A Natural Pair - Ultra Blue Star Petunia/Tahiti

Happy Saturday, Sewists!

I love petunias because they bloom their little hearts out

in the heat of summer or the cool of spring and fall.

I can always count on my petunias to greet me with glorious color.

This one is the blue star petunia.

I've paired it with the By Annie Handbag zipper in Tahiti.

This picture is not re-touched.

I took it midday in the bright sunshine.

From the Wasatch Shadows Nursery here in Utah:

Ultra Blue Star Petunia will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Ultra Blue Star Petunia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

The By Annie handbag zipper in Tahiti is a popular color in my shop and you can see why.  It is a vibrant, beautiful purple color.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a terrific weekend.

Running With Scissors, Patterns by Annie

I used one of Annie Unrein's (Patterns by Annie) newest patterns:
Running With Scissors to sew this useful case.

The name of the pattern itself is clever,

but the assembly instructions for this one

are some of the most clever from any of the Patterns by Annie.

I started by quilting my main fabric, Soft and Stable,

and lining fabric together using my Block Rockit quilting machine.

BTW, I have my 14" Block Rockit on a 5 foot frame.

In my opinion, that is the perfect set up for a bag maker such as myself.

The cotton quilting fabric that I use is 44/45 inches wide,

which fits perfect on the 5 foot frame.

Also, I don't ordinarily quilt large quilts, just lap size,

so my set up stays this way all the time.

I prefer to quilt my fabrics and soft and stable all in one large piece

because cutting of all the components of the bag goes very quickly

after the fabric is all quilted.

Patterns by Annie usually follow a general set of steps.

In case you missed it, click here for my blog post on those steps.

There is an updated method of sewing the handle and "spine" support for this pattern.

It is different from other By Annie patterns that I have sewn in the past.

I really, really like the new method.

It helps keeps the top of the bag from bowing when it is filled with your supplies.

Speaking of supplies, you can fit a plethora of sewing supplies
(or whatever type of supplies you plan to carry) in this handy case.

The interior of the spine features fold-over elastic bands to hold items such as spools of thread.

And there are numerous slots and zippered pockets (vinyl, mesh, and quilted fabric).

Another plus about this pattern, is that the construction is done flat.  

← Interior

Exterior→

The zipper does not go in until the interior and exterior have been completed.

After the zipper and zipper tab are done,

the binding is added and that is the last step.

Here is what I have to say about the zipper and tab:
1.  After inserting the zipper, cut it the length instructed in the pattern,
then, if it is too long for your taste, cut a little off at a time until it is the length you wish
(for my personal taste, this zipper tail is too long, so I plan to cut it down by about half).
2.  Add a metal zipper end for a more professional touch:
Gather your zipper end supplies and mark the length of your zipper

Cut the zipper along your marked line (DO NOT use your good fabric scissors)

Roll the sides of the zipper toward the center on the wrong side of the zipper

Use a dab of glue for added security
(my favorite is Guterman HT2, available on Amazon)

Push the zipper down into the zipper end as far as it will go
and allow the glue to set for about 30 minutes

Add the teeny, tiny little screw that comes with the zipper cord end,
and tighten it down with a teeny, tiny screwdriver

Here's what it looks like on the top side

In case you haven't had enough of my ramblings,
here's a video to give you a closer look at my tool case:

Thank you so much for reading my blog.
Have a terrific time sewing your own tool case.

A Natural Pair - Butterfly Bush/Ivory

Happy Saturday sewists!

This week's natural pair is the white butterfly bush and

the ivory By Annie handbag zipper.

Although the butterfly bush is called white,

it leans more toward the ivory side,

as you can see in the photo above.

The butterfly bush (generic name Buddeleia Davidii) comes in

several colors:  pink, purple, red, white, yellow

I have the pink, purple, and white growing in my backyard.

True to their name, the butterflies love them — and so do the hummingbirds and bees!

Butterfly Bush is a deciduous shrub here in zone 5,

but it can be an evergreen in warmer zones.

Be careful in those warm zones, though, it could become invasive.

That's not the case here in colder zones.

I just cut mine back almost to the ground every winter and it grows to be about 10 feet tall

the next summer; and it is a prolific bloomer from late July through frost.

My pink and white butterfly bushes are side by side and they make a massive statement!

I used a By Annie ivory handbag zipper on my Ultimate Travel Bag.

If you don't need a true, stark white zipper, the ivory is a nice neutral choice.

Thank you for visiting.