Here we are at Week One of the Sew Along! We’ve only just begun {sing in a dreamy Karen Carpenter voice} so if you would like to join us, please go {here} for the details.
This week we’re gathering our supplies. Here is a list of what you will need to make the bag and 5 accessories:
- 40 x 5 inch by 5 inch squares of fabric. For this purpose you can purchase a charm pack, or cut your own (a good way to use up leftovers!) If you are buying a charm pack {I’ve also seen these called promo packs here in Oz} just check it does actually have at least 40 squares in it.
- 2 x 20 inch {50 cm} pieces of coordinating fabrics. Based on a fabric width of 44 inches {112 cm}. If you’re buying a charm pack, you could buy two fabrics from the same line. Yay for matchy matchy!
- 14 inches {35 cm} of light fusible {iron on} interfacing. Based on a fabric width of about 35.5 inches {90 cm}. I find that this is generally the width of Pellon and other fusible interfacings. Light interfacing may also be called “Regular”.
- 16 inches {40 cm} of medium fusible {iron on} interfacing. Again, based on a fabric width of about 35.5 inches {90 cm}.
- 16 inches {40 cm} of stiff sew-in interfacing. Based on a fabric width of 44 inches {112 cm}. I bought a generic no name version of this. It kinda looks like canvas, and it’s the stuff you might use in the brim of a hat to make it stable. I’m figuring this might be the one thing that will cause confusion. All I can say is, don’t stress! Near enough is good enough.
If you are still unsure, please see the additional notes.
- One small lobster clasp.
- 31 inches {80 cm} of ribbon.
- One zip, longer than 8.5 inches {22 cm}.
- 4 inches {10 cm} of hook & loop tape {Velcro}.
- 2 large snap fasteners.
I’ve compiled these into a handy PDF for you to print out and take shopping with you:
Download pdf 
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If you’re not sure what something is or have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! I promise I don’t bite. {Unless you’re that yellow peanut M&M guy.}
I’ll be making two versions of the bag, one for my sister as a gift and one for me.
Here are the materials my sister picked out for her bag. It’s a charm pack and coordinating fabrics from the same line for the mega matchy matchy factor.
And for my bag I’ve cut 40 squares from materials and leftovers I already had. And just for fun, for the extra fabrics I’ll be using osnaburg and chenille.
Now it’s your turn! Go forth and gather sweet sewing friends!
I’ll be back next Tuesday (June 1st) for: {Make} The Bag – Part One.
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{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow you have obviously gone to a lot of trouble to make this easy for us, so thank you, it is really appreciated! Can’t wait for next weeks installment!!
Wow, this is fun! I wish I could join you now, but maybe I can catch up later
Some questions…since I am from Sweden (and my english is not the best…) Im having a bit of trouble to understand what some of the things in your list are…would it be possible to get some pictures of the following items?
lobser clasp
hook and loop tape
snap fasteners
Thanks!
Frida
Sure!
If you follow these links they will tell you what they are and show a picture. (Good old Wikipedia to the rescue!)
Lobster clasp:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobster_clasp
Hook and Loop Tape:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velcro
Snap Fasteners:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snap_fastener
Let me know if that clears things up for you.
Thanks a lot for the email. Its a lot clearer now!!
.-= Frida Lööw´s last blog ..Fodral till bilens GPS! =-.
This is JUST fantastic – I cannot imagine the amount of time this has already taken you to prepare! And thanks for the explanation to Frida: I had some trouble with the lobster thingy too
.-= Ann´s last blog ..Join me in this wonderful sew along! =-.
Thanks for doing this; you are awesome!!!!
I am your newest follower and am also participating in the sew along. I am glad I found your blog through the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway. The buttons you created are cute; one of them is on my blog now. Looking forward to making this beautiful set!
.-= Renate´s last blog ..My First Tea Cozy =-.
I can’t wait to make all these great items! I’m off to collect my supplies – thanks for the PDF – makes it much easier to print!!!
so hey there kelly
so happy to have found you!!!!
good old sew mama sew huh!!!!
so question here we go!!!!
the 40 x 5inch has to be how many different fabrics?!?!?!? 4 so there’s 10 each????? or more??????
.-= traci anderson´s last blog ..brown little packages…… =-.
Hi Traci,
There are no restrictions as to how many different types of fabrics you can use if you’re cutting you’re own. Just go with what you’ve got! You can have just the 2 fabrics if you like. I had to double up on a few of my fabrics, but most of them are different. It can be hard finding ones that match though, especially if you’re cutting from your scraps.
The nice thing about charm packs is that you get mostly different fabrics (sometimes they have double ups) but they all match.
Let me know if I’ve answered your question well enough.
hey kelly thanx so much this helps a-lot i am off up stairs to my sewing -room see what’s about and if i can get it all to match!!!! xx
.-= traci anderson´s last blog ..my creative space 26/05/10 =-.
Thanks for all your hard work in creating this sew-along. I think I’m going to use up some scraps to create this… I LOVE finding scrapbuster projects!
Thanks again!
Stephanie
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Quilted Placemat =-.
This is so good, I have everything I need in my stash. (yes iI have a stash of zippers and velcro and timtex) This is going to be a real stash buster for me
.-= Mariëlle´s last blog ..weggevertje/giveaway =-.
This sound great. I just bought charm packs and matching fabric and was wondering what I should do with it. Now I can’t wait to get started
I hope to participate and am off to buy whatever I may need. I’m kinda fickle so I gotta hurry up and sew! Help! Thank you for the great tutorial.
Kelly, this sounds like so much fun. I have so many scraps that I know I will come up with something totally unique….I’m not a big matchy matchy person. Now I’m off to cut 5″ squares. Whoo Hoo.
Hello Kelly, this sounds wery good.
We´ll have a lot of fun.
Thank you for this.
Hi,
Just wanting to let you all know I’ve just written a post about the stiff interfacing and how Timtex/Peltex are not actually a good substitute.
Please have a look before you go shopping.
I’ve cut 11 squares so far. Not having the right tools lessens the fun of cutting… *lol* I’ll have to find out if they sell those charm packs somewhere ariound.
.-= The Curious Crab´s last blog ..Warum bloggst du? =-.
The right tools do help. I use a quilter’s ruler which is marked with measurements and is see-through, a water-erasable pen and scissors…and it took me a while to cut my 40 squares. Perhaps if you used a rotary cutter it would be faster. Rotary cutters and I don’t get along, however.
By the way, every time I see your little crab avatar it makes me giggle.
Hi, so happy I found this site. Reading all the comments cleared up a lot. Looking forward sewing with all of you. Sound like a bunch of fun. Of to the sewing space looking for fabric.
Kerstin
.-= Kerstin´s last blog ..Life of joy – Lebensfreude =-.
This is such a beautiful set – I’ll be amazed if I can really do it! What width of ribbon to you suggest? In the photo the white ribbon around one of the accessories seems about 1/2 inch? Thanks so much!
For that little star I actually used cotton tape. And for the mini cosmetics roll I used very thin ribbon.
It doesn’t really matter what width you decide to use. However, about 1/3 inch and wider would make it less likely to break. Especially on the keyring decoration – I know my keys get thrown and bashed and left in all sorts of wierd and wonderful places!
I want to sew along, but have a hard time picking fabrics without knowing what they’re for. So, my question: what are the two 20-inch coordinating fabrics going to used for on the bag? Are they lining (and thus only I will see them) or somewhere more important on the bag?
Thanks so much!
Hi Amy,
The larger pieces of fabric will be used for all the projects. They’ll be used mainly for lining but will be fairly visible. So for the main bag for example, they will be used for the lining and the pockets and the handles. If you would like to take a look at my Flickr photos (the link is at the top of the sidebar) you’ll see the bags I made for the giveaway which this sew along is based on. The coordinating fabrics were the pink with a slight floral pattern, and the white with creamy/brown pattern. (Theyre both on the bag handles). Phew! I hope that answers your question!
Amy, I’ve added your question to the question and answers post.
just found you from Tozz’s blog, and will be happily joining your sew along! Thanks
Just found your blog and sew along a couple days ago. Today I decided to jump in and purchased my fabric. I’ll be using Blush by Moda. Can’t wait to get started but will have to make another fabric store run to pick up the other items. Your samples are beautiful.
How cute is that dog???? TOO CUTE!
Anyway time for the questions. I was wondering on the size of the squares. I have lots and lots of 4 X 4 squares that I collected before they came up with charm packs which I think are all 5 X 5. Anyway, could I use my 4 X 4 instead (so I could maybe use some up?) or do you think the bag will come out to small if I do. And I am not sure where the velcro will be, but I am not a fan of velcro so can we use a snap or just do with out?
Thanks So Much For Doing This For Us!
Hehe! He is rather cute isn’t he?
As for the 4″ squares. Well, I’m sorry but I don’t really think they’d work. All of the measurements would be out – not only for the main bag but the accessories as well. You could wait to see the tutorials and see if you could come up with a way to work around it if you REALLY want to use your 4″ squares.
As for the velcro, it will be used for the “Extras” pouch. I’ve designed this so you can put small objects in it, with the opening being sealed with velcro. You could substitute snaps if you like, if you’re not wanting to use it as a sealable bag. I’ll add this question to the Question and Answers post.
Thanks for the info. I have lot’s of cat fabric so I am going to go ahead and cut 5X5 squares. So I will have a cat bag. Now if I could find fabric with that dog and his ears I would add that right in the middle of it all. Hee Hee.
Is the purse lined? If so is it the 2 X 20″ co-ordinating fabric? I want to be sure to use a light fabric for the lining. I love the colors your sister chose. Thank you so much for doing this. You’re AWESOME!
Aw shucks, thanks!
I’ve added information about the coordinating fabric to the Questions and Answers. If you’re not sure, you could always wait to see how they’re used before you purchase any fabric.
Cannot wait for the pattern to appear here! Great way to use some of my left overs, it will be a surprise which ones I will use….
.-= Jos´s last blog ..Eloleo de luxe =-.
I’ll go sewing slowly because I live in Santiago of Chile and the materials I don’t have them exactly the same. I have to looking for materials similar, for example: stiff sew-in interfacing or loabster clasp. May be I know them with others names. If you could put or down photos of these objects. The others materials I have them.
Yasmin
Wow- this is awesome!! Thank you so much!!
Love this idea!