MAKING YOUR OWN PROJECT LIFE MINI ALBUM

I purchased a couple of the new Project Life mini albums and I have to say I love them.  I want to buy more but finances are stretched atm and over the weekend all I could think about was having another one of these albums to start a fitness/lifestyle album.

What to do?

I wanted to begin this album right away (as always) and couldn't afford to buy one especially when postage was added on top, so I decided to make my own.  Another bonus for making your own is that you can add pages as you please, the Project Life album is sewn in so you only have 40 pages.

First of all I decided on the right size to cut down my Project Life page protectors.  Only some protectors were going to fit the format and lucky I had a good range of Becky Higgins, American Crafts and Photo Freedom protectors.

I went hunting for an old post bound 12" x 12" album and found a few of them in the back of a cupboard.

 

Take the album apart and cut each cover to your required size.  My album is 9" x 12 1/2" (2" are added to the length for the fold in spine)

 

 

Mark where a new hole will be punched on both covers and spine piece.







 

Punch the new holes



 

 

Stick down duct tape over the cut edges of the covers

 

Cut down the page protectors to size.

Put your album back together or cover the album in paper, fabric or vinyl.

 

 I picked up a 140cm x 50cm piece of vinyl from Spotlight for $3 and some extra wide and strong double sided tape from Cheap as Chips for $2.

 

Cut out the vinyl to size and place tape around all four sides of the cover.  Stick it down and do the same for the other cover.

 

Re-punch your holes through the vinyl.

 

 

 Make a new spine from the vinyl.

Put you album back together, you are done.

Becky Higgins Project Life album on the left, the album I made on the right.

 

Thanks for looking and I hope this tutorial gets you thinking about making your own albums.

NOW YOU SEE ME.... QUILT TUTORIAL

This simple quilt is made up of two alternating blocks with feature fabrics used in both blocks.

A total of 18 of each block is required to make a quilt measuring 48" x 48". Of course you can make the quilt as big or small as you like, you may also like to add a border to make the quilt larger.

FABRICS REQUIRED FOR A 48" X 48" QUILT

20cm feature fabric for block A (I used owls) You need enough fabric to fussy cut.
40cm feature fabric for block B
25cm of 4 different solid fabrics
25cm of 4 different patterned fabrics

TO MAKE 1 x BLOCK A
cut:
2 1/2" X 2 1/2" square from feature fabric
2" strip of solid fabric crosscut into 2 2" x 2 1/2"
2 2" x 5 1/2"
2" strip of patterned fabric crosscut into 2 2" x 5 1/2"
2 2" x 8 1/2"

Sew the two 2" x 2 1/2" to the sides of the feature fabric and press seams open.

Sew on the solid 2" x 5 1/2" pieces to the top and bottom of feature fabric and press.

Sew the 2" x 5 1/2" pieces of patterned fabric to the sides of the block and press.

Sew on the 2" x 8 1/2" strips to the top and bottom and press again.

Block A is now finished, now make 17 more blocks changing the solid and patterned fabrics for each block.

TO MAKE 1 x BLOCK B
cut:
1 x 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square of feature fabric
2" strip of solid fabric crosscut into 2 2" x 5 1/2"
2 2" x 8 1/2"

Sew block B together using the same method as block A


Block B is now finished, now make 17 more changing the colour of solid fabric for each block.

Lay out your blocks 6 blocks wide x 6 blocks length and move them around until you are happy with the layout.

Sew the blocks into rows and press your seams open as you go.


PINNING ROWS TO ACHIEVE A NEAT JOIN

I use this method to always get a neat join

1: place 2 rows together, right sides facing and butt up your seams. Put in a horizontal pin to hold in place.

2: Fold row back and check that seams are neat and straight.

3: If neat and straight, place rows back right sides facing and put a vertical pin either side of the seam. Take out the horizonal pin and sew, then press seams out.

Here is the finished join.


Sew your rows together using the pinning method above and your quilt top is finished.

Quilt and bind.

GROCERY TOTE

This is a tutorial orginally uploaded at Down To Earth.
I have shown this bag pattern made up in a previous post and decided it was time for a tutorial.

This tote was inspired by Amanda Soule (Soulemamma)
Level of expertise: Beginner

There are lots of free tutorials for bags in all shapes and sizes, I wanted to show you one that I love and use all of the time when I visit the markets or am doing a small shop at the grocery store.
This tote is perfect to sling over your shoulder or use messenger style (as I do). I usually sling a couple of totes full of fruit and veg from the markets over my kids heads and we all walk around with them.

Lets begin....
You will need:
24" of a heavy weight cotton with a width of 42". You can use recycle a tablecloth for this. I have been very fortunate in being given a heap of fabric sample off-cuts from an interior designer that he was going to throw out.
General sewing supplies
Sewing machine.
A 1/4" seam is used for this project.

Cut fabric:
(1) 14" x 3 1/2" piece for bottom panel
(2) 15" x 15" pieces for bag panels
(1) 34" x 8" piece for strap

Place the two 15" x 15" panel pieces right sides together. Pin the pieces down opposite sides.
Stitch together.
Take your bottom panel and fold in half

With scissors, cut a semi-circle on the raw ends opposite the fold.

Open out the fabric. Line up the middle of one curve to a seam of the main bag panels. Pin in place.

Line up the other curve and seam, pin, then pin all the way around the piece. It looks like over-kill but believe me it's easier to do this way.

Turn your bag the right way out then fold down the top raw edge 1/4" then fold again 1/2", press and pin.

Sew along the folded edge.

Now onto the strap
fold the 34" x 8" fabric in half lengthwise. Press with fingers to create a crease and open.
Fold lengthwise again bringing the outer edge to the centre crease.
Now bring the other outer edge in also and finger press both creases.
Leave folded.

Fold lengthwise again on the original centre crease.

Sew down both long sides with a 1/4" seam.

Fold the short ends of the strap in 1/4" to encase the raw edge, place the strap evenly across one of the inside seams of the bag and pin.
Do the same to the other end of the strap, make sure it is not twisted.

Sew into place with a rectangle to hold it more securely.

Well done, you're all finished. A perfect size for you or your kids to carry your goodies home in.

TUTORIAL

Is anyone interested in reducing their use of those little plastic fruit and veg bags you get at the grocery store?
I know I certainly am so I have made a tutorial for Down To Earth and also available over at What Are You Waiting For? Please take a look, make a few and tread a little more lightly on this earth.