Bringing Closure >>> A Button Tab Closure

In all of my sewing endeavors, one of the things that I’ve come to enjoy most is sewing up a good bag.  One size usually fits all, so no need to try the item on over and over again for that perfect fit.  And bags are really easy to customize which is one of my favorite things to do when sewing.  I love the flexibility a bag gives you to play with fabrics, pockets, and other fun details.  Also, your typical bag only takes a few hours to sew which gives that quick satisfaction of a completed project.  

I’ve had my eye on a great bag pattern for awhile and the great thing is, it’s free!  The Bucket Basket Tote from Very Shannon has a unique curved opening and it’s one of those patterns that really is fun to play with to make it your own.

There is however one thing that I almost cannot live without in a bag….closure people, I must have closure.  If there be no closure, it would be too easy for people to peek inside and if perchance the bag be knocked over, the contents (months of receipts and old shopping lists in my case) would be exposed for all the world to see.  I just can’t bear the thought of it.

So, to this beautiful, fun, and open bag, I bring closure.  Closure can come in many forms, but another thing which I love to put on bags are buttons.  So to this bag I’ve added a button tab closure and a button of course, to keep things secure.

If you also would like to add a button tab closure, here is what you do:

STOP!!!!....at step 10 on the instructions for the Bucket Basket Tote.  Follow all of the steps below before moving on to Step 11.  Of course, there’s always the seam ripper if you didn’t stop in time.  Now you may proceed….

1) Choose a button about ¾ inches in diameter.  You can choose something bigger or smaller, but you may have to make adjustments to the size of the tab.  The 3/4 inch size seems to work perfectly with this bag.

Find your needle and thread and sew the button to the front of your outer bag piece so that it is centered between the straps and 1/8 inch above the middle panel.

2) Choose the fabric you’d like to use for your tab.  I used the same fabric as I did on the straps.  Cut the piece of fabric 5 inches long x 3 ½ inches wide.

Note:  I did not use interfacing for this tab because the fabric I used is very sturdy.  Use interfacing if you are using anything lighter than décor weight fabric.

Take the piece of fabric and iron ¼ inch folds on 3 sides leaving one short edge unturned.

Now fold the piece in half with the two long edges matched up evenly and iron so that it is nice and flat.

Edge stitch all 3 folded sides leaving the short unturned edge raw and unsewn.

3) Make a button hole in the tab centered and up ¼ inch from the short finished edge.

4) Baste the raw unfolded edge of the tab to the back outer bag piece centered between the two straps on the right side (of the fabric).  The button hole should be pointing down towards the bottom of the outside of the bag (not sticking up above the bag and not inside the bag).

Now continue with Step 11 on the Bucket Basket Tote instructions to finish your bag.   
 

The only trouble I had was placing the straps in exactly the right position.  I don't know why, but it took forever to get them centered...hello seam ripper.

 

But, the bag made up for it in all its cheeriness with its smiley opening that says, "Hey, I'm not just your typical, ordinary tote bag.  I'm destined to carry greatness and on top of that my button tab assures you I can be trusted to keep it all safe inside."

 

 

Not Your Ordinary Couscous >>> Israeli Couscous Recipe

I've loved making couscous for quite some time.  This time of year it's especially nice because of all the fresh veggies coming out of the garden.  The recipe that I'm going to share with you today is made with a special kind of couscous that you normally don't see in stores.  However, if you live near a Trader Joe's or a Big Lots, you should be able to find some. 

It's called either Israeli Couscous like the one on the left from Trader Joe's or Pearled Couscous like the one on the right that I found at Big Lots.  The grain of the Israeli couscous is much bigger and smoother than regular couscous.

The main dish that I make with it is actually more like a side dish...kinda like a pasta salad.

To make the Israeli couscous salad

You will need:
1 1/3 c Israeli couscous (the entire TJ's box)
1 3/4 c water
1 t salt
1 T oil

Cook according to the package.  Brown the couscous in a bit of oil, slowly pour in the water and simmer for about 12 minutes.  Fluff it with a fork and let it cool in the pan while you are cutting up the veggies and making the dressing.

Next you will need:
1 medium cucumber
1 cup fresh tomatoes
2-3 T cilantro
2-3 garlic cloves
3 T lemon juice
1 t lemon zest

Chop tomatoes and cucumbers and put them in a medium serving bowl.

Finely chop the cilantro and garlic cloves and add them to the bowl.

Also squeeze the lemon juice, add the zest, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper over the top.

Next you will need:
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 T olive oil

Pour these right over the top of your veggies in the bowl and put this in the fridge until the couscous has finished cooling.

When couscous has cooled, take out your bowl of veggies and combine them together until mixed well.

Garnish with some sprigs of cilantro if you'd like.  Then take a big spoon and enjoy...or, take it to a potluck and share with friends!

Have you ever tried Israeli couscous?  Do you have a favorite recipe?  Please share in the comments below.  I would love to hear how you make it!

Quench Your Thirst >>> A Water Bottle Sleeve

Hot! Hot! Hot! 

It's been hot since April.  We were used to the heat in Haiti, but temps in the 90's here at home, for weeks in a row, we were not expecting.  And, we are feeling most every bit of it...cold water is definitely a must!  

Especially when out and about...but carrying a water bottle just on it's own can be a nuisance...with nowhere to set it down, getting everything else wet, the dirt sticking to the bottle, then getting on your hands...you get the picture.

I've made several different kinds of water bottle sleeves over the past couple years and found them to be a really useful thing to have.  Just a couple of weeks ago it was my mom's birthday, so I decided that a water bottle sleeve might be something handy for her to have as well.

I looked through lots of patterns and ended up choosing one of the patterns from a book that I've had sitting on the shelf for awhile.

Sewing Pretty Little Accessories 

It hasn't really just sat on the shelf...I've thumbed through this book plenty of times looking at all of the beautiful projects.  The Water Bottle Sleeve is the first project I decided to tackle.  It's got a beautiful, more sophisticated design that I thought would really suit my mom.

The directions for the project were straightforward and easy to follow.  

I found some turquoise, black, and white fabrics from my stash to use that coordinated beautifully.  I just pieced them together and angled it when I cut it to the dimensions needed.  (I have a hard time following a pattern without changing it in some way, shape, or form)

I love drawstring bags and made the string on this one really long for some reason.  It's a nice way to keep the bottle secure while adding a special touch.

I thought the lace medallion at the top was a nice addition to the project and would look great against the black fabric on top.  I found something I had crocheted awhile back and was happy to find it a great home.  The pattern came from my favorite crochet book: The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet
I sewed it on by hand using the same lace that I had used to crochet it originally.

The one other change I made was to add a sturdy handle in the back.  I had made another water bottle sleeve awhile back that included this feature and it's nice to have when you'd rather hook it on the back of a chair or carry it while walking.  I inserted the handle between the lining and the outer fabric when sewing it together.

One last tip is in order to give it more stability when setting it on a table, add some heavier weight interfacing to just the bottom piece.  My water bottle is warped on the bottom and will not even stand up anymore on it's own, but did just fine when it was inside the sleeve.  Double bonus!



How do you carry your water bottle?  Do you have a favorite pattern for a water bottle sleeve?  Share in the comments below...I'd love to hear.