Chinese Leftovers - Tutorial Part 3

It was clear that the structure of the box would derive from the two "wings" that fold in being able to connect to the body of the box in a stable way.



Buttonholes and a button seemed like an obvious choice. But in order to make it reversible, I couldn't do a single buttonhole on each side, through both layers of each folded "wing" - that would only allow the box to assemble in one direction. Eureka! Make a pair of buttonholes in each wing, lined up to fall on top of each other perfectly so that the box could be buttoned up through all the layers!

I started out by marking the buttonhole positions based on the pinned-together box...but only on ONE side of each wing.


I then stitched and cut open those buttonholes, folded each wing into its finished position, and pinned through the finished buttonhole into the layer below, giving me a precise position that would line up with the first buttonhole. (Apologies for the blurry shot!)





With all the buttonholes completed and cut, the wings can be folded back into place, and a pin through all the openings will give you your final button position.


Making it reversible means you will have to sew two buttons at this position - one on either side of the fabric. I recommend using a button with a long shank - they are easier to work with back-to-back than a flat disc button, and the long shank is also friendlier when it comes to buttoning through four layers of fabric. I happened to have four old wood buttons with the look of bamboo - perfect for the theme!


So, we know it works...but, is it reversible?


Worked like a charm! Though a quick pressing is probably advisable before reversing, just for tidiness.

A traditional frog closure will be a perfect finish for the red-and-black side.


I'm not sure yet how I'll finish off the blue floral side. Maybe a fancy button with a thread chain closure in some silk buttonhole twist. And, for a strap? Simple - make one out of each fabric (+ interfacing for stability) in the desired length, just as you would a tie belt or a dress strap, topstitch the edges, add a buttonhole on each end, and button the strap right to the box! Alternatively, you could use a length of jewelry chain - something about the weight you'd use for a charm bracelet - add a lobster-claw clasp to each end, and clip it right to the button shank.

Now all you need are some fabric fortune cookies to fill it with, and you're good to go!

Chinese Leftovers - Tutorial Part 2

So, full of ideas, I choose my fabrics from the stash for the Chinese takeout box purse.


The first step is to make sure they're well pressed. I'm also careful to lay them out right sides together - the pattern isn't perfectly symmetrical, so that's essential to making sure I'll have the right side of the fabric showing on both sides.


Cutting them out, I eyeball a seam allowance of about 3/8 inch and add it.


When I cut out the interfacing, though, I trim it to more or less the original pattern size. This reduces the bulk it will add to the seam allowance. Fuse the interfacing to one piece of your fabric. It should be a relatively heavy weight woven fusible interfacing.


Right sides together, stitch the two pieces together in an approximately 3/8" seam, catching in the edge of the interfacing and leaving as small an opening for turning as your patience will allow for.


Before you turn, trim the corners at an angle and clip to the internal points of the design. This will help make your corners more crisp and precise.


Turn the project right side out through the opening you left. A tailor's awl is helpful for making sure you're not missing any corners. Another useful trick? As a final step before pressing, insert your scissors, blades closed, and run the back of the closed blades firmly - but not too hard - along the entire perimeter of your seam. This will give you a more exact line and will coax out any stubborn bits that haven't properly turned.


Press thoroughly on both sides. Topstitch around the outer edge, catching in the opening you left to turn the work.


Now the challenge is to duplicate the folds of the box. I decide that as a baseline, I should topstitch an outline of the base through all the layers of fabric. To do that I need to transfer those four points to the fabric without the residue of the box coming in contact. So, I use my awl to poke a hole in each corner position on the original box, making sure the holes are larger in diameter than my pins. I layer the box, external side down, on top of the fabric, being careful to match them correctly (remember, it's not symmetrical), and pin through the hole into the fabric and the ironing board below.


This gives me my four points. Using a ruler and tailor's chalk - which I can brush away later - I connect the dots for topstitching.


With the topstitching done, I can begin to press in the fold lines, using the original box as a guide. I start with an up fold on each of the rectangular lines I just stitched, providing the basic outline of each box side. Then I press in the other direction the two "wing" sides that fold across and are attached to each other to hold the box in shape.


A quick pin test tells me this is working out.


Leaving the pins in place, I further establish the box sides by pressing from within the box on each side in turn.


A final bit of pressing creates guidelines for the top folds of the box. Voila! Looking pretty good!


At this point, if I wanted to have only one side ever be the "out" side, I could stitch the sides together - perhaps with a decorative button on either side - and add a handle and closure. But since I want this to be reversible, I have a few more steps coming up tomorrow.

Chinese Leftovers - a *Tutorial* in Progress!

For reasons which escape me, the rest of my family appears to be congenitally unable to close the recycling loop and actually put the destined items IN the recycling bin, even though it's only a few short steps from the kitchen to the utility cupboard where it lives. Today, though, this was good news, because it's inspired me to undertake a sewing experiment.

As an activist for peace, I fold a heck of an origami crane, and one of my specialties is making them out of fabric - stiff interfacing fused to the back of the fabric, a precise square, and a hot iron to press each stage of the folding into shape, and they make wonderful holiday ornaments, be it just as they come in a festive print, or embellished with beads and bits of trim.


I haven't applied this approach to anything larger than a crane yet, though. I've made fabric-covered puzzle boxes and picture frames before, but those have always been using double-sided web to fuse the fabric and batting to a cardboard base.

Seeing this next image, though, forlornly waiting by the sink, got me thinking...


It should be more than possible to apply the same techniques here, and end up with a unique purse or cool gift bag, right? So I brushed away the last traces of pork fried rice, removed the wire handle, and opened 'er out.


Of course, I don't want to stain whatever fabric I end up using, so I unrolled a length of freezer paper and traced around the box, omitting the little hook that closes the top so that I can substitute another type of closure.


This pattern will become the template for both sides of fabric - because I want it lined, of course - and for the interfacing that will go between for stability.

When I find myself between projects or waiting for dollhouse paint to dry tomorrow, I'll choose some fabrics from my sizable Asian stash and experiment. Also...I'm thinking I have a way to make it reversible. Stay tuned!