Pop-up Cards. Sort of.

Triple birthday fun. 

Oh Snap!

Look who learned how to install snaps! Stitching is a little sloppy, as this is a prototype, so BACK OFF  with the critical thoughts.  

Sewing is hard. Especially when you spend a boatload of time on choosing/buying/cutting/interfacing/stitching fabric, and then it comes out looking like crap. But I kept at it! My zipper clutch project was frustrating because the ends of the zippers would be all wonky, and ruin the whole thing. THANKS A LOT, WONKY ZIPPER ENDS. 

But then I tried a different tutorial from The Crafty Gemini's youtube channel, and it turned out well. Or at least better. 

Whose bag do you have? Oh, it's an l.piotti original.

For the strap, I stole hardware from an unused Clinique make-up bag (I have tons of them from bonus gifts over the years). Sewing the strap around the D-ring was hard to keep neat because it was so thick, so I used a zigzag stitch for security and then just covered up the mess with a mini piece of fabric. Hot glue really is amazing. 

Sassy.

Here she is on my washing machine (aka pressing station). Hooray houndstooth! 

 

Choc. A Lot! custom apron

Jimmies or sprinkles? 

(correct answer: jimmies)

As soon as I saw this jimmies fabric, I wanted to make my cousin Alison a cute apron for her business (the growingly-popular Choc. A Lot!) that would resemble her business cards. 

"I got jimmies." 

A white apron seemed like it would get instantly dirty, though, and bleaching wasn't an option because of the jimmies. What a pickle. Then I realized I had leftover white vinyl fabric! And since she's doing craft fairs in the near future, it would be more appropriate as chic booth wear for events (deep pockets for money!) and not the kitchen. 

 Chocolate-dipped marshmallow!

 Alison modeling her new apron. Lookin' good! 

Only the homeless carry wine around in regular bags.

Use a wine tote instead! In progress, but you get the idea. 

 Ritzy. 

Careful: PINS! 

Business Cards

My cousin Alison has been making super-yummy, super-pretty dessert trays for parties. 

Marshmallows, animal crackers, fruit, pretzels, etc. dipped in chocolate, covered in jimmies - mmm. She hopes to turn it into a side business and named the endeavor Choc. A lot! (Like, a lot of chocolate - get it?) and I offered to make her some business cards. I sent her a few ideas: 

 She chose this design: 

Looks like a chocolate dipped marshmallow, eh? 

It's really cute if I may say so myself!  

Placemat Clutch

As I learn how to sew, I'm increasingly intimidated by patterns. You sew everything inside-out and it makes no sense until the end. But the great thing about the placemat clutch tutorial on Lil Blue Boo is that it's pretty simple. No lining, no inside-out sewing. Just fold, stitch, attach a button. 

I bought a cloth placemat at Target for $3.25.  (Online it seems they are only offered in sets of four, but in the store, you can buy them individually.) I had to adjust the fold of my placemat because I didn't the way the colors of stripes that showed after it was folded (I'm weird). I also thought my placemat was too wide when folded (it would have made a really long clutch), so I took what I learned in previous clutch projects (the very techniques I was complaining about above), and folded it right-sides-together and stitched the sides so that I could trim off the excess. And then I was a big show-off and sewed a gusset on the bottom so it would sit flat. Cue nerdy moment of pride for going off-script. 

Gusset: yeah! 

Anyway, I opened the seam along the top flap, inserted a tiny hair elastic, and sewed it shut.

Hair tie. Masterful... except that loose thread.

Then I attempted to sew on a plain wooden button in coordinating thread - humbling. I tried a few times with no strategy whatsoever, and finally had to watch a youtube video about it. But then I did it - success! 

Giraffe: "This is one sweet placemat clutch."

 Back when folded.

Front when folded.

As a clutch, it's not very sturdy, but it's cute and does the job and it's super cheap!