Saturday, November 03, 2012

At least I....learned?...something

I posted a couple days ago about trying something different with The Little Stitcher's "Tea Time" pattern.  You see, in her post she made it into a pocket to carry a single tea bag.  This seemed silly to me.  If you are going to carry tea with you, wouldn't you want to carry at least an extra serving or 2?  Just one is terribly impractical.  So I found another pattern for making a "tea wallet," and my creative wheels started turning.  Sadly, my creative wheels have good intentions, but sometimes forget to check for gas stations along the route....  Here is what I ended up with tonight.


 Yes, it looks pretty cute.  However...1) I cut my stitched fabric with the design in the center, forgetting that in the wallet layout, there is a FOLD there.  I thought I could "easily" rectify this by just making it a single pocket wallet instead of a double like the pattern, but the edges still didn't line up quite right.  As you can see from the second picture, I fixed this as best I could by tacking on a piece cut from the other end.  2) The pattern for the wallet was designed for a serger, which I do not have.  I was rolling right along until I got to the final step, which was finishing the sides.  With a serger, no problem.  With only a sewing machine, and a cheap one at that, the many layers of fabric created by the pocket were a nightmare.  At first I tried a double-turned hem, but that was NOT happening -- so I had to rip out an entire seam and come up with something different.  (Instead I turned both unfinished edges in and then folded the pocket -- still a mouthful of fabric for my little machine, but she powered through.)  It is FAR from perfect, and still looks wonky to my perfectionist's eye.

As I was getting started with this "simple" project, I remember thinking "ooo, this is cute and fun!  Maybe I'll make another one or 2 to sell on eBay or Etsy!"  Having finished it....that probably isn't going to happen.  But, I DID learn a few tricks in case I decide to try again...

4 comments:

Heather said...

I think it looks really good. And thanks for the link to the tutorial. I do have a serger, and I have been meaning to make a tea wallet. :D

Anna van Schurman said...

I think it looks great. And it looks like it will carry tea which is the point, right?

cucki said...

wow it is so cute..very sweet xxx

geeky Heather said...

LOL!! I also think it looks great, and I completely agree with you...ONE packet of tea?? Puh-lease, I'd need to carry at LEAST two at all times! Congrats on the cute finish.

Craft Sale!

So my mother and I set up our little table at the craft fair this past weekend.  And we didn't do terribly!  I sold $125 worth of needle...