Sewing

Zipper Pouch a Perfect Holiday Hostess Gift Cut with the Cricut Maker

119 · Nov 22, 2017 · 8 Comments

I am a HUGE fan of thoughtful handmade gifts! I try as much as possible to create something special to give friends and family during the holiday season. This year I have become a little obsessed with stylish little zipper pouches. They are so handy for keeping those little odds and ends organized and really… They’re so darn cute! I’ve even created a design of my own it’s called the WhipperBerry Zipper Pouch and it’s the perfect Holiday Hostess Gift!

+ This post is brought to you by Cricut +

Not too long ago, I made a cute little pencil pouch using the pattern created by Anna from Noodlehead. I LOVED the pattern so much… I was a total nerd and decided that I wanted to convert Anna’s PDF pattern to a SVG file so that I could cut my fabric on my Cricut Maker. It took a little trial and error, but I managed to make it work. I imported my newly created SVG file to the Cricut Design Space and again, with a little more fiddling around, I managed to make it work. I was THRILLED! I love Anna’s pencil pouch and I’ve now sewn a few different variations trying to improve my sewing skills. I love this little pouch but, I’ve been wanting to make one that is larger and will hold things other than just pens and pencils. I decided to modify Anna’s pattern a bit and make a larger zipper pouch to give as holiday hostess gifts this year.

Why Sew with the Cricut Maker

This is a BOLD move for me! I’ve embraced all kinds of creative gift ideas, but I’ve never sewn for my friends and family. I’ve always thought it was too hard, too troublesome, too time consuming. This cute, stylish and heartfelt gift is quite frankly one that I would LOVE to receive. So, why not make several? I’ve always shied away from sewing because I could never cut the pattern just right. Something would ALWAYS be off… Not anymore!!! I’ve been cutting fabric for sewing projects now for a few months and man am I hooked. Knowing that you are starting off with good bones makes the sewing so much more enjoyable. Reasons why I love cutting fabric with the Cricut Maker…

Precision cuts – you’ll always start with good bones.
Less waste – you’ll use far less fabric by using a precision cutting tool.
Empowerment – the Cricut Maker is bring sewing to the masses, no more excuses, you CAN do this.
More intricate designs – have you always kept things really simple? With the Cricut Maker, you can get as fancy as you want.

Here’s a quick little video on how I cut my fabric for the zipper pouch

The WhipperBerry Zipper Pouch Material List

10″ zipper
14″ x 28″ of cotton fabric for lining + I used Cotton + Steel black and white Checkers for the lining and the accent fabric
16″ x 18″ main print cotton linen canvas – I used Cotton + Steel Tapestry Midnight Canvas
8″ x 12″ accent fabric
1/2 yard Fusible Ultra Lightweight Interfacing
thread that compliments your fabric
download the SVG cutting files

Instructions

First thing to do it to visit my post on How to Import and Use a SVG File in Cricut Design Space. I have a full video Tutorial on how to cut this exact pattern and it will really help the cutting go super smooth. Before I start cutting though, I fuse my interfacing onto the lining of my pouch. If you are using a lighter fabric for either one of the exterior pieces, you’ll want to fuse that fabric as well. Make sure to do this step BEFORE you cut your fabric. Pro Tip • If you don’t have enough interfacing to cover your entire piece of fabric, don’t worry. Keep your interfacing scraps and piece it together. No biggie!

Piece the Outside

Start by sewing the outside together by placing the main print and accent fabric right sides together and sew using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Press seam to one side and topstitch. Then repeat with the other side of the exterior of the pouch.

How to Prepare the Zipper

Before you attach your zipper, you need to prepare both ends of the zipper by folding it over towards the back side and placing a few stitches to hold it in place. Repeat on all four ends of the zipper.

Attach the Zipper

With exterior panel right side up, center zipper right side facing down (zipper pull at left) along top edge then pin in place. Place one lining piece, right side down on top of the exterior piece again pin into place. Using your zipper foot, sew along top edge using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Open like a book and press exterior panel away from zipper. Topstitch along zipper using an 1/8″ seam allowance. Make sure NOT to top stitch both layers together. Position outside panel and lining panel wrong side on together and press away from zipper. Repeat the same steps to attach the other side of the bag with the remaining exterior panel and lining panel to the other side of the zipper. This time placing zipper pull at right. Keep and eye on your top seems and make sure they match up. Then press both sides again.

Finish the Zipper Pouch

Open zipper halfway. This is an important step. Position exterior panels right side together and lining pieces right side together and pin along sides and bottom. Be sure that you place pins on either side at the intersections of where the lining meets the exterior on each side of the pouch and where the seem of the exterior meet. Sew along the bottom and sides of the pouch using a 1/4″ seam allowance. You will need to leave a 4 inch opening in the lining so that you’ll be able to turn your pouch. Make sure to not stitch together the corner cut outs. Speaking of corner cut outs… Check out the precision of how the fabric lines up. That’s solely possible because of the Cricut Maker. You can sew with confidence knowing that your fabric will line-up easily because of the perfect cuts. Ok, back to work… Reach inside your bag and shimmy the zipper open all the way. Box your corners by pinching the corners together and line-up the seam and pin. Repeat on the remaining 3 corners. Sew straight across with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Repeat with the remaining 3 sides. You’re so close to the finish line! All you need to do is turn out your pouch so that it is right side out. That’s where the 4 inch opening comes in handy. Pull it through that opening just as if you were turning a sock right side out. Are you just swimming with PRIDE now!!! Take a minute to make sure everything is settled in all the right places. Push the lining corners into the right spot. You may want to use the eraser side of a pencil or a chopstick to push those into place. You may want to even press your pouch again if it needs it. That’s it, you now have a beautiful, stylish large pouch that you made yourself. It has your fingerprints all over it. You chose your favorite fabric and it screams your style! Now, you can profile all of your friends and figure out what their perfect little somethings zipper pouch would look like. Then, whip one up for them to take as a hostess gift, holiday gift, friend gift, it’s Tuesday gift… Basically, it’s a great creative gift that ANYONE can make with a little help from the Cricut Maker & a sewing machine. You could even personalize it with some Cricut Iron-on Lite and the Cricut Easy Press. That would be really cool. What to win some amazing Cricut goodies for yourself? Enter below for a chance to win! a Rafflecopter giveaway If you’re looking to make a shorter pencil pouch, visit Noodlehead for that pattern and directions.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

How to Import and Use a SVG File in Cricut Design Space

54 · Nov 21, 2017 · 2 Comments

I LOVE to create my own designs for all kinds of things like signs, printables, special gifts and now, thanks to the Cricut Maker… Sewing projects! The issue that I ran into at the beginning was figuring out how to effectively use my own SVG files in Cricut Design Space. If you’re like me, and would like to either use either your own designs or other designs that you purchase from Etsy or other sites, this video tutorial is for you! You could use a Silhouette or a Cricut. If you’re unsure of which is better you can read my review of Cricut vs Silhouette here.

Whether you are a sign maker, a paper crafter or you love to work with fabric, chances are you’ve wanted to either create your own SVG files or download files that you’ve purchased and use them with your Cricut Projects. The Cricut Design Space is pretty robust but there are times when you need a little more in the design area. For example, create curved text and such for a project. I stumbled across a way to covert PDF sewing patterns into SVG files to use with my Cricut Maker. Don’t worry, I’ll have a tutorial for that soon. Today, I want to focus on how to import and use that SVG file into Cricut Design Space and use it effectively. I’ve been working on this for a bit so I’ve managed to come-up with some great tips and tricks to help speed-up your work flow in order to cut down on possibly technology frustration.

Video Tutorial on How to Import and Use Your SVG Files in Cricut Design Space

Take a few minutes to sit and watch this video. I promise it will make your time in the Cricut Design Space much easier!

The Silhouette Curio is HERE

0 · Aug 27, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Guys… The new Silhouette Curio is HERE!!

I have a special discount just for you guys at the end of this post!!

Back in May, I had the chance to travel to Hawaii for the Silhouette Summit where they announced a TON of new products.

Linda from Craftaholics Anonymous and I with the CEO of Silhouette

All kinds of new consumable products, new software and software functions and TWO new members of the Silhouette family of crafting machines. The Curio and the Mint.

The Mint is a super fun little machine where you can create your own custom stamps and that will debut later this year.

Today, the Curio has launched. What’s special about the Curio you ask? Will this replace the CAMEO and Portrait?

The answer is no, it’s not meant to replace either machine. It is a new companion for your CAMEO or Portrait. It has all kinds of new features that the other machines do not have. For example…

Stippling – Not familiar with Stippling? It’s SUPER cool!! You create with little dots. Create stippled ink projects with Silhouette felt tip pens or even stipple foils and metals.

How fun is that? The world of creating with metal has just opened even wider!

Next on the list of new features…

You can etch on metal now as well. Create beautifully etched metal with the Curio’s etching tool to customize jewelry, charms, home décor, mixed media art, and more.

The Curio can Emboss with a new embossing tool!

The Curio has a dual carriage for double the fun!

You can still Sketch, you can do with TWO Silhouette felt tipped pens now.

With the Curio you can still Cut, but you can cut even deeper!

The Curio has an improved blade and more clearance which means more options. The Curio’s 5mm clearance allows you to etch, sketch, or cut on new project palettes. Think wood, foil, leather, foam, and even metal.

I can go on and on… You’ll have to go over to Silhouette and check it out for yourself.

I will be working on all kinds of projects here on WhipperBerry with the new Curio and would love for you to join me.

The price for a Curio is $249.99

The folks at Silhouette are giving you guys $15 off a new Curio if you use the code WHIPPER at checkout.

Click the link HERE to get the $15 discount

I can’t wait to start creating with the Curio, what about you? Head on over to their site to check out all of the new products and software options. The Silhouette brand of machines are truly my favorite crafting tool. I use them more than any other tool that I have in my creative tool box!

Disclaimer – I am a member of the Silhouette Makers Affiliate Program.

Shirt to Skirt | T-shirt Refashion

9 · Apr 11, 2012 · 20 Comments

My daughter, Hales and I worked on a fun project together and shared it a few weeks ago over at Craftaholics Anonymous and thought I would share it here just in case you missed it. Here is our fun Shirt to Skirt refashion…

Hales and I have had quite the challenge trying to find skirts that,

A. I find modest

B. She finds stylish

So… we decided to make one of our own out of some old t-shirts and then thought we would share it with all of you! This is the PERFECT first sewing project for your girls or for you, if you are new to sewing. If I can do it {I'm a rather novice seamstress} ANYONE can do this!! Not only that, but it is super quick as well. Here is what you are going to need…

2 t-shirts
cutting mat
rotary cutter
scissors
yard stick or some type of straight edge to help with cutting the fabric
sewing machine
thread

To begin, I carefully laid out one of the shirts and cut a 7 inch strip out of the bottom of the t-shirt using the cutting mat, rotary cutter and straight edge ruler. Now, the 7 inch measurement works for my daughters size, you may want to measure against one of your skirts and figure out what the best measurement will be for your height.

I preserved the finished bottom of the shirt to use as the finished bottom of the skirt, so as to not have to worry about the finished seam. I then cut one more 7 inch strip from the blue shirt and then two 7 inch strips from the white shirt.

Now as you lay them out, don't worry when they don't match-up. That's not going to be an issue, we are going to cut down the sides and even things out in just a bit. At this point the t-shirt strips are tubes. What you need to do is open up the tube by cutting down one side of each of the strips and then opening them up to make long strips of fabric. Hales and i decided that we should double up the white fabric so she didn't have to worry about it being see-through. We layered the two white strips and stitched them together on the the sewing machine.

O.K. I am going to pause right here and offer a TRUE CONFESSION… I own a Hello Kitty sewing machine!!!

Phew… I've been holding that in for almost two years of blogging now. I don't LOVE nor do I HATE Hello Kitty. I found this fabulous starter sewing machine on clearance at Target for $40 {it was normally over $100} and had to buy it. The funny thing is that I now LOVE this little green machine… We've had a lot of fun together her and I! Now I can finish the photo tutorial without trying to hide my Hello Kitty machine. he he!

The next step is to sew the long strips of fabric together. Make sure that you place the finished bottom of the t-shirt at the bottom of the skirt for the finished bottom and then sew the layers together layering them one on top of the other… Blue, white, blue {or whatever colors you select.

Once you have the layers sewn together, fold the long strips on half, basically like you are recreating the tube of the the cut t-shirt. I placed one of Hales' skirts on top of the fabric to measure the perfect width of the skirt making sure to leave a little room for seam allowance. {That skirt was one of those a little too short skirts that i didn't like, so I kept the length of the skirt quite a bit longer on purpose.}

Turn the two different layers so that the you have the wrong sides on the out side and carefully match-up the stripes. Sew a seam down the length of each side. Go slow, keep in mind that the jersey knit fabric can be a bit of a challenge to sew with. Just take your time and you won't have to worry about the fabric stretching out of place. When you finish the two sides, take a look at the sides of the skirt. If you find you have too much fabric on the sides {that will make the sides of the skirt lay funny when you are wearing it} trim down the sides a bit to create a skirt that will lay properly.

Once you complete both sides, turn your attention to the top of the skirt, the waist. Because of the type of fabric you are using, you won't have a need to worry about adding elastic or anything. If you take the proper waist measurements the skirt will naturally hug the hips and stay in place. I folded down the waist of the skirt one inch, and then sew around the top of the skirt to finish off the top of the skirt.

I actually went around the top twice with a quarter of an inch between the two stitches to create the same look as the finished bottom of the skirt. Turn the skirt right side out and voila you have a super cute skirt made out of two old t-shirts!! How fun and easy is that?! Oh, and doesn't Hales look cute?

I think I may have a budding fashion designer on my hands! What kind of projects do you like to do with your kiddos? With Spring Break season upon us, what do you guys have planned?