HELP! With Eye Spy bag

[mommy2abigail]

Ok, so I got all my stuff, and cut everything out. I am using just light weight cotton for the bag. When I went to sew the plastic 'window' section, it puckered the cotton SO MUCH and also, it was impossible to keep the plastic square centered, so by the time I got to sewing the 4th side, it didn't line up anymore with the window part of the cotton fabric. (ok that was the longest, most ridiculous run on sentence ever, but I am leaving it for your amusement)

So my question is, how do I sew the plastic on to the cotton without the puckering and shifting? Plastic side down, or cotton side down? And is there an adjustment I need to make to my sewing machine? Thanks!

[LaughingHyena]

I did mine cotton side down but I also used tissue paper on top of the plastic. I think I also taped the plastic to the cotton before sewing, right at the edges so I didn't sew through the tape.

I did take a couple of attempts before I got one I was happy with.

[Milkymommi]

Not sure how to answer your question because I'm not a seasoned sewer at all However I did want to comment on how totally cool the I spy bags are! My friend has been making them as gifts for her nieces and nephews for the holidays and they're great! I thought of attempting one myself but I'm not so sure yet. I would definately need help.

I'm actually going to her house today so I'll see if I can get her to log on and give some tips on how she managed it. Hers came out amazing. It looks store bought it's so good.

Good Luck!

[BethSLP]

had to ask another question as I'm getting ready to attempt these myself. I keep seeing that people use fleece because it doesn't fray. I already have some cute cotton fabric I cut pieces out of and would like to use. Do you think that will be an issue??

someone on another thread said something like "I used fleece so I didn't have to hem the cotton fabric around the window." Would you really have to hem???

I know some people when they use fleece just sew the window onto a square of fleece and then cut the fleece off over the window. So perhaps its more work to sew it like a quilt block in strips around the window with cotton. But do I need to hem it, and then sew it on the window? or am I right and as long as I sew it in strips around the window and then turn it inside out like normal, it should be fine??

hope this makes sense.

XOXO
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[LaughingHyena]

I used cotton. I didn't hem the window first but I did do two rows of stitching round the window. I then trimmed the edges right up to the seam so that nothing could get stuck.

[BethSLP]

Just wanted to say that I switched to fleece and I'm SO glad I did. SO fast and easy.

FYI in case it helps someone:

I cut two 9x9 pieces of fleece and 1 5x5 piece of plastic (I used an old comforter bag and cut it up for the plastic).

I used painter's tape (the blue kind thats not super sticky) and taped the plastic in the middle of the "wrong side" of one piece of fleece. I layed the tape to the very very edge so almost all of it was on the fleece but it just got the very edge of the plastic under the tape. Then I put a piece of light colored tissue paper over the top and sewed around the square inside of the blue tape. If you use light colored tissue paper, then you can easily see the blue tape under it and it gives you a guide for your presser foot. Just cruise around the inside edge of the blue tape and you get a perfectly sewed square. Then you tear off the tissue paper and the tape. It comes right off. (The purpose of the tissue paper is to stop the presser foot from catching on the plastic. The tape is nice because the material is super flat rather than the puckering that pinning can give.)

Flip the fleece to the "right side" and cut out the fleece that is inside the "window." Because fleece doesn't fray, this works beautifully. Just neatly cut around the edge of the window, and it looks very cute.

Then I sewed both "right sides" of the fleece together (so the wrong side is facing out) all the way around excluding a small spot to turn it right side out. In the upper left hand corner (which is the right hand corner when its wrong side out), I put a loop of ribbon (so I can attach my list of objects on a card with an o-ring). Make sure you put the loop INSIDE and have the tail ends of the ribbon where you can see them. That way when you turn it, its correct.

Snip the extra fabric at the corners and turn.

I made 6 of these in no time.

I was resistant to the idea of fleece at first, but I think its actually quite nice because its so soft to touch. My concern with my cotton fabric was that if I didnt sew the edges under twice, it might start fraying in the bag and get frays of fabric mixed in to the eye spy goodies.

XOXO
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[captivatedlife]

Way cool! Thanks for posting this - I'm going to use those comforter bags that I've been saving up for.... something.... for this project!

[BethSLP]

Just wanted to add that I stuffed some of mine tonight. If I had them to do over, I'd make the pillow smaller. I am using a bag of bean bag fill per bag and its still pretty floppy. One of mine was sewn backwards by mistake so I cut the edges off and resewed it. It ended up smaller as a result. I like the feel and look of the smaller bag better in comparison. Will save you money on the fill as well.

Also, I used a digital camera and took a picture of all the items to put on a card to attach. Otherwise, I think its kind of pointless for young ones, as a type written list means nothing to a non-reader.

XOXO
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[mommy2abigail]

Beth, I've had the same revelation as you--use fleece and make the bags smaller! An easy way to sew the 'window' is to put the plastic side down. I was doing it opposite and the machine kept pushing the cotton fabric through much faster than the plastic, so I'd end up with ruffled cotton and not enough plastic. When I turned my work up-side down though, I didn't have any issues.

Another idea for the list for little ones who don't read: I made the bag in an underwater theme, so ocean animals. I found some cute fishy fabric and a pack of fishy stickers that had the same animals as the ones I put inside the bag. Penguin, shark, octopus, sting ray, ect. I just stuck the stickers (next to the written word) on a 3x5 index card and laminated it. Easy enough for my 3 year old to follow.

[captivatedlife]

what size do you guys recommend?

[BethSLP]

I will measure tonight and tell you what size it is. Basically, I sewed one of my 9x9s with the right side facing out, then rather than throw it away, I cut the seam off and turned it the proper way and sewed again. The final size of this "mistake" is the only one that doesn't seem too big and floppy. So my plan this evening is to take the other 5 and do the same. I'll cut the original seams off tonight and then measure it to give you a #. But if you imagine what I just explained its probably an 8x8 square or perhaps a 7.5 by 7.5. Its smaller but not drastically so. It just makes a huge difference for some reason. But I will post here again tonight when I get home and get to work.

XOXO
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[BethSLP]

The final size of the bag I like is 7x7. My other bags were 8x8 when completed. You could even go a bit smaller than 7x7 if you like. but I'm pretty happy with that size. Its really not set in stone. I do like the results with the 5x5 window (ends up being about 4.5x4.5 once sewn) and the 7x7 finished size. Just enough border to look nice IMO. Ive seen some Eye Spy bags where there is a huge window but no border. I didn't like that look.

So it really depends on what kind of seam allowance you leave. But I like the look of a finished 7x7 now that I've played with them.

My biggest recommendation is (unlike me), make one before sewing 6 without checking to see how it all works out. I could have saved some time and not had to resew all these things if I had must made one first to check the size and see how it feels/looks with stuff inside.

Also you may want to check Etsy.com and see what measurements those people are using. search "i spy" and "eye spy" and you can see all kinds of different ideas for shapes and also measurements.

XOXO
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XOXO
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