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

New fabrics

The mailman brought me some gems. Echino fat quarters.

The new Heather Ross Far, Far Away III. This stuff is soft. Like almost quilt cotton soft. And almost with some drape to it. Almost. I love it.

Bicentennial decor

I was only a toddler in 1976 but for some reason the design of that year really fascinates me. When we were house hunting a few years ago we looked at this place with an entire bathroom wallpapered in liberty eagles. So when a living room set popped up on eBay, I watched it with great interest. I didn't bid and it was relisted. I felt it was my duty to buy it at the lower price and a couple of weeks later, it arrived from the original owner. I think it's cool that dollhouse furniture follows the trends in the 1:1 world; read this interesting post by diepuppenstubensammlerin.

I have people in mind when I work out my inspiration for a scene. This place is rented by some hipsters who think that bicentennial decor is hilarious (like myself). I played around with some doily action but ended up taking the space in a more modern direction. They like contemporary art and nice glassware but also throw in stuff they've picked up at yard sales and the Salvation Army downtown.

I do realize how crazy this all sounds but my job can be super high stress and staging these little scenarios relaxes me in a way that sewing never will.

I'll put more details in the flickr captions as I feel I've gone on long enough.

Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress . in action

I finished the Jump Rope dress ages ago but it was too cold to wear it. It's been hanging on the wall in my "studio" for months. In honor of 1001 Peeps Summer Camp, I cut an onion scepter from the garden and took some photos.

This is the size 4. I think the skirt would look great in 1001 Peeps too. This is Castle Peeps and the top is Amy Butler.

And a gratuitous action shot.

The scepter.

1001 Peeps Summer Camp!

I am so excited to finally be able to share with you all that I am going to be a 1001 Peeps Summer Camp Counselor!

Join me on July 1 for a super awesome Peeping Peeps zippered bag tutorial.

2011 Summer Camp starts today at Sew Mama Sew so go check out the first project.

Here are some buttons that you can add to your blog:
200 dpi

150 dpi:

Summer Camp happens every Friday; here's the roster:

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

The rest of the details are over on Lizzy House's blog (her birthday is today so go say hi). There will be giveaways and tutorials and some other fun stuff.

A bit of fundraising

Later this Summer I'll be leading a small group of students on a service learning trip to Jamaica where we'll be helping run a camp for at-risk youth in a small rural town in the mountains.

My students are really amazing and they are doing everything they can to help cover the costs of the trip. I thought I'd help out by putting a button here on this blog. Any donation, even as low as $15 will make a difference. We want to help the community purchase some new sporting equipment that is safe -- little things we often take for granted in our own cities.

If you're viewing this on a reader or through a feed, just click over. The button is on the left. Thanks!

Horses and girls

I've never been a horse girl. Never. I've ridden horses a couple of times in my life and I would be happy to again. As a girl, however, I never played with plastic horses (except for a few My Little Ponies, if that counts). It just wasn't my thing. I was more into other things (and I'll post on those next week).

So why I bought this fabric from Spoonflower, I will never know. But it's gorgeous. I splurged and chose the voile. It is soft and lovely. I was bummed at first when I saw that Heather Ross' Far Far Away III line included some of these same prints but they are on totally different fabric so it's all good. I am loving, loving, loving the ochre and browns. This palette reminds me of my early childhood before the '80s got all bright.