Jillian Sharples Design

The Twelve Crafts of Christmas #2 Festive Debit Card Holder

On the second day of Christmas Jillian Sharples Design gave to me, a cute little Debit Card Holder to match my Christmas Tote Bag

Hi there! So, how are the festive vibes going? Have you got stuck in this week and sewn your own festive tote bag already? Looking for that final finishing touch of a matching debit card holder so you can shop in full festive style? Well, look no further!

Today I’m going to carry on with our Christmas shopping theme, and show you how to make a neat little wallet for carrying your debit cards. This will fit conveniently in the pocket of your Christmas Tote Bag and is all you need in our current cash free society!

What you’ll need:

1 fat quarter or equivalent piece of fabric measuring roughly 40 x 40 cm maximum.

Cutting board (if you have one)

Cutting ruler (if you have one)

Roller cutter or scissors

Tape Measure

Sewing machine

Matching thread

Needles and Pin

1) Preparing the fabric

For this project you want to begin by cutting out 4 pieces of fabric:

2 of 11.5 cm x 12 cm – for the main body of the wallet

1 of 11.5 cm x 9 cm – For the larger pocket

1 of 11.5 cm x 7.5 cm – For the smaller pocket

1) Prepare the pocket pieces

Take the two smaller pieces of fabric and fold a 1 cm hem along the long edge of each fabric. Fold it a second time to make a double folded hem that won’t fray. Pin down.

Sew a stitch line along this, a couple of millimeters in from the folded edge.

2) Making the wallet

Lay one of the main pieces of fabric down, face side up. Place the larger of the two pockets on this, lengthways along the 11.5 cm length of the fabric, 1.5. cm from the bottom edge of the main fabric. Measure 4 cm from the bottom of the main fabric and stitch a line across the pocket piece. This will ensure you don’t lose your debit card in the depths of the pocket!

Place the large pocket on top of main fabric 1.5cm from bottom

Place the second pocket piece on top of this edge to edge with the bottom of the main fabric.

Place the second piece of main fabric on top, face side down. Pin all the fabric together, leaving a gap along one edge, 3 cm from each side edge, for turning in the right way.

Top Tip

I place the pins for the gap or ‘doorway’ vertical as this helps me remember not to sew here.

Starting at one side of the gap / doorway, sew a line of stitches all the way round the fabric, 1.5 cm in from the edge. Remember to do a few back stitches at the beginning and end to secure the line of stitches and prevent fraying.

Cut off the four corners, leaving a couple of millimeters between the cut and the stitch line. This helps the corners to be turned neatly with no bunching.

Turn inside out.

Smooth the wallet out and iron the hems of the gap flat if necessary before pinning together. Using a simple ladder stitch to close the remaining gap.

Top Tip

If you are unsure of how to do ladder stitch, or slip stitch as it is also known, please watch my youtube video

https://youtu.be/GcwIu0OeWt8

And, Voila! You have a lovely little debit card wallet to pop in the pocket of your Christmas Tote Bag!

So now you’re all ready for the Christmas shopping trips, join me next week when I’ll show you how to make a nice and simple, lucky dip advent calendar!

The Twelve Crafts of Christmas #1 Christmas Tote Bag

On the first day of Christmas Jillian Sharples Design gave to me, a lovely Christmas Tote Bag

So, here we are, ready to start getting festive with the first of our ‘Twelve Crafts of Christmas’, and what better place to start getting into the festive spirit than by thinking about Christmas shopping. Let’s face it, that’s generally where the festivities all begin isn’t it. To be honest I have already purchased a few items, yep I’m one of those people!! In fact, I’m pretty sure I bought my hubby something back in the golden heyday of pre-lockdown shopping! Where it is I’m not entirely sure at this moment but he clearly hasn’t found it yet!

Now I’m not saying let’s make a lovely festive tote bag and take it out shopping next week! But I do like to get organised, so if that’s you, when the time comes you’ll be all ready to go Christmas shopping in your very own festive style!

What you’ll need:

5 festive fat quarters or 1 metre of fabric (1 metre at a width of 115cm will be perfect. Most craft fabrics are this width so that’s nice and easy)

Sewing machine

Complimentary thread

Tape measure

Cutting board (if you have one)

Cutting Ruler (if you have one)

Scissors or roller cutter

Needle and Pins

Preparing the fabric:

1) Select 4 of your fat quarters, you’ll want 2 pieces of main fabric for the outer bag and 2 pieces of lining fabric.

If not using fat quarters, you’ll want to cut out 4 squares of fabric measuring somewhere between 40x40cm and 50x50cm depending on how large you want to make the bag.

If you are just using 1 metre of fabric you can self-line the bag, if using fat quarters you can select a different fabric for the lining, it is up to you to design your festive tote bag as you wish.

2) Using the remaining fat quarter cut 2 lengths of fabric 10cm wide which will form the straps.

If using fabric from the roll cut 2 strips measuring 10cm x 50cm. Although, if you are using a metre of fabric and want longer straps you can.

3) Lastly, cut a rectangle measuring approximately 16cm x 20cm. This will form the inside pocket of your festive tote bag.

Now you have all the fabric ready it’s time to start making!

Making the festive tote bag:

1) The straps

Take 1 piece of strap fabric.

Fold the long edges in so that they meet in the middle.

Next fold the 2 outer edges together and pin.

Sew a line of stitches all the way round the length and width of the strap, a couple of millimeters from the edge of the fabric. Remember to go over the starting point with a few extra stitches to secure the stitch line at the end.

Repeat for the second strap.

Fold the two edges in to meet in the middle

2) The pocket

Take the piece of pocket fabric, lay it on its front and fold a 1cm hem all the way round.

I’d recommend ironing hems but it isn’t necessary.

Place it on the front side of one of the pieces of lining fabric, lay it in the middle, 11 cm from the top. Attach with pins.

Top Tip:

On a 50 x 50 cm square I placed mine roughly 16 cm from each side edge

On the machine affix the pocket by sewing around the bottom edge and the two sides. Not the top edge as this is the opening to the pocket! Remember to do a couple of backwards stitches at the beginning and end of sewing to secure the line.

3) Attaching the handles

Now you are ready to put the bag together!

Lay a piece of lining fabric down, face side upwards. Lay the first strap in the middle at the top of the fabric with its outer edges meeting the edge of the fabric. Place the outer side of each end of the strap 15 cm from the side edge of the fabric.

Lay a piece of outer fabric on top, face down and pin along the top edge, securing the lining and main fabrics together with the straps secured in between. Make sure to secure each end of the strap with a pin so that it doesn’t move whilst sewing.

Sew a line along the top edge of the fabric, securing the straps inside, 2 cm from the edge.

Place straps in the centre on the face side of the lining fabric

Next, lay one side of the bag flat down, face side up. Place the second piece on top, face side down.

Quick check

Ensure that the lining fabric sits on top of the lining and the outer fabric on top of the outer.

Pin together all the way round, leaving a gap of 15 cm in the middle of the bottom edge of the lining fabric for turning in the right way.

Fabric is matched up face sides together

Top Tip

I always put vertical pins at either side of the gap – so it kind of looks like a doorway – as this reminds me not to sew over this section.

Now you can sew it all together!

Start sewing at one side of the gap or ‘doorway’, 1.5 cm from the edge of the fabric and remembering to do a few back stitches first to secure the line. Sew all the way round the bag to the other side of the gap, remembering to do a few backstitches at the end also.

Cut off the four corners, leaving a couple of millimeters between the cut and the stitch line. This helps the corners to be turned neatly with no bunching.

Turn the bag in the right way.

Using ladder stitch sew up the gap at the bottom of the lining fabric.

Top Tip

If you are unsure of how to do ladder stitch, or slip stitch as it is also known, please watch my youtube video

https://youtu.be/GcwIu0OeWt8

Once you have closed the gap, push the inner fabric down inside the main fabric, pushing the corners down into each other firmly.

Final step: For a little more stability in the bag, sew one stitch line all the way round the top of the bag, a couple of millimeters from the edge.

Top Tip

I tend to place pins in the fabric so that it doesn’t pull whilst sewing

And, Voila! You have a beautiful Christmas Tote Bag

But before writing those lists and heading off to the shops, check out next week’s blog for the second of our ‘Twelve Crafts of Christmas’. I’m going to be showing you how to make a cute little wallet for your debit cards so you really do have everything you need for your Christmas shopping trips!

Prelude to ‘The Twelve Crafts of Christmas’

The Twelve Crafts of Christmas are almost here…

So, if, as I publish this on September 11th, you’re thinking it’s far too early to think about Christmas I can only answer you by saying, in my most empathic festive voice, that you couldn’t be more wrong!!

Yesterday I went into a card shop and they had one whole wall full of Christmas cards! I then went into two of our local supermarkets and, guess what, they had big boxes of Christmas chocolates! What more proof do we need that Christmas is, if not just round the corner, at least round fewer corners than it was in August!

But, if you’d like more convincing, how about if I tell you that next Wednesday, 16^th of September, is officially 100 days till Christmas! So, for savvy festive planners the countdown must surely begin then!

This is why, here at Jillian Sharples Design, I am planning two things for September 16th…

Firstly…

I am officially launching my first Christmas range with a 3-day flash sale at my Etsy shop ‘The Cosy Cushion by JSD’.

So, if you are one of those super savvy Christmas shoppers who likes to get ahead of the game, check it out for 25% off all cushions and table runners, like these lovely options here, to brighten your home this Christmas!

Secondly…

On Wednesday 16^th, I am going to be beginning the first DIY craft project I am bringing you…

‘The Twelve Crafts of Christmas’

I have to admit I’m pretty excited about sharing these 12 little projects with you. They came about in the middle of the night one day when, as usual, my toddler couldn’t sleep. I got to thinking about what a strange year 2020 had been and that maybe lots of us needed something to cheer us up. That maybe Christmas this year would become even more special as we try to make up for lost time with our nearest and dearest. The idea of getting at least our loved ones together in one place for an extra special meal might be the most important thing for you this year. Or perhaps you’re thinking about treating friends and family to something extra special like a handmade gift. Maybe having more time at home this year has made you focus on the need for a more money-saving Christmas than usual or given you the desire for a more environmentally friendly Christmas. Because let’s face it, Christmas is probably the most un-environmentally friendly time of the year! All that excess packaging and wrapping paper really grates if you take the time to think about it!

Whatever your own thought process is behind taking on a little festive craft project, I’m going to be covering a little of everything. We’re going to be looking at some fun crafts to bring a more festive touch to your Christmas shopping, a few ways to give your Christmas table a handmade, festive touch, and some lovely ideas for decorating your house and giving simple gifts. We’ve got reusable crackers, reusable gift bags, Christmas tree and hanging decorations and, finally, a decorative way to use up some of those little bits of leftover fabric.

So, stay tuned, we’re going to be covering a lot of fun little projects that you can use year after year.

Best of all, I’ve made sure each of these little craft projects can be carried out by using simple fat quarters if you don’t want to buy a larger quantity of fabric off the roll or you like the variety of designs that fat quarters give you.

I’ve tried to make sure these are all super simple projects, so I’ve left out any extra steps that might over-complicate things so that if you’re a complete newbie to fabric craft projects you won’t get overwhelmed! Trust me, I’ve been there before, following a tutorial to make something that looks simple, getting stuck on one step that I just can’t get my head around and giving up! I’ve tried to eliminate that for you. Christmas planning should just be about fun not stress right and that’s what I’m here for!

So, hopefully see you next week for our first ‘Craft of Christmas’, have fun till then!

Welcome to my blog!

Hi there, welcome to my blog, my name’s Jillian from Jillian Sharples Design. That’s right, it’s my very own little cottage industry where I get to pick beautiful fabrics and designs and use them to make lovely soft furnishing!

So, to give you a little background, I’ve been dreaming of setting up my own soft furnishing business for years. Ever since I worked in the lovely soft furnishing department in Harrods, London, when I was a student. I totally fell in love with fabric that first summer I worked there, the textures, the colours, the designs, everything about it just spoke to me. So I developed this daydream about wanting to set up my own curtain making business. But, as is often the case, life just got in the way and I went off on various tangents! Anyone else find life gets in the way of your dreams?!

Well, I worked in the social sector, I worked in retail, I worked as an English teacher abroad, and somehow everything managed to lead me back here. I was living in Russia with my lovely husband, Jack, teaching English and enjoying the museums when I realised I finally had time on my hands! Not something that had ever happened in my previous working life!

So I started studying and completed my Diploma in Interior Design. I loved it! It was great fun and really interesting. When we came back to the UK the following year I then enrolled in my next course and completed my Diploma in Curtain Making and Soft Furnishing skills, which I also absolutely loved! Since then I’ve had a baby, moved to the beautiful Cotswolds and been carrying out private jobs for people on a word of mouth basis. Until now, finally, when I am ready to actually set up my own business. Can’t believe I made it!

Life is a funny thing. I’m quite a cautious person so I was originally planning to make my first range and take part in a few Christmas markets to see what the feedback was. And then Covid happened! Well, I thought, who knows what will happen about Christmas markets this year so let’s rethink and give it a go. So, somehow, I’ve gone from selling a few things in a market to creating an entire range and setting up an Etsy shop! My shop is called The Cosy Cushion by JSD by the way! It’s been a crazy 5 or 6 months, researching eveything and figuring out answers to hundreds of questions, where to sell, how much to charge, how to advertise, and the list goes on, and on, and on!!! But here I am and quite frankly, it’s super exciting!!

So what about my blog? What can you expect from me here? The answer is a few things! Over time I’m going to delve into things like design principles for beginners, style, colour and texture ideas, fabric craft projects, a bit more about what I do and how I do it, things that inspire me, and so much more.

But, given that my first range is all about Christmas – yep it’s not far off now even if it is still only August – let’s start with that! Because, let’s face it, it’s been a rough year all round, so perhaps we all need to feel the love this year and get into the Christmas spirit even more than usual. So over the next couple of months I’m going to be bringing you my ’12 Crafts of Christmas’, some lovely DIY craft projects to get you feeling festive. They’re perfect little projects for when you want to get creative, they’ll help you create beautiful items for the house or even as gifts, and some of them may even make you feel a little more environmentally friendly or money saving. What’s not to love about that right? So if you’re interested, stay tuned in to my blog over the next few months and lets get festive together.