Thursday, 5 July 2012

A conversation

Wouldn't it be like really cool if like for my birthday party, you like made the party bags?

Not if you keep using the word 'like' it won't.

So can you make my party bags, you know, with cool text fabric on them?

What style were you thinking of?

Oh nothing complicated, just a simple zippered pouch.

Did you say 'zippered'?

Uh huh. Is that a problem?

No of course not. I was just thinking your friends might fancy a simple drawstring type bag thingy.

Errr no mum. Zipper will be fine thanks.

Oh, O-kaaay then. And how many do you need?

15.

F-i-f-t-e-e-n!

Err yeah mum, why, is that like a problem?

Course not.

_*_

So I remembered Susan had sent me a lovely zippered pouch and I emailed her asking for her tutorial. She said she didn't have one.
That they are really easy to make up if you understand the construction.
Which I didn't.

But 15 pouches later I am pleased to say I do.

Most of them are cut from layer cakes. I cut 1 inch off the side and 2 inches off the bottom.

  • Order zippers - I tried to find zippers as colourful as these this side of the Atlantic and failed. Well worth the order
  • Cut off both ends that have the metal stopper bit - that way you are more likely to hang on to your sewing machine needles if you sew a bit too close
  • The best finish is achieved if you encase both ends of the zip in a piece of fabric with the ends pressed under. If that is as clear as mud, there is a very good tutorial here

  • Yes, in an ideal world you could interface each piece but for the purposes of making my motherly talents look good in as short a time as possible,  I didn't
  • They are lined which is enough
  • And it also means you can knock them out at 10 minutes a piece 

Which gives you more time...


...to listen to the helpful suggestions on how the birthday cake should look.


30 comments:

  1. Do you think maybe you're a victim of your own success?:-) I'm amazed and impressed at your sewing skills, and your dedication as a mother!

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  2. LOL! Darling pouches! If you're half as good with cakes as you are with fabric your daughter will have one impressive birthday gathering :)

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  3. These look fab and bring about memories of how my niece will request stuff like it's 'nothing' only it'll involve inset zips, specialist bag hardware and using my most favourite and treasured fabric. Hmmmm

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  4. They are lovely! I would do those same sorts of things for my daughter who is now 27. Still do sometimes. I wouldn't want it any other way. Cherish the moments!

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  5. wow! great work, zippers scare me =D

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  6. Now I would have answered with - Now wouldn't it be so much cooler if you made your own party bags...

    They look great :)

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  7. Hahaha .. that could have been me bagging for the zipper pouches ... I'm quite good at talking my mom into things she doesn't really want to do - like driving over to gran's and pick the strawberries and make me jam because there is no way I can make it. [I'm not all bad - I did turn around several sqaure feet of gras so she could start planting more vegetables in her garden]
    The result (like) of your work looks (like) great !

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  8. that was nice of you. nice stack of bags.

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  9. You deserve a medal!!! They're fabulous!

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  10. Hahaha! 15 of anything will teach you a lot about how to do it. You definitely win a good mother award.

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  11. You are a good mom, and the bags are so cute!

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  12. LIKE I think LIKE you're an awesome mom for LIKE doing that! they are LIKE so cute!
    great job- I just got on my son the other day for saying LIKE all the time too, it can LIKE drive you nuts! also it's LIKE kind of fun to count how many times they LIKE say it :-)

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  13. Can you be my Mum, it's my birthday soon & I need a zip bag . . . . This post made me laugh so much, I love how you tried to engineer drawstring bags to no avail! The look fab!

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  14. wowsers! you are the greatest mum ever! i'm pretty sure i would have drew the line at all the zippers needed.:)

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  15. Great moms are under appreciated. Just the way of the world. I may need a tutorial for those 10 minute bags!!

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  16. Wow, your are Super Mom! Great little bags.

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  17. They are super! It's nice that she has such total faith in your abilities to make absolutely anything she thinks of

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  18. Woohoo! Look at you go. Hilariously funny post as well as an amazing success in the zipper stakes. See, I told you it was easy peasy once you understood the basic construction. HeeHee!

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  19. Hi Alison, Last night I read your article in the Quilters Guild and thought I would drop by and say hello. I think you have done a great job on the party bags, love the fabric choice. I agree blogging is a great way to make friends and see each others work. I have been blogging for several years it started very similar to yours a distant friend asked me to show my work and I never looked back. I am very much a techfobia so did not know about quiltgallery until I read your article therefore my little group of followers are mainly close friends and family. Your article was really interesting and I hope it encourages others to drop by and say hello. :) Susan

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    Replies
    1. Hello Susan. I too read Alison's article and have been working on my blog for the last 10 days.Do hope you will come and have a look. http://stvictorquilts.blogspot.fr/ I am sure that I have lots to learn but all comments gratefully recived.

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  20. Am I the only one impressed at the casual mention of 10 minutes a piece??

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  21. Well done Alison! The Hero Mum! I have made lots of party bags in the past but none recently - they seem to have grown out of that phase! Mixed feelings about that!

    Glad you have conquered the zipped pouch - how about frame purses next!?

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  22. Wow! I think you get a medal for this :)

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  23. You are such a good mum. No, I am not saying this with my teeth clenched.

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  24. LOVE the stack of pouches,
    do you have a tutorial for them???
    they are perfect, and exactly what i'm looking for,

    xo
    ea

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