I had a ton of fun matching different ribbons with different sets of ribbon! I found some combos that stitch together beautifully and others that just don’t quite “go”. You know those….;)

Here’s a few fun photos!

love those decorative stitches!

magnetic snap!

fun closure!

love the striped bias binding! :)

After I created my quilted fabric and cut out the purse pattern, I started digging for embellishments that would work. I had decided to use burgundy with the ivory fabric, so I found some sheer burgundy ribbon that would work perfect.

One problem: it was only 1″ wide. Too narrow for the pleated satin I wanted to stitch on top of it. Solution: Stitch two pieces of ribbon together to make it wider. Perfect!

Then stitch the pleated shiny satin trim on top of the ribbon. I found this pleated trim on one of my fabric shopping trips and loved it. It turned out beautifully on the ribbon.

Then this ruffled velvet trim fit perfectly right down the center of the pleats. Stacking trim and ribbon is fun and creates a neat layered effect. I should do more of this to use up the huge stash of ribbon I now own.

I stitched the layered ribbon down the center of the cut-out pattern and then stitched the binding to the outside edge.

After I stitched the bias binding to the edge, I then encased the raw edge in it and tacked it to the inside edge by stitching in the ditch around the edge. Perfect edging!

The last step was to stitch the purse sides together and add the magnetic closure.

Add a ribbon/corded pin I found at the Houston Quilt Market one year and it’s finished! Quite stylish and unique! And every single bit of it used from my collection of stashes!

It’s at times like this that I’m so glad I have those little (or rather large!) stashes!

The solution: create it!

I sandwiched a piece of batting between two layers of poly satin. Using my software, I selected the one little flower from this OESD design. I then copied and pasted it multiple times on my screen to create an area large enough for my fabric.

Then (this is the really great part!), using my Bernina jumbo hoop for my 830, all I had to do was hoop the piece of fabric twice to stitch the entire 15″ x 20″ rectangle. Whoohoo!!! That makes it simple! I hooped the first half of the fabric and stitched it, then hooped the second half and stitched it.

Then my fabric was created!! Lovely!!

Then I could pin on my pattern and cut it out.

It’s simple to create your own fabric! Give it a try!

More on finishing this project coming next week…

Not only do they have quality garment fabrics such as sheers, satins, silks, rayons and polys, but also a huge home dec section. Finding garment fabrics or home dec fabrics in my area is quite a challenge, so I’m always on the look-out for some fun fabric shops. Many times they buy fabric in bulk quantities and always have sale racks of garment fabric and home dec pieces, so that is most certainly a great section to check with each visit.

I did have a specific goal in mind for shopping at Denver Fabrics this time. Usually I just go because I love looking and walk out with several pieces I just can’t resist taking home. But I had curtains for our main bathroom we painted on my mind. I needed a light sage/lime green color and really wanted something in a stripe with green and gold colors. I knew I was being picky and was counting on nixing the stripe and just finding a solid green, because finding exactly what I was imagining probably was not going to happen.

But guess what?? Joanna spotted the stripe that was perfect! Just what I had in mind. And to make it even better, is was on the sale rack. So instead of $22 a yard, it was only $7. Can’t get any better than that, right? And for home dec fabric! I wanted to bring out more of the green, so I found a green sold that blends well with the stripe and matches the green color of towels.

I even have the type of valance I want to stitch. There are horizontal blinds on the window, so all I need is something at the top to cover the top of the blinds. This is what I had in mind, using the stripe in front and the green back behind. I like the layering effect it gives. Although I will make my points the same degree for the stripe and solid. I think.

But while I was browsing online,  I found these two which I like as well. So I may change my mind before I actually start on the valance. Imagine that – changing my mind! ;)

images from www.fashionwindowtreatments.com and www.windowtreatmentcenter.com

Covering Pizza Boxes with Fabric
by Serena Smith
www.embtreasures.com

Pizza boxes are quick and easy to cover with fabric and offer great little storage containers to keep in your sewing room. Watch the video for step-by-step directions as well.

Supplies
large pizza box
piece of fabric 38″ long x 20-22″ wide
1/4 yd Ultra Heat’n’Bond wonderunder or 1 pkg 5/8″ roll (needs to be the “no-sew” kind)
8″ length of 1/8″ or 1/4″ ribbon
scissors
Olfa knife to cut slits in box

Let’s get started!
If the pizza box is folded into a box, unfold it so it is laying out flat. You will be fusing the fabric to the outside of the box and then folding the fabric raw edge to the inside.

Starting at the box lid, fuse a piece of wonderunder to the cardboard flap. Peel off the paper backing and lay the fabric on top of the box so the fabric width is centered over the box and there is about 3/4″-1″ extension of fabric past the lid flap. The fabric will not quite reach the end of the other side of the box. That is ok; this end will be tucked inside.

Using your iron, fuse wonderunder strips as show below and then fuse the fabric to the box, smoothing the fabric out as you are pressing.

After the fabric is fused to the outside of the box, flip it over and cut out the corners near the flap and cut slits in the fabric in the center and at the bottom of the box where the flaps will turn to the inside to create box. Follow the cardboard slits to cut the fabric.

Fuse the fabric flaps with wonderunder to the cardboard flaps on the sides and end of the box. Then on the sides, fold the fabric to the inside of the box and fuse down. The raw edge of fabric will be inside the box.

Fold the sides and top of the flap fabric to the inside of the box to cover the flap and fuse down in place. Using the Olfa knife, cut slits in the fabric in the bottom of the box so the flaps can fit inside to hold up the box sides. Follow the cardboard cutouts.

Fold the ribbon in half and lay the ends in the center of the flap. Fuse a piece of wonderunder on the ribbon ends to hold in place. Then cut a 1″ scrap of fabric and fuse over the ribbon ends.

Fold in the flaps of the box and put the box together. The ribbon should form a little loop to open the box.

Enjoy storing fabrics, notions or other things in your newly decorated pizza box!

For printable directions, click here.

Copyright © 2008 Serena Smith No portion of these directions may be copied or reproduced in any form other than one copy printed for personal use.

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Click the video player to view the tour of my sewing room. It may take a few minutes to load. For those of you with a dial-up connection, you can “view” the tour by reading my description below.
This is a series on sewing room organization and storage, complete with videos! Over the next few weeks, I’ll share ideas for fabric stash organizing, thread storage and cataloging embroidery designs. Be sure to visit my blog every week or sign up for my newsletter for the latest issue!
I’d love to hear the many ways you organize and store things in your sewing room, so leave a comment with your favorite sewing room ideas!
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Unfinished projects and finished projects: how do you store all of them? There are many ways to store all these projects, but let me give you some ideas as to what I do.

Unfinished projects: Most of my unfinished projects I don’t store in my sewing room because I have so many, but I do keep a few things I am working on or continually working on in my sewing room.

Remember those pizza boxes? They make great storage boxes for project! Large pizza boxes are 15″ square and 2″ deep. They are great for storing 10″, 12″, 14″, 15″ quilt blocks with the threads you are using and instructions. You can also store fabric sashing pieces, binding and other smaller pieces of fabric.

Label the ends with mailing labels and you know what is inside. I keep smaller projects in these and store the boxes above my bookcases of fabric. Many of them contain projects that I am always making more of such as potato bags.

You can go to your local Pizza Hut and ask for a couple large pizza boxes. Medium and small boxes also work well, but don’t give you as much room. Cover the boxes with cotton fabric and your box is ready to be filled up. These boxes work great for keeping blocks flat as well as carrying projects back and forth to class.

The majority of my projects I keep in 6″ deep totes. They are just the right size to store everything project related inside: fabric, batting, threads, embellishments and instructions. The easiest thing to do is keep everything related to that project inside so that I can grab that tote and start working on what’s inside. That way I don’t have to go looking for the instructions, threads or other parts and pieces to finish it.

The totes are easy to stack and easy to carry around. Label the end of the tote with what is inside and you’ll be able to see at a glance where your projects are.

Finished projects: Granted, I have many more unfinished projects than finished ones. But, I do have finished projects as well. They definitely need to be stored in such a way that will preserve them for years to come!

Store your finished projects in pillow cases instead of plastic bags. If at all possible with smaller wall hangings and projects, store them flat. For larger wall hangings and quilts that can’t be stored flat, roll them instead of folding them. This will keep delicate areas such as printed photos, embroidery and embellishments from being folded in the wrong place. Roll it so the embellished areas are to the inside, keeping the top of your project clean and protected.

For more info on storing finished projects, see here.

Stay tuned next week for a quick and easy way to cover pizza boxes using your iron!

How do you store your projects, unfinished or finished? I’d love to hear your ideas!

As I am designing and stitching projects, I write down what I have done, what special techniques I used and stitches and feet that were helpful for what I am doing. I will often list the foot I use, the stitch number and best width and length for the technique. When I use that technique again, I can easily refer back to that information instead of figuring out all the details again.

My notebook also holds fabric samples that I have stitched various decorative stitches on and have written down the best stitch setting for that stitch. It’s also important to write down the date you are working on the project. That way you can look back at it years from now and see the vast variety of work you have done and see how your work has improved over the years!

Keep photos of your work! I have not done a very good job of this until the past couple of years and so wish I had pictures of some of my projects years ago. File the photo in your notebook with a few notes and details on the project. Perhaps even list why you made it or if you gave it as a gift for someone.

I also carry a notebook with me to any lectures or classes I take, even if there is a handout or instruction sheet provided. There are always little bits of information or added notes discussed in class that are not included in the handout and usually impossible to recall everything by the time you get home. Write it down and move on to the next topic in class; you can review over the extra information later.

I keep a notebook with all my information instead of writing it down on pieces of paper. Little pieces of paper tend to get scattered and lost. When my notes, fabric samples, stitch settings and photos are all together, I know exactly where they are located and can easily retrieve the information! Give it a try and you’ll be glad you did!

My quilts and wall hangings are stored temporary; I am getting into my collection of finished projects every few months. With my wall hangings I do one of two things, depending how often I use the project and what it is. If it’s something I change frequently and is lightweight and small, I will use straight pins to hang it on a hanger. Then I will store it in an extra closet and drape muslin over it to keep it clean. The finished project needs to be lightweight and small, so there is no stress on the pins as it is held to the hanger. Also, these wall hangings are on and off the hanger 4-5 times a year, so there are frequently being pinned and unpinned, so it will not leave permanent pin marks.

With wall hangings that I do not use as frequently or larger and heavier pieces, I will roll up the wall hanging. I lay the wall hanging out flat on the floor and then roll it instead of folding it multiple times. Then I will put it and multiple other rolled up hangings in a clean pillow case. Loosely pack them together and store the full pillow case in a closet or dry, dark area.

For my quilts, I will do the same rolling technique. Lay the quilt out flat, roll it up and then fold in half or thirds depending on the size. Then I will insert the rolled quilt into a clean pillow case and store. Be sure to roll before folding as this will help to eliminate the folds in the quilt.

Many of my quilts and wall hangings are embellished with printed photos, machine embroidery, ribbon, buttons and other trims, so the method of rolling instead of folding works much better and reduces the folds in the fabric that can harm the embellished areas.

I finally have all the photos uploaded of the Camp Memory Quilt I made in 2005. I had taken photos months ago and tried several times to edit the photos to upload the way I wanted, but came up with glitch after glitch. But now everything is uploaded and working great!

This quilt was so fun to design and stitch! I completed three quilts in a little over a month – not something I want to ever do again! I really enjoyed designing each block, printing photos on fabric paper sheets and stitching the over 300 designs.