Pineapple Damask: 2012

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Angela Bag

I have been busy recently with making purses! I thought I had posted pictures of the purses and wallets I've made, but apparently, I haven't. I'll upload pictures in a minute, but right now, I am going to show you my most recent accomplishment, the Angela Bag!

This is a bag that my sister (Angela) requested. I asked what she wanted it to look like and she decided to leave it all up to me, with the caveat that it had short straps. Hurray! I love to have free creative rein. Here it is:

From Angela Bag

My mom had picked up a fat quarter pack for me a week earlier and, since fat quarters are my absolute favorite (how else can you get such a great variety of fabrics without having to buy yards and yards?) I decided to use that pack for this purse. I sketched up a quick Dresden plate for the stripwork and quilted them with the "stitch in the ditch" method. The top and handles are bias tape.

If you look at the picture of the innards closely, you'll notice that there are actually two fabrics for the lining! I didn't have enough of one fabric for the lining, so I used two. If I say that it's supposed to be that way, than will anyone know any different? Haha!

I hope my sissy loves this bag!

Continuous Bias Tape

I was really excited to hear about this! Traditionally, when you make bias tape, you have to piece multiple strips together to create a length of tape long enough for your purposes. However, I recently learned about a technique where you manipulate the fabric beforehand and create a continuous piece of bias tape! It's already pieced for you :) Oh joy.

It takes a little tinkering to get it right, but once you have the technique down, it goes really fast. Plus, it saves on all that sewing of little strips of fabric. Here's how it's done.

Take a perfectly square piece of fabric. Mine is 10x10. Cut the fabric along the long diagonal. This is the bias of the fabric. I will refer to these edges as the bias edges from this point on in the tutorial.

Then, put right sides together and align one of the short edges on each piece. You will sew along this edge. I usually do a 1/4" seam allowance. Afterwards, iron open the seam. This will set the stitches and reeduce bulk.

On the back of the fabric, place lines parallel to the bias edge and as wide as you need for your bias strips. I am making 1" bias tape, so my lines are 2" apart. I used a regular pencil for my lines. I always use a pencil. It's cheaper than a seamstress pen and just as washable.

Here's the tricky part. You'll want to bring the bias edges together to create a square. Lining up the lines helps. Then, you need to offset the edges by the width of your lines and realign the lines. It's hard to explain in words. just tinker with it. Pin in place and then follow the lines with your fingers. You want to be able to trace completely around the tube of fabric from one end to the other without dead ending at your start point. Once you figured this out and you have it all nice and pinned, sew that edge. Again, I used a 1/4" seam allowance. Iron the edge open when you're finished.

If you did if right, and I'm sure you did, cut along your line (it's now one continuous line!) Carefully cut only through one layer of the fabric!

Yay! One long strip of bias fabric.

Finally, run that strip through your bias maker and make something fabulous with your bias tape!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Ombre Birthday Cake

How do you make a six year old ecstatic?

You make her this birthday cake.

Wait...it gets better. Here are the innards.

I saw a picture of an ombre cake online, and was instantly inspired. I HAD to make one for my Cuppy Cake's sixth birthday. I was sure she'd flip for it. I was right.

I have a confession. I have never made a birthday cake before. Seriously. I don't like cake, so I don't make it. For my husband's birthday, I usually do a pineapple upside down cake (I guess that counts as cake) but I never decorate it. For Cuppy Cake's previous birthdays, my in-laws always picked up a cake on the way to the par-tay so I never had the chance to make one. But, after seeing an ombre cake, my mind was made up. I was going to make one for my Cuppy Cake. Besides, how hard could it be?

Normally, that would be followed by the line, "famous last words," but not this time! This cake was deceptively simple. Here's how to copy my technique.

First, turn on Pandora radio. I recommend Showtunes. Yes, there will be dancing. If there is no dancing, your cake will FAIL. Guaranteed.

Then, make the batter for your favorite 2 layered white cake. I obviously don't have a favorite, so I just used a generic recipe. After it's mixed, have puppy taste test it. Puppy gave her approval.

Separate the batter into 4 equal parts; I used soup crocks (and made a bit of a mess.) Then, use food coloring to tint each part of batter, starting with the lightest, and increase the amount of dye in each batch to create an ombre effect. I used 3 drops of red and 1 drop of blue in my starting batch.

Then, pour them into prepared cake pans and bake as directed. I only had 2 cake pans, so I could only do two layers at a time. The pans I used belonged to my grandma; they are old, but work great.

After your cake layers are cooked and cooled, stack them on top of each other. I did lightest on bottom and darkest on top. To hold the layers together, I used blackberry preserves instead of icing.

Finally, decorate as desired. My momma made the icing and I crumb coated the cake and then iced it. My icing technique needs a little more work, but I just sprinkle-bombed the entire thing, so no one could tell it was a little wonky.

Add candles, light, blow out, and serve!