Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

We have been a stalker fan of the Noodlehead blog for quite a while. Her posts have a sense of simplicity and class while still being inviting. Going through her blog makes me wanna grab a cup of coffee and plan a total sewing day. She has really functional projects and they are super easy to follow.

Since we "follow" her blog we have always been a fan of her tutorials and patterns we are super pleased to share with you her pajama pants tutorial that she created using AGF voiles.

I swear you can just see how soft these fabrics are! The voiles are great for projects like these because their high thread count and super soft hand feels like silk against your skin (and who wants to sleep in rough itchy fabric anyways?)

The pattern is super simple and I may just take this sewing challenge on! One can never have enough Pj's right?

Happy Sewing :)

-Anais

So while I was on the hunt for the perfect handmade gift I came across a geek wallet that had some of the elements I was looking for but not yet the perfect gift.  So..  I added some very essential pockets and made it the perfect all-in-one wallet for the "hard to get" person on your list.

I decided to sew my very first ever handmade gift (and by first I mean first sucessful project that I finished 100% without too many tears and without throwing my hands up in defeat.) 

I am soooo happy with the outcome (well minues the #SewingFails) that I have created this tutorial for you.

This wallet was created to hold your phone, MP3 player, credit cards, USB's, money and anything else that meets your fancy.

 Materials Needed:

Download Personal Organizer pattern and assemble.

AGF Fabrics (large peices - Fat eighths of desired fabric;  Pockets - Large scraps of desired fabric)

Pellon Shape Flex Fusible

Pellon Fleece Fusible

Notions Needed

5 Buttons

1 Snap closure

Elastic

Cutting Directions

Inside and Outside Panels Cut 2 (we used 2 different fabrics)

Inside Pockets:

Big Pocket Cut 2

Phone Pocket Cut 2

Credit Card Pocket Cut 8 (we used two different pockets and cut 4 of each)

Mini Pockets Cut 4

Outside Pockets:

Large Credit Card Pocket Cut 4

Bill Pocket Cut 2

Interfacing 

Fuse Pellon Fleece Fusible to Inside and Outside Panels

Fuse Pellon Shape Flex Fusible to both wrong sides of Big Pocket and Phone Pocket

Fuse Pellon Shape Flex Fusible to only one wrong side of Bill Pocket and Large Credit Card Pocket

Sewing Instructions

Place Big Pockets right sides together and begin by sewing bottom edge with a ¼” seam allowance

Leave a 1” gap in bottom for turning

Sew around three remaining edges

Repeat same steps on phone pocket

Repeat same steps on bill pocket

Repeat same steps on large credit card pockets

Repeat same steps on mini pockets

Repeat same steps on credit card pockets

Clip all four corners on each and trim off excess fabric for turning

Turn all pockets right side out and poke out corners

Press turned pockets

Top stich top between 1/8”-1/4” along edge of each pocket depending on desired look

Make sure to backstitch or hand tie ends to prevent unraveling

Lay credit card pocket on big pocket

Measure 3” up from bottom edge and pin first pocket in place

 
Sew bottom edge of pocket being sure to pass through both
credit card and big pocket

Align bottom pocket with bottom of big pocket

Sew bottom edge of pocket being sure to pass through both
credit card and big pocket

Place final two pockets in between sewn pockets and sew
bottom edge of pocket one at a time

All pockets should be spaced evenly making sure to back-stitch or hand tie ends

Place and pin mini pockets to big pocket

Stitch bottom edge of mini pockets one at a time

Stitch sides of mini pockets one at a time making sure to backstitch or hand tie ends

Place and pin centered phone and big pocket 1 ½” from edge and 1” apart

Sew down sides of phone pocket one at a time making sure to back-stitch or hand tie ends

Sew bottom of phone pocket making sure to back-stitch or hand tie ends

Sew down sides of big pocket one at a time making sure to keep credit card pockets in place back-stitch or hand tie ends

Sew bottom of big pocket making sure to back-stitch or hand tie ends

Place and pin first credit card pockets on outside panel 1” down and 1” over from edge

Place and pin second credit card pocket 1” apart from first pocket

Place and pin bill pocket centered between credit card pockets and 1” up from bottom edge

Sew bottom of bill pocket making sure to back-stitch or hand
tie ends

Sew down sides of bill pocket one at a time making sure to
back-stitch or hand tie ends

Prepare buttons and optional notions

Cut elastic into two 3” strips and one 2” strip

Mark elastic placement on inside panel

Use clear tape to hold elastic ends together

Pin elastic onto inside panel

Place inside and outside panels right sides together and pin
all around

Sew bottom edge ½” seam allowance leaving a 2” opening for
turning

Make sure to back-stitch over elastic to reinforce seam

Sew sides of panels with ½” seam allowance

Sew top edge with 1/2” seam allowance making sure to backstitch over elastic to reinforce seam

Clip all four corners on each and trim off excess fabric for turning

Turn entire wallet right side out and press

Sew buttons on both sides of wallet 1” from edge and ½”-1”
down depending on button size

*Snaps inside pockets are options and can be hand sewn

Tip: For the LARGE pocket a snap closure will ensure that your electronics stay in place and for the smaller pocket I suggest using a string/ribbon to tie down your phone so it does not slip out.

This Gizmo wallet is great for just about anyone. It holds credit cards, USB's, your phone and MP3 player all in one spot. No more going through your purse or carrying all these items separately.

Hope you enjoyed my very first ever pattern and that if you do make it you share it with me. I love seeing how this works for everyone!

Leave me a comment below letting me know "Who is this gift perfect for?"

Happy Sewing!

- Anais

Hi, it's Lee again from Freshly Pieced, back with another Fat Quarter Gang tutorial! It's the gifting time of year again, so how about this pretty, girly, simple-to-sew gift?

This sketchbook or notebook cover mimics the look of ribbon lacing and ties shut in a knot or a bow—perfect for friends, teachers, or anybody else on your holiday list!

You will need:
• 4 fat quarters from Art Gallery's Rock 'N Romance line. I'm using "Vinyl Charms Bianca" for the outer cover, "Stardust Dusk" for the "lacing" and ribbon tie, "Wild Hearted Spirit" for the inside flaps, and "Stardust Midnight" for the cover lining.
• Fusible interfacing (I'm using Pellon's Craft Fuse)
• A notebook

To make the notebook cover:

1. With the notebook closed, use a measuring tape to measure across the front cover from edge to binding, around the binding, and across the back cover from binding to edge. This is your width (mine was 16"). Measure the notebook from top edge to bottom edge to determine the height (mine was 10").

2. Add 1 1/4" inch to each of these dimensions. So, the dimensions I'll be working with are 17 1/4" (width) x 11 1/4" (height).

3. From the "Stardust Dusk" print, cut pieces that are 2 1/2" x 1 1/2". From the "Vinyl Charms" print, cut pieces that are 1" x 1 1/2". Sew these pieces together into one strip with a 1/4" seam allowance, alternating prints. Sew enough pieces together so that the strip measures at least the same length as the width determined in step 2 above (17 1/4" in my example).

4. From the "Vinyl Charms" print, cut two pieces for the outer cover. These pieces should be the width determined in step 2 (so, 17 1/4" in my example), and the height of both pieces together should add up to the height determined in step 2. So my pieces are 7" x 17 1/4" and 4 1/4" x 17 1/4". The more uneven the heights of these two pieces, the more off-center your "lacing" will be on the finished cover.

5. With a 1/4" seam allowance, sew the outer cover pieces onto each side of the pieced lacing strip. Trim the lacing strip so the ends are even with the edges of the outer cover pieces. I added some decorative top-stitching 1/8" out from each of these seams.

6. Cut two strips 2 1/2" x 14" from the "Stardust Dusk" print. Fold the strips in half lengthwise with right sides together and press. Stitch down the long side of the strips, 1/4" from the raw edges, and across one short end. Using the pointy end of a chopstick, turn right side out and press.

7. Cut your cover lining using the dimensions determined above in Step 2 (so, my cover lining was 17 1/4" x 11 1/4").

8. Cut a piece of interfacing that is about 1/2" smaller than the cover lining (so, my interfacing was 16 3/4" x 10 3/4"). Fuse the interfacing to the back of the cover lining, centering the interfacing on the cover lining so that there's 1/4" of non-interfaced fabric all the way around.

9. Pair up the outer cover piece and the cover lining piece, right sides facing. Place the "ribbon" pieces between the outer cover and the lining, positioned even with the pieced lacing strip on each side, with the raw unsewn ends sticking out about 1" on each side, as shown.

10. Pin and sew around the perimeter of the outer cover, leaving an opening along one side about 3" wide for turning.

11. Clip the seam allowances at the corners and turn the cover right-side-out, using the chopstick to poke out the corners. Press and set aside. There's no need to stitch up the gap for turning, this will be closed up in a future step.

12. Cut two pieces for the flaps that will hold the notebook cover. These pieces should be 8" or 9" wide and the height determined in Step 2" (so mine are 9" x 11 1/4").


13. Fold the two flap pieces in half lengthwise, with right sides together, and press (so, when folded, mine measured 4 1/2" x 11 1/4"). Sew around all three sides, leaving a 3" gap for turning along the middle of the long side. Turn right side out and press. Top-stich along the folded edge, about 1/8" from the edge. There's no need to sew up the gap left for turning, this will be closed up in the next step.

14. Align flap pieces along the outer edges of the cover, with the top-stitched folded edge toward the inside of the cover, as shown. Pin around all three edges. Top-stitch around the entire perimeter of the cover, 1/8" from the edge of the cover. This top-stitching attaches the flaps and closes up all gaps for turning.

15. Slip the notebook covers under the flaps and tie the notebook shut with the ribbon bow.

Enjoy!

Enter to win your very own bundle of Rock n Romance by heading over for Freshly Pieced and leave her a comment to be entered to win.

As always to be eligible to win you must follow us on your fav social media platform (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter)and Subscribe to our blog to stay up to date on all things AGF & the Fat Quarter Gang! Ohhh... and lets not forget Flickr!

Giveaway open until December 21st.

Happy Sewing,

<3 Your AGF team

That it ladies... We have come to the end of a long (12 months to be exact) sewing journey and we have the final challenge upon us. After this last challenge you all can take a seat and relax and know that you have accomplished something very amazing. You have learned new techniques and really honed your skills as sewers.

This month, the final challenge will be a messenger bag. We decided to make it something that works out great as a handmade gift for a friend or family member for the holidays.

Requirement:

This month brings us a tie!

Hey y'all.
Rachel here from PS I Quilt.
Today I'm gonna show y'all a SUPER quick & easy way to make pillow covers.

My fabrics of choice are these lovelies ...

(Used: Nature Elements in Charcoal, Moss, French Vanilla, Blue Light & Hibiscus;  Oval Elements in Saffron, Green Apple & Mist)

What y'all will need:
8 assorted Art Gallery Fabric fat quarters of choice.

2 pillow forms, 16 x 16
 

Pick 4 fat quarters for pillow cover number one.
Plan out which order you would like the fabrics to appear on your pillow.

Repeat the same thing for pillow cover number two.
 

For each pillow you will need:
1 square, 16 1/2" x 16 1/2"
1 square, 12" x 12"
1 square, 8" x 8"
1 square, 4" x 4"
1 rectangle, 10" x 16 1/2" (for backing)
1 rectangle, 8" x 16 1/2" (for backing)
 
Lay your squares out in order of smallest to biggest.
You don't have to make sure that your squares are perfectly centered, unless you want.
Feel free to lay your squares as straight or as wonky as your little heart desires. 


Using a 1/4" seam allowance, stitch around the center square.
Repeat this for all three layered squares.
And voila ... your pillow cover top is finito.

Note: I stack all four of my squares together and start working from the inside out.
Feel free to work from the outside in, while only layering one square at a time.
Whatever works best for you.
 

Now we're going to make an envelope backing for your pillow.
Take your 10" x 16 1/2" rectangle and make about a 1/4" fold along the long side.
Press.



Fold that fold over another 1/4" to create a hem.
Press. 



Repeat the hemming process for the 8" x 16 1/2" rectangle.
Stitch both hems.
 

We're going to make a mini sandwhich.
Lay pillow top down with the right side facing up.
Lay one hemmed rectangle on the left side of the pillow top, right sides together.
Lay the second hemmed rectangle on the right side of the pillow top, right sides together.
Pin.

Note: The hems of the rectangles are supposed to overlap each other.
Using a 1/4" seam allowance, stitch around all four sides of pillow cover.
 


Turn pillow covers right sides out.
Wash to give them more of a scruffily look, then insert pillow forms.
OR go ahead and insert your pillow forms and trust that your kids will rough them up just as well as your washing machine. ;)
 

These are SO quick to whip up, y'all can easily make these for ANY holiday or room in your house.
And they're perfect to have on hand for quick christmas &/or hostess gifts.

Want to win your own bundle of blenders? Well hop on over to my blog and leave a comment for a chance to win.

Hope y'all enjoy.

Rachel Griffith
www.psiquilt.com