I made me some labels

I already have labels that I use on things I make, but for some time I had been fancying one of those fold-up labels. The ones that can be tucked into a seam while sewing. I am in the process of crocheting something (wink wink!) that I especially wanted to put the fold-up on.

From previous research I knew I could print on fabric, so I went to work! This is what I wanted on my label, and the grey dotted line is where the lower half would fold up, so the long edges would meet at the top and would be sewn into a seam, get it?

(It is a square-ish image, I am sorry you can't see where it begins or ends! But if you click on the image to enlarge, you'll get a good idea.)

With some trial and error (this depends on the aspect (or length to width) ratio of your final jpg), I figured out how many of these squares would fit onto one letter size paper. I got 35 of these with landscape orientation.

I then simply copy-pasted this image in a folder 35 times (yeah!), and using Picasa, I created a photo collage with thin grey spacers. The grey spacers will later serve as guides when I cut my labels. This is what my collage came to be -

Now we print.
I chose pre-washed white cotton fabric. Not wanting to worry about the edges of my labels fraying, I cut a 8.5 x 11 inch piece on the bias.

To print on fabric using an inkjet printer, you need fabric (of course!) and an appropriately sized freezer paper. One side of the freezer paper is coated with some kind of plastic that will cling to fabric when they're ironed together. This adhesion is only so strong so as to allow you to print, and then easily peel the fabric off the paper.

Collect your supplies. (I did a test print of my collage as well.)

Since the fabric is bias cut, the corners were not all right angles. So I lay the piece of fabric on my test print to ensure that it covered all 35 labels completely -

Then I lay the freezer paper on the fabric, aligning it with the print out below, shiny/plastic side down. That way, I got the fabric sandwiched between the test print and the freezer paper, and in contact with the shiny side of the freezer paper.

With my iron on high and dry (LOL!) I pressed the sandwich for a few seconds all over. What I ended up with is paper backed fabric. Or fabric paper!!

Now, print.

Then peel off the fabric, it'll come off easy. To set the ink, iron it on high and dry (again!).

A note on permanence of inkjet inks on fabric - I know that pigment based inks don't fade as much as dye based inks. I also know that the black cartridge of my Canon is pigment based. But I have no idea of the other color cartridges. So I am taking a chance here. Worst case scenario - after a few washes, the black will stay and the magenta will disappear. I guess I'll come update this post when I have something to report on that front.

I then cut along those grey lines, folded those individual labels into half and ironed them, slowly building my label towers :)

I used a very light sprinkling of spray on starch on the back while ironing, it did help.

Here are all of my 35 pretty labels, living happily on a pin. About thirty minutes, a piece of fabric and freezer paper equals thirty five cute labels. In my book that is a good deal :)

See how the sides don't need folding because they are cut on the bias, so no fraying!! Now to make something to put these on!!

The bib with sleeves

So it turns out the bib with sleeves is a hit :)
You may or may not remember it from the frantic sewing that I did for the nephew during his last week here.

I did not have a pattern to begin with, but had a general idea of how I wanted to go about it. So I used one of his shirts that fit him well for measurement. I added an inch to each side so that he can get good use out of the bib.

On paper, the idea was to make it in three pieces - the body and two sleeves.

This is what the finished product looked like, front and back -

And with the cutest nephew wearing bib #2 (this one is a little shorter, and without the brown cuffs) -

If you wish to make one, you can find the PDFwith pattern pieces (and very amateurish instructions as well :)) here.

Shower Caddy for the Gym!

Being regular at the gym is tedious for several reasons. 
My top three speed bumps and how I've overcome them -

1. Pain - The aching muscles the day after.
There is good pain and there is bad pain. 

If I exercise correctly and not injure/over exert myself, my pain would be all good. I just use it as a reminder of having worked! And Gudia pointed out in the Nutrigrain ad - one good decision leads to another; so for the rest of the day I am watchful of what I eat (I no longer catch myself sneaking cheez-its at the office).

2. Getting out of bed (Compare - warm bed v. cold steel. On a winter morning. Or any morning!)
To me, 'Getting out of bed' and 'waking up' are different things. And I find it easier to get out of bed if I have options.
Let me explain.
I tell myself that after having tea if I still want to go back to sleep, I may do so.
It never happens :) I'm wide awake by the time I've had my tea! But knowing (!) that I don't HAVE to stay up just makes it easier to get out of bed ;)

3. Showering at the gym (we now come to what will justify the title of this post!).

Made tedious by the need to carry bulky toiletries to and from the shower. 

Compounded by the fact that there aren't any shelves in the shower to stow them while you shower. (I don't like keeping them on the shower floor!)

Note that the shower side end of the curtain rod is the driest spot of the shower. If I can hang my shampoo/conditioner/body wash in that corner, I'll be good :)
And oh! What about my spectacles, scrunchie and locker keys?! Those too.
This is what I wanted to make, a rough sketch -

Front panel A will have 3 pockets - one each for shampoo, conditioner and body wash.
Panel B will be the central panel. A & C will attach to this.
Panel C will be the back, two pockets - for my glasses/etc.

The three panels will be stitched together, all stitches on the outside so no right side/wrong side/turning complications! Once the layers are all stitched, I'll finish off the look with some bias tape.

To begin, I bought three of the cutest bottles from the travel section at Walmart -

To see how much fabric I'd need -
Panel A
Three bottles. So take a length that when pleated thrice

would fit over the bottle like so -

While you have it folded, mark the thirds with your marker of choice (chalk for me) so you know where you'll be stitching later.

Panel B
Since this'll be the substrate, it needs to be strong. Two layers of fabric with lots of stitches attaching them and giving them strength would do it for me.

On a folded piece, I lay down the three bottles side by side to see how wide I'd need. The blue lines define the shape of the caddy. Cut along those.

I stitched the two layers together and gave it some random vertical and horizontal stitches so they stay together. Do not sew the little top edge (the one connecting the slant edges) shut, for that is where the strap will attach. And panel B is ready.

Mark the thirds one side and halves on another, to be able to line up with A&C while stitching later.

Panel C
Since these are going to be bonus pockets, there aren't any strict sizing requirements for these. Not wanting these pockets to be loose, I took a length of fabric a little shorter than Panel A.
Fold into half and mark that line too.

Starting with A & C -
The edges E1 would be the top of the pockets - needed some character. So trim them with some bias tape.

Now we can start putting it together.

Arrange the three panels with their left most edge aligned, pin them and stitch S1 in the sketch above. Double stitch.

Then getting panel C out of the way, pin stitch S2 in place. Stitch, and reinforce well.

Now get panel A out of the way and stitch panel C to B - stitch S3.

One last time - get C out of the way and attach A to B - stitch S4.

Now all three right edges together and stitch S5.

You have five pockets now. Well, almost!

Lets close the bottom now, then we can call them pockets. Begin with any one of the five. Make little pleats close to the stitches and pin the pleats to the center panel B.

Conquer them all, one by one.

Stitch the bottom closed. Move the fabric slowly, there will be many layers. Also see that the pleats don't get folded over when they go under the foot.

Now time to dress it up. Pin up bias tape around it. Take your time and miter your corners.

Next would be figuring out how to hang the caddy. Two stripes, one short one long. Velcro. Easy :) 

Insert the two into the short edge that we left unstitched, between the two layers of panel B. Stitch them in place, first with straight stiches, then marking an X and sewing over that. And you are done!

Hang it on the fridge if you like to ;)

Attach a label if you wish to! 

Grocery bag update.

I had some pictures of hand-made grocery bags on my very first post. Left over from those was just enough fabric of the red checkered cotton for one more bag. That's what I did today. I remembered to take pictures every so often and I'll try to be descriptive of what I did in this post.

I had about 20-22 inches of fabric. Just folding that into half gave me a very very wide bag :) So I cut two strips from one of the length-wise edges, for the straps. That way the dimensions of the rectangle that will eventually become the bag, were proportionate.

The fabric given to fraying, I wanted no open seams anywhere. I sewed the bottom of the bag shut, wrong sides together.

 Pinked the edge, not too close to the stitch -

Turned it over and sewed over it. I am not sure, but I think this is what is known as a French seam. This way all your seams are completely covered, very neat and professional!

Once I closed the bottom of the bag, turned it right side out.
Now lets give the bag a 'base'. For that, from the bottom edge, mark approximately 3 inches in, like so -

Now pinch at the marking and turn the fabric wrong side out.

Once you've done the whole length, you should have something like this -

The open side in the picture above is one of the two sides of the bag. Sew both sides shut, make sure you reinforce where there are four layers. Once done, you'll have a closed bag, turn it right side out, this is what the base should look like -

Time to get the straps ready now. Fold it like you'd fold a bias tape -

and sew along the edges.

Fold the top unfinished edge of the bag (don't sew it yet) and pin up the straps where you want them. The end of the strap will fold under the upper edge. (You can tell this was in the evening, the camera flash came on :D )

Once you've confirmed the location of the straps, finish the upper/open edge of the bag. That'll stitch the straps in too. For reinforcing the strap-bag joint, mark an X on the inside, and stitch over it.

And you're done! This one has shorter handles (as compared to the previous bag made of the same fabric). Now if I'd only remember to take this when I go for groceries :)

Speaking of groceries, there is one thing that always made me wince a the store - when the person at check out fits in two 1 gallon milk jugs into one of these grocery bags. Boy, those are heavy, and two of those are sure to rip open some seams! So as a preventive measure, I made 'made-to-fit' milk jug carriers.

Have you ever seen a dandier milk jug?!

I made one more, so our weekly supply of milk is carried home safely!