sewing machine stitch.  If it seems a little warped after sewing, try ironing it.

5.  Trim the excess interfacing from around the edges of the outer fabric.

This picture shows my fabrics with both interfacings applied.  The sew-in interfacing has not yet been trimmed.

6.  Make the handles:  fold the handle fabric in half lengthwise, and sew it into a tube, using a 1/4" seam.  Turn it right-side-out and press it flat.  (This picture shows my sewn tube before turning.  It also shows my handy-dandy tube-turning tool!)  Use whatever method works for you to turn the tube.

Sew a line of stitching along each side of the handle fabric, about 1/8" from the edge. 

Cut the handle fabric in half (each piece will be 5 1/4" long).

7.  Now to make the basket shape, starting with the outer fabric:  fold the interfaced fabric in half so the short sides are lined up at the top, and sew the two folded sides using a 1/4" seam.  (This picture shows the inner fabric sewn in half as just described.)

8.  Make the 4" gussets:  flatten one of the sides you just sewed, so the seam is centered and it ends in a triangular point.  With a ruler, find the spot where the width of the triangle is 4", and draw a line there that is perpendicular to the seam.  It is easy to do if you have a gridded mat like the one in this picture.

Sew along the line you drew, then cut off the excess fabric.  Make the gusset on the other side the same way.

I'm repeating this picture to show you how your outer fabric should now look.  Sew the inner fabric and make 4" gussets on it in exactly the same way.

9.  Attach the handles to the basket:  pin each handle to the outer fabric so it straddles the side seam, with each inner handle edge 3/4" from the center seam (the two handle ends will be 1 1/2" apart).

Sew the pinned handles in place using a 1/8" seam.

10.  Yay, now it's time to finish the basket!  Your outer fabric should be inside-out, as in this picture.  Turn your inner fabric so it is now RIGHT-side-out.

Place the inner fabric inside the outer fabric, and line up the side seams.  Pin the side seams together.

To figure out where to start sewing, hold the basket with one side seam in each hand and one flat side facing you.  Start sewing near where your right hand is holding it, about 1" ahead of the handles.  Sew around the top edge of the basket, using a 1/4" seam, until you come to the second side seam.  Stop here and remove the basket from the sewing machine.  Since your inner fabric is 1/4" smaller than the outer fabric, the two fabrics will not line up perfectly along the top edge (but it is important for the inner fabric to be smaller, so it fits smoothly inside the finished basket).

HERE'S THE TRICKY PART:
You need to adjust for the difference in size here, at the seam line. Pinch  about 1/4" of the outer fabric at the seam so it overlaps itself, and pin it in place. We're doing this at the seam line so the adjustment will be invisible in the finished basket.  Take a look at the remaining opening in this top seam; if the two fabrics are now perfectly aligned, continue sewing the top seam, but leave a 3-4" opening on the side to turn it right-side-out.  If the two fabrics are not perfectly aligned, unpin the seam and adjust it until the fabrics line up perfectly.  Then sew the remaining seam, leaving an opening for turning.

Whew, I'm glad that's over!  Turn your basket right-side out and it will look like this:

Iron the top edge flat, pushing the inner fabric down a little so it is recessed below the top edge.  Iron down the seam allowance of the opening, and pin it for sewing.

 11.  Sew a seam all around the top edge of the basket, 1/8" from the top.  Then sew a second seam 1/4" from the first seam.  This gives your basket a firm top edge.  Iron it nice and smooth, and you are done!

It came out great!

Yes, I'm happy!