comfortstitching

Go Easy Tote

Today I'm introducing my newest pattern, the Go Easy Tote.  I've been making variations of this one for the past couple of years and it has quickly become my go to pattern for a fast make that I can't find enough uses for.  

I originally created it because I wanted a strong tote that was large enough to carry multiple wholesale pattern orders to the post office but was also easy to fold up and throw into my bag once I was done.  I find a lot of tote patterns are either too small or require a long list of materials, hardware and so on before you can get to the sewing part.  I also wanted to create a tote pattern that could easily be made from my stash.  I built up the pattern around the ability to use a fat quarter for the feature fabric.  I tend to have more fat quarters than any other cut of fabric and I like being able to pick from what I have already and audition several options (side note - I usually end up making all the options but that's another story).

Another bonus to this pattern is that there is a choice of two variations - Sturdy (see top photo) is option 1 and creates a strong, robust tote that stands up on it's own.  This one is great to use as both an everyday tote or knitting bag.

Option 2 is the Slouchy version (see photo below).  This one is also very robust (perfect for carrying all those parcels I mentioned earlier) but folds up very efficiently to throw into your bag until you need it.  This version stands up only when filled.

I hope that you give the pattern a try.  You can find it here.

Happy sewing!

make and go pouch

I recently decided to add a few new more basic pouch designs to my repertoire.  I feel like I have lots of options for more advanced pouches but sometimes I just want to sew something fast and useful using materials I have on hand.  The idea is to make things that complement and work well with the patterns I already have.  They will also be perfect for those of you who can make a basic pouch but want to work on building up your skill level.

I made up a couple of samples that I think fit this bill perfectly.  The Make And Go Pouch is a simple design which has three zippered pockets.  Two of these are clear vinyl for maximum visibility of contents.  There are also a handy pincushion and needle pages attached.  I decided to keep all pockets zippered because although slip pockets look useful on this type of pouch, in practice they don't keep contents secure when opening and closing.  Items can fly out easily and when those items are seam rippers and scissors, you don't really want that happening.

I wanted a relaxed easy going style for this one and decided on a simple wraparound tie feature to close the pouch.  This is nice and easy to make with no additional hardware required but also works perfectly whether your pouch is empty or full.

With summer on the way, I'm hoping that this will be the perfect pouch to take with you whilst out and about.  It will also work very nicely for when you need to make a quick gift.  If you want to use it as a non sewing pouch, just leave out the pincushion and felt and you have a handy travel pouch.  Kids would also love one for pens and small toys too.

I used up some of the new Ruby Star Society fabric lines for these samples.  For the top one (with the bird pincushion) I used a mix of Social and Spark by Melody Miller, Speckled by Rashida Coleman Hale and Add It Up by Alexia Marcelle Abegg.  I used all Anagram and Grid fabrics by Kimberly Kight for the bottom one.

I get asked a lot about where I buy my zippers.  The ones in these pouches are all from Zipit on Etsy which is where I purchase almost all of mine.  The metal ones at the top are the ones with donut shaped pulls.

You can find the pattern for the Make And Go Pouch here.  

I hope you make one and use it all summer (and beyond).

 

3-in-1 pouch

It's been a while but I finally have a new pattern to share with you today.  I've called this one the 3-In-1 Pouch.  It opens up nice and wide and has 3 pocket compartments to keep the contents nice and organized.  The construction involved is completely new and unique.  I have to admit it's taken me months to get it all figured out but now that I have it's all wonderfully straightforward to put together.  

Although I've written a couple of patterns for multiple pocket pouches before, the construction of this one is entirely different to anything I've done previously.  This is much simpler to put together (no head scratching or origami involved).  It's also very sturdy and can hold a lot whilst keeping its shape (very important when you actually put it to use).  It works perfectly for organizing your sewing tools or Aurifil thread.  I have a feeling it will be just right for EPP projects too.  I made several prototypes whilst I was writing the pattern and I knew I was on to a winner when all my prototypes were in use on my sewing desk before I'd finished them entirely.  Always a good sign!

I was in a nostalgic mood when I made the sample for these pictures and used a few of my older fabric prints from my lines for Moda Fabrics - Sherbet Pips for the exterior and Posy for the lining.  I really need to dig into the stash and use my hoarded favourites more because I love how it turned out.

You can find a copy of the new pattern here.

I hope you enjoy making this one!

 

Inside-Outside Pouch

I'm kicking off the New Year with a brand new pattern release.  This one is called the Inside-Outside Pouch and it comes with a very roomy box-shaped interior AND two super useful vinyl exterior pockets.  This means that you can keep plenty inside the main compartment and everything you want to have handy in the outer pockets.  

It's a great way to use up some of those pretty fabrics in your stash.  Prints you want to sew into something that both shows them off and is perfect for organizing all your bits and pieces too.  I've been finding so many uses for the ones I've made so far, they are perfect for sewing, knitting, stationary, kids, travel or anything else you can think of.

The long zipper allows the pouch to open fully wide so you can see all contents inside.  

In a bid to use up my stash, I've dug out some of my favourite fabrics and enjoyed grouping them into fun combinations.  I used prints from Menagerie by Rifle Paper Co, Mustang by Melody Miller and Zephyr by Rashida Coleman-Hale along with some basic prints.  All fabrics are by Cotton And Steel.

I hope you have fun sewing up the pattern!

If you are a shop interested in stocking a paper version of this pattern, please get in touch.

all in one box pouch

Today I'm introducing you to my newest sewing pattern - the All In One Box Pouch.  Just as the name implies, it's a box pouch with a little more handy pocket space.  I'm someone who likes to cart my sewing stuff around alot - around the house, in the car and out and about.  I can leave the kitchen sink behind but usable notions and haberdashery are always on my person.  Just as I like it :)

So this pattern is my take on a portable sewing room in a pouch (kind of).  The idea is that you could keep your current work in progress in the roomy main part of the pouch and all your threads, needles and such (hello Aurifil) in the handy front pocket. Once unzipped, this pocket folds down to reveal a vinyl interior so you can see everything you need to have on hand at a glance.

Here is how the pouch looks with the front pocket closed.  Everything is nicely packed away securely.  There's lots of ways you could use your fabrics to make this pouch.  The front pocket provides a good opportunity to use something you really want to showcase (hello hoarded stash).  I used my highly coveted collection of Catnap by Lizzy house for this one.

Inside the main pouch there's plenty of room and quite by accident I discovered that the small sized tray from my nesting boxes pattern fits really well in there.  I couldn't have planned it better - you can fit two trays in the base of the pouch or you can fit four in total by stacking another two on top!  

They are easy to get in and out as you need stuff but everything stays neatly organized.  So plenty of options depending on your needs.

There's also a handy double pocket on the back, the idea is that you could keep your scissors and pincushion here perfectly within reach as you sew.  There's perfectly sized pincushion instructions included in the pattern.  Also pictured here are my foldover mini pouches, these are super handy and make great gifts too!

And there we are.  So far I've made two, the second one uses my little red print from my A Walk In The Woods line.  I don't plan to stop there as I've found these to be super useful for travel too.

I hope you enjoy the pattern!  You can find it here :)