Zipper Pulls

I feel a zipper is naked without a zipper pull so I hauled out my beading supplies and cranked a few out.

The canvas bag got one.

as well as the Spring Brook checkerboard bag.

And a cute one for this bag.

They're so easy to make with beading wire (I use 7-py Beadalon wire) from Michaels.

crimping beads,

and small lobster claw clasps.

Any beads work fine. I like to coordinate at least one bead with the fabric, use seed beads as spacers then others for balance. I had a bunch of key charms so I usually put one at the end of the zipper pull.

On the left, I used a heart-shaped clasp that was in my stash. These are ready to attach to any new bags.

I used to use nylon line and thin wire but they would break after moderate use so the beading wire works very well.  There are various thicknesses but the 7-ply wire is pliable enough to work with (having to bend it back under the crimping bead), yet strong enough to hold. I've never had one break.

Spring Brook Zipper Bag

In an attempt to use up some of my 5" charm squares, I created two checkerboards with 5 squares by 5 squares to make another zipper bag.

I had the remnants of a Spring Brook charm pack - most of which I'd previously used on a project bag.

There was a coordinating zipper in my stash (yay!), and enough of the companion fabric for the lining.

Finished dimensions are 10" x 8" with the bottom being about 6" by 4".

Another one with 6 x 6 checkerboards would also be a convenient size for cosmetics or knitting projects.

Once again, I've had an issue with an online seller and had to lodge a dispute with PayPal. The seller tried to upsell when I was trying to order one thing and much to my horror, after I paid for what I wanted, all the upsold goods also were billed to me. I immediately contacted the seller to cancel the items I didn't want but they said it was too late and that the order would be processed right away and couldn't be called back. I said this was bad business practice and that I would be returning all unwanted items and to not bother shipping in the first place. Interestingly this transaction took place on June 22 and the items weren't shipped until July 1. (grrrr!)

Long story short, all the items arrived in yesterday's mail and the one item I did want wasn't the right size. When I contacted the seller to see about getting my 100% refund and instructions to ship their items back, they gave me a runaround. First they offered a 20% refund and I could keep the goods. Then a 45% refund, then a 70% refund, and still no instructions about returning the items.

At this point, I contacted PayPal and lodged a complaint, explaining all I had done to try and return the unwanted items for a refund. It is now in their hands. 

Last time I had to file a dispute  via PayPal I got my refund within 24 hours. Hopefully this time will be the same.

I need to learn the lesson NOT to order any more stuff online except from well-known sellers.

Another One

I found some canvas fabric in my stash and thought it would also be good for a zippered bag. I think I bought it at a remainder store during one of our South Padre Island visits almost a decade ago. 

I found lining on a knitting theme that coordinated with the green accent colour and a coordinating zipper.

Initially I thought the canvas would be sturdy enough for it to stand up firmly on its own but before closing everything in, added batting between the lining and canvas.

I have a LOT more of this canvas fabric so will be thinking of projects for it. I welcome any ideas.

Working With What I Have

Inspired by the road trip to Chloe's Quilting this week, I had the urge to make some more things. I do like to create items that will be used and not just looked at or put away.

I thought I'd make a brightly coloured luggage tag. It was ridiculous how long I spent looking through my stash for cute fabrics that would go together, only needing a fat quarter each of the outer and inner fabrics; also planning to make a zippered bag for either cosmetics or knitting projects.

Then I happened upon a cute print that I must have picked up pre-COVID at JoAnn's - it was in a bundle of 10" squares - 5 patterns with 4 squares for each pattern.

First, I made a luggage tag. I had to look up my old directions for a reminder. Then, to work.

Folded up and ready to attach to a bag, backpack, or piece of luggage, the name and address are hidden.

I also had to refresh my memory on how to use the semi-automatic buttonhole feature on my sewing machine. 

A business card is slid behind the vinyl window inside the folded tag. 

Once the strap is pulled through the buttonhole, it goes around the strap or handle, and the rest of the tag goes through, too. The bright colours make it easy to spot luggage on an airport carousel. The reinforced stitching makes it very secure and almost impossible to remove with regular (ab)use.

I took a break for lunch then went out to do some watering and weeding in the garden. A squall was predicted so I finished up and came back inside but we only got a short rain shower.

Next, I made the zipper bag. I have a bin of odd-coloured zippers so I figured with all the colours in the fabric, I could find one that would work OK. An olive green one fit the bill. 

Since the outer fabrics were already cut into 10" squares, I cut the lining and batting the same dimensions. After adhering the outer fabric to the fusible batting, I stacked all the items and cut a slight curve on the top edge.

Everything went pretty well except I made the rookie mistake of not opening the zipper part way before sewing all the edges. I had to pick out the stitches near the zipper tab to slide it into the confines of the bag. I left an opening on the side seam of the lining for turning everything right side out.

The corners were boxed 1 1/2" creating a 3" deep bottom.

I glued the seam allowances on the side of the lining to close the gap.

Ta da!

I love all the crafty motifs.

The yellow lining will make spotting things inside very easy.

Because of the boxed bottom and batting between the fabrics, the bag stands up on its own quite nicely. And the olive green zipper looks great - if I do say so myself.

I wish I had more of this fabric but I have lots of other patterns in my stash to choose from.

I know I'll never use up what I have but I'm very pleased to adapt projects to accommodate the materials and supplies that I already have.

Another Blue Project Bag

I've had this checkerboard ready to go for months. On Monday, I finally collected the appropriate zipper (ecru from Michaels), fabric for the back from my stash, and vinyl (running low) to make it into another project bag.

I'm going to have to make a run to Fabricland in Pickering to stock up on some more vinyl and zippers.

I also ordered a small rolling utility cart with 5 drawers from Amazon last night 

Photo from the Amazon listing

and it was delivered today before I even got out of bed. It was assembled fairly easily and I've already filled most of it up in an attempt to get my dining room in better order. Doing so only made me realize how many more sewing projects I have fabric for so plan to start making some zipper and drawstring bags for knitters and maybe a few colourful luggage tags.

Jen1 and I decided at about 11pm on Monday night that we'd venture to Chloe's Quilting in Grafton the next day (yesterday). It was a beautiful day for a little road trip. We had heard about this place via a card I had picked up at their booth at the Muskoka Yarn and Fibre Festival a couple of weekends ago.

Ernest and Thomas take turns sitting up front.

The shop is down a long forested road. Once there we were greeted by two huge, friendly dogs who vociferously announced our arrival. The flower beds around the shop were well tended and beautiful.

Inside is literally crammed with bolts of fabric. I was very impressed that they keep a very current inventory - Tilda, French General, William Morris, etc. etc. It was very tempting to indulge myself but I held off. I really liked this fabric - Poppy Dreams by Clothworks

but I held off. But I know where these fabrics are if I have a change of heart. 

We stopped in at Annie's Quilts in Orono on the way home. It was Jen1's first time there since they moved a couple of years ago.

Again, I left without purchasing anything. By this point we were quite hungry so we made for Mexico Lindo back in Whitby. The Egypt/Argentina game was on the TV on the TeleLatino channel so you could hear the rapid-fire Spanish commentary then 'Gooooooooooooooooooooooool'. There was a large group of diners in the same room so it was quite loud but fun nonetheless.

Back at home, I relaxed on the sofa and conked out for about an hour nap. 

All in all it was a very fun day.

Today we met at The Courtyard for lunch - a get-together organized by Jeanette to celebrate Shelley's retirement from teaching 

and to bid farewell to Sue who is moving to Napanee. 

Again it was really loud in there as there was a large group above and behind us but it didn't deter us from a good gabfest.

This evening I crocheted a few more Mystic Lanterns. I only thought I had done 84 but in fact I've completed 105 out of 158. There's going to be tons of yarn left over so if I'm ambitious I'll make more lanterns - if I can stand it.

Today's Garden

My garden has loved all the rain we've been having. There are observable changes every day. When I first saw these coreopsis a bee was crawling all over one of the flowers, its rear legs covered in yellow pollen. I ran inside to get my phone to take a photo but it had flown off.

This is the first bloom of the random echinacea in one of my beds.

These dwarf sunflowers were grown from seed under the grow lights in my kitchen. It's the first to bloom. A little bee had already found it (at 7 o'clock on the centre). I also planted a couple of sunflowers that will grow to over 2.5m (8ft+). The seeds were a birthday gift to me last year.

My garden is a hodge-podge of perennials (mostly). The daisies were an end-of-season sale purchase last year probably from Canadian Tire. Behind them on the right is a bent-over blue bellflower (campanula carpatica), front left are cornflowers/bachelor buttons, black-eyed susans in front of the daisies, the sunflower, and viola foliage on the bottom right. I think the violas are done blooming for the season but I like the lush foliage. 

Scooter and Skip attached this bit of lattice to the fence a few years ago for our neighbour's clematis that likes to poke through the fence. This bloom is spectacular today.

Sharon's 3ft high shasta daisies are amazing right now. Bees are loving the pollen.

I took a couple of videos of the bee action on the daisies (click the 'play' triangle twice)

and the foxglove.

Staying Cool

It's another toasty day out there. Now that my A/C is working again, I stayed inside where it was nice and cool. It was a perfect day to wash all the bedding and hang it out; duvet cover, bottom sheet, mattress pad, pillowcases. I also am airing out my light summer duvet. I am fortunate my 'passive solar dryer' is just steps outside the door from my main floor laundry room.

Although everything was dried in a jiffy, I left everything out in the sun until later. The bed is going to smell so good tonight when I crawl into it.

I seem to be on a project bag-making jag. I unearthed a little mini charm pack from my stash that I had no recollection of buying. However, I had a zipper and coordinating fabric I could use for the back so I got busy with my gridded fusible interfacing. 

I saw a YouTube video about using charm squares and noted that sometimes the 2 1/2" is measured from the inside of the pinked (zigzag) edge and sometimes it is from the outside points. The gridded interfacing I am using has exact 2 1/2" squares so I had to trim off the pinked edges to make them fit well.

Again, I laid them out in checkerboard fashion. However I needed 49 squares for my 7 x 7 grid and the charm pack only had 42. Luckily I had some random blue squares left over from other projects and they fit in quite nicely. A couple were from the Yukata project and a couple of others from the Summer Eclipse Iceberg fabric . The quilted part is 7 x 6 squares and the 7th row is used for the part above the zipper on the front.

The backing fabric was some of the discounted 0.6m remnant I bought at Bolts and Bobbins a couple of weeks ago - Moda Canvas Ink. I also used it for the strip under the zipper. A fat quarter is also large enough for this project.

This time I quilted the checkerboard through the dark squares. I got to use my chalk marking tool again now that I have more chalk which I had obtained from Bolts and Bobbins. The gadget is that red thing on the left. You can see the white reservoir where the chalk goes. On the rounded end is a little wheel that deposits the chalk. This is a good alternative to using a white marking pen on the dark fabric as the chalk just brushes away once it has served its purpose. 

I do use my walking foot whenever I'm sewing over anything with batting. However today it wasn't advancing the fabric properly so I had to provide some assistance and push it through a bit.

This is the 6th project bag I've recently made that I'm planning to sell. I've been doing some comparison pricing on Etsy and have decided $40CAD is a fair price. Some of my stitching peeps will have first dibs before I take them to sell at our stitching retreat in the fall.

I like that I'm able to continue 'shopping from my stash' when creating these projects. I'm getting down to my last lengths of vinyl, though. I do miss having a Fabricland nearby as it was always so handy to run out and pick up sewing supplies as I've needed them. Now the closest one is in Pickering. Our local quilt shops don't carry the array of zipper colours and lengths that I like. Michaels only sells white, ecru, navy, and black zippers. My preferred length is 16" or longer as my project bags finish to about 14 1/2" wide.  Then the zipper is just trimmed down to the size after all is assembled.

I have 2 other quilted checkerboards in blue colourways that can be finished into bags fairly quickly. 

I'm also toying with making some zipper bags that could be used for knitting projects or cosmetics - like these I made ages ago.

I sure wish I had more of those fabrics.

I also made matching luggage tags.

I still have some of this fabric.