Love Ultra Suede

Before I tell you all about ultra suede, I need to show you what I've been doing the last few days. I made more wristlets with embroidery and gave them as gifts. One hour happy sewing and happy friends. Love that and they show people who want one. Happy advertising for me. One girlfriend wants to order two for each of her three daughters. We're going to pick out fat quarters when I get back from Vegas.

So I've sewed those two bags mentioned in last post; still not happy with the bulk of the bottom seam. I showed the manager at Ben Franklin and she said, with a straight face "write a new tutorial and sent it in to the magazine." Genius. So I am writing a new tutorial for the Pick a Pocket bag from the Quilts and More magazine.

I wrote down what I liked and didn't like. I changed up the straps and made them detachable with snap hooks and D-rings. I eliminated the bottom seam, which made me change the pockets. I will post the tutorial this weekend. I have two test sewers who are happy to try it for me. One is an English major, who'll check for spelling and phrasing as well as sewing. whoo hoo.



Ultra suede love it. Love, love, love it.

One of the guys who works with the Hubby is going overseas to Germany and he likes the idea that we make things as gifts. For Christmas all of our friends got something handmade by me or the Hubby. So I made him a Journal Cover in ultra suede with his name embroidered on it. This is so simple. Measure the notebook. width , height and depth of the spine. Add 1 inch to height, (8 1/2 + 1) width times 2 plus spine plus 1 inch (5 1/2 x 2+ 1/2 + 1) so I cut the ultra suede 9 1/2 by 12 1/2. I marked the right side of the cover 3 inched from the right and 4 3/4 from the top. My chalk pencil didn't leave any chalk but the suede had nap so the movement of the pencil left a simple mark. This is to center the embroidery. I got the directions from an Anita Goodesign pack for Snowflake Accessories, with ultra suede. I cut two of the cover and then two 3 inch by 9 1/2 inch for the pockets to hold the book cover. I taped the pockets to the inner cover while the embroidery machine chugged away. Make sure the nap is going the same way. If you tilt your head you can see if the nap doesn't match. (This warning is from personal experience. My business card holder has one pocket that doesn't match.) lol. then you trim the tear away stabilizer and layer onto the pocket inner cover and sew 1/2 inch seam the tape held the pockets in place while I sewed, because the suede to really thick. It sews like butter. just go slow. Peel the tape and trim your seams. Waa laa.

I also made him luggage tags with the extra ultra suede.

My picture isn't great but the tags turned out great and the suede is cut to one inch and sewed onto the web belting and a snap hooks is attached. I scorched the ends of the belting. I actually recycled an old Scouting belt of the Hubby's. I gave him back the removable buckle.

I got carried away and made a bunch of name strips for many of our friends. I need more 1 1/2 inch web belting and more snap hooks. The ultra suede is so nice the embroider, you just find yourself petting it. I designed a few more book covers and I'll stitch them out tomorrow. Tonight is Pizza Night and the teenagers voted to go out to a local pizza place. Which means I need to put on a clean shirt not covered in thread and lunch.