Sewing Projects

So I bought a sewing machine in the fall & have been anxious to sew up some new goodies for my shop. I haven't sewn for years & the last time I made something using a pattern was during my 4-H years. In other words, it's been a LOOONNGG time. But I wanted to try making clutches, and hopefully make them good enough to sell in my shop.

Here's my first attempt at one clutch pattern.

Not too bad, but the seams aren't perfectly straight & the snaps don't match up well. Plus I couldn't understand the instructions about how to sew the bottom corners, so I had to make it up. I love the color of the lining, but it was really hard to work with.

I found an easier pattern, and tried it with a different fabric & lining.

It is much easier to sew, but in it's simplicity it loses some of the details of the previous one. And the lining really doesn't work well with this fabric.

Same idea as the houndstooth clutch, but I altered the dimensions a bit. And I used fabric from an old skirt I found at Goodwill.

It was pretty flimsy, so I added some fabric stiffener to it. However the stiffener altered the color of the fabric and caused it to be a bit blotchy.

I attempted the 1st pattern again, this time with different lining & interfacing.

How it ended up in a completely different size & shape is beyond me! I followed the exact same directions.
I like this different lining so much better.

Saw an idea for another pattern on Pinterest. I altered the pattern a bit & added a fabric flower.

Finally! One that is worthy of selling :) This one, too, was not quite stiff enough. I added the fabric stiffener, which helped some. But it's just going to have to be a less stiff clutch.

 I have learned so many lessons learned about fabric types, types of stitches & color combinations. Hopefully soon, you'll see some shop-worthy ones available to buy!

Now what do I do with all these subpar clutches?

I also tried making reusable coffee cozies. Again, lessons learned about button shapes & sizes and elastic band sizes. Here are first 2 attempts.

This one is reversible, but the thick band made the stitching go all wonky. 

This one isn't reversible because of the thickness of the button. Again, the elastic band is too thick.

After some adjustments, this one is a keeper!

I am working on an apron project & will post photos once it's finished. Stay tuned!

www.hazelstreetdesigns.com