Sewing Project - Bread Bags

I decided to make myself some bread bags to bring home my Country Grain loaves from COBS because the plastic bags are stacking up.

I chose 100% cotton fabric in yellows, greys and white. This was a large piece of fabric that I have used for many projects.

I used the COBS plastic bag as a template - 18.5 inches tall x 11.5 inches W.

I wanted the seams finished on the inside and a generous gusset at the top so the measures were generous.

The first one I did was put together with out too much attention to measures of the beginning piece of fabric.

The second one was too large and had to be reduced to match the first one.  

The measurements of the fabric would be 26.00 wide to be folded in half and 20.00 inches tall with 1.5 inches for the gusset at the top.

I chose cotton twill tape for the string in the gusset.  

I added a buttonhole on the front of the gusset on the front of the back before I sewed down the gusset. 

A large safety pin to pull the twill tape through.

I added a tab of yellow cotton to the ends of the tape to give me purchase to pull the bag closed.

I then boiled them in tea for about 10 minutes to even out  the colors.   Once rinsed they were dried.

I added a "My Bag" tag to these bags and they are included in on my "My Bag Line" page.

I then chose to add some slow stitching to the front of the bags onto the light square.  There are 5 circles in different colors where the top was outline stitch and the bottom was the running stitch.

I don't know what the staff at COBS will think of the idea but we shall see.

For information on the line. 

2019 Cardmaking - CH - Class 9

I am back to leading card making classes at Compassion House.  Of course November means Christmas cards.

I am recycling small square Christmas cards.  I trimmed the card to 3.75 inches.

I added a layer of white card stock cut to 4 inches and layered that behind the main layer.

The card base was cut to 4.25 x 11 inches then folded with it at the top.  The silver blue layer was adhered to the navy card base aligned at the top of the card leaving a small border with 3D foam tape.

A length of white grosgrain ribbon was wrapped around the card front and tied on the front.  The ends were trimmed on a slant with scissors.

This card is the same card pieces but put together in a different layout.

I started with a warm grey card base.

I added a Stampin Up Ballet Blue layer cut to 4.00 inches square.

The silver blue layer was trimmed to 3.75 inches.

I chose red grosgrain ribbon which was wrapped around the card base and tied in the front. Ends trimmed with scissors.

The card base is Stampin Up Ballet Blue.

The 4 inch layer is silver metallic card stock.

The ribbon is metallic silver.

Each has a seasonal quarter sheet insert which is glued to the inside.

Loving the colors, the layout and nice and cheery cards.

I had 5 great ladies in this class and all the kits were made.  Wonderful.

Making the kits in the same layout really helped the process.

2019 Cardmaking - CH - Class 4

I had a class tonight with the ladies at Compassion House.  I am using the Tropical Note Card stack kit.

The accent layer is glitter paper which has been painted. It was cut with the Tim Holtz Cabinet mover shaper.

The yellow was cut with the TH Cabinet die.  I added a circle punchie layered with a Stampin Up Five Petal Punch and held in place with a yellow mini brad.

The yellow layer was embossed.  I added a length of yellow fiber. 

I decided to add greetings to this set. The greeting was color printed on ivory and punched with the Stampin Up Large Oval punch. It was mounted with 3D foam tape.




The greeting on the blue one is the Stampin Up Modern Label punchie.

The purple greeting was color printed and punched with the SU Modern Label punchie.

These were printed on white & turquoise card stock respectively.

I brought this kit as well and we made most of these as well.  Great stash busting session.

Check out the details with these links Eiffel Tower  Butterfly   Bee & Flower

Be Present for Christmas - Lesson 1 - Come

I have provided a journal for the participants. It provides a central place to organize their experience.

Each week, they can include their prayer lists, the lesson plan, their Random Acts of Kindness, their family activities, and other relevant information.

I have cut a Stampin Up Top Note to be adhered to the front or the inside cover to identify the owner of the journal and the class.  Some journals have stripes, some dots and some chevrons.  Red, pink and grey.

I'm selecting my lessons from The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp.  The book provides 24 lessons for each day of Advent of which I have chosen 6 for this class.  We will have readings, questions, discussion, and an activity each week.

The stump brings forth a small new shoot.  We must come as we are, ready to look at the smallest, find the shoot in the stump, find the broken in the cracks of the world and offer a word of love which will bring about miracles. Because in the rush, in the hurry, in our addiction to speed - it might just be a bit like stepping on the shoot that sprouts from the stump. Advent is made of the moments.

This pink one is my book for the class which I will for this year's classes as well.  I am running a Monday evening and Thursday morning class.

I'm teaching a class I've called "Be Present for Christmas" and the first class is tonight.  It is a class to help people slow down, focus on the reason for the season, and prepare their hearts for Christmas.

I am starting with Gratitude.  I've read Ann Voskamp's 1000 Gifts from which I have taken a small excerpt about this very subject.  Living with an attitude of gratitude changes us.