How to Attach a Quilt Label to a Quilt

Quilt labels are the perfect touch to personalize a quilt.... But....

I'm usually so excited to just finish the quilt that I am working on, that I normally skip this step. I've come to realize that a label is important for many reasons though. 

#1- if you are giving the quilt as a gift, it really adds personalization because you can add a name, or a date, or an occasion for the quilt being gifted

#2- if you are keeping the quilt for yourself, you can add any details that you (or posterity) would like to remember for years to come. (for instance, back in 2012, I made Scrappy Trip Along quilt as part of a quilt along on instagram, so for that quilt I made a label that said "Scrappy Trip Along 2012". Original- I know! haha)

I personally love to make quilt labels that are embroidered. I usually stitch my words and then add fabric scraps from the quilt around the edges in some way- just to tie everything in.

I recently discovered Sulky printable sticky fabric-solve stabilizer for embroidery. It's pretty cool stuff. You can print right onto it, so you don't have to trace any patterns, you peel the back off, and stick it to the fabric. Then after you stitch, you soak it in water for a minute and the stabilizer disintegrates. Initially I was kinda skeptical about soaking my newly stitched label in water, but it totally worked. A word of cation though- The first time I tried it, I used a calligraphy sort of font that printed a lot of thick dark ink to for the letters, and then didn't follow directions to use the "draft" setting on the printer so that the ink would print lighter. BIG MISTAKE! Unfortunately some of the ink from the paper stained my fabric while I was soaking and resulted in the label looking slightly blotchy in spots. So make sure that you don't do that. The second time I tried it, I used a font that was thin and printed in the "draft" setting and had no issues.

So once my label is stitched, I trim the fabric down to the size I want and sew strips of fabric around the edges- in this case, a log cabin sort of design.

*side note: I did add a little fabric appliqué detail to the label- for the "8". I printed an 8 on reynolds freezer paper, ironed it to my fabric, cut out the 8 and then applied Pellon 805 Wonder-Under Fusible Web to iron/stick the appliqué to the fabric.

After the label block is finished, I iron the top and left side edge under 1/4" inch to give it a finished edge for stitching. The right and bottom raw edge will be covered by the quilt binding so you don't need to do those sides. 

Next, I pin the label on the back side of the quilt on the bottom right corner. I used a basting stitch and 1/8" seam allowance and baste the right and bottom edge of the label to the quilts edge. 

Then I used straight pins to hold the top and left side edge  in place and used a whip stitch by hand to attach the remaining two edges to the back of the quilt. I do this because I don't like to see where the quilt label is attached when looking at the front side, but if you don't mind you can totally use your machine and sew around all of the edges and be finished. The hand stitching those two edges doesn't take long, and I like the look of it better, so I don't mind the extra step.

 After the label is attached to your quilt, just attach your binding and bind as you normally would.

Voilà! You are done! A finished quilt with a cute little quilt label.

Hope this helps! Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo, Ashley

6 Must Have Tools for English Paper Piecing

English paper piecing is hands down my favorite way to sew/quilt for a many reasons.

Here are just a few:

1. I can sit on the couch (or anywhere for that matter) while doing it.

2.  I love piecing itty bitty pieces of fabric by hand that I know wouldn't enjoy piecing on my machine.

3. I love fussy cutting and find it easier to match up fussy cuts when piecing by hand than as opposed to with my machine.

4. I love the shapes that I can easily create with EPP and I love that I can piece them with total precision. (If I were to try these shapes on my machine, I know I would be ripping seams out and feeling frustrated.)

I've been doing EPP for just over 3 years and I am totally hooked. I started with hexagons in my Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt. (still a work in progress) I am a little over half way done with my queen sized quilt. I only work on it a couple times a year. One of these days I need to get it out and work on it until it's all done before I work on my other projects!

Hexagons are such a simple shape to start with. I love them. I am using 1 1/2 inch hexagons in my flower garden quilt. 

Then I came across a fun quilt on IG called the La Passacaglia. (Search the #lapassacaglia hashtag on IG and you will find the most amazing creations!) I started making mine just over a year ago. I am about 1/3  of the way with piecing the top and I am having to much fun. 

Here's a current progress shot as of today:

After thousands of hours (i'm being totally serious when I say thousands), I have come up with 6 tools that are "must haves" in my book for English Paper Piecing. 

#1- Pre cut paper pieces. 

I know that some people swear by cutting their own papers and save lots of money doing that, but in my opinion the money spent on perfectly precut papers is worth it. Let me tell you why. 

A. English paper piecing is labor intensive. It takes lots of time to cut your fabric, baste/glue the fabric to the paper pieces, and then sew them together. Adding another step (cutting paper) to that, makes an already long process longer. I know some people invest in diecutters and other machines to help them cut their pieces- and if that works for you- awesome! For now, I am sticking with ordering my pieces and not having to mess with cutting anything out.  

B. One of the things that makes EPP look so amazing is that each shape is precise and fits together like a puzzle. Mis-shaped pieces can alter that and make the process less enjoyable if you are trying to fit pieces together that aren't matching up, which is likely to happen due to human error. Maybe it's just me, but I can't cut the same shape, multiple times, exactly the same no matter how hard I try. I like to leave that to the professional paper cutting people... paperpieces.com. (and just in case you were wondering- they aren't paying me to say that. It's just my opinion. You can find paper pieces from multiple sources, but the only ones I have ever tried are by paperpieces.com so those are the only ones I feel comfortable recommending) 

C. With a project like the La Passacaglia, there are thousands and thousands of pieces in it. If I had to worry about trying to cut all of those and make sure they were exactly the right size, I'd go crazy! It's a crazy enough project to begin with. Having a pack of pre cut papers show up at my door makes tackling this quilt doable (in my opinion).

ok... I think you get my drift. 

#2- Acrylic Cutting Templates

Oh man... these are a lifesaver for me and they go hand in hand with the pre cut paper pieces. These are thick acrylic shapes that match the papers you are using, but they add a seam allowance to the shape. Plus they are see through, so you can easily cut your fabric and see exactly what you are cutting.

Which leads me to my next tool...

#3- Rotary cutter

This is another MUST for EPP in my book. I cut all of my fabric with the help of my rotary cutter and acrylic templates. It ensures that each piece is nicely and uniformly cut. I like this rotary cuter by Olfa best. 

#4- Elmer's Disappearing Purple Glue Stick

When I started doing my hexagons, I was thread basting the fabric to the papers and it worked great, but it took about double the time as glue basting. SO many people kept telling me to try glue, but for some reason I just didn't want to.... Until I started my La Pass. I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to thread baste those tiny shapes. So I ordered a Sewline glue pen. At over $6 a pop I was a little worried about the cost of this huge project and how many I would go through. 

I loved the Sewline glue pen and loved the feel of the glue, but after a couple refills, my wallet was begging me to look for other options. After doing a bit of research and asking some trusted EPP friends, I decided to try the purple Elmer's glue sticks. I wasn't sure at first, but after a couple tries I was hooked. Being totally honest, I still love the feel of the Sewline pens the very best, but not enough to spend ten times the amount per glue stick. 

Around Christmas time last year, I found a crazy clearance at Walmart for packages of 2 Elmer's glue sticks for the price of... wait for it... 10 cents. That means that each glue stick was 5 cents. It had to be a mistake right?? But sure enough, I grabbed all that were there (about 10 packs) and took them up to the check out. I got 20 glue sticks for $1. It is hands down the best sale I have ever gotten in my life. I've been using them for almost a year now and have only gone through a couple packages. I'm set for a long time! ;)

So after working with these glue sticks, I can tell you that I have fully tested them out enough to give you the recommendation of using them. Just apply a small amount about 1/8" away from the edge of the paper piece on each side and fold your fabric back to the glue to secure. When it's time to remove your papers, I've found that a quick pass of a hot iron over the fabric helps to warm the glue up a bit and makes for easier paper removal. (but honestly if I am in a hurry, my papers come out just fine without doing this step too.)

Whew... that testimonial was a little long- sorry!

#5- Richard Hemming and Sons size 11 milleners needles

My sweet friend Mary Dugan of Molly Flanders + Sunny Day Supply recommended these to me. I had been piecing for hours and my fingers were throbbing. She told me about these amazing needles that whip through the fabric like butter... so I ordered some. Oh my heck you guys!! They are hands down the most life changing sewing supply I own. I can not even tell you how easily they go through the fabric. They are so thin... Like super duper thin, so pushing them through time after time is effortless. I am a convert- never again will I use another needle for EPP. Plus they are $2.10 for a pack of 10. Please run... do not walk... to the nearest place that carries these needles and buy some! You can thank me later. ;)

#6- YLI Silk Thread 

This is a supply that is very much debated in the EPP world. Some people swear that you should use cotton thread since you are using cotton fabric, some say polyester is best because it is strong and doesn't break, the list goes on and on... but you can bet that the answer will vary person to person.

 Here is my experience.

I started my EPP with Aurifil cotton thread because it is the superior thread in my opinion when it comes to sewing with my machine. I love it, so I figured I would love it with my EPP too. WRONG. My thread was getting so tangled and snapping like you wouldn't believe. I was so frustrated with it. So in a pinch I switched over to a basic Coats and Clark poly thread that I had on hand. It was fine, but I found it hard to hide my stitches when I was using it. (sidenote: After trying different method of EPP, I have settled on the Whipstitch. It works best for me and just feels more natural to me than other methods.) 

So I decided to try something else. I did some more research and settled on the Superior Bottomline 60 wt polyester thread. It is pretty near un-snapable, and I've never had it tangle on me. YAY!! So in that sense, it is such a great thread to work with. But I was still having problems with hiding my stitches. Darn! After more research and asking around, someone suggested using YLI 100 wt silk thread. I ordered some and right off the bat, it was snapping easier than the bottomline, but not as bad as the aurifil. It doesn't tangle though with is great. After getting a feel for it and it's "snapping point" I found that if I was gentle with it, I could easily hid my stitches with better results than the other threads I had tried. Yahoo! Most of my stitches are pretty much invisible with this silk thread. Since it's 100 wt, it's super fine and just blends into the fabric as long as you are using a similar color to the fabric you are using.

So- to be honest, this is the supply that I am still kinda on the fence about. I love the durability of the Bottomline thread, but I love the result of the YLI silk. So I think I will go back and forth between threads depending on the project I am making. For the La Passacaglia, the YLI silk thread is my choice. For my Flower Garden quilt, I am using white fabric around each flower and don't really have to worry as much about hiding my stitches as much, so I think I will stick with the Bottomline. 

So there you have it.... 6 must have tools for English Paper Piecing, according to yours truly! :)

Hope this helps!! 

Happy Sewing!!

xoxo, Ashley

Quilted Suitcase Tutorial

This post is sponsored by Fabricworm. 

One of my girls favorite things to do is play "Baby"... which consists of packing every play baby item that they own, loading up their strollers, and going on an adventure with their bitty babies all over the house. They usually use their messenger bags that I made them as diaper bags, but as we have collected more and more baby clothes, the bags aren't quite big enough to hold all of the items. So last year, I made a dolly suitcase for them to share. The only problem was just that... sharing! That little suitcase is very much fought over in our house... and who can blame them?! It is pretty darn cute! 

 So after months and months of promising another suitcase to play with, and having the perfect bundle of Acorn Trail fabric show up at my doorstep from Fabricworm to use, I hunkered down and made a second suitcase.

Since it is such a fun little case, I thought I had better make a tutorial so y'all can make one too! Believe me- this little case is not limited to the use of holding dolly clothes either! It is perfect to hold just about anything! :)

Let me start with a preface. 
I made this case bigger and sturdier than my first case- which resulted in a tougher sewing job to complete, but I really love the result of how shapely it is. I will warn ya- there were brief moments of "Weekender Bag" flashbacks and a short, but very real moment where I wanted to throw it across the room... But all in all its a fairly simple bag to construct- especially if you opt not to do a "super sturdy" version... I'll explain that option in a bit.

For this case, I used a Quilt As You Go method for making my pattern pieces (just like I do in my Weekender Bags). I learned the technique from Elizabeth of Oh Frannson. She has a fabulous tutorial if you are not sure how to do this (just click to the link above). The only thing that I did different for this bag, was I substituted and used fusible peltex instead of quilt batting which resulted in a super stiff panel for my case. I really love the flat stiff panels that I created- but like I said... there were a few moments that I was regretting that choice! Sewing with peltex is a pain, but now that I am all done- I love it!

 So for the supply list, I'm gonna give the sturdy (peltex) suitcase list and the softer (non-peltex) suitcase list and depending on which version you make, you'll just make adjustments throughout the pattern, but I will do my best to accommodate my instructions for either version. Keep in mind that when I say "softer"- I use that term lightly... Creating a quilt as you go panels for your project results in a very sturdy/stiff case... But using peltex results in a RIGID case.  Make sense?

Please remember that I am an not a professional pattern maker. I just do this for fun. You may find a mistake or two in my instructions/design of the case. My hope is that if you are making this, hopefully you aren't too new to sewing and you've probably made a bag or two and should be able to make any adjustments needed along the way. 

And as always- my patterns are for personal use only... DO NOT MAKE ITEMS USING THIS PATTERN TO SELL. 

Whew... Enough chit chat- yes? 

Let's get down to business!

I am going to give a few supply lists. The first list will be the supplies you need regardless of whether you are making the stiff or softer case. The other two lists will be specific to whichever case you are making. 

Keep in mind that my case is about 11x15 inches and is 5 inches thick. You can totally make your own size, but the supply list and my instructions will accommodate this size.

One last thing... Please read through the entire tutorial before buying your supplies. There are a couple modifications you can make that are not included in the supply lists. 

SUPPLY LIST

-Various sizes of fabric scraps to created your patchwork panels

-1/2 yard fabric for lining

-3 1/2 yards bias tape (store bought or you can make your own with 1 1/2 inch strips of fabric cut on the bias)  

-36" Robe Zipper (It's a non-separating zipper- I get mine at Joann)

- eight inches of 1.5 or 2 inch wide grosgrain ribbon or twill tape for the suitcase handle
-Regular quilting machine needles as well as heavy duty machine needles to change out throughout the project.

SUPPLY LIST FOR 

STURDY CASE                    SOFTER CASE

1 yd. fusible Peltex           large scraps quilt batting

3/4 yard drill cloth                    3/4 yard duck cloth

(the reason I use drill cloth for the sturdy case is that I haven't had much luck with peltex fusing well to duck cloth since it is a rougher weaved fabric, but it fuses great to the drill cloth. And using duck cloth in the softer case, will give it just a slightly stiffer feel which results in a better shape than if you used the softer drill cloth. You can find both duck cloth and drill cloth in the utility fabric section of Joann or Hobby Lobby.)

Alright... I think we are ready to start!

First we need to do some cutting.

(when we are cutting- be sure to ALWAYS cut your side panel pieces in each fabric and peltex or quilt battting because this panel needs the width of fabric since it's so long and then cut your other panels)

Drill cloth or Duck cloth: 

side panel= 5 x 36 inches (cut first)

front panel= 11x15 inches

back panel= 11x15 inches

bottom panel= we will cut this panel later on in the pattern

Fusible Peltex (if you are using it):

(we cut these panels slightly smaller to allow for less bulk in seam allowance)

side panel= 4.25 x 35.25 inches (cut first)

front panel= 10.25 x 14.25 inches

back panel= 10.25 x 14.25 inches

bottom panel= we will cut this panel later on in the pattern

Quilt batting (if you are using it):

(we cut these panels slightly smaller to allow for less bulk in seam allowance)

side panel= 4.25 x 35.25 inches (cut first)

front panel= 10.25 x 14.25 inches

back panel= 10.25 x 14.25 inches

bottom panel= we will cut this panel later on in the pattern

Lining Fabric

side panel lining= 5 x 36 inches (cut first)

front panel lining= 11x15 inches

back panel lining= 11x15 inches

bottom panel lining= we will cut this panel later on in the pattern

Step 1: We need to make our quilted panels first. This is done by taking your drill/duck cloth panel, layering it with your peltex (and fusing) or quilt batting centered on the panel and then doing your quilt as you go method to cover both layers and make one panel. You will need to do this with your front and back panel as well as your side panel. I like my front and back panels to have a slightly rounded corner, so I used a jar lid as a cutting template and rounded the corners before I started my quilt as you go. If you want, you can leave your corners square, which will result in a more boxy/square case.

One thing to note... if you are using peltex instead of quilt batting, you may need to insert a new needle a couple times throughout your quilt as you go panels... Sewing through the peltex is really easy, but it seemed to dull my needle quicker than usual. 

To cut down on the time, I used one fabric for the side panel instead of doing a scrappy panel- but you can do yours however you like. 

So once you are finished with your quilted panels, you should have your front panel- back panel- side panel (all quilted), and your front, back, and side panels cut for your lining. 

 (now you will notice in my picture that I added fusible peltex to my lining pieces as well- just for added structure... which caused the weekender bag flashback and moment I mentioned above of wanting to chuck this thing across the room! I would not recommend this... which is why I didn't add the extra peltex to the supply list or cutting list. If you want to have a little more support and bulk in the lining, opt for a canvas fabric for your lining fabric, or you could add fusible fleece or stiff fusible interfacing (just remember to cut it slightly smaller than your lining to allow for less bulk in seam allowance). Or if you want full out crazy, get another yard of peltex and line yours like I did... just don't say I didn't warn you!)

Step 2: It's time to add the zipper to your side panel.. Take your quilted side panel and place your zipper face down along the top side of the panel and pin in place. Using a zipper foot and the longest stitch on your machine, baste your zipper to the panel with a 1/8" seam allowance. 

 Step 3: Place your lining side panel wrong side down on top of your quilted side panel and pin. Your zipper should now be sandwiched in between the two layers. Now, using your zipper foot and a regular stitch length, sew as close as you can to your zipper. (if you aren't fusing anything to your lining- just ignore the peltex fused to my lining piece)

 Step 4: Once you have sewn your seam, fold your lining panel to the back and press. Then top or edge stitch along the top of your panel to give it a finished look and also hold your lining in place to allow your zipper to open and shut nicely.
The front of your zipper panel will look like this:

The back of your zipper panel will look like this:

 Step 5: Now it is time to make cut and make your bottom panels. To do this, you need to take a flexible tape measure and measure all the way around your front panel. If you didn't round the corners of your front and back panels, then your measurement will be 52" (15+15+11+11). With the radius of my rounded corners, mine ended up being 50 inches. So you will take that measurement and put it into this equation (just put your measurement in where mine says "50")... 
50 (my measurement) - 36 (length of our zipper/side panel)= 14 inches
Now measure how tall your zipper panel is with your zipper closed. Mine was 5 1/2 inches tall, but yours may be slightly different. 

Take the 2 measurements and that will be the size of your "bottom panel". You will need to cut out your drill/duck cloth and also your lining piece (my panel was 5.5x14 inches) and then cut out your peltex/quilt batting (remember to cut it slightly smaller than your panel to allow for less bulk in seam allowance). 

(Now you are probably wondering why I didn't have you add a seam allowance for your bottom panel, right? Read on to the tip I shared at the bottom of Step 6.)

Once your bottom panels are cut, use the same technique to quilt your bottom panel. Again, I used a solid piece of fabric instead of going for a scrappy look, but you can do whatever you would like.

Now it's time to put your heavy duty needle into the machine.

Step 6: 
Attach your bottom panels to your side zipper panel. 
first take your quilted bottom panel and place it right side up . Then take your zipper panel and place it so that the exterior side or quilted side of the panel is facing down with the zipper closed. Then place your bottom lining panel right side down and pin along the end. Sew layers together using a 1/2" seam allowance. Do the same to the other side. Since your zipper side panel is so long, you will need to fold it in between your bottom panels to sew the 1/2" seam on the other side. See below for example.

 Now once both sides are sewn and you flip everything right side out, your zipper side panel and bottom panel should be making a big circle. Press the bottom panels in place on and top stitch using a 1/8" inch seam allowance on both ends of the bottom panel. After topstitching the ends, you can bast your bottom lining panel and quilted bottom panel on each raw edge if you would like just so everything holds together- but not necessary. 

Tip- For some reason after I did this step, even though I measured around the perimeter of my front and back panels and I made my panel without adding any for any seam allowance, the side panel (zipper and bottom panel sewed together) was still a little long.  (I have found that when I am pinning fabric to a curve for a bag, I don't need to add seam allowances, sometimes less fabric through the curve gives a better finish less bulk. and with the peltex being in my side and bottom panel that was even more true.) So when I made this bottom/side panel the length I had calculated (even without adding any fabric for seam allowances), when I went to pin and attach my side/bottom panel to the back panel, it was just a little too much bulk through the curves of the bag and I needed to shorten both the side and bottom panels about a 1/2 inch to make my panels and peltex smooth out and not have a wavy side and bottom of my bag.  So I folded everything back and repeated the above step after removing 1/2 inch from both the side and bottom panel. 
So you are probably wondering why I didn't have you do this to start with right? Well since I made my bag with crazy amounts of peltex, I think that may have a lot to do with why I had to do this. Peltex doesn't gather and ease around a curve super well so it needed to be a perfect fit for my side panel to lay correctly. 
(Sorry that was long and I hope it makes sense...)
So I would suggest after you press your bottom panels, before doing your top stitching on the bottom panels, do a little "test run" of pinning your side/bottom panel circle piece to your back panel just to make sure that your panel is the right length and everything fits well together. Unpin and make any needed adjustments. Then you can top stitch that last edge of the bottom panel. (If for some reason your panel is too short, you can always shorten your seam allowance to 1/4" instead of a 1/2" to make your panel a little longer. 
(look down to step 8 to see how to pin your panels together for your "test run")

Step 7: Attach your handle to the side panel. I did this by using fray check on each end of my ribbon to prevent the ribbon from fraying (if you don't have fray check you can just fold the raw edge under and then sew) and then centered the handle on the zipper side panel, pining in place, and stitched a 1 inch rectangle on each end to secure it. There is no rhyme or reason to how much of a bend you put in  the ribbon when attaching it... It's all personal preference and as long as you center it on the panel properly, the weight of the bag should be evenly distributed. 

Step 8: Now it is time to assemble the case. Do this by marking the center of your bottom panel and the center of your zipper panel (these are attached to each other at this point but just fold the piece in half to find the center). Then mark the center of the top and bottom of your back panel. Now, using your center marks, start pining the bottom (raw edge- not zipper edge) of your zipper/bottom panel around the perimeter of your back piece. Do this by putting the linings right side together and your quilted pieces should be facing out. We are going to have our raw edges left exposed when the case is sewn together. See below.
Tip: You may want to make small clips in your side/bottom panel piece to ease it around the curves of the back panel while you are pinning and sewing. 

Once the zipper/bottom panel is pinned in place to your back panel, use a basting stitch and sew using a 1/8" seam all the way around the back panel. 
(When you are done basting your panels, you should have the bottom of the case and side of the case in place with no raw edges on the lining side- all raw edges should be outside the bag.)
 After your panels are basted together take your bias tape and apply it. The bias tape will conceal the raw edge. I used my machine to sew it to the "side" edge of the case and then hand stitched the bias tape to the back panel. See below. 
(I just did it this way because of how much peltex I had used and there was no way I was getting that bunched up under my machine to stitch the other side of the bias tape to the back panel to finish it- but you are welcome to finish the bias tape however you would like.)

After you have attached the side panel to the back of the case and applied the bias tape, you need to attach the side panel to the front panel. This is so much easier than attaching it to the back panel- so if you are about ready to toss your project across the room- hang in there! 
Ok... Unzip your zipper and pin the zipper and bottom panel around the lining side of the top panel. Make sure you match up the center marks that you marked earlier on your side panel to the center marks on the front panel so that everything lines up correctly. Also-  make sure you have your panels facing the correct way so you don't sew anything upside down! ha ha
Once your two panels are pined together, baste around the edge with 1/8" basting stitch to hold everything in place for while you apply the bias tape. Once they are basted together, apply your bias tape.  

Again, I applied mine to the zipper side with my machine (and a zipper foot) and then hand stitched the other side of the bias tape to the front panel. I don't mind hand sewing- but you can do yours however you would like. I used quilt binding clips to hold it in place and I hand stitched. 

That's it! You're all done! Now you have a darling case to hold anything your heart desires! :) 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and I hope everything makes sense!

I love seeing everything you guys make following tutorials on my blog so be sure to tag me on instagram (@crafterbynight) or email me a picture of your cute projects along the way and after you finish!
Have a great week!
xoxo, Ashley

P.S. Fabricworm sent me the fabric for this project. I used various prints from the Acorn Trail collection by Teagan White for Birch Fabrics to do the patchwork panels. I used Tonal Floral Shell for the bias tape, Birds and Branches Coral for the side panel, and I used Peonies Mint for the lining. LOVE this collection! So gorgeous!

Quilted Ukulele Case Tutorial

(I originally shared this fun tutorial over on the Fabricworm blog)
Last summer by husband bought each of my girls a ukulele. He plays the guitar and has been wanting to get the girls started with music. The ukes seemed like the perfect size to start out with.

He got Makala Dolphin Bridge Soprano Ukuleles. One is the light blue burst color and the other is the pink burst color. We have been super happy with them. 

 They each came with a very soft/flimsy case which protected from minor scratches. Of course I needed to make something stronger and cuter to protect them- So I came up with this tutorial.

Now don't worry if you don't have a ukulele... this tutorial will help you draft a pattern that can cater to whatever you would like to make a case for- guitar, string instrument, etc.

 Like I said, I made the cases for a soprano Makala Dolphin ukulele, so if you have this same uke your measurements will be similar but be sure to measure as you go because as I found out the hard way- even though I have 2 of the same uke- they are slightly different shaped and sized. 

So your fabric measurements will just depend on what you are making the case for- but I will let you know what I used to give you an idea.

Supplies:

1/2 yard main fabric (exterior)

1/2 yard coordination fabric (interior)

1 fat quarter contrasting fabric (piping and handles)

3 1/4 yard  of 6/32" cotton cording to make my own piping (you could buy premade piping if you want)

1/2 yard duck cloth (I used this because I wanted extra stability for the case holding it's shape but it does add a bit of bulk when sewing- so if you wish to leave out the duck cloth and just go with the fusible fleece and fabric I am sure it would work fine too)

1/2 yard fusible fleece or leftover scraps of quilt batting

1- 36" robe zipper

(like I said before- you may need different yardage/supplies if you are making your case for something else.)

For both of my cases, I used 5 fabrics from the new Wee Wander line by Sarah Jane... Wander Woods in Petal, Wander Woods in Turquoise, Summer Ride in Melon, Meandering in Petal , Tree Lights in Rose.

Step #1: To start you need to trace your instrument on some paper. You will want this first tracing to be pretty exact. Once you have your outline, you will need to add some room all around the first traced line to account for seam allowances and wiggle room. I added 3/4 inch around the entire uke. (this picture is deceiving as it was hard to get a shot of it straight on- sorry about that... look at the base of the uke to get a better idea of how much room I added.)

 Step #2: Once you have your pattern for the front and back of the case you will use it to cut out 2 pieces in your main fabric, 2 pieces in duck cloth, and 2 pieces of your batting/fleece. You will want to cut your batting down 1/2 inch on all sides to reduce the bulk in your seam allowance when sewing.

Step #3: Place your batting on top of your duck cloth and your main fabric on top of the batting and quilt however you would like. I used a wavy stitch on my machine and quilted in straight lines. Quilt both your front and back panels.

Step #4: Next it's time to baste your piping on. (if you need help making your piping- here is a great tutorial  -for my piping I cut my bias strips 1 1/2 inch thick). Pin your piping on and baste around the edges of the main panels with a basting stitch. Even though your piping is cut on the bias and stretches, you may need to put some snips/notches in the seam allowance of the piping to get it to go around all of the curves of your pattern. Once you have both quilted panels trimmed in your piping- set aside for a minute.

Step #5:Now you will need to measure the depth or thickness of your instrument. My ukulele is 2 inches thick. 

One thing to note is that I made two cases- the first I made so it basically fit my uke like a glove- which I absolutely love the look of- but since it fits like a glove, zipping it up is kinda like putting on your jeans fresh out of the dryer- you gotta wiggle and jiggle to get the zipper shut.  The second case I gave it an extra 1/2 inch more in the depth of the case so it doesn't have any problem closing, but it definitely isn't as snug tight in the case. So decide what will work best for your project and alter accordingly.

You will need to add at least 1 1/4 inch for seam allowance to your depth measurement and more if you want it roomier. (when you sew your bag together- you use around a 1/2" seam allowance)

Ok.. my uke is 2 inches thick so I knew with seam allowance and putting my zipper in I needed to make my panel 3 1/4 inch thick (for the snug case) and 3 3/4 inch thick on the loose fitting case. The zipper I used is 36 inches, so I cut two panels that were 36 x 1.75 inches (for the snug case) and 36 x 2 inches (for the looser case). Once I put my zipper in they were the thickness I was hoping for. 

So calculate your measurements for the length and thickness of panels you will need. Then cut out 2 in your main fabric, 2 in duck cloth, and two in batting (but still cut your batting down a half inch smaller on all sides to reduce bulk). Layer them as you did the previous panels and quilt as desired.

I found my zipper at Joanns and it was the only one like it that was a smaller/daintier zipper but really long (36")- it's called a Robe zipper. If you are making this case for a bigger instrument you will want a longer and possibly heftier zipper. 

  Step #6: Sew your zipper into your panels. 

Place your zipper face down on the right side of one of your panels and pin in place. Use your zipper foot and stitch. Open up and place your other side of your zipper face down on the ride side of the other panel and stitch. 

 Step #7: Press your zipper panel open and top stitch. 

 I like to use a little trick of using my blind hem stitch foot to get my stitch perfectly straight, but you can use a regular presser foot as well- stitch about 1/8" from the zipper to give it a finished look and hold your zipper open on the back side. (see below)

Step #8: Make your top panel for your case. 

Start by measuring around the edge of one of your main panels- use a soft measuring tape so you can get an exact measurement. My perimeter was 56 inches.  

 So to determine the size for your top panel-

take the measurement of the perimeter of your main panel minus the length of your zipper panel plus a 1/2" for your seam allowance. 

Mine equation was 56"-36"+.5"=20.5"

Next measure the width of your zipper panel- mine was 3 1/4". 

So I cut a panel that was 20.5" x 3.25" in duck cloth, main fabric, and batting (but make sure you trim your batting to be smaller as you have in the previous panels). Quilt this panel as desired. 

Step #9: Place one end of your top panel right sides together with one end of your zipper panel and stitch with a 1/4" seam allowance. 

 Repeat with the opposite ends of the two panels. When you are done, you should have a circular panel.

 Step #10: Time to start assembling the case. You will need to pin your circular zipper+top panel piece right sides together to one of your main panels (your piping should be sandwiched in between these layers- already basted on). At this point you will want to determine where you would like the zipper placement. For mine, my zipper starts at the middle of the base of my uke and wraps around one whole side and up and over to the other side at the top of the ukulele's neck. Once I had it pinned, I got my other main panel and marked where the zipper placement was so I would have not trouble lining it up in the correct place when sewing on the other side of the case. 

Now put your zipper foot on your machine and move your needle so it is positioned so you can stitch as close to the piping as you can- your seam allowance will be roughly 1/2". Now it's time to stitch. Don't get discouraged on this part- it is kinda tricky sewing through the layers of the duck cloth and getting a close fit. Just stitch around once and then look to see if you need to go over any areas to get a closer stitch. If your machine is having a hard time stitching through it you could use a heavy needle.

Once the first side of the case is stitched to the zipper panel, it's time to pin your other side of your case on and stitch. Use those marks you made as a guide of where to line up your panel with the zipper openings so you get it even. One thing to remember is that you will need to open your zipper up so that when you stitch this side on you have a way to turn it right side out. When it is all pinned in place go ahead and stitch like you did with the first side. Again- don't get frustrated- just go slow and sew as close to that piping as you can get. 

Wheww... Take a deep breath- you are finished with the trickiest part! 

Step #11: Ok... now let's talk handles... Depending on the size of your instrument you may need a different size/heavier handle than what I made- but for mine I just used my cotton fabric and cut a piece that was 4" x 7". Then I pressed the ends in 1/4" on each side (making it 6.5" now). Then I folded and pressed in half (so it was 2x6.5") and then opened up and folded the raw edges in towards the center and pressed and then folded back over so the handle piece was 1"x6.5" with all of the raw edges tucked in. Then I stitch 1/8" from the edge around the whole thing to create my strap/handle.

I found that it was best to complete my case, put my instrument inside the case, and then pin the handle on the top panel (not the zipper side) to figure out where it needed to go. You will want your handle wherever it needs to go on the case so that the weight of your instrument is distributed evenly. Once it is pinned in place, you can stitch a 1" square on either side of the handle to secure it.

(in this picture below it shows me placing the handle on before trying my instrument in the case and I ended up having to pick out the stitches and redoing it because the position wasn't right to have the weight distributed equally.)

 Now it is time for the lining. Cut out panels in your lining fabric. You will need 2 main panels, 2 of the panels you used for your zipper panel, and 1 top panel. Use the same measurements that you used in the previous steps. 

Step #12: You need to recreate your circular top/zipper panel- but with out the zipper. So take the two strips you cut for your zipper panel and press in 1/4 inch on two edges that meet together where the zipper would go. Then place them right side together with the top panel and stitch in place with a 1/4" seam allowance. (picture below explains this if you are confused) Repeat for opposite ends... You should now have a circular panel like you did in step #9.

 Step #13: Use the exterior of the bag and mark on your lining pieces where the zipper start and stop is so you can position the lining exact. Then put together the lining like you did for the exterior of the case. Luckily this is 10 times easier since you are just using cotton fabric and not duck cloth! ;) 

Step #14: Hand stitch the lining into the case. I  hand basted the seam allowances of my lining to the seam allowances of the case so that the lining was held snug where it needs to be and isn't just hanging loose in there. (you could probably use fabric glue to glue your seam allowances together if you wanted too.) And then I just tucked the raw edge of my lining in as I went and whip stitched my lining in. 

That's it! You are all done!! 

Happy Sewing!

xoxo, Ashley