Sewing Projects of 2013

Super Tote

Today has been a rainy day in the nation's capital. Just the perfect weather for finishing my Super Tote!

The floral is a home dec fabric I bought at JoAnn's and the gusset is a linen blend, also from JoAnn's. The rest are quilting cottons. The pattern is from Noodlehead and includes piping and a recessed zipper. It was challenging but in a good way!

Madrona Road Challenge

At the December meeting of the DC Modern Quilt Guild, I picked up a packet of Madrona Road fabric by Michael Miller. The challenge was to use these fabrics, any additional Madrona Road fabric, and any solid fabric. The resulting item must be quilted and must be finished.

I made a tote bag, adding the blue solid fabric and another Madrona Road fabric for the lining. I quilted it using a long zigzag stitch with variegated thread.

Expandable Tote Bag

I saw this bag at The Little Shop in Haddonfield, NJ, last month. They couldn't find the pattern - it was one of their own - so the owner described how to make it.

Here goes:

1. Make 2 bags. One is the exterior and one is the lining. For each, cut 2 rectangles or squares. I cut mine 14" x 14" but next time I will make it deeper. Line all 4 pieces with fusible fleece. This makes the bag soft and squishy which I like. Sew right sides together on 3 sides and press seams open.

2. Square off bottoms.

3. Put the lining inside the exterior bag, wrong sides together. Match up top edges and side seams and pin.

4. Bind top edge.

5. Make handles. There are different ways to do this but I covered 1" canvas webbing with fabric. My handles were 30" long.

6. Machine stitch handles on inside about 4" down from top. Fold over the top of the bag to form a cuff. Open up the cuff to fit in more stuff, as needed!

Delaney Bag

Here is my latest bag, The Delaney Bag from Bunny Hill Designs. I used a heavier fabric for the exterior and a quilting cotton for the lining. The lining is interfaced with Craft Fuse to give it body. For the handles I covered 1" cotton webbing for strength.

Stay tuned for more bags!

Zig Zag Bag

While shopping in Joann Fabrics last week I noticed this little packet of precut triangles with a pattern to make a shopping tote. It was marked with a red clearance sticker for only $6.97 so how could I resist? It was easy and fun to make. I added the pink solid fabric from my stash and quilted the design using perle cotton. The batting is fusible fleece.

Fabric Bag

The sewing frenzy continues. I was looking through some old magazines, trying to find something quick to make and I happened upon this bag pattern by Edyta Sitar in the April 2011 issue of American Quilting and Patchwork.

To save time, I bought some pre-quilted fabric at JoAnn Fabrics and it turned out great.

Patchwork Bag

I made a bag! The pattern comes from an out-of-print book that I borrowed from a friend, featuring designs by Kaffe Fassett and others. It may have been his first foray into quilting? It's an easy pattern, just front, back, two side gussets, a bottom gusset and the strap, plus the same for the lining. I quilted each section using Big Stitch. The fabric was a packet of fat quarters given to me by my daughter. One can never have too many bags, right?