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More Project Envelopes

I love making these but I do not like using the sticky Velcro and sewing through it. I had not sewn it on for the first three envelopes I made so this morning I sewed it on two of them while I still had green thread on the machine. Then, when I went to change the thread color, I could not thread the needle. I must have tried a dozen times and I kept thinking . . I’m going blind! I was able to do this first try every time just a couple of weeks ago. All the diseases/sicknesses that make you blind were running through my head . . ok, I only know of two but if I would have had my phone, I would have googled it and decided I had them all.

Then I realized the needle was all gunked up so I changed it, made three new bags, planned to go back to the gunked up needle to sew through the sticky velcro, then remembered I’d still have to thread the darned thing so I went and got a Q-tip, soaked it in alcohol, ran it up and down the needle, was able to sew the Velcro on but the machine would start skipping stitches so I had to clean the needle after every piece of velcro – six times to sew the velcro on three bags.

I could buy the non-sticky velcro but that’s not going to be fun to get in place. I don’t want to use a button and buttonholes. I’m afraid a big snap would eventually tear the fabric. Any suggestions for closure. I thought about making little eyelet openings and using ribbon but that would be too much temptation for Oscar. Anything that dangles or he can plan with should be avoided.

This morning I looked at the bobbins in my bobbin box and decided I would make project envelopes that will work with yellow thread til the yellow bobbin is empty, then I’ll move on to another color and try to empty out some bobbins. How’s that for good decision making skills? 🙂

Three new ones on top, three older ones on bottom. Maybe I’ll work on a rainbow and make a bunch of red ones next time.

These are really fun to make and they’re so fast. I had been lining them with a different color – something that matches. This morning the yellow one on the left was the last one I made. When I cut them, depending on the way the pattern goes on the fabric, my preference is to cut off 31″ from the length, then I have a piece that’s WOF x 31″. I can then cut 2 – 14″ x 31″ strips and have leftover fabric to cut strips for mounting to the frames or for making ties for my tomatoes. For that left yellow one, I used the same fabric for the lining as for the outer fabric. That wasn’t very exciting. I won’t do that again.

When I first made them, I thought I would make two per color but that would mix me up if I’m trying to remember what’s in each bag based on the strips sewn to the linen in the frame. It isn’t like there’s a shortage of fabric. I’ll figure it all out but I do need your ideas about fasteners besides sticky velcro.

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Comments

    • Judy, I am using non stick velcro. What I is sew the soft edge on the bag front down where I want it and centered on the front. I think it is 1 ich down from the top edge. This piece is easy to pin in place. Then for the hook bit on the flap I figure out how far from the edge that is a good spot don’t hook it tightly and center it as well. Then you can easily take it apart and hold it to sew it on. This piece is difficult to pin. I cut my strips of velcro about 2 inches long.

      I also “box” the bottom corners by 1inch because I find the hoop fits better. I made few other changes as well but they are too complicated to write out on my tablet.

      • You’re much more precise than I am. I eyeball it and go. What I’m going to do is put a bit of fabric glue on the both sides of the Velcro, so it won’t be anywhere near the edge I’m stitching on, put the strips together. Place the two pieces where I want the piece on the flap to be. Close the flap, mash it down so it sticks. Put a book or something on them. A few minutes later, using my fingernail, I’ll separate the pieces and sew them both down.

        These are just for my own use so I’m not being terribly picky about how they look.

  2. Judy to hold the non sticky velcro in place–get a piece of double stick tape. Put it in the middle and position it on your project, then you can stitch without it gumming your needle yet be in the right place.

    • What I was doing was removing the protective cover and sticking the the velco (both pieces still together) to the flap. Then removing the protective cover from the side that would be attached to the bag part, closing the flap, then using my fingernail to separate them so both pieces were exactly where they needed to be, then sewing them. That’s the placement that has me concerned . . getting everything lined up exactly right.

  3. These are lovely. I do not have a fabric stash as I do not quilt and only sew to finish stockings, etc. I usually only buy what I need for those. But I have bought some thrift shop slacks and jeans made of pretty patterned fabrics and I’m going to try cutting them in a way to make project bags from them. I also got a table runner I will try to make two bags from, and have already converted a couple of quilted placemats and pillow shams.

  4. Judy, the easiest thing to do is clean the needle with rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover, you don’t need to get rid of the needles. Easy peasy!

    • That’s what I’ve been doing but I have to stop and clean the needle before I finish sewing one 2″ strip of Velcro because it gets so gunky that it starts skipping stitches.

  5. I don’t like working with sticky Velcro either. In fact, I won’t use it. However, when I use Velcro, I take Elmers school glue stick put a good amount on the back of it and place my Velcro where I want it and press with my hand – not heat because you can melt the Velcro. I don’t have nearly the problem with the Elmers school glue stick. Give it a try I think you might like it.

    • Thanks. I’ll have to buy some non-sticky Velcro unless I can figure out how to get the sticky off what I have.

  6. I agree with friendly Helen!
    Use a glue stick or liquid school glue on regular Velcro

  7. I just use a couple of drops of fabric glue outside of the stitching line. It holds the Velcro in place and does not gum up the needle.

  8. Instead of velcro…you could sew a folded strip of fabric, bias tape, ribbon or elastic that’s attached at the sides so it goes across the front near the top and then tuck the flap underneath it to keep it closed?

  9. Hate sewing ANY Velcro. I have finished a bag with a large heavy duty snap and it works great. Zippers are my preference. I’ve also seen the hair ponytail elastic bands sewn into the seam on one side and a button sewn in the appropriate opposing spot to fasten. Also works well.

  11. Maybe the magnetic fasteners – the kind used for purses – would work for your project bags. Your bags are really pretty!

  12. Hi Judy, I hate velcro and find it a nightmare ,I am off to make my SAL project bags using zip on a roll, as I have several rolls sitting ,looking at me!
    Catch you later

  13. – I would try Goo-gone on the adhesive, and two or three dots of Elmers school glue in the center of the strip (allow to dry) to hold it on while you sew it. Or could you put snaps in the corners of the flap rather than one in the center? I use zippers 😉

    • It’s not worth trying to get it off the Velcro I have. I ordered some non-stick Velcro that will be here tomorrow.

  14. Just use a couple dots fabric tacky glue in the center of the velcro piece, weight it down, and let it dry. Sticky velcro is the worst!

  15. When Vonna was explaining the Velcro I thought to myself that was going to gum up the needles
    I might do the button and elastic or magnet. Let me know what you decide to do.

  16. Get a plastic snap kit off of Amazon. They are used on cloth diaper covers. Or on Thread minders on Etsy.

  17. I sewed a big button on the bottom (underneath piece) then looped a piece of piping on the flap to fit around the button and sewed across the ends. I finished it off with another button on top to hide where the piping was attached. You could use a patch or applique or anything.

  18. I would use a hair tie and button or sew a loop and use with a button.

    • The problem with that is if Oscar gets access to one of them, he’ll pull the button and the hair tie off and swallow them. He should never get access but those things happen so I’d rather not use anything that allows for the possibility of him getting hurt.

  19. I also hate sticky velcro. I was in the military and had to sew name tapes on all of my gear. This was after everything transitioned to velcro everything. I thought, sticky velcro would be perfect for that because all of my name tapes were velcro and none of my gear had a velcro patch for it to go on. HA! No! I had to hand sew it all on. My fingers hurt so bad! I was lucky they weren’t bleeding. Never again. Good luck with the glue. Hopefully that works for you. I think I would do the little button and elastic idea myself.

    • I would do the button and elastic except for Oscar. No matter how careful I try to be, he still gets things and he would chew both of those off and swallow them in a heartbeat.

    • I cannot even imagine hand sewing through Velcro. The non-sticky version arrived yesterday so maybe soon I’ll get time to try it.

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