Get Organized: Sewing Pattern Round-up
Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three) is not only a sensible way to sew, but most projects in the book help keep your household organized. Everything from fabric bins to carry-on luggage, these simple designs stitch up quickly and aid in your New Year’s organizing resolution.
As you may already know, Nancy loved to streamline and simplify the sewing process. Making projects faster and more efficient frees up valuable time, and everyone could use more time! One of her most popular Sewing With Nancy three-part series, Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three), addresses streamlining the sewing process. Change the way you think about projects and patterns. Everything demonstrated is simply cut from rectangles and squares!
Fabric Bins
Don’t settle for tan or black bins for your shelf, customize fabric bins to accent your home décor by selecting coordinating fabrics. Made from, you guessed it, rectangle and square fabric pieces. The sewing is enjoyable and the end result is as fresh in appearance as it is useful. Grommets serve as both handles and a focal point.
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Wall Pockets
What’s good for the shelf is good for the wall! With a little tweaking of the instructions, fabric bins turn into wall pockets that provide organization and style to any home or work office. Watch how these come together on Sewing With Nancy.
The Travel Trio
During this first episode, learn how to create a weekender tote, cosmetic bag, and luggage saddlebag. This travel trio is made using comparable sewing steps, straight stitching, and double-sided quilted fabrics.
Cosmetic Bag
Even if you’ve never sewn before, you can stitch this bag! On Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares we’ll review the construction steps together, and making this bag will be a breeze.
Weekender Tote
After making a simple cosmetic bag, apply many of the same sewing steps to create a Weekender Tote. It’s a super-sized bag with the addition of sturdy straps and double pockets.
Mix up the fabric selection for a fun coordinated look. Or use all the fabrics you’d like—for a scrappy Weekender Tote bag.
Luggage Saddle Bag
For ease of travel, make a saddlebag for your carry-on luggage or rolling case. Two sizes of bags are attached with connector straps.
When not using this handy accessory on your luggage, zip the bags together and it’s a handy shoulder tote.
Sewing With Nancy Trivia—This photo was quickly taken on the Sewing With Nancy set. Notice the tape on the floor? Those are the positioning marks for my chair in the Nancy’s Corner area. We had to move the chair in order to take the photo. Now you see how we keep all our props and furniture in the right place!
Hold-it Sacks
The Hold-it Sacks are my first sew-simple projects in Part Two of Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares. Prop up your cell phone or electronic tablet in the cradle area of a Hold-it Sack. Made from laminated fabric, they’re ideal to use throughout your home or office. The unique finished shapes appear as if they were made from complicated patterns, but not these gadget holders. They’re all made from rectangular shapes.
Mini Fabric Sacks
Toss them in a game or use them to hold down pattern pieces, these Mini Fabric Sacks can be both fun and functional. You can easily make three mini sacks in an hour or less.
Jewelry Caddy/Notions Caddy
Incorporating specialty fabrics, such as clear vinyl, can add functionality when sewing gifts and projects. This unique and widely available fabric is the star of the Sewing With Nancy program, Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares, Part Three. Watch online by clicking here.
If you are planning to attend sewing retreats, sew-ins, or simply heading out on a family vacation, create a Jewelry Caddy, which nicely doubles as a Notions Caddy and is featured in a Sewing With Nancy online tutorial.
12 Complete Projects in Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares
All the projects featured in the three-part series, plus a bonus, are included in the book, Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares.
- The book includes complete instructions for 12 projects using easy sewing with a basic straight stitch. Make an easy zippered cosmetic bag, or consider popular storage bins, or even a luggage saddle bag and a portable ironing pad for your next trip.
- Discover Nancy’s fresh approach for sewing projects with techniques that build off of each other.
- Learn to simplify the sewing process with no fear zipper, pocket, grommet, and strap techniques.
- Find helpful tips and streamlined techniques for sewing specialty fabrics that save time and frustration, including double-sided quilted, vinyl, and canvas fabrics.
Watch Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three) on Sewing With Nancy.
For a chance to win a copy of the book Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares from Nancy’s Notions, leave a comment telling us what area of the home you’d use Fabric Bins the most?
The randomly selected winner of a copy of Quilt with an Embroidery Machine DVD from Nancy’s Notions is Paula C.
Her comment was, “I love my Babylock Ellageo Plus, and I would really like to start quilting in the hoop! I’m concerned about how the quilt looks from the back though, since the back of embroidered items can get messy.”
Happy Sewing,
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC.
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Lettie Seamount
I love making useful things. These bins will work great in the bathroom for storing make up, bath supplies, and small towels and wash clothes. I also plan on making some for my sewing room to keep small supplies handy near my longarm and my sewing machines. In fact, I can see these being valuable additions to every room in the house as well as my office at work. Thank you Nancy for this great book.
Sandy Zins
I’d like nothing better than using Nancy’s book to make several of these projects. Seeing Nancy’s projects done and in use, and some shared, would make me smile (and remember her) every time I see them. Thank you!!
Nancy
I love to be organized, and on the look out for ideas to help me. I’d love to have more organization in my sewing room, and these projects would help me accomplish it!!
Colleen Casaleggio
Now I am all excited about making these. I am thinking of the things I can make my family (Kids & grandkids),friends & myself. Thank you!
Linda E in AZ
I think these bins would be great for organizing all the junk (stuff) that ends up on the kitchen counter. It’s hard to find the counter sometimes because everything lands there: mail, glasses, notices, pens, etc.
Thanks!
annette rady
It would be awesome to win this book since i am at the end of a very long project of designing my sewing studio. The last thing after painting will be to put a reachable shelf along one long wall with lovely rectangle grommet bins to hold blank embroidery items.
Mary
I am creating a new sewing space and would use these bins to make a bright and organized space.
Sheila
I could certainly use these bins to better organize my sewing room and also they would add some fun and colorful decor.
Pattie Swan
Nothing makes me happier than adorable bins in my sewing room. There is always a need for more ways to organize projects, patterns, notions and of course fabric! So this series would be an excellent way to make this happen.
Karen payton
In my sewing space to start. Also would look cute to have matching ones in the laundry room.
Linda weinberger
I definitely need to be more organized. I just spent 3 days looking for a template for my embroidery hoop. I have torn my sewing room apart. Still can’t find it
TINA DUNCAN
I love making useful things for my Granddaughters. I think this book would be of great inspiration, and remembrance of Nancy for all the things I have learned from her.
Angie Larsen
These would be perfect in my sewing room (s) to keep all my goodies easy to find!
Carolyn
I would use these cute bins to organize crochet, sewing supplies and patterns in my sewing room. Made in cute fabrics, I could move them around the room to the most convenient locations. Plus, they would be fun to make!
Christine Godin
I would definitely use these fabric bins in my sewing room to help organize my sewing supplies. They look so easy to make and would be beautiful usu g different fabrics
Max
What great ideas to start the New Year off getting everything is its proper place. A fresh new look.
Tammy Thomas
I would use the fabric bins in my grandkids room for small toys.
Leslie
Wow! These are the answer to how to organize my sewing room shelves! I can’t wait to get the book and follow the tutorials. Thank you!
Faye Meadows
I love the rectangles and square bins. I would use these to organize my sewing projects. I am 75 and what I have accumulated over this many years is astonishing. They just need a better place to rest than stuffed in drawers and closets where the search has become the biggest part of each project. Being able to organize would give me so much more time for pleasure. Love to be your luckiest winner
Linda Nelson
I would love to make the fabric bins in rainbow colors, then sort mt stash. I am feeling overwhelmed in my sewing room and need to take control!
Joyce Delfino
I have a small home and would use the fabric totes in the bathrooms for decorative storage. Small ones on the wall would be great and a larger one for extra toilet paper
Florence
My whole house could use them but the sewing studio would need the most.
Debbie
I would use the bins and wall pockets to organize the sound booth in my church. They would hold all the extra cords, the assisted listening devices, and the little gadgets that seem to multiply on the desktop.
Robin koenig
I would use the storage boxes in my sewing area to store my precious fabric
Rose D.
Finding the right baskets for 2 shelves under our new TV table has been difficult. This book offers the perfect solution. I never considered making them! Next up would be organizing my sewing room. Or maybe THAT should be first! 😉
Becky B.
I am a quilter/embroiderer (machine) and am always in need of ways to keep my projects separated but organized.
Mary Green
I currently have cardboard boxes holding some books from the library and my at-nite handwork by my recliner. A pair of those lovely fabric bins would look so much nicer.
Margaret Scott
The tote is one of my favorite projects to make. An excellent design.
Ennis A
So many of these would be useful in my sewing room. Love the small bags too!! So much info in one book. Thanks for the chance to win!!! Bless Nancy, our friend forever.
Laura
I’d be using the bins in my sewing area. I also think they would be super cute in my library area. Thanks for the generous giveaway.
Shirley Clark
I’d love to make some pretty bins for my sewing room. It gets expensive to buy so many, and I already have fabric.
Brenda Gates
I would use the squares in my sewing room, to organize my fat quarters, instruction books, etc.
Leslie
I have a few purchased bins in my sewing studio, but want to make more. A great way to organize and decorate at the same time. Kind of like multi-tasking!! This is a great book, thank you so much!
Deborah Whaley
I love the idea of creating my own coordinating fabric bins for my sewing area. I have cubbie type bookcases that are crying for this type of makeover.
Linda
In 2017, I became a fabric junkie. I will be moving in 2018 and large bins in basic colors will help me separate my fabrics and help in moving and organization of my new space.
Debbie Ferrin
I would love to make the hold-it sacks for my GPS in my car. The one that sticks to the window doesn’t hold my old GPS anymore and this would be ideal for that to put on the dashboard.
Marty
I need to make some for grand-daughters’ toys!
Berenice
I want something to collect and neatly hold the various pieces of paperwork that collect on my desk at home & at home. Need to get everything corralled for my sanity!
Donna W
I would use them in my sewing room to hold fabric and notions.
Star Dreyer
I would love this to make them for my sewing room to look pretty and be more organized. Thank you for your ideas.
Beverly
The hold-it sack would be an excellent way to keep my tablet in the right position when using it to read hands-free so I can bind a quilt while I read.
Jeanette
As we are downsizing and have not yet found our new home, though we have looked at a good number; I could see this being helpful for most rooms, especially the laundry and bathrooms (and walk-in closet if we get one!). I also would make a weekend bag (possibly adjusting some of the height) for my purse since I have to carry some medical supplies with me at all times. This is such an attractive bag!
Susan Spiers
The Fabric Bins & Wall Pockets would be perfect for my sewing/craft room! With not much floor space & plenty of wall space, the pockets are definitely a must-make!
laura
other than my sewing room, wouldn’t these bins be GREAT in a pantry? all the pinterest spots jazz up the walls behind, but then they are hidden, so this would be out in the open
Leslie
I would use lots of the fabric baskets to corral all my small notions in my sewing room. Fabrics and fat quarters will also find themselves in baskets too.
Clovis
I followed along with Nancy in making the fabric bins when I saw the show. I made two of them. It would be great to make the other projects. Thanks for the chance to win.
Patricia Underwood
I would the bins to keep the diapers, etc. so I can have them all in one spot when we watch our grandchildren. Also a bin for there toys.
Pat
I would definitely use the fabric storage bins in my sewing room. We all know how things with no home accumulate. These bins would be wonderful for storing those essentials that are used frequently but have no real home.
Thanks for the chance to win the book.
Patricia Duke
I recently moved into my new home, so planning space has been on my mind a lot. I sought and found a two-bedroom apartment so I could use the second bedroom for a study/sewing room. Viewing your delightful small storage boxes in today’s newsletter inspires me to do something similar for patterns, notions, and yard goods. I can hardly wait to display my storage boxes instead of hiding them behind doors of an armoire!
Ann Foutch
My 17 year daughter needs some organization in her room for her hair items that seem to be all over her dresser. She also has hair straighteners and curling irons. There is also sprays for her hair as well. It just needs to be “corralled” in some of these cute bins to get some order to it all and to give each item a home! I would love to win the book! I have so enjoyed watching Sewing with Nancy over the years as my kids grew up.
CJ Hines
My sewing room needs these bins most of all–it’s a small room and it’s in need of organization.
Debbie E.
I would make some bins for my remodeled bathroom and my sewing room needs some bins for scraps
Jan H
These fabric bins would be great for organizing my linen closet! I would make them in happy colors which when opening the door would be like a ray of sunshine seeing everything in its place!
Karen
Since we’ve recently moved to a different house, I finally have a dedicated sewing room. I’m in the process of unpacking and organizing it and need these bins to store some of my fabric stash.
Marion Blakely
I would love to replace the plastic bins in my sewing room cubbies with some that fit the cubicles better. I also need one or two to organize my serger threads and supplies. The large tote looks like the perfect place to store my cutting mats.
Nancy Brusby
Definitely in my sewing room! What better way to showcase the art, than by having all these great bins in the sewing studio! Love the luggage items, too, for taking to class!
Tammy
Definitely in the sewing room but also for organizing my granddaughters’ Barbies and 18-inch dollies and accessories. But, I can see myself using these all over the house and car!
Mary ann hutchinson
I would use these bins to finally organize my sewing/craft room. They are very sharp looking and could be the answer to my mess!
Karen
I’d use them to organize my notions 🙂
Tamra Botkin
These bins would be amazing to organize my laundry room and my sewing room. To have “things” tucked out of sight in a beautiful fabric bins would be calming for me! Thanks for the ideas!
jo Wray
I will miss Nancy’s cheerful encouraging voice and programs.
She will be missed. I learned a lot from all her old programs as well as the new ones. Thank you ! Good luck with continuing the wonderful sewing support.
Joanie Wallrich
This series was a home run! Every project could be useful for any sewist. My favorite are the bins, they would look great in my sewing room and used to help wrangle all the bits and pieces from finished projects, to storing my fat quarters, well the list goes on and on. They would also be great for the kids rooms and would look awesome done to match their decor!
Sherie Black
More fun and useful projects. Baskets for the open shelving in my new sewing /crafting corner and the new great-grandbaby. Will be making phone and tablet stands as gifts.
Judy
I am in the middle of reorganizing my sewing/craft room so these would be great to organize things on the shelves.
Aileen
SEW SIMPLE WITH RECTANGLES & SQUARES is genius! The Fabric Bins are a great idea which I can use in my sewing/design studio, art & photography studio, and office as well as in all areas of the house. The Wall Pockets and The Travel Trio, among the other fun projects, are terrific to use to keep me organized for all areas of my life in sewing, crocheting & knitting. They also help with traveling & keeping my office & home organized. Thank you so much, Nancy!
Heather Miller
Anywhere in my house is a great ideas for fabric bins. I have alot of vintage fabric that I could use to create these for my jewelry and soap creations. 🙂
Bonnye
My sewing room needs HELP. It’s a small room which needs to be organized.
Doris Bryarly
I’m trying to organize my sewing room. I’d use the boxes to organize fabric on my shelves and to organize notions and patterns.
I’d also make a few to organize my make up, hair styling products, and skin products in the bathroom.
Judy
Some for the sewing studio where I could easily pull a bin and take to the area or machine I need the little dodads at. Then more for the kitchen. As one lady said, I can’t find my counter tops.
Maureen Scott
I would use the bins in my kitchen and dinning room to hold napkins and perhaps cooking tools. Also in the sewing room for all the sewing notions that need a “place of their own”
MoeWest
I like to use fabric bins in my sewing room.
Kathryn E
I would use the bins in my project room. It is called a project room because that is where I do all my projects and because the room is in need of organization and is a project in itself.
Patti
I would love to make some of these bins and bags for my home. Much better than those available at the local stores!
Karen Brennan
I would make bins for my sewing room/slash office. The ones I use for the office part will make the room so much nicer than the cardboard boxes I now use. And the ones for the quilt side would be for patterns. I get excited just thinking about it as I am beginning to start the overwhelming task of cleaning the room. I have a non-paying boarder ( a spider) in the room I would also like to evict.
Martha Drabiski
I have wanted these for a long time but could never find the size or color that would go with my decor, now I can make them any size & any color. Thanks
Cathy Pascoe Dillehay
I have a shop in my backyard where I sew and quilt. I would love to make some customized fabric bins to fit in some odd places. I look forward to watch Nancy making them!
Peggy Brichta
I would make one for each of my grandchildren for them to use to store their “special stuff” at my house. I think they would love them!
Edna Marks
I would use them in my sewing nook to hold material, patterns and tools. Also in the bathroom for makeup, hair dryers and other items.
Kathy Renz
I love these fabric bins and would love to use them all over my home. I could use them to corrall my papers, to organize my craft and sewing supplies, to make my linen closet attractive, …it’s a good thing I have such an extensive fabric collection!
Deborah
I would love to make these to organize my sewing room
Helen Glover
I would love them in my sewing room. Great for keeping me better organized. Also, good for tv room to keep remotes, guides, and magazines handy.
I loved Nancy so much. She will be so very missed. Always a wonderful teacher, so gracious and she contributed so very much to the sewing world.
Marsha Dimond
I would use these all over the house – living room for remotes, note pads & pens; sewing room for everything; kitchen for all those odds & ends like bag clips, scissors & paper clips. I love boxes and bins for organizing.
Trudy
I am looking at the products shown made from the simple squares and rectangles, and I believe there are numerous uses for the bins. Organizing is one of them because you can choose the color or fabric. The grommet makes it easy to see what is inside. One of the many uses I thought of is a coordinated clothes closet organizer. Putting your gloves, slippers, sunglasses, small hats, and various items. Just really impressed with this collection. The ideas keep flowing. Thank you for such a clever and original idea.
Nancy Eidsmoe
These bins would work beautifully (everywhere!) in my guest room and linen closet. I could customize them for each space, and color coordinate as well as size them for linens and toiletries that I supply for my company.
I might have to have some in the sewing room as well as the garage!!
Patricia Wester
I really like the fabric bins which would be great for my sewing studio but I don’t have a lot of shelf space to put them on. So I think the wall pockets would be ideal for storage of sewing notions and they don’t need a shelf.
Gail Beam
Love the fabric bins for my sewing room!! Organization! I need it!!
Kay Statom
I would use them most in my sewing room. They have so many uses and sorting by colors makes it even easier
Ginger
I would use them in my children’s room
Helen McDonnell
So many uses but mainly to brighten up my sewing room and make my space tidy and more organised so I can be more creative
Rosalind Gutierrez
The bins would be perfect in my laundry room shelf for a decorative way to store miscellaneous items.
Susan Willison
My bathroom cupboards and linen closet.
Mary Ann McDonald
I could certainly use these bins in my sewing room that I have been trying to organize for the last three years without too much success. I still have fabric, tools, notions, patterns all over the place and shelves that are very disorganized and I can’t find things I need to complete my projects.
Maureen P
The bins woild.be perfect in my sewing room, I would keep all my notions organized! I wpuld also make some for my grandson to keep his you trains in!!
Kathleen Waite
I definitely would use these bins in my sewing/craft room. It will be a good way to put my fabric stash to good use.
Sandy
These bins would be great for so many things! We are planning to build a new home this year. They will be great in my laundry and sewing room. Thanks for sharing and keeping Nancy’s visions alive.
Karen M
I built a small playroom off of my basement sewing room for my 3 year old granddaughter. I have been looking for baskets in various sizes to put on the built in shelves used to store her toys, books and whatever else lands in that area. I have not been able to find the colors I want in the sizes I need for the budget I have. – that is up until now. I will definitely be making some of these. Going to give some thought to either using or incorporating fabric that describes what items belongs in the bin. Like fabric with food designs to indicate this is where you put your play food things, etc. This will be a fun project .
Barbara Zabel
I would love to have exact instructions to make many boxes to help me to be more organized in sewing room, bathrooms, bedrooms. Thank you for your program, idea’s and hints.
Peggy V
I definitely need organization in my sewing room. Certainly 12 projects should fit the bill!!!
Corinne D.
These bins would be helpful in every room of my home, from the garage to the bathroom, and every where in between.
Nancy Crowley
I could use these bins anywhere in my house! I think I would use them in my closet to store scarves & belts. I would make some for my little granddaughters to help them organize their socks & underwear & doll clothes!
Karen
Bins for the playroom definitely!!!! I am interested in the saddle bag for luggage, which book is it in? I’ll check the website too. Thanks for continuing on, I’m sure Nancy is glad of that!
Karen
I found that the saddlebag pattern was in the book of rectangles and squares…I had hoped I could buy it separately.
Cindy K
These would be useful in my bathroom where storage is minimal. Also in my sewing room for fabric storage.
Lauren Kiesow
I would use the fabric bins in my sewing room to organize it and make it pretty to match my beautiful Destiny.
Patricia West
Just cleaned the toy room that is used by our grandchildren and these fabric bins would work great for storing toys, Xbox games, craft supplies…everything they use! Can’t forget about the car too. Slide one in the space between seats to hold tissues, wipes, lotions, etc. The flexibility to make fabric bins in any size means they can literally fit in any space.
Norene K
I see many uses for these patterns, vacation, grand kiddo’s, making gifts for my friends and family. First thing I would make would be the over the should and luggage tote.
Sue Camino
My New Years Resolution (again) is to organize all my sewing threads, notions, bindings etc. so that when I need them I will know exactly where to find them. These bins are the answer to a new organized me!!
Karen
I would definitely use these in the sewing room but I would also like to make them with and for my grandkids to organize their toys. It will be such fun for them to pick out their favorite fabric designs and personalize them for their very own.
Deb
This was a great show. I would use the bins in the sewing room & a wall hanging 1 to hang on the fridge with magnetic hooks to store important items.
Donna Fecteau
These are lovely. First I would use them in my sewing/craft room to organize my supplies. I think the small office space that I have in my kitchen as well as the shelf in our guest bedroom would all be good candidates for organization with these bins as well.
Janice Hobbs
I have “sew” much fabric! Help me organize it all with your book!
Rita Skraba
I would love these in my sewing/craft room to help me get organized. My fabric especially needs some organization.
patricia parker
Having a new grandson in March. These would be great to store the diaper changing and bath necessities in. They can be picked up and carried wherever they are needed.
Gretchen Bishay
I would use these in my study. I have built-in bookcases, but lots of things to store other than books. I’d like the space to look calmer, so bins in one or two colors are a great solution.
Susan M
I could see making bins to organize bathrooms, the kitchen and pantry