Making a Back Pack Part 2; The Front Pocket

If you want to appliqué on your pocket, do it now.

Once that is out of the way, it's piping time!
Place your piping along the edge of the pocket front. The raw edge of the piping should line up with the raw edge of the pocket. Stitch around until you're about an inch from your staring point.

If you have faith in your measuring skills you may have already cut your piping to the appropriate length. I never do that, I do not have such faith in my measuring skills.
If you're like me, snip off the excess piping.
Now, before you started sewing the piping on in the first place, you should have opened the seam that holds it together and snipped out about an inch of the cotton cord. Then, you should have folded the, now empty, end of the bias under about 1/4 inch.
I apologize for not having a photo of this step, I just did it without thinking. Tuck the freshly cut end of your piping into the cozy little spot you have prepared,

and stitch it down.

Ta da! The pocket front is done!

Now it's time to think about the sides of the pocket, and more importantly, the zipper.
The sides of the pocket are made of a strip of canvas 2"x the measurement (plus seam allowance) of the perimeter of your appliquéd and piped pocket piece.
Find the center of your pocket side piece and position your zipper accordingly. Once you've decided where you want the zipper to go, lay it on top of the side piece, flush with the edge of the same. Mark where the zipper begins and ends, and snip diagonally.

after snipping, press the newly made flaps open to make a little zipper window.

The side piece with it's window should fit over the zipper like this.

Throw that baby on your machine and top stitch all the way around.

When you're about halfway along the zipper, stop sewing with your needle down. Lift the presser foot and unzip the sipper. This way the zipper pull is out of the way so you can stitch nice and close to the zip edge without interference from the pull.

Oh, I also took a little scrap and tacked the lose ends of my zipper together just to reinforce that point a bit. I did it after my zipper was stitched in because I didn't think if it before then.

And the front side should look like this.

Now we're ready to stitch the pocket front to the sides. This is another step I forgot to take a picture of.
Start at the bottom of the pocket. Leaving about 5/8" unsewn, stitch the side piece/strip along the edge of the front pocket piece with 1/4" seam allowance. You should be stitching right over the seam you made when you put the piping on. Once you make it back around to where you started, sew the 2 ends of the side piece/strip together. This is why we left that 5/8" flap when we started. Man, I wish I'd taken a picture of this.
Anyway, confusing instructions aside, this is what it will look like inside at this point.

I forgot to buy a zipper of the appropriate length for the pocket. Stash to the rescue! I found I had this one that would do but at just 6 inches, it was a little short. It would have been mighty tricky to get a pencil any longer that six inches into that pocket if I'd put that zipper across the straight top of the pocket.
By off setting the zipper to curve around one corner of the pocket, I preserved the ability to utilize the diagonal space within to maneuver supplies. A zipper long enough to curve around both top corners would have been more efficient, but this will work well enough, and I kind of enjoy the effect.

Now, you'll remember that inside our newly formed pocket are a bunch of raw edges. I am not ok with this. I have a strong dislike for raw edges. Also, I want this back pack to last a good long time. If something spills in it and it has to be washed, I don't want stringy frayed awfulness hiding inside the pockets once it's clean.
The answer? Double fold bias tape.
Just wrap it around those raw edges and stitch away to seal up any string globs that may have been lurking in your pockets future.

When you're done it will look like this.

Turned right side out, it will look like this.

Now our pocket is ready to join the party.
See you next time when we'll assemble this bad boy!

Making a back pack- part 1

I've been thinking I should make a habit of taking photos during the process of making things. That way, If anyone wants to know how I did it, I can show them.
Today I started working in earnest on Zizza's back pack. I patterned it out Friday Night while watching "Shaun of the Dead" on the Tivo. Since that was before my decision to take photos, and since I was already multitasking with the Zombie movie, I didn't photograph that part.
Sorry.
Today I was working on all the little pieces that need doing before the main putting together can happen. Here's what I did;

 

Cut a big heap of Bias. You can find instructuons for doing it this way in "Bend the Rules Sewing"

 

 

Once it's all cut add some cotton cord,

 

and you'll have...

 

piping!

 

Now to make some soft comfy straps. Start by pressing up a half inch on one long side of each strap piece. (I'll get back to the pattern eventually, but for now I'm pressing ahead with sewing instructions. Again, sorry it's out of order)

 

Now, to pad the straps. I could've used some nice versatile batting but since the indside of my straps will never be seen again, I decided to use up this stashed fleece and save my "warm and natural" for another day.
I folded my fleece (which was the same width as my canvas piece) into thirds, and positioned it thusly.

 

Fold the canvas around the squishy center,

 

and fold in the ends like you're wrapping a present. One side...

 

Then both sides. And press them that way. Also press those raw edges under.

 

Now take it to your machine and stitch right down the center.

 

When you get to the end, poke the nylon webbing for the adjustable portion of the straps inside.
Here's the thing though, this shouldn't be the long piece of webbing, as shown in the photos. It should be a short piece that's looped through a plastic strap adjuster. I did that wrong and had to pick out the step I'm about to show you.

 

Top stitch around the edge of the bottom portion of the strap.

 

Then sew an x across the middle, heavy on the back-stitching. You want to really hang on to that nylon webbing. It's going to take a lot of abuse.

 

Remember not to be like me. Sew the correct piece in here because it was a pain to un-pick.
Now, lets put those long nylon straps where they actually belong.
Start by cutting a pair of squares, about 3x3. Fold them in half, corner to corner and press.

 

Then do it again.
Also, notice the stains on my ironing board cover and the strange orange glow of artificial light glancing off the yellow walls in my sewing room, and surmise that I did this step after dark.

 

Tuck your nylon webbing safely inside your newly pressed triangles, stitch around the edge and across both ways.

 

Now the strap pieces are done, let's move on to the top handle.
Press in 1/2 inch on three sides. Cut a piece of padding (single thickness this time) 1" wide and 1" shorter than the finished canvas piece.

 

Wrap it up like we did the long straps and stitch down the middle.

 

Then stitch across each end where the padding stops. We'll finish these off with squares and x's of top stitching when we attach it to the back pack.

 

And here we have an inaccurate photo summary of what is covered in this post.

 

A butt load (4 yards) of piping, 2 squishy straps, a slightly squishy top handle, and an elephant appliquéd pocket front that you should disregard for now,replacing it in your mind with the image of a pair of webbing straps sewn securely into triangular pieces of canvas.
Until next time!

Talents

Tonight I fulfilled a wish. It's something I've mentioned here before. But no, it does not involve me metamorphosing into Meryl Streep.
I sang "Taylor the Latte Boy" at my ward(local congregation) talent show. It was mucho fun. I do enjoy to preform.
I was given the opportunity to display another talent of mine as well. Namely, being stern with children.
The afore mentioned were gathered in a bunch at the foot of the stage. The idea was to give them a better view of the show. Unfortunately there, away from their parents, they were a less than respectful audience.
There was shuffling, squabbling and disarray throughout the performance before mine. When I went to take the stage the emcee asked me if I'd like him to clear the kids out of the way. And I answered, "I'll do it."
So I took the mic and told the kids that if they couldn't be quiet they'd have to go sit with their parents. One boy stood immediately and walked to his mother's side. I think it's likely he was intending to go have a word with his mom before I began my statement and the fortunate timing was coincidence, but it was a nice addition to my performance.
I waited until all the kids were sitting before I began to sing.
I dare say, some of those children are now afraid of me. I caught the eye of one little girl mid-way through my song, she froze and immediately dropped her bottom to the floor.
I suppose it's likely that I now have a reputation among the young fry for being "mean." The funny thing about it is; I don't mind.
I remember those "mean" adults from my own childhood, and you know what? I really like all of them. I'll count it an honor to be numbered with such great people.

The Bear Who Wanted to Have a Tea Party

a collaborative effort by myself and my Zizza.

 

 

 

 

Zizza had a great time listing friends. She would have filled the rest of the book this way if I hadn't intervened. She started writing "Elisabeth" at the top of the page, after that The Mr helped her with spacial planning so none of those "bestest friends" would be left out.

 

Why the distinction between Skyla and the rest of the friends? They were all bestests while the frog here is just an average friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used this tutorial for binding. The finished product has it's quirks. I think mostly because of the adjustments I had to make for binding such a thin book. The spine is a bit too wide for the one lone signature it holds, and the book doesn't lay flat when open.
It was a fun project, I'm excited to do more in the future. I think next time I'll scan the art work and print it on the pages. That way, I can make multiple copies of the same book if I want to. (Why hello, grandparent Christmas gifts! how are you today?) Also the crayon from the drawings won't rub off on the opposite page.

Progression

I have a week left to work on my list. As of this evening the book is nearly done, I'm just waiting for glue to dry.
I've got one baby boy romper just waiting for closures. I also have to decide on fabric for a tie and make that. The other baby boy ensemble is at the bottom of my list since that child isn't even born yet and I won't be seeing his (still preggers) mother on this trip anyway so I'll have to send it regardless. I still would like to get it out of the way before I leave but whateves.
Next up is Zizza's back pack. She starts pre-school the day after I get back so it would be pretty lame of me not to get her backpack done before I go. Especially since she's been asking me regularly if I'm going to start working on it for the past two weeks. In my defense I couldn't have started any sooner than Monday because I was waiting for the trim fabric to be delivered.
My something or other to wear to my High School reunion may or may not happen. Until last night I really had no Idea what I even wanted. Now I'm thinking along the lines of a shirt dress.
Either black and ecru 2" gingham with pintucks, 3/4 sleeves and a shirt-tail hem. Or a copy of an Anthropologie dress that I can't find a picture of to show you. It was white eyelet with slightly puffed cap sleeves, and tuxedo ruffles. At least I think that's what it looked like, I don't fully remember. That's what I'd be making anyway.
I would wear either dress with a thick belt. In my minds eye I see cowboy boots but hit a bit of a snag in that I don't own a pair.
Anyway, that is where I stand this evening. If all goes well. I'll have something or things entirely completed tomorrow.
Now I'm off to read "The City of Ember" I've been holding myself off starting "Jane Eyre" until I'm through my list because I know myself and I want to actually finish this stuff.
"The City of Ember" was sitting on my shelf looking short and harmless this afternoon when I finished sewing for the day. (I've got to go out an get buttons before I can go on) So I picked it up to indulge myself for a few minutes while I over saw Zizza illustrating her book.
When, after reading only the preface I was completely enthralled, I knew I was in trouble. Gratefully, I'm already half way through so I don't think it will interfere too much with my productivity.

When no one's looking

 

 

To be honest, this representation isn't entirely accurate. Generally I shut myself inside the pantry so I don't have to waste time with the shifty eyes. Today though, I had to make allowances since my pantry isn't roomy enough to accommodate a tripod.

Making myself some modivation.

I'm going on a solo trip in a few short weeks. Closer to a week and a half actually. There are a number of projects I need to complete before I go and I need a little kick in the pants to get moving on them. So here's my kick. A to do list for all the world to see.
Before I leave for the airport on the 27th I need to complete the following;
Make 2 baby boy blessing outfits
Make Zizza's new backpack
Make Something to wear to my high school reunion.
Bind the book in which Zizza will display her writing at the coming talent show.
Write a post about the hazards of sneaking food into movies.

If you'd like to help me with this you may do so by sending e-mail, leaving comments or making calls to inquire about my progress.