Make a covered tape measure

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all well and not driving yourselves bananas in the lead up to Christmas. I AM driving myself bananas - despite having a trillion business related fires to put out, I am also it seems completely unable to let go of any of the Christmas baking, planning, wrapping and general hubbub. Totally and utterly self inflicted I'm afraid!! I've taken myself off to a coffee shop this morning to write this to you, so that I don't look at all the other things I havent DONE yet.

Do you get like that at this time of year? I always have this beautifully romantic, misty eyed view of Christmas... I absolutely love it, and yet I always manage to actually REACH it feeling completely wrecked. 

Thanks for all the messages about your Christmas cooking! Tracey I went directly to Donna Hay to get the recipe for the shrub - it sounds delicious and I am going to make it for Christmas Eve. Here's the link in case anyone is wanting to have a go too!

https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/christmas-recipes/fruit-shrubs

Jeanne I LOVE pecan pie and so does my dad, in fact its his favourite. It's not much of an Australian thing​, but if he's coming to dinner and it's winter I always make one for dessert. I'd love your recipe if you don't mind sharing it! I'd love your sugar cookie recipe too Dianne  - that sounds like something that Hope would love to have a go at. I have trouble getting her interested in sewing (I'll wear her down eventually!!) but she loves to cook with me.

I haven't gotten to the zip pouches yet this week - when I can finally tell you about this new business we are starting you will understand why. They have to be made though because they're a part of two Christmas presents, so I will be able to show them to you next week. I DID get another Christmas present made this week though, for a stitchy friend. 

I bought Sue Stitchbury's new book, Calico & Stitch, a few weeks ago from Tambourine to Tilba https://www.tamborinetotilba.com.au/  It's very not something I would. usually buy - that style is too shabby chic and cutesy for me. But something about those little ladies of her just tickles my fancy, so I thought I would make something from it for my friend in Sue's style, and when I make other things from it I'll use my usually bright sparky colours and funk the ladies up a bit. 

I made her thread roll, which I'm not quite finished with, but I thought I would cover a tape measure to go with it. I've never done this before, and it's not Sue's pattern,  I just made it up as I went along​. I liked doing it so much I'm going to add one to one of the Lemonade Stand projects, but I thought I would show you how as it seems such an impressive little thing and its SO EASY. Here's what I did.

Start with any sized round, retractable tape measure. Feed a piece of ribbon through the pull of the tape, and tie a knot close to the pull, then trim the ends. Yep, you could probably do this at the end, I don't know why I did it first. 😃🤣

Trace around the outside of the case, right up against the edge, onto cardboard - I used a cereal box. Cut the circle out and repeat to make a second one.

Trace around the circle onto the back of the fabric for the front and the back of the case. Cut two pieces of fusible fleece the same size as the circle to pad it out a bit. You could also use leftover quilt batting, but you will have to glue it on instead of fusing it.

If you are going to embroider or applique onto your fabric, you can do that now. If not, glue one of the cardboard circles onto the fleece. I just used a Sewline glue stick for this, they're going to be stitched on so the card just needs to stay in place while you sew it.

Put a big ring of glue around the edge of the cardboard and press the fabric over it to glue it down. If you do this in small increments and smooth the edges over firmly as you go, you don't need to use gathering stitches or clip curves or anything like that.  

Measure around the outside edge of your tape case, from the start of the opening where the tape comes out, back around to the other side. Add at least 1/4" to each end to get the length (so add a 1/2" to the measurement you took). Measure the width of the side of your tape case - mine was 1/2". Add 1/4" to either side of this - so I cut a 1" piece. Cut a piece of fabric to this length and width.

Cut a piece of fusible fleece to the length and width of the case but WITHOUT the 1/4" added. Fuse this to the back of the fabric (you can also use batting, this is just easier). 

Iron the edges of the fabric over on all four sides, and then run a little stitch to hold the edges down and make it easier to sew. Just go through the fleece, not through the fabric at the front. 

Run another big lot of glue around the edge of the tape, with the folded end starting at one edge of the tape opening and finishing at the other. You will have to hold it in place firmly for a few minutes while it sticks.

Cover the back of the case in glue and stick the fabric covered cardboard circle for the back on top. I used a book to hold it down for a few moments so its was stuck. It doesn't matter if this stays permanently, its just to make it easier to sew.

Using. a matching thread, slip stitch the circle to the edge piece, using small stitches, catching the very edge of both fabrics and pulling nice and firmly. Remember, you don't want it to come apart when the tape is used!

Run. some glue around the front side of the tape, making sure not to glue on the retractor button 😋 Glue and stitch as before.

And here's my finished tape! I'm rather chuffed with it. If you've got a spare hour and a half, you'll have one finished and ready to wrap in no time.

Have fun peeps, see you next week when hopefully I will be all serene and Christmassy - BAHAHAHAHA. Ok just maybe less frantic. Happy Friday!

Sarah