Easy Fabric Gift Bag Tutorial

 

This year I'm trying to cut back on my wrapping paper usage, so I made some of these easy, festive,and reusable fabric gift bags. So can you! If you can sew in a straight line, you can make these!

Materials Needed:

Fabric

Ribbon

Tools Needed:

Sewing Machine

Iron

Safety Pin

Ruler

Fabric Marker or Washable Marker

 

 Start out by laying out your fabric on a flat surface and laying the gift on top.

 Move the gift about 3" down from the top of the fabric, more if it is a thicker item.

 Find out how wide you want to cut your fabric by laying the fabric over your gift (just like when you wrap it with wrapping paper!).

 Then add an extra 1-2" past where you need it. Mark with a washable or fabric marker.

 Also mark the right side of your fabric so you know how tall you want your bag. Gee, I really did a great job keeping that ruler straight, huh?

 Now cut out your fabric piece. This does not need to be an exact science, I didn't even use a ruler!

Now take your fabric and fold down the top edge about 3/4". This will be the casing for a ribbon drawstring to close the top. My ribbon was about 1/4" wide, if you're using a wider ribbon, measure your ribbon and add about a half inch so you have plenty of room for it to fit.

 Press your seam with a hot iron.

 Now it's time to sew! Using a straight stitch, sew a straight line down the edge.

 Whoa! Looks like Santa needs a Chiropractor! No really, you can see the finished top seam here.

 Now fold your fabric in half with right-sides together (that means the correct side of the fabric is together). Line up your side and bottom edges as much as possible. Feel free to pin them if you would like - I was livin' on the edge and went pin-free!

 Sew with a straight stitch down the side and across the bottom.

 Here is what it should look like!

 Now turn it right-side-out - it looks like a bag, right? Yay!! Now find where your seam is. Cut two tiny holes with a sharp scissors pretty close to the seam. Try not to cut through to the other side! Cut it wide enough to fit your safety pin through.

 Cut a length of ribbon that is double the length of your bag plus a few inches.

 Tie a double knot on one end. Attach a small safety pin to the other end.

Push the safety pin end into the little hole you cut and start feeding the ribbon around the top until it pops out the other side.

 Pull it out enough to tie another double knot in the 2nd side (you may have to cut a little of this ribbon off as it can become frayed while you're pulling it through) and VIOLA! You are done!

Have a very Merry Christmas!
jesi

{Handmade Baby Gifts} The Holidays are Coming!

Here is my newest applique design - a FOX! Isn't he cute? This bib is so new it's not listed on my Etsy site yet. BUT I'll have a bunch of these at all my upcoming Craft Shows! Look at the sidebar on the right for a complete list of upcoming shows!

A great customer of mine wanted to cover up her little boy's shirt and bow tie at a wedding reception with... a shirt and bow tie! Here you go!

For Little Ghouls and Goblins

Check out these super cute Halloween inspired items from my fellow Etsykids members!

 Halloween Costume Cupcake Toppers from Your Blissful Day

 Halloween Twirl Skirt from Chew Chew's Closet

 Ghostie Hair Clips by marmalade creations

 Happy Halloween Fabric Banner by The Polka Dot Tot Shop

Happy Halloween Patchwork Flannel Blanket from SweetieBugs

{Handmade Baby Shower Gifts} New Bib Designs!

I have been busy making some new bib designs! Here is a really cool gender neutral bib with retro lamps fabric. Appliqued on top is a green whale in black thread. The back of this bib is black fleece.
Here is one of my popular horse profile bibs! This one has a beautiful pink and mint green fabric in the back, and a pink checked horse appliqued on top.
I also found this great green floral fabric and appliqued a coordinating stripey green elephant on top. So cute!
Here are some other favorites from fellow members of the Etsykids Team!

Super cute bacon & eggs felt hair clip from marmalade creations:
Biker Dude cloth wipes set by Applesauce Crafts:
And this amazing dress made out of (my favorite!) a vintage tablecloth! This is by Chirp & Bloom:
Happy shopping!
jesi

Handmade Appliqued Kitchen Towels

*New Product!*

I have been making these appliqued kitchen towels for a while now as gifts for family and friends, and finally had some time to make some for my shop! Perfect for it you love the look of Hip Violet, but didn't have any kids to buy for!



Check out my Etsy shop for a full selection!
jesi

Appliqued Wall Art, Anyone?

I'm trying out something new! I had an idea to make some wall art for my awesome Grandma for Mother's Day. She already has a few kitchen towels and I wanted something she might see more often (we live across the country from each other and I miss her!). So here is my first try! It's 12" x 12" and actually went pretty smoothly for my first time!I have had a lot of interest in making some to sell - they would be really cute nursery artwork, kids room art, and just generally nifty to hang around your house. My husband just-so-happens to be a carpenter and already told me he can make any size frame pretty quickly and easily.

I'm excited about possibly expanding into more adult areas - I often get asked what I'm going to do with Hip Violet when my girls are grown (they are currently 4 and 2 so I have a while!) and although I always think I'll be making bibs, I would love to be able to offer handmade items to a wider variety of people!

Let me know what you think!

Also, the craft show season has BEGUN!! Up first is one of my favorite shows, the Horseshoe Craft & Flea! It's in NW Denver and features tons of my favorite indie crafters as well as antique and vintage finds too. What more could you ask for? Oh, I know - FOOD TRUCKS! This year they have a ton of really great local food trucks as well as one from The Food Network's Great Food Truck Race! What?!?

See you there!

jesi

p.s. Guess what? I'm TWEETING! Follow me @HipViolet!

** Giveaway!**

It's time for a GIVEAWAY!! Simply post a comment with your favorite Easter candy and you'll be registered to win this super sweet Mushrooms with a Music Note bib! This bib is gender neutral and would work great for boys OR girls!
One entry per person please! Winner will be drawn at random on Friday, April 22.

Check out all my great bibs at my Etsy Shop, perfect for all those baby showers you have coming up this spring and summer! All my bibs are handmade in Denver, CO using designer fabric and super sweet appliques. They make a perfectly unique gift!

Come and join my Facebook page for even more giveaways, advanced notice of new designs and much more!

Denver Just Between Friends Sale Coupon

Hip Violet and marmalade creations will be sharing a booth at the Just Between Friends Sale in Denver from April 7-10. We are so excited to try out this great event! It's a HUGE HUGE consignment sale for kids clothing and gear. Every year I hear about it, I can't wait to be there!

April 7 - 10
National Western Complex, Denver
Thursday-Friday 10a-7p
Saturday 10a-4p Military Appreciation Day and 25% off sale
Sunday 10a-4p (Half price sale)

Print the coupon below for FREE ADMISSION to the Just Between Friends Sale!

And print this coupon for a free pass into the Early Bird Sale on Wednesday evening!
We'll be there Thursday through Sunday in one of the booths around the outside of the sale - come on over and say hello!

jesi

Custom Sets and Horse Bibs

There isn't anything better than sewing up tiny items for babies that haven't arrived yet... and even better are babies I am related to! These two sets are for my little niece who is arriving this spring. They are both big into camping and wanted to stay away from typical girly colors, so I used my camping fabric to make a birdie bib and onesie for them. My sister-in-law Kelly LOVES peacocks, so I searched high and low for this great peacock fabric and make a mushroom bib and onesie out of it. I simply cannot WAIT to see my little niece wearing them! Actually I can't wait to HOLD her, but that's another story!

I also shipped off an order to my favorite horse tack shop, Millbrook Tack in Michigan! They carry a lot of my horse bibs (that's bibs with horses ON them, not bibs FOR horses!) and they recently got this shipment of 8 new bibs. Stop by if you need a great baby gift for those horse-loving friends of yours!
We're getting our list of summer craft shows together and I think it's going to be a great summer! We're trying out a few new ones and going back to a bunch of oldies but goodies! Stay tuned!

jesi

p.s. I'm now on Twitter! Follow me @HipViolet!

Hip Hip Hurray!!

Guess where I'm posting this from? MY NEW SEWING ROOM!! Yippie!!!

Just to refresh your memory, here is where I did all of my sewing before (better known as the Dining Room)

And now... TA DA! Here is where I get to sew NOW!
(please note my daughter Violet on the left - she picked out her clothes allll by herself today!)

I lucked out too - the desk used to sew on fit PERFECTLY into my little "shipping nook" on the left... with an inch to spare! To the right is the closet which someday will have doors and shelves.

My big, huge table to work at. Sure beats the teeny area had to clear off every time in my old room! I can actually have all my gear out for each project at once, AND cut fabric without moving over to the dining room table! Underneath the table are some of my bins for blank onesies and shirts.
Fabric!! And my current inventory of clothing which will go on a real rack as soon as I put it together.

Today also happened to be a day when Violet is home sick from daycare, so we set her up a little chair and tv so she can rest (and get her fill of movies!)Speaking of Violet, yesterday she told me she didn't want to watch a movie during her "quiet time" and instead wanted to watch me sew (awww!). Instead of watching, I put her to work! She did a really great job taking all the pins out of the bibs after they were sewn to the fleece backs. I'm trying not to get too excited about the fact that she is interested in sewing, but it sure would be fun if one or both of my girls ended up wanting to help!

I'm off to sew in my new room! Have a great day!
jesi

p.s. Denver-area moms - I'll be at The Village at Edgewater on Wednesday, March 9 from 10:30-4:00 with all my Hip Violet stuff. Stop by and let the kiddos play while you shop!

Fabric Drive to help the African Community Center

A few weeks ago I was introduced to Ashley from the African Community Center of Denver - she was hoping to find some better craft shows in the area and I have been to a few! Ashley runs a sewing class at the ACC in Denver who teaches refugees how to sew. They make wallets, computer cases, pillowcases and handbags and sell them at local craft shows. I had a really nice conversation with Ashley and found out they run almost exclusively on donations which allows the most profit to go to the women who are working.

"We Made This is an income generating project at the African Community Center. ACC, which enables men and women in the refugee community to work together to create 100% recycled hand-sewn items. In an effort to learn new skills, work, and become a part of the community , we sew these items from recycled fabric donated to our center. Through the project, we learn and develop employable skills and create a sustainable community together.

We are working as a collective. From the person who sews the bag to the person who delivers the items to the store, we all get a percentage of the cost of this bag. Proceeds support a special refugee fund for the We Made This project and participants."

Check out their website here.

This week I went to visit and drop off some fabric and an extra sewing machine that I couldn't use. It was really cool to see the room they sew in, meet some of the ladies and watch them work!

Sewing Room at the African Community Center

Rachel teaching the ladies how to sew from a pattern

Tons of cool "vintage" sewing machines in use at the ACC.

Some of the beautiful items they have been making!

As I mentioned before, they run almost exclusively on donations so they can pass the profit on to the refugees, most of whom are on government assistance and can use every bit of help they can get.

Here is where YOU come in! I would love to encourage you to donate supplies, gift cards, or just some good vibes to the African Community Center! Below is a list of supplies they could use - I will be gathering these supplies until the end of February along with other members of the Denver Handmade Alliance. I would love it if you would join in!

• Cotton Fabric (no knits or decorator fabric)
• Needles (machine and hand stitching)
• Thread (all colors)
• Rotary Cutters & Blades
• Sewing Measuring Tapes
• Quilting Batting
• Buttons
• Self-Healing Boards
• Interfacing
• Extension Cords
• Sewing Machines (broken & older ones are okay!)
• Gift Cards to Joann Fabrics & Hancock Fabrics

If you have any of these items that you would be willing to donate, please let me know! If you are local, you can drop them off at my house or I can pick them up. If you are not local to Denver and still want to help, you can send items to me or straight to the ACC. Contact me through my Facebook page for my address or for more information!

I'm so excited about the opportunity to help this organization and these women! I know our crafting community can come together and really make a difference!

jesi

p.s. on another exciting note, there is a good chance I will be hiring one of their graduates to come and work for me once my basement studio is finished! I got to meet her at my visit and I can't WAIT to see how it goes!