Friday, July 01, 2011

Hello Campers!


Welcome to 1001 Peeps Summer Camp! Today we are making the Peeping Peeps zippered tote.

But first, leave me a comment with your favorite campfire treat and you'll be entered in a contest to win a mini fat quarter pack like the one I used to make this bag. Comments closed! Thanks to all who commented.

Here's what you need:
Lizzy House fabric
fusible interfacing (I prefer Wonder Under)
decor weight fabric (I used a solid from Ikea) 
clear vinyl (I used the packaging from toddler panties)

1 zipper at least 11 inches
28" of 1" wide grosgrain ribbon (for two 14" long handles)

office paper
1 tiny bulldog clip

thread and assorted sewing supplies

Let's make a pattern!
ALL SEAM ALLOWANCES ARE 1/4" AND ARE INCLUDED IN THESE MEASUREMENTS*. YOU DO NOT NEED TO ADD THEM.

bottom = 1 sheet of 8.5" X 11" office paper
top = cut 1 sheet in half lengthwise for 4.25" X 11" (fold like a hotdog bun and cut)
back = cut 1.5" off the long edge for 7" tall X 11" wide

sides = cut off the short edge for 7" tall X 8.5" wide
front side panels = 4.5" tall X 2.25" wide
front top and bottom panel = 1.75" tall X 11" wide

window = 4.5" tall X 7.5" wide

Prepare your sturdy pieces:
I generally cut my decor weight lining fabric about 1" larger on all sides, my interfacing 1/4" larger on all sides, and then my outer fabric 1/2" larger on all sides.
Iron your interfacing to your outer fabric. Let cool and peel off the paper backing. Iron your decor weight fabric to the outer fabric then pin pattern and trim to size.

bottom = cut 1 fabric, 1 interfacing, 1 liner
sides = cut 2 fabric, 2 interfacing, 2 liners (1 for each side)
back = cut 1 fabric, 1 interfacing, 1 liner

top = cut 4
front side panels = cut 4
front top and bottom panel = cut 4

Ok campers, let's do this!

1. Start with the front panel center piece. Make a fabric/plastic/fabric sandwich as shown. Put the fabric RST and slide the vinyl in to meet the edge. Clip together with the bulldog clip because you can't pin the plastic.
Stitch 1/4" away from the edge and repeat for the other side. Unfold your side pieces and finger press. Don't get an iron near the vinyl.

2. Add your top panel. Make a fabric/center piece/fabric sandwich just like above. Put the fabric RST lining up the edges. You'll have 4 layers of fabric on the edges and the added piece of vinyl in the center. Stitch and repeat for the bottom. Unfold your top and bottom pieces and topstitch as shown. This will secure the panel. Set this aside for later.

3. Let's move to the top piece. Like your panels, you are going to make a fabric/zipper/fabric sandwich. Put the fabric RST and place the zipper between the layers lining up at the edge. Stitch 1/4" away from the edge of the zipper, unfold and topstitch.  Repeat with the other side.  Set this aside for later.

*Note: At this point you can switch to larger seam allowances if you are more comfortable with that. Just be consistent from now on.

4. Get that front panel out. Attach the sides to the front and back panels RST making a big inside out loop as shown. Now you're getting somewhere!

5. Attach the bottom piece to your "loop" starting with the front panel. Line your edges up. You may have to use a seam ripper to clip a few stitches from your side panel seam allowances. DON'T stitch into your seam allowance or you'll have rounded corners and puckers instead of square ones. Stitch one side at a time, lining up each edge as you go.

6. Now you have the main portion of the bag finished. Take a minute to trim all of your seam allowances with your pinking shears or serge the edges so everything will stay nice.

7. Pin your ribbon handles to the inside of the bag. The ribbons should hang down into the RS of the fabric. These are placed 2" from the edge.

8. Stitch the front panel to the top piece RST, doublestitching over the ribbons for added strength. Repeat for the back panel.

9. Stitch one side closed, doublestitching over the zipper tape for strength. Then unzip as much as you need so that your hand will fit through the hole. Stitch the other side, again doublestitching over the zipper tape.

10. Reach your hand down into the bag and unzip all the way. Turn your bag inside out and pat yourself on the back, camper! You did it. Poke your fingers in all of the corners to tidy up.

Here's the whole troupe:
June 24: Alexia Abegg
July 1: Lemon Cadet
July 8: The Fat Quarterly!
July 15: Quilt Asylum.
July 22:  MrsMcPorkchop
July 29: Flax and Twine
August 5: Heather alamode
August 12:  Make Something
August 19: Whipstitch
August 26: Happy Zombie

73 comments:

  1. Me first? Okay, would it be really bad if I said my favorite campfire treat was, ahem, Chardonnay?

    Great project!

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  2. Of course it is smores! Can't have a camp fire without them!

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  3. You did a great job with this tutorial! Over here we don't have a camp fire tradition. But white beer and something to nibble on would be great :)

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  4. I love roasted hotdogs, great tutorial

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  5. Love the tutorial! I love the classic roasted marshmallow (not burned to a crisp like my kiddos like to think I like them).

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  6. Oh my goodness! This is an awesome tutorial! I may have to make one of these for my sewing supplies!!

    My favorite campfire treat... I will have to go with the traditional S'mores. I know it is not original but they are sooo good!!

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  7. This is just darling. I love s'mores around a campfire. Hard to beat a classic.

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  8. Just can't beat smores & hot dogs cooked on a stick over a camp fire :)
    Looking forward to giving this tutorial a shot :)

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  9. Fire roasted marshmallows are my favorite campfire treat.

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  10. Love this bag! It would be great for organizing cause you can see what's inside : ) My favorite campfire treat is s'mores of course!

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  11. I love rosted hotdogs over fire! :)

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  12. I love roasted hotdogs over fire. :)

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  13. I love smores!!! & I love this tutorial! thanks :)

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  14. What a great tutorial! I like what Puffy Fluff said about using one of these for sewing supplies--my ziploc bag is getting pretty raggedy!

    My favorite campfire tradition is making omelets in a bag for breakfast. Yum!

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  15. smores ofcourse!

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  16. I think that would be a tie between s'mores, and a banana slit down the middle filled with chocolate chips, wrapped back up and covered in foil, then back in the fire til it is a chocolate gooey mess too hot to eat and too good not to.
    Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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  17. awesome tutorial! I would have to go with the obvious, I just love S'mores. Sometimes I even add peanut butter to them, yum! courtlyons@yahoo.com

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  18. That is an awesome tutorial, it must go on my list of things to make - thanks so much for sharing.
    My favourite campfire treat has to be bananas wrapped in foil and heated in the ashes along with marshmallows melted on top! (then brush teeth before bed!)
    Thanks for the great giveaway
    I'm giving away on my blog this week - pop over and enter http://mary.emmens.co.uk

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  19. That bag is adorable! I'd have to say S'mores, although one time on a scout trip, someone fried canned biscuits over the fire and made donuts that we dipped in a chocolate frosting. Delicious!

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  20. What a fun tutorial! My favourite is of course s'mores!

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  21. I love roasted marshmellows. Take off the outside and eat it, then roast it again. Mmm. I love your tutorial!

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  22. Not original, but a classic - Smores are my favorite (and it looks like everyone else's too!) campfire treat. Fantastic tutorial! Thanks!

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  23. I love ballpark angus hotdogs with garlic herb mayo is the bomb!!

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  24. Mmmmm. Id say.... smores. YUM! CUTE tutorial! I may have to do this this weekend! Thanks!!

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  25. Hotdogs and s'mores, I need them both!!! Fun tutorial!

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  26. Duabe7:45 PM

    Cute camp bag - how cute that you can see inside it too!

    My favorite campfire treat is just plain marshmallows roasted on a stick. Charcoal on the outside - gooey mess in the middle - YUM!

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  27. Are there other things besides smores? I never got beyond smores because they were so darn good. Now I'm craving them....
    The tutorial and bag look really cool. Can't wait to try it out.

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  28. This is so fun and such a great project for the start of camp!!! :D And my favorite campfire treat...why, brown, toasty marshmallows! Please! Yum!!!

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  29. What a great tutorial and the perfect bag! I love being able to see whats inside. My campfire treat is the classic smores (seems I'm in good company lol) I'll have to try adding peanut butter someone mentioned as well as trying the foil wrapped banana with chocolate and marshmellows melted on top! Yum Yum!!

    Thanks for the giveaway and chance to win.

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  30. SOMORES!!! what else is there

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  31. Camp fires require good dark beer and chocolate. :)

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  32. Marshmallows (on an open fire) - burnt to a crisp on the outside and hot and mushy in the middle.
    I also love bacon in the morning done over a hot fire on a frypan. Excellent start to any cold morning.

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  33. Really good tutorial, and putting a "window" in the tote was a great idea!

    Gotta have s'mores when there's a campfire.

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  34. My favorite is s'mores. I prefer not to camp tho.;-)

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  35. I love this tutorial, this is such a great idea! And my fav campfire treat is s'mores!!

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  36. What a great bag! My favorite campfire treat, smores of course!! Where else do you get the droopy, charred marshmallows that taste so good on that melted chocolate...yummm!

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  37. Hot cocoa. Perfect to ward off the night's chill.

    wordygirl at earthlink dot net

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  38. Oh my gosh that bag is fantastic! I love the peeping window- well done! My favorite camp fire treat is making smores with Sees Scotchmallows instead of the hersheys and marshmallow. Put the scotchmallow between two graham crackers, wrap in foil and let it get warm over the fire. Sooooo good!

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  39. Masterful pattern- good for toys of course, but also- fabric scraps!!

    My favorite campfite treat is marshmallows. I'm pretty sure they're called something else in North Maerica- perhaps it's smores or weenies? They're white or pink and you stick them on a stick and toast them on the fire. They go all gooey and give you third-degree burns. You know the ones?

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  40. My favorite treat at the campfire are the little pies you make over the fire! thanks for the great tutorial!

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  41. Ooh toasted marshmallows and wine!:-D

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  42. I know other folks have said it, but smores. Only made with thin ginger snaps and marshmallows and caramilk bars. YUMMMY.

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  43. What a great bag! I love bags with windows in them!

    My favorite campfire treat is dutch oven blackberry cobbler. Dump a pound of blackberries in the bottom of a dutch oven, top with a bag of dry cake mix, then randomly slice butter over the top. Bake in the coals until done. It is dang delish!

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  44. Super cute! A bunch of these would be perfect for toy storage for my kiddo! And of course his (and my!) favorite campfire treat is SMORES! Who doesn't love smores? ;)

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  45. Lynn Zukowski12:52 PM

    I am always intrigued by tote tutes- loving the boxy shape and peak-a-boo window! I can think of so many uses for this shape and being able to see what's inside is sheer genious!
    Favourite campfire tradition- making Fairy Fire which is beautiful always changing colourful flames. Both kids and adults love it!
    Here's a link to a YouTube how to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NlY-ASp7a0
    And here's the how to:
    STEP #1 - Get a copper pipe
    Go to your local hardware store and ask for 3/4 inch copper piping. Have them cut it for you in 1 foot length sections. I heard that if you drill a couple holes in the pipe it will make the colors even more dazzling.

    STEP #2 - Get a hose
    Grab your old 1/2 inch green garden hose, cut in 1 foot length sections and insert into the pipe. If your hose is bigger than 1/2 inch (like 5/8), slice it vertically, roll it up and slide into the pipe. If you don't have a green garden hose, you can get a 15 ft. hose from Home Depot for about $8 bucks.

    STEP #3 - Watch the magic
    Set your pipe into the fire, and watch it do its thing! You will be impressed how long lasting and exciting the magical display is.

    REMEMBER:
    Be careful not to inhale the fire's smoke. When some plastic garden hoses melt they release semi-toxic chemicals into the air. These shouldn't be a dangerous concern unless you inhale a substantial amount of smoke-but it's best to be careful.
    **Happy long weekend for both Canadians and Americans**

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  46. Always have to have my s'mores.

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  47. Love the bag! Toasted marshmallows is my fave! Hot dogs are a close second.

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  48. Thanks for such a great tutorial. I love it! My favorite campfire treat is smores, but I make mine with a mini peanut butter cup instead of just a plain piece of chocolate. Yummy! Thanks for a chance at your giveaway.

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  49. Smores are the BEST!

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  50. A variation of smores, using Caramilk squares instead of regular chocolate...careful tho' as the caramel can get really hot! Love the tutorial.

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  51. Very cute bag, thanks for the tutorial. Toasted marshmallows and a cup of billy tea...mmmmmm

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  52. Banana Boats for me! It was a favorite for my Girl Scout troop. Love the project!

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  53. Anonymous11:42 PM

    step 1: roast a marshmallow, but when you put it on the stick, don't pierce it all the way through.
    step 2: when it's nice and toasty, pull the toasted part off of the melty center part.
    step 3: use the shell as a cup for your favorite creme liquor (i like baja rosa), but drink it fast, it gets messy!

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  54. Campfire automatically makes me think of smores. But I don't like smores with the chocolate in it. I love the gooey marshmallows and cinnamon gramcrackers. Yumminess.

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  55. Fabulous tutorial!Very inspiring! My kiddos toys are EVERYWHERE! Would be great to store them in containers they can see through. :)

    My favorite campfire tradition/treat is roasted apples covered with cinnamon and sugar! :) YUM!!!

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  56. What a handy tote! I love hot dogs toasted over a fire - they are so much better that way!

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  57. I like to eat hot dogs around the campfire... I don't have much of a sweet tooth & hate anything with marshmellow in it, but I do really like to roast them to perfection (especially if it's a contest to see who is the best marshmellow roaster!)

    I love your vinyl recycling! I keep all those bags comforters & sheet sets come in, but don't use them for much - maybe I should dig one out :)

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  58. I like to eat campfire pies. I learned how to make them at summer camp years ago. You take a sandwich fire iron and put 2 pieces of sugared, buttered bread in it, then put some pie filling in the middle. Clamp it shut and leave in the fire for a few minutes, and viola! Yummy dessert for your sweet tooth!

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  59. Super cute bag! My fave is marshmallows, yum!

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  60. Favorite campfire treat..Smoors!
    Cute little bag.

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  61. I love to make campfire pizzas with a cast iron pie maker over the fire.

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  62. That tote is super cute! It would be fun to store my kiddo's dragons in it.

    I love roasted marshmallows, by themselves or as part of smores

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  63. Anonymous4:49 PM

    Banana boats,

    Open a banana, leavign the peel attached at teh bottom. put some chocolate chips and some mini marsh mallows on top of banana, flip peel back, and wrap in foil.

    bury in the coals until soft and glorious.

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  64. oh my gosh - love this bag - perfect for a little sleepover bag!!

    And for me, it has to be smores.....but the beer comments are sounding good too!

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  65. hot dogs, lots of hot dogs with mustard, lots of hotdogs with mustard, onion, cucumber and a bun! Yep I love hot dogs

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  66. hmm....

    best thing about camping is pancakes!!

    ...cheating by taking a shake-and-make thing, but YUMMY anyway

    :C)

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  67. hah...does as ice-cold wine cooler count??! Fuzzy navel, yum!

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  68. Somehow everything tastes good around a campfire, but my favorite is probably a cold beer and a hotdog. Love the tutorial and the fabric.

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  69. I am going to make one of these for my daughter's art supplies. You think that would keep them put away? Here's hoping!!
    I used to think my favorite campfire snack was german bratwurst. But now I want to try the bananas and chocolate chips wrapped in tinfoil that Beth talked about, only add the marshmallows that memens mentioned.

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  70. This is adorable! Thanks for sharing!

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  71. Love the bag, very cute.
    My favorite campfire treat would be marshmallows (do not normally like them)roasted on the fire then dipped in bailey's liqueur while still hot, sooo good. Also good if you stuff said marshmallow with m&m's

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  72. Smores of course! I make them on the stove more often though :)

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