Blocking an Acrylic Yarn Project

Yey!  I finally finished crocheting my Granny Stripe blanket.  I am so loving the colors and I've been crocheting around 5 stripes at a time.  However, I've noticed that my tension isn't very consistent and after the 4th stripe, I am crocheting a lot looser and the rectangular blanket is starting to look more like a trapezoid.

So, I measure the width after every 4th stripe just to make sure the blanket is not flaring outward.

I added a scalloped border and really liked how this blanket ended up.  However, no matter how I tried, the shape wasn't quite a perfect rectangle and the border was wavy - much like a lettuce.  I was really disappointed. 

So after much research (thanks Google), I decided to block this blanket.  Normally, I wouldn't think twice about blocking as I've done that many times before.  But, blocking acrylic yarn is trickier.  In fact there were countless warnings about blocking acrylic and how you could potentially kill the yarn.

So here is how I did it.

Step 1- I washed the blanket and tumbled dry with no heat.

Step 2- I pinned the blanket down onto the carpet and pinned it down, making sure the width and height measurements were consistent.

Here's an area I was trying to stretch out a bit.  See the yellow head pins?  By the way, it really helps that the carpet has a square pattern so I can block my projects without a ruler :-)

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Strep 3:  Heat steam the blanket to block.  Make sure not to touch the acrylic yarn with your hot iron.  I used an inexpensive metal trivet that I had.  It is about 3/4 inch tall so it comes very close to the project and ensures the iron does not touch the yarn.  Then just press the steam button and let the steam heat block the area.  

I repeated the process all around the blanket and just left the pins on overnight to set the shape. I will post a photo of the blanket in a few days so you can see how it turned out.

Right now, I'm putting on the finishing touches of my Abundance quilt.  Quilting is done, binding is sewn on so I am glad this quilt is almost done.

Reusable Bag with Pouch Tutorial

I have a trunk load of reusable bags to take to the grocery store but these don't really work for the mall.  And I really did not want to come home with yet another Macy's paper bag or tiny Sephora bag which I couldn't really reuse.  So, I played around and made a tote bag which folds into a small pouch.  It fits perfectly in my purse.  The concept of this tote bag is very similar to a quillow, so let's get started.

Materials:
3/4 yd cotton fabric (44" wide)
1.5 yd cotton strap

Step 1:  Make a tote bag.
From the cotton fabric, cut a piece measuring 20"W x 40" L and fold it in half lengthwise to make a piece 20 x 20.

Next, sew or serge down both sides.

Next, box the bottom of the bag.  To do this, match the side seam and bottom seam of the bag forming a triangle.

Pin it and draw a line perpendicular to the top of the triangle.  I wanted my bag on the roomier side so the base of my triangle is about 6.5" wide.  Draw a line.

Then sew or serge on the line.

The body of the tote bag is now complete.

Step 2:  Make the pocket piece.
Cut a piece of fabric 7 1/2"W x 12"L.  Fold one edge over 1/4" and fold over again and sew down this seam.

Next, take up the side with the finished seam up the other edge and leave about 1 1/2" allowance on top.  (Note:  In this photo, the top edge is quite huge.  I was still playing with the size and should have taken the photo after I trimmed the top edge to the right length).

Sew or serge both sides.  You may cover the seam with bias binding if you wish.

Turn the pocket inside out. Finished size is 7"W x 6.5"L.  Make sure you have a 1 1/2 inches above the finished edge of the pocket.

Step 3:  Make the top flap for the tote bag.
Cut a piece of fabric 41" x 2 1/2".

From the wrong side, fold up a 1/4 inch of fabric and iron it to form a crease.

Sew or serge the 2 short ends.  You now have a long continuous band about 2 1/4' x 40".

Step 4:  Putting it all together.
Find the midpoint of the tote bag and mark it with a pin.  Make sure you have the right side of the bag facing you.

Find the midpoint of the pocket and mark it with a pin.  Lay the pocket piece on top of the tote bag and match the pins.  Make sure you have the pocket facing towards the tote bag, not facing you.

Cut 2 straps 21"long each.  Pin to the left and right of the pocket piece.  (I realized I should have used a different fabric for the pocket so you can see it better but hopefully you can see the pocket piece in the center).

Pin the straps on the tote bag to the left and right of the pocket piece.  Make sure the straps are down towards the bottom of the bag and the ends are facing up and extending about 1" above the edge of the tote bag.

Next, lay down the top flap; wrong side of the fabric facing out.  Make sure the raw edge is pinned to the top edge of the tote bag, not the edge with 1/4" turned under.

Pin all around the bag and sew along the top edge, removing pins as you go.

Now flip the top edge over.  Top stitch along the edge.  Make sure the pocket piece is not stitched down.  Note that there is about 1 inch clearance from the edge of the tote to the opening of the pocket.

Turn your tote bag inside out and top stitch along the edge where you've got the 1/4 turned under.

You may reinforce the straps and sew them down if you wish.

Now, you're all done.  

Step 5:  Folding your tote bag.
Lay out your tote bag with the pocket facing up.

Fold in both sides towards the center. Lay the handles facing towards the bottom of the bag.

Take the bottom of the bag to the top edge then fold this piece again in half.

Now take the left bottom edge and tuck it into the left upper corner of the pocket.  Tuck the rest to form a rectangle.

Tada!  Here's your reusable tote bag with built in pouch.

You can always adjust the size of the tote bag and the straps but you get the concept.   I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

My First Tutorial: A Triangular Thread Catcher

When I was in Washington state last month, I bought a couple of these thread catchers at the La Conner quilt museum.  They are very handy for neatnicks like me who need a small receptacle to collect all the loose thread when I applique or do any other hand work.

My friend Hena saw this and being an engineer, figured out how to make one in 30 seconds flat.  After she successfully made herself a sample, she showed me how easy it is to make it so here is my first tutorial.

All you need is 2 pieces of fabric about 12 inch x 12 inch in size.  You can make this any size you want but I tend to like it a little bigger so my fingers can fit inside the hole.

First you draw a 60 degree equilateral triangle.  Each side measures 10 inches.  I made my template on paper so it is easy for me to demonstrate and I can also lay this template on my fabric and rotary cut along side the triangle.

After I cut my 2 pieces of fabric the same size as the triangle, I sewed them right sides together.   Be sure to leave a 4 inch gap on one of the sides so you can turn the triangle inside out.

Once you've turned your triangle inside out, top stitch around the triangle to sew up the gap.

After I topstitch all around the triangle, I use a pin to mark the midpoint between each side.  So referring back to my first photo, you would put a pin midpoint between A and B, B and C and A and C.

 

Then I fold each triangle peak down and pin it as well, making sure that the triangle peaks do not go lower than my midpoint pins.

Then I take one side of the triangle, fold them together and topstitch the sides.  Be careful not to stitch down the triangle peaks.  Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end to ensure that the sides are securely sewn together.

Take the other 2 sides and do the same.  The result will look like this.

Secure the triangle ears down with a button and you are all done.  Ta Da!!!

Thanks to my friend Hena for figuring out this little contraption.  Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and if you do make one of these threadcatchers, please send me a photo.