Junk Drawer No More

With summer over, Indian Summer wanes on, and I spent most of September fully well knowing where my rotary cutter has been: in the drawer unused.  Today, I’m back faithful bleaders!  (Short for “blog readers.”  I’m halfway through Julie & Julia and couldn’t resist the reference.)  I just finished another project from One-Yard Wonders and it’s already been put to good use!

My kitchen drawer this morning.	My kitchen drawer now!

Yet another project I started *mumble mumble* months ago, I am more proud that I’m finished and organized then I am annoyed at the pattern. 

The first step in the Origami Organizer pattern requires a lot of measuring and marking on a 30”x30” square of interfacing.  Unable to purchase a wide enough piece, I opted to overlap two pieces and pin them together.  So this afternoon, I sprawled out on my living room floor and measured and marked a piece of interfacing that was resistant to being measuring and marked.  I originally abandoned the project on this step, but determination to organize my junk drawer prevailed.

Once I got past the initial disgust of the interfacing, my first fabric origami project started to take shape.

The too quick folding and sewing steps were fun and gratifying, but soon, a slower paced hand stitch lead me to a grumpy finish.  The bottom piece, described in the book as “slightly smaller than the box,” was (big surprise) not quite big enough.  For the benefit of my junk drawer, I stitched it on anyway.  I suppose this project wouldn’t have made the book if you needed a “yard of fabric plus and inch.” 

 

In the end, it may not fit this perfectionist’s high standards, but boy does it organize junk!

A Dog-gone Good Sleeve

I am loving my new book, One-Yard Wonders!  Although, I've decided to affectionately rename it One-Night Wonders, because with the simplicity of a project only needing one yard of fabric, it doesn't take long to make!

Tonight I did another switcher-oo, using a pattern from the book for a different purpose than intended.  With some inspiration from the Laptop Sleeve pattern I made a convenient sleeve to keep my new digital photo frame safe while taking it and storing it at work!  I followed the pattern instruction precisely, measuring for my photo frame instead of a laptop.   I even decided that the little dog on this sleeve was too cute to not include...I just have to be careful not to let the cats see it!

This pattern gets Four Spools of Thread!  It was easy to understand and follow, and I actually made it without any adaptation to the plans.  I may even think about doing this again for the next electronic device that needs a safe way to travel!

No pockets? Make a Coupon Sleeve!

I'm an excited girl with the new purse I picked up over the weekend!  I traded the old one in for one with more room, so now I no longer have to separetly tote around my lunch bag and water bottle.  Though, like most things in life, you have to make compromises, so I lost some of the pocket space in my old bag that I was used to.  But I'm managing..especially now that I've made a cute clutch to store all my coupons in!

This evening, I grabbed my favorite crazy bunny fabric by Jay McCarroll and my new book, One-Yard Wonders.  I decided that the Planner Sleeve pattern would create the perfect solution to keep those coupons from swimming around my new bag.

I started the project with all intentions of following the design; however, my scrap of fabric was about 18"x20", far from the 1 yard of fabric the pattern called for. (What's in a name, really?)   I still managed to get the fabric cut the correct size, than fudged a little with the batting.  I basted the fabric and batting together, so when I sewed on the edging, all the layers would sit nicely together and there would be less frustration.  Always on the look out for my sanity!

I made my own "bias" tape out of a 2" straight cut of 44" fabric, and that worked really well to finish the edges.  Of course, my favorite embellishment to the pattern are the embroidered carrots on the front! 

This pattern gets 3 spools of thread...as soon as I find them.