It's Sew Easy TV show 1208 is full of practical and secure ways to store your valuables when traveling. These same ideas are appropriate for home and everyday use too! In the first segment Rebecca gives you a large dose of good advice and do-it-yourself instructions for making a padded tech tote for your favorite device.
At first glance this looks like a typical envelope style organizer bag. It certainly could be used to store or tote just about anything you wish. With protective foam padding she designed it to be perfect for carrying something delicate like a tablet or e-reader. Easy to open and shut, it is ideal for those tech type items you want to have close at hand yet attractively covered and concealed.
If you've watched my friend Rebecca in the past you know she always comes up with clever fabric and added details to make the project fun and full of learning opportunities. Her "envelope" pouch is put together using a novelty postal print fabric with a bold contrast binding. Not only is this a clever looking piece, her lesson is loaded with tips, tricks and techniques! While watching this segment I made note of at least a half dozen inspiring ideas she shared. Watch from beginning to end and you'll learn something new that you can apply to many other projects.
Up next in show 1208 . . . Functional, fashionable, and expandable cargo pockets.
Shop around and you are sure to see these pockets in abundance in ready-to-wear. They are a hot fashion element and prevalent in the casual wear section of many stores and catalogs. However, most of the pockets I see in this style are either very bulky, or they are what I would call "faux" cargo. They look like they would expand but in fact the pleat are just there for good looks and not for true function. I can assure you the two pockets demonstrated here are the real deal. There's even a FREE pattern download for the pleated pocket I stitched on the show.
There is a lot to tell about the larger pocket and the featured garment. First lets talk about the pattern. It is yet another one of my favorite Folkwear offerings, Pattern #130: the Australian Bush Jacket. A true classic, I would define this as a safari style jacket/shirt. Visit the Folkwear website and you'll see a few additional photos that help you visualize the possibilities with this pattern.
As you can see, depending on the fabric you choose it can be worn all buttoned up to look more like a shirt than a jacket. The one you see here is made from a shirt weight fabric called Burma silk. It was one of those "collectable" pieces I had in my stash just waiting to come alive at the right time for the right garment. Most any shirt weight fabric will do. Designed for intermediate sewing skills, keep in mind the pattern is not designed for heavy jacket weight fabrics.
I didn't make many changes other than adding my own pockets, shortening the length a bit, and eliminating the pocket reinforcement strips and belt. For those who love to sew detailed garments this pattern is pure joy from start to finish! I will admit that I usually make a trial garment from fabric I'm not emotionally attached to before I plunge into stitching an irreplaceable piece from my stash. However, since I've made several Folkwear patterns by now I'm pretty confident of the sizing that works for me and as you can see I hit the jackpot with perfect fit on this one.
Back to the pocket topic, between the time spent explaining construction on the show, and the downloadable instructions that coordinate with the segment, I'm confident you'll be able to make this yourself. Either of these pockets would also work for totes and bags so don't think they're only fit for garments. Here's a fun little behind the scenes tidbit for you - the pocket shown at the very end of the show is an original sample I made in fashion school in the 80's! Who knew that someday I would be able to share this great sample with all of you?!? This only proves that the skills you learn while sewing someday will surely be put to good use!
At the end of show 1208 Angela gives a quick lesson on stitching a blind hem with the serger. If you would like to see a complete project using this technique you can click on the image below. This will take you to a recent Brother blog post I submitted with step-by-step instructions for putting this skill into practice while making an attractive T-shirt with a basic serger.
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Hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to leave your comments!
Hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to leave your comments!
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