I love to sew. As a mom of toddlers with a destructive cat in tow, you might wonder how I get any sewing done at all. Sometimes, I wonder that myself. I have been asked how I keep track of my projects when it is inevitable I will be pulled away mid-project to change a diaper, make a snack, or regulate a fight (I am raising boys!) Here is one way I keep track of my pattern pieces and fabric while I am away.
I am working on this purse right now. While I cannot recommend this pattern to anyone who has not made tons of purses before because it was a struggle to get through, it is a great example as it uses five different fabrics. That's a lot of fabric to keep track of.
I picked up these coordinating fabrics from the quilt show in Phoenix last month. I about died when I saw these foxes in bowties and spectacles. Red, aqua, and foxes?! I'm in!
Here's what you need: pins, duct tape (mine is awesome purple but use whatever you have), and a Sharpie.
Fold your tape over each pin to make a sweet flag at the top and Sharpie a number on each one. These little guys are going to help you keep track of which fabric is which. That way, when you walk away, you can come back and pick up right where you left off.
Here are my fabrics flagged and ready to go. Once I cut my patterns out, I will move my flags over to the cut pieces. This eliminates me re-checking the instruction sheet a ton of times too.
Here's another picture of this adorable fox. I just had to.
Here's the finished product. I am simply in love. I can never make too many purses. I hope you enjoy this little tip to make your sewing projects run smoother. In this pattern, I had five fabrics to keep track of, in my next there will be fourteen to keep straight. My flags will surely come in handy. You can also use (A,B,C or 11,15,17) any labels that fit the pattern you are using. Patterns are labeled in all sorts of ways. Happy sewing!
