Thread Catcher

On Saturday hubby took the girl’s out 4WD so it was just me and the little man, so when he was having a nap, I thought it was about time that I made something for myself and write a tutorial on it (it has been awhile).

So what was I going to make?  Well there was a few things I wanted to do but as the little man could wake up at anytime I decided to make myself a thread catcher for the sewing machine. 

I was at my local haberdashery the weekend before, Sewers Delight, and while I was waiting to be served (I was looking for a bias tape ruler) and drooling over the overlockers lol, I noticed these little handmade bags that where hanging from the sewing machines. HHHmmm a thread catcher what a great idea and better then the plastic bag I have attached to my sewing table ( and yes that is the xmas tree and the wheels for the buggy under my table lol, I’m setup in the garage):

Sewers Delight actually hold sewing classes and as they are a few of these bags hanging around the shop, I assume that is where they have been made and as I do not know who the owner of the original pattern is, I apologise for not giving recognition.

I have also made my catcher with one button not two.

So what did I use to make this catcher:

• 1 x FQ (I have had this one for a while as the colour ran when I prewashed and wasn’t too sure what I was going to do with it)
  
• 1 x Button
  
• 1 x Headband (you could use curtain wire or craft wire also)
  
• lining ( i used medium weight)
  
• strip of bias tape for loop to hook over button

So after you have prewashed and ironed your FQ, measure and cut the material in half:



We will make the pad that sit’s under the sewing machine first. Measure and cut a piece of lining the same size as your piece of material:



With both the material and lining together fold in half with right sides of material facing together and sew. This will make your square pad for the sewing machine to sit on.  Don’t forget to leave a hole to turn the fabric out the right way:



You will now need to top stitch around the pad, but first iron nice and flat and pin the hole. I used my blind stitch hem foot to sew my top stitch as it helps me to sew in a straight even line all the way around:



All finished, now to make the bag:



Serge or overedge stitch your piece of material to finish off the edges (you can line the bag but I chose to just use the zigzag stitch to finish the edges as I don’t have an overlocker, yet!! lol) :

Pin sides and sew:

Using a gauge ruler (if you don’t have one you should get yourself one as this makes measuring hems so much easier) or measuring tape to mark a hem 1.5 inches:

,

Now to iron, pin and sew, making sure to leave a gap to thread the headband thru.

For the loop I used a strip of green bias tape, 4.5 inches in length, but you can make a loop out of matching material or elastic band. Pin and sew below the hole where the headband will be inserted:

Now to just feed the headband into the gap:

And here you have it

To make the bag sit up higher you could put two buttons  on the pad and  2 loops on the bag (that is the way they had made them at the shop) to hold it up.  See how I go and I might end up changing it but I hope you get the idea!

Happy Sewing!!!!