Sunday, April 06, 2008

Playing with a pillowcase


Spanish pillows and pillowcases are long and narrow. The pillows span the full width of the bed, and the cases are even longer tubes, open at each end. On the Saturday market they were selling them for €2 each, which is cheap as chips for a piece of cotton cloth 110x80cm, especially when you reckon that someone has gone to the trouble of putting wide double facings and bias binding inserts at each end! I looked at them on my way down the hill, and was tempted, but didn't buy. Further down the hill though, I was tempted by a pale aubergine handbag that was a much better match for the outfit I was wearing than the bright red carry-all I had with me, so on my way back up again, I had a good excuse to buy a pillowcase to match.
So far today I have made a fold-up-in-its-own-pocket shopping bag, and have plans to make a zipped pouch on a long strap to hold my keys, so that it will be easy to haul them out of the depths, and probably a couple of other bits and bobs, and still have the other end of the pillowcase left to make a bag in a pocket to give away. Did I say that I bought an orange red and white pillowcase as well?

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:25 pm

    That bag in a purse is so clever. Any chance of a tutorial? How inspirational. Thanks.

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  2. Oh yeah, that's good. And so much material bang for your buck! .... or euro ....

    :)

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  3. Totty, any chance of a couple of photos of how the folding/rolling up goes? I can work out most of it and would love to make one for my Mum for Mothers day (Sunday week). I have one (some) lovely Monkey tea-towel to use for one side of the bag :o)

    ps verification word ZUTKITEN....a mis-spelled kitty???

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  4. Zut alors! Eve; No great mystery to the folding, and Pantha, this might be enough information to get you on your way until I get round to doing a tutorial with photos. When you have cut out one side of your bag, fold it in thirds horizontally and vertically. You will now have 9 sections. The centre section is the size and position of your pocket. Make a note of the pocket size, draw it out and add a flap about one third of the pocket's depth. I cut two pockets and sew them right sides together leaving an opening, turn and slip stitch, then make a buttonhole on the flap to suit the button I am going to use. Sew in position on one side of bag, then make up your bag.
    To fold the completed bag, lay it down, pocket to table. Fold each side in level with the edge of the pocket, fold top and bottom over pocket area, then roll all layers up from the bottom towards the flap. Mark where the buttonhole comes on the pocket bottom and sew on button. I have found that nearly always, depending on the thickness of your cloth, instead of rolling, you can fold the layers into thirds to make a neat packet. If you need any more clues, you know where I am...

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  5. Actually, now I have had another look, my flap is about half the depth of the pocket, not a third, and remember to have your flap up when you roll.

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