Outdoor Kit
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Designer: Kendra McCracken
The term Lazy Days of Summer almost seems like a misnomer. With a vacations and trips to the pool, camps and picnics, we can quickly fill our schedules making for some really busy "lazy" days!
Since many of the activities that fill our summer days take place outdoors, I've put together a kit of items we're likely to need for tending to situations that go along with time spent in the great outdoors. A sunscreen stick, eye drops, lip balm, band aids, medications for cuts, bug bites, and various rashes. Keeping these things all together in a small kit I can grab on the go assures we're prepared for most of the less pleasant encounters with Mother Nature. And for the times my kids just have too much fun and their clothing suffers the casualty, Shout Portable Wipes!
Difficulty rating
Instructions
(Print version)
I chose to use a denim fabric for a little more durability. If you want to add larger bottles or more items than those I chose to use, enlarge your squares for the first step as needed. I started by cutting 2 squares 12 1/4" x 11".
Layer the fabric squares, right sides together, with a square of quilt batting on top. Stitch the layers together using a 1/4" seam allowance, leaving an opening for turning. Clip the corners to reduce bulk and turn the piece right-side out. Slipstitch the opening closed.
Rather than take the extra time to create pockets, I decided to use fabric-covered elastic bands to hold the items in place. I used 1" non-twist elastic. After planning the placement of your items, measure and cut the lengths needed for the elastic. If you will be including bulky items like tubes or bottles, be sure to allow enough space for the elastic to stretch over them. This may mean the strips actually have humps in them for these items rather than lying flat. Cut coordinating fabric strips twice the length of each piece of elastic. The width of the strips of fabric should be 2 3/4". Fold the strip in half lengthwise and stitch the raw edges together using a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn the tube right-side out.
Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and begin feeding it through the tube. Once the elastic is fully inserted in the tube, allow the trailing end of the elastic to go about 1/4" up into the tube (leaving 1/4" of the tube empty) and stitch it in place. Continue feeding the fabric onto the elastic strip, bunching it as you go. Once completely fed through, leave 1/4" of the end of the tube empty and stitch the elastic in place.
Turn the excess fabric at the end of each elastic strip under, place the strips on the denim square, and stitch the ends of the elastic strips in place.
Place the kit items under the elastic strips and use straight pins to mark the location for stitching the lines to separate each section. Make sure the elastic is taut enough to hold the items in place. Remove the items and stitch the dividers.
To create the embellishments for the outside flap, cut 3 squares of fabric, 2" x 2". Using fusible webbing, adhere these squares to the flap. Use the Limited Edition Summer Squeeze Punches to punch shapes from various patterned papers. Place these on top of the fabric squares. To protect the paper punches and add some fun shine to the kit, top the fabric squares with squares of clear vinyl. I just used some packaging I was going to dispose of. Stitch these in place. Add a button to the center of the sun. Finish the kit by adding a velcro closure to the flap and bottom and stitching lengths of ribbon to the sides.
Supplies:
12-83717097 18 Inch x 24 Inch Mat
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_18x24mat.aspx
12-87327097 6.5 x 24.5 Easy-to-Read Ruler
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_65-x-245-easy-to-read-ruler.aspx
95447097 Softgrip® 65mm Rotary Cutter
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_softgrip-65mm-rotary-cutter.aspx
01-004432 Limited Edition : All Scream – Large
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_squeeze-all-scream.aspx
01-004431 Limited Edition : Gettin’ Antsy – Large
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_squeeze-gettin-antsy.aspx
01-004433 Limited Edition : Soleil – Large
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_squeeze-soleil.aspx
Other: Fabric (two 12 1/4" x 11 squares for the base plus enough coordinating to make embellishments and cover the elastic strips), 2 feet ribbon, velcro closure, thread, clear vinyl, patterned paper scraps, button, 1", wide non-twisting elastic.
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