AfricanKelli

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Finny,

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! In high school, part of my student council responsibilities included fundraising. My junior and senior years, I led the March of Dimes walk-a-thon team and coordinated coin drive contests between the classes. This provided a great chance to be on the morning announcements daily, and of course, because I was far too secure and far too silly, I did these announcements in an Irish brogue, pretending to be the Lucky Charms leprechaun. By the end, I usually had the principal laughing so hard at me (and with me) that she had to stop for a moment before she could finish with the lunch menu. Some 3,000 kids at my high school and I’m doing an Irish comedy act on the morning announcements; my mother wondered why finding a prom date from a different school was really the only option.

Of course, still overly secure and equally silly, I am wearing a green dress today and passing out the loaves of Irish Soda Bread I baked for our One Yard Wonder + Recipe Challenge. Even with matching correspondence, this seems like a lurch toward normalcy by comparison. I added cranberries, cinnamon and pepitas to the recipe. I’m not a huge fan of the messy, knotty loaves, but they smelled amazing coming out of the oven. Next time, I’ll bake them in a bread pan.

It’s a good thing you love your friends a green shade of ridiculous, lassie.

Wishing you luck and rainbows (in marshmallow form),

Kelli

I’m hosting a small brunch in a couple weeks to celebrate Easter. These invitations are what spurred the idea.

My take is less colorful, but inspired. I’ve had my eye on the bird stamp for a while. Now, to hunt down some champagne glasses, table cloths and cake stands. Ebay? Borrow? Any great sources or suggestions?

If I’ve learned anything from the community dinners of the last few years, it’s not to be intimidated by hosting small gatherings. As long as there is is food and good music, nearly everyone will be happy. (And those who aren’t? They may not ever be, under any circumstance.) The extra details — like those above — are simply icing on the cake. In truth, most just want to come, relax and not think about whatever chores they have waiting at them home and work.

I’ll be putting together a tutorial for how to host a fun, practical and memorable gathering; apologies to those who find this pretentious, but I’ve had many inquiries in how to throw a party on a budget. Really, having others over doesn’t require a lot of money, but the creativity to buy, borrow and improvise as necessary.

Now, someone talk me out of buying this. And this. And these!

Choking on my own words,

Kelli

May your stocking be full of goodies, your heart full of love, your table surrounded by those who make you your happiest and may peace reign!

~K

Namaste bag tutorial

Okay, 25 projects and I’m done! I realize this one is a double-post, but you asked for a tutorial. The Namaste Yoga bag:

Cut your exterior (above) and interior pieces 15″ wide by 17″ tall.

For the exterior yoga mat pocket, cut a piece of fabric 12″ x 10 ” (this piece pictured is too big, as you’ll see. This is a live and learn tutorial.)

With the yoga pocket, iron under the 10″ (tall) edges by 1/4″ and top stitch.

Then iron under the 12″ top and bottom.  Set aside.

Turn your exterior piece right sides together and sew 1/4″ seam along both edges and across the bottom.  Set aside.

Random photo of a European candy tin I use for pins. I love these.

Cut an interior pocket piece 15″ wide x 5.5″ tall.  Iron under top edge by 1/4″. Top stitch. Place it as desired on one side of your interior fabric.

Pin the pocket down.

Add a fancy label if you’d like. (I buy my labels here. Yes, they are pricey. They are also fabulous!)

Topstitch along both edges and the bottom.

I also like to add a stitch up the center of the pocket to create a division. These smaller pockets seem to hold keys, cell phones, etc., better.

Now, turn your interior pieces right sides together and stitch down both edges and across the bottom. HOWEVER: leave a 3″ hole in your stitching across the bottom. This is how you’ll eventually turn the bag right-side out. Set aside.

Back to that exterior — to create a bag that looks a bit more structured, we are going to sew and trim these corners. I forget what this is officially called in sewing lingo, but I think it is something like a gusset.

See that seam running down the center? That is actually the seam from the bottom of the bag. Take your first corner and make a triangle with this seam running down the center. This seems (seams?) difficult, but it is very easy. Just try it.

See? Not hard. Now, measure 3 inches in from the point and place a pin to mark where you will sew.

Sew along the pinned line being sure to backstitch at each end.

Then chop off the ends, leaving a 1/4″ seam.

Turn the exterior right-side out and voila — trimmed, structured corners to the bottom of the bag.

Now, about that yoga mat pocket. Obviously this pocket is too big, but the dimensions above are a better fit. Place the top edge of the yoga pocket 12″ from the bottom seam of the bag. You want to create a significant flap in the pocket to allow space for the mat or towel when in place.

Pin this top edge of the pocket 12″ up from the bottom of the bag and top stitch to the front of the bag. (Be sure not to stitch through both layers.)  Now take the bottom edge of the pocket and pin it 5″ from the bottom. Top stitch. Set aside.

On to the handles. There are two options. If you’d like the bag to be cross-body, as pictured, cut two pieces 3″ wide by 45″ long. If you’d like a shoulder bag, follow the same directions but cut your straps 5″ wide by 25″ long.

Iron each strap in half, right-sides together. Then uncrease and fold each half toward the center, as pictured above.

The fold the strap in half again, enclosing all raw edges. Pin these and topstitch along each edge, all the way down the straps.

Now place the exterior inside the interior bag, right sides together.

It seems weird, but I promise this works.

Lay your completed straps out and fold them in half. Be careful to make sure the strap isn’t twisted and pin the top edge of each strap between the layers of the bag, on each side. (This step isn’t photographed.)

If you think of this as a sandwich from the cutting mat up,  it would go: interior, strap inside, exterior, exterior, strap inside, interior.  Leave an inch or so of strap poking above the layers and sew around the top of the bag enclosing them. Trim the remaining strap that is poking between layers. Then pull the bag through the opening you left at the bottom edge of the interior. Press flat.

Then top stitch that bottom edge of the interior closed.

Press the bag and pat yourself on the back. Namaste!

This bag looks to have a saggy butt. It must need to do more yoga.

~K

Makeup brush kit

Finny sent me this sweet makeup brush kit several years ago for my birthday and I’ve used it nearly every day since. I love having fancy brushes and like my mama recently said when jewelry shopping, “Isn’t it fun to be a girl?” Yes. I am so very thankful for femininity.

With that in mind, a tutorial to sew something similar. You’ll need:

- a set of makeup brushes

- exterior fabric 7 ” x 10 ”

- interior fabric 7″ x 10″

- interior pocket 5″ x 5.5″

- interior terrycloth 7″ x 4″

- ribbon at least 7″ long for interior

- two pieces of ribbon 5″ long each for closing tie

Take your interior pocket fabric and after ironing…

Iron under the left hand and top edges 1/4″.  Top stitch the top edge.

Iron a center crease in your interior fabric. Place the interior pocket on the lower right hand corner of the interior fabric. Your bottom and right hand edges should be raw (not turned under.) Pin. Top stitch pocket right, bottom and left hand edges to interior fabric, leaving the already seamed top edge open.

Place your brushes on this pocket to determine their sizes. Draw lines vertically with a blue sewing pen (water soluble) as guides.

Sew from top to bottom along these guides, backstitching along the top edge.

Place your brushes to make sure they fit before continuing. (In this case, I slid two large brushes into one sleeve)

Place your terrycloth on the left-hand side of the interior fabric. No need to turn under edges.

Now add your 7″ of ribbon to the right-hand edge of the terrycloth piece.  Sew along the top edge of the terrycloth, down the center of the ribbon (also catching the right-hand edge of the terrycloth, which is tucked under the ribbon) and along the bottom edge.

I added terrycloth because it’s nice to have a place to clean off your brushes in between uses. And when your pouch starts looking like Rainbow Brite, just throw it in the washing machine, iron flat and refill.

Now find your two pieces of 5″ ribbon for your closing tie.

Place these 5″ up from the bottom edge of your interior fabric with 1/4 ” protruding.  (See that little bit of ribbon poking out on the right-hand side of this?) The ties should mostly remain sandwiched between your interior and your exterior. Place the exterior right-side down on top of the interior fabric. Pin. Sew around the edges leaving a 3″ hole.

Those raw edges will be enclosed in this process. It’s sewing magic!

With that hole, turn your makeup brush pouch right-side out. Press flat. Top stitch with a pretty thread.

See? Pretty.

Add your brushes.

Tie tight and wrap for the holidays. Voila — Christmas beauty!

~K