Hey Constant Crafters!
Long time no type, Fellows of the Craft! My summer gig kind of took over my life and I am very glad to have had the forethought to take a break from the blog and focus on the work at hand. But I am just as jazzed to be back on the keys and back to my most "constructive" (I had to do it) hobby, crafting.
Let us start this winter with my favorite holiday, Halloween. This year the old ball and chain and I decided to be Scott and Ramona from Scott Pilgrim vs the World. I hemmed my thrifted green khaki dress, cut the wig, and made my purse from my own pattern. Add in my Mary Janes, steampunk goggles, finger-less gloves (not pictured); and for warmth: leg warmers and a hoodie. My sweet fella searched Etsy for a purse or a pattern and found a few but, cmon, I can create a round purse so... that leads up to our
FIRST TUTORIAL OF THE SEASON!
Ramona Flowers Star Purse:
SA=Seam Allowance
- Yard of fabric (I used duck cloth, it is thick and treated for outdoor use), color of your choice (Ramon had several versions in the movie)
- Fat quarter of the Star's color (use a faux leather)
- Thick interfacing (may be iron or sew in, your choice)
- A dinner plate
- Zipper, at least the length of half the circumference of your dinner plate
- Thread in these two colors
- Sewing Machine
- Tape measure
- Iron
*For my star, instead of a fat quarter, I bought a black, fake leather purse with one large side big enough for my star; then I also had the use of all buckles and O-rings on purse. Possibly the zipper too if you're diligent and careful.
- Use your dinner plate to cut two circles of fabric and interfacing (you may also cut two additional circles of fabric if you do not want to see your interfacing inside your purse). Use 1/2 at SA.
- Using the entire length of the fabric, mark and cut your strap and width of the purse in strips.
- Strap: This width can be made to your preference. I marked 3.5 inches wide strip; quarter inch SA and a 1.5 inch wide strap. Fold in a quarter inch on each side (ironing as you go), fold entire width in half, and top stitch on both sides.
- If you are using hardware from another purse, measure how wide the buckles and rings are so you know how wide to make your strap. Adjust measurements as needed.
- Purse Width: Here I cut two 2.5 inch wide strips, including .5 inch . You'll need two strips so you can sew your zipper in between them.
- Sew purse width straps together, pressing SA open. Find center of width and follow instructions on package for an invisible zipper, making it about half the circumference of the purse.
- For Star: Find a picture of a star on the interwebs, save and adjust size to fit circle, and trace or print a pattern. Cut out star.
- Iron or baste interfacing to fashion fabric circles.
- Top stitch star to one circle.
- This is where you would baste your second fashion fabric on the inside to hide interfacing.
- Pick a star point as your top center and find the center of your zipper. Start at those points and pin fashion sides, sew purse width to one circle. Repeat on other circle.
- Sew excess width closed at bottom. Turn right side out!
- Decide how long you want your strap to be (take into consideration your buckles and rings, at this point you're on your own or comment for help). Close the ends (fold in and top stitch if you haven't already done so) Top stitch just below the zipper.
- You'll see on mine, I had O-rings. I cut a short length of strap to go around the ring and top stitched to purse and to strap.
- Press the seams so they're not rolling and you're done! Make sure to avoid the star, as whatever plastics faux leather is made out of will melt on contact with your iron (I learned that lesson the hard way).
**For a more XP, you may also use a slightly smaller, contrasting color star top stitched on the bottom star and piping in your contrasting color around the circles.
BK
