Bike Stem bag prototype

Here's a peek at our next Echo Bike Product! It's a stem bag that can fit little odds and ends, phone, keys, granola bar, for a short trip or as some extra space on a longer ride. They feature a full lining with a velcro pocket on the inside and a zipper top for easy closure. The sides are reinforced so it will stay upright during your ride. The test ride today went great! After a few tweaks we'll be posting these babies on the Etsy store so stay tuned!

Color Block Shirt Part Two

The second part of the Color Block Shirt Tutorial will teach you how to adjust your shirt, put on the bias binding around the neck, make and attach the sleeves and hem the bottom!

After you have sewn up the sides and shoulder seams, it's a good time to adjust the fit. I put my shirt on wrong side out and pinned the sides in a little under the armpit. I also measured the armhole opening and wanted it a little bigger, so I pinned my cutting line as shown.

Now you can cut your bias binding out of the sheer poly used for the top. Cutting on the bias means cutting at a 45 degree angle to the grain of the fabric
 

Here's a picture of how to sew the bias strips together for a longer piece. I used a "sharp" needle in my machine for sewing the sheer so it didn't snag the delicate fabric.
 

Next, pin the bias binding around the neckline.  Make sure you pin with the right sides together, meaning the right side of the shirt should be facing out, and the bias binding should be facing down toward it (so that the finished side of the bias seam is facing the shirt). I started sewing at one end, and left a 2" tail so that when I ended, I could fold the tail over on top of the part I already sewed, and overlap the end on top of that for a nice clean finish.



Here I am sewing the binding on right sides together.



Now fold the binding over itself to the inside, to hide all the raw edges. Sew it down, stitching close to the inside edge as shown. I moved my needle over to the left position so I could stitch as close to the left side of the binding as possible.

 

Cut two identical sleeves as shown above. The right side is folded over, and tapers about 1/2" to the left on both the top and bottom. Pin the left (open) edge and sew. No need to worry about finishing your seam allowance as it will get hidden in the sleeve.

After sewing the side closed, fold the sleeve in half long ways, so the long sides and raw edges match up. You can baste these together if you wish, or just pin the two sides to the armhole sleeve (right sides together)- keeping the seam you previously sewed on the bottom of the armhole (at the side seam).

Sew around the armhole and finish your seam allowance to secure your sleeve!

I hemmed the bottom of the shirt using a twin needle (for a more decorative and stretchy! finish). You can serge the bottom edge too, then fold it in and sew it down! To use the twin needle, I folded the bottom in about 1/2" then over another 3/4" for a finished hem. Then I pinned and sewed close to the inside edge of the fold on the RIGHT SIDE of the shirt- otherwise, your two rows of stitching won't be seen on the outside!

 

Your finished Color Block Shirt!

 

New Bike Saddle Covers!

In this picture you can see the prototype for the handlebar bag we'll be listing soon!

It rains a lot in Seattle. Not this time of year, but it'll start soon enough and won't let up for about six months. I still ride my bike in the rain, like a lot of bike commuters in the Pacific Northwest. One of the bike gear components that is sorely lacking around here is saddle covers! When you park out in the rain, you don't mind having wet handlebars or bike frame, but a wet seat? Yuck! 

A simple cover to slap on when you park and that will keep your saddle dry (or in the case of an expensive leather saddle, keep it from getting ruined!) is essential! Bonus for having it in colors that make you happy amidst the surrounding grayness. Check out the Echo Etsy store for some cool, colorful, waterproof saddle covers that will keep your seat dry! These are made from laminated cotton, one size fits all, for an amazing price! Happy riding!

-Betsy

Color Block Shirt Tutorial Part One

Echo Bike Products New Color Block Shirt
This simple knit top will be part of Echo Bike Products line on etsy! This tutorial will enable you to make your own in whatever size you wish! The Echo version will have a little something special and will be available in a variety of color blocks to choose from!

Me wearing my Echo Bike top- it's stretchy to allow for easy movement whether you're riding your bike, or just lounging around. The fit is loose and breezy and looks great on you no matter what!



The fabrics I chose for the first Color Block Shirt: a turquoise poly stretch for the top, an organic lace knit for the middle and a grey heathered knit made in Canada for the bottom. You can rearrange the color blocks depending on your style!
The pattern requires 1/2 yard of each fabric.



Drafting the pattern:
I cut out a square from pattern paper that was as long as my shoulder to hip, and as wide as I wanted around my waist (which was 22" tall by 24" wide). Then I measured from the tip of my shoulder (where I wanted to sleeve to sit), to under my armpit for the armhole measurement of 9". I folded the paper in half vertically to find the center, and measured from the tip of one shoulder to the tip of the other. I made two marks equidistant from the center. Next I measured 2" from the tip of my shoulder to the inner top neck line for the shoulder measurement. Then I measured vertically from the inner mark to where I wanted the neckline to fall which was 6 1/2". This gave me the gentle slope for the neck. In order to make the shoulder fit well, I tapered 1" down from top neckline to tip of shoulder. I drew all my lines, connecting the marks I had made previously!
* The armhole slope is a kind of half U shape
* The back neck curves the same as the front, but I made it 4 1/2 " higher than the front.

Now cut out the pattern pieces and fabric!
The top pieces (colored shear) are 5" from neckline top to where they stop, the middle section (lace knit) is 12" high, and the bottom piece (heathered knit) is what is left over. Cut out all the pattern paper pieces and lay them on the fabric, so the fabric is doubled. This way you cut out the front and back at the same time! Note how I added my 1/2" seam allowance all the way around as I cut out my fabric pieces.



Here is the top front pattern laid on top of the shear colored poly. I added the 1/2" seam allowances all the way around when I cut out the fabric. You can add the seam allowances to the individual paper pattern pieces after you cut them out by re-tracing them onto another sheet of paper if you want before you lay them over the fabric.

Here is the middle piece laid on the fabric before I started cutting out the fabric.

Cutting out the back top. I weighted down my pattern pieces rather than pinning because the poly stretch is thin and tends to slide around!

Now let's start putting your shirt together!
Start by pinning the front middle to front bottom, and do the same for back pieces. Since all the fabrics are stretchy, I used my serger, but you can also use your regular sewing machine- just set your stitch to "stretch straight", or use a long straight stitch. Always use a ball point needle when sewing with knits!
*Don't forget your seam allowances are 1/2"!



Sewing the middle to the bottom using a regular sewing machine, ball point needle and poly thread.



Serging the seam allowance

Pressing the seam allowance toward the top

Now pin the sides together, placing the "right" sides together. Serge or sew the sides.

Pinning the top at the shoulder seams

The serged shoulder seam

Now, with right sides together, pin and sew the top to the middle!
*When you pin the back top to back middle, there will be a curve where the neckline was cut out of the middle. Just pin the top to the middle at the lowest point of the curve in the center and trim off the excess middle fabric to form a straight line.


That's the end of Part One! We'll finish with Part Two next week, and add the binding around the neck as well as the sleeves! See you then!

Bike bandanas and hankies preview

It's so exciting to see these products come together! I love the colors, fabrics, and styles we've chosen and I can't wait to use them myself and send them off to you to enjoy as well! Today I'm working on some thin cotton bandanas/scarves/hankies that are perfectly versatile for the changing season! Wear it under your helmet for some rain and mist protection (or to keep your ears warm!); wear it tied around your neck as an extra layer of wind resistance, or tuck it in your pocket for those downhill sniffles! This thin colorful scarf packs down small, can be thrown in the washer, and is just the right size for a grab and go Fall accessory on any commute or quick trip.  Embroidered by hand from an original drawing of a vintage bike, each one is different and unique! Scarves in color combos to complement our wallets and bags will be available on the Etsy site next week! Check out the current product list here, happy riding!

New "Echo Bike Products" Wallets

New Wallet!

one of Echo Bike Products latest additions: a wallet within a still life comprised of inspirational objects!



Inside the wallet in progress, I've folded the credit card holder and basted it to the body

Here I am sewing the elastic button band onto the wallet body




The zipper installed on the inside pouch!

Now I'm sewing the binding onto the wallet and zipper pouch- there are a lot of littel steps but fortunately the wallet is small so it goes fast!

The finished wallet ready to be sold on ETSY!


This adorable wallet is one of the products Betsy and I are making for our new line of Hip Bicycle accessories. You can find more of them in our shop: www.etsy.com/shop/echobikeproducts

We'll have future postings of each new bag, t-shirt and headscarf to whet your appetite!
Check back soon!



Echo Bike Products Sneak Peek!

Dana and I have been hard at work putting together an amazing new product line concept for lady bicyclists! With her awesome sewing skills, my bike commute experience, and a whole lot of amazing fabric, the Echo bike accessories will be the perfect alternative to the mass of pink and flowery things that you currently have to choose from! 

Above is a sneak peek at some of our fabric choices. A sample of products we are currently mocking up include a bike seat rain cover, a handlebar/side pannier bag, a super-packable wallet with clear phone holder, and bright embroidered hankies for those Fall sniffles. You can currently purchase the handlebar bags and wallets on Dana's Etsy store here. We can't wait to show you more!

-Betsy