Hopeful Threads

E-Reader Case Tutorial

4 Comments / Hopeful Threads, Remember September, tutorial / By

Happy Sunday Everyone! Today I have a tutorial for an E-Reader Case that I designed. I have included 2 closures for my E-Reader case – zipper and hook and loop. You could easily eliminate the zipper but I chose to include it because over time…hook and loop seems to not work as well. At least it sure doesn’t seem to last long on Anne’s shoes!

The tutorial is available via PDF download. This post is part of the Hopeful Threads Remember Service Men and Women September 2012 project. I hope you will find it easy to follow and fun to make! As always, please let me know if you have any questions!!!

Sew BitterSweet Designs – E-Reader Case Tutorial

Pattern Review and Giveaway

41 Comments / Hopeful Threads, Pattern Review, Remember September / By

Hi Everyone! Happy Saturday!  Today I have a great pattern review and giveaway for you! The pattern is E-Book Reader Tablet Case by Rebecca Ruth Designs.

Image Courtesy of Rebecca Ruth Designs

I first bought this pattern for myself at my local quilt shop (where Rebecca works part time and teaches!) when Kristy and I were first planning the Remember September project. I already knew how to do pillowcases but I really wanted to make an e-reader cover. I fell in love with the fabric on the cover and it looks like something I could easily do. Here is the one I made, it is the medium size and fits my Blackberry PlayBook perfectly.

What I love about Rebecca’s patterns is that she offers so many options and the directions are clearly written.  For this pattern alone she offers 3 different sizes, 4 different closure styles, 2 different types of padding (peltex and batting), as well as directions for string piecing if you want to make the case out of scraps.

As you can see in the picture above, or at least I hope you can see, I went with the batting and quilting option. I wanted something extra padded and the batting and extra layer of muslin really provided that, my Blackberry isn’t going ANYWHERE!

I also decided to go with the velcro closure option. The other options included buttons or a strap to slide the top under. I stayed away from buttons because I was concerned about them possibly coming off down range and if you lose the closure then it wouldn’t function very well. However, in lovely everyday use, I think the button option would be gorgeous!

Observations:

  • The pattern is well written, any sewing experience level could easily sew this project
  • There are extra materials required: either peltex or batting (scraps can be used) as well as closures (buttons, cord, or velcro)
  • This is a hard copy pattern and all pattern pieces are included on one large sheet of paper. I did not want to cut my pattern apart so I grabbed my trusty freezer paper and traced the pattern pieces on there. That way I can continue to use my pattern for years to come and keep it stored in it’s original bag.
  • As an added bonus, Rebecca also includes directions for altering her pattern for size, so if the 3 sizes don’t fit your e-reader, you can make it fit!

In Summary:
I would definitely recommend this pattern for all skill levels. I was able to use scrap fabric from my stash and scrap batting as well. The only special techniques involved is the closures and Rebecca has included very detailed instructions making them easy to accomplish.

Now, thanks to the generosity of Rebecca Ruth Designs, you have a chance to win your own copy of this e-reader case pattern!
Simply follow the Rafflecopter prompts below to enter.
Giveaway open to all. Winner will be randomly selected, emailed and posted here 9/13/12. Winner has 48 hours to respond or alternate winner is selected.  *Please note – This is a paper pattern and will require shipping.
Good Luck to all!

Weekend Sewing

10 Comments / Contemporary Cloth, Hopeful Threads, Remember September / By

This weekend I did A LOT of sewing for Remember September with Hopeful Threads! I made 1 new e-reader cover everyday!  I guess you could say that I was a little excited 🙂

The one with the fireworks was designed by Rebecca Ruth Designs – look for a pattern review AND a giveaway of the pattern this weekend!

The other three are designed by ME! I know it may be silly that I am so excited about these but they include a couple of features that I am not used to working with – zippers and velcro and I am quite proud of figuring out all the dimensions and techniques on my own. A couple of things I can cross on my “To Learn” list.  There will be a tutorial for my E-Reader cover on Sunday – the coolest part, at least what I think is the coolest part, of my tutorial is the fact that with 2 fat quarters – you will get 2 e-reader cases!!! Pretty cool.

Now don’t forget the our Remember September project is collecting E-Reader Covers AND Pillowcases! Today over on the Contemporary Cloth Blog there is a great tutorial for a pillowcase – make sure you head on over and check it out. Have you started sewing yet? If so, don’t forget to upload your photos to the Flickr Group – we want to see what you all have been up to!

Have you all started sewing yet? If not, are you planning on joining us? Have a great Wednesday – can you believe this week is already half over?!?

Pattern Giveaway from Hopeful Threads

7 Comments / Hopeful Threads / By

Hi Everyone! Today I have Kristy from Hopeful Threads here for you with a great giveaway for the Birdiful Stitches Padded E-Reader Cover.  You can enter either here or over at Hopeful Threads! Take it away Kristy!
________________________________________________________________________

I am very happy to introduce you to Birdiful Stitches.

 

Birdiful Stitches offers a unique selection of PDF patterns for a variety of accessories and children’s clothing. Her padded e-reader cover pattern is one I’ve purchased and used before and will be using again this month for our Monthly Project.

When I shared about our plans for our project this month, Berritt, the designer behind Birdiful Stitches didn’t hesitate to show her support! Not only is she offering a giveaway, but she is offering a bundle of 3 of her patterns to 3 WINNERS!!! And the winners get to choose the patterns that make up their bundle!

To enter, just follow the simple Rafflecopter prompts below.

Giveaway open to all. Winners will be randomly selected, emailed and announced here 9/10/12. Winners are given 48 hours to respond and claim their prize or alternate winners will be selected. 

+++PLUS!!!!+++

You can use the code “twentyfive” to receive 25% OFF any purchase from the Birdiful Stitches pattern shop this week too!!!

Thank you Birdiful Stitches for such a generous giveaway and discount!
Good Luck to all!

Creating a Handmade Holiday

23 Comments / Hopeful Threads, Remember September / By

D-Day (D for Deployment)

As many of you know, my husband is in the US Army and he is currently deployed in Afghanistan.  Being a military family is not always easy. We are pulled in a million different directions and most of the time being pulled apart by outside forces.  It is never an easy path to walk down and we try to do our best every day to make it work.  One of the hardest things about deployment, aside from him missing every single day with our daughter…is being separated for all the special days. Birthdays, anniversaries, the first day of school (ok, we are not there yet, but I know this is hard from watching my other military friends), and the holidays.  These days always feel like they are somehow lacking when half of you is missing.

Since the day he left I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out how to not only make the holiday season special for Anne and I but how to make it special for my husband and the men and women he serves with. I have teamed up with Kristy from Hopeful Threads for the September 2012 “Remember Service Men and Women” project.  We wanted to not only send Holiday gifts to the soldiers, but something handmade and something useful. After much hemming and hawing we have come up with two different items that we think would be well used down range: Pillowcases and E-Reader Covers.  Every soldier has a pillow and many have e-readers or something similar.  There are lots of things I could talk about in this post, but today I wanted to talk as a military spouse, which I don’t often do…

It is easy to sometimes feel forgotten, especially at this stage in the “war”.  Our family members leave and our whole world changes.  It is easy to feel as though you have no community – it was how I felt before I joined this wonderful community online. The idea of being able to send the men and women in my husband’s battery a Handmade Holiday…well it just makes my heart sing. I know that they would feel loved and remembered and well taken care of. The taken care of part is, I think, what means the most. They are out there every day, laying it all on the line, taking care of us, and I can’t think of a better way to make them feel like someone else wants to take care of them too than taking the time to make a handmade gift.

For more details on the project please head over to Hopeful Threads. Kristy and I have a lot of fun planned for this month including tutorials from some pretty talented sewists and quilters, giveaways from some of your favorite shops and fabric designers, as well as a series of interviews with several army, air force and national guard spouses.  These spouses will tell you first hand what your contribution means to them.

So grab a button and get ready to sew!

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