Other Sewing Projects
Hanger Cover, Jewelry Case, and Bridal Emergency Bag, May/June 2003
Pattern: "Made for Travel" by Mary Mulari
Fabric: Ivory silk dupioni and ivory poly satin (lining) from Fabric.com; Rayon ivory jacquard napkin and placemat from Fortunoff.
The Hanger Cover and Jewelry Case
When I saw this in Mary Mulari's book I thought it would be so nice to hang a wedding dress on, so I decided to make it for my friend Victoria, who's getting married in July. I wanted ivory silk (which Evil Stephen obligingly had) to look bridal but I wanted the pocket to be made of a different fabric. I was having trouble finding another fabric to coordinate, but when I went to a department store to get a placemat (which the jewelry case is made from), I had a brainstorm: I bought a matching napkin to make the hanger cover pocket out of. I like the ivory jacquard because it's tone-on-tone but a different texture than the silk dupioni. The pocket has an exposed zipper and then I covered the zipper tape with a pretty ribbon. The bottom of the hanger cover also zips. On the jewelry cover, I also used ribbon (folded in half) to edge the vinyl pockets, instead of bias tape as suggested. It was a little diffiult to sew, but it worked fine. I used monofilament thread on the ribbon and the vinyl pockets, which are just strips of vinyl sewn around 3 sides and a few times down the middle to make different size pockets. I love the ring holder: one side is sewn to the placemat and the other velcros. (Thanks to my husband for loaning his ring for the photo!) Oh, the hanger cover is lined because the silk dupioni was see-though otherwise. I added a velcro dot as well so that when you fold the case inside the hanger cover, it stays folded.
The "Bridal Emergency Kit"
I filled this bag with a sewing kit, mints, Tums, Advil, safety pins, deoderant, etc.--all kinds of things a bride might need on her wedding day. This was more difficult than the other pieces (or maybe I was just more tired! I did most of it the night before the shower.). It was hard to get the tassle sewn on the bottom and match up the points at the same time. And I lined it as well and wasn't sure exactly how the get the bag and lining to stick together. I like the detail (suggested in the book) of tying on the button with a ribbon--very pretty. I used a scrap of the same jacqard napkin for the tab at the top, to tie it into the other pieces. It's amazing to me how different it looks empty & folded, vs. full! My MIL did Victoria's initial on the bag for me in a tone-on-tone machine embroidery. Actually, she embroidered the fabric first and then I cut out the bag piece, so she wouldn't have to bother centering it. My friend was thrilled with her gifts and I was so excited to give them to her. I can't believe her wedding is less than two weeks away!
