Halloween Improv Tote Tute -- Part Deux (#2)

Hi again. Did you read part one on how I started this tote? If not we'll wait while you catch up...
the link is: click here!
So this is a peek into how it looks open and in use.
We stopped yesterday with the quilting. The quilt backing fabric is your lining fabric. I use one color thread on top, and a different one in bobbin to match the lining. This tote is simple, without pockets or zipper. It's one you can easily make in a couple sewing sessions to your size needs. This one set up is about 18" X 15" or so.

Here is the top before quilting. There is a crazy quilt fabric in the center piecing the two sections together. It will be the bottom when folded up and sewn.

Peltex is quite firm, and doesn't like to bend to fit into the machine. That means I didn't over quilt it, as I wanted mostly straight lines. I did some free motion around the little candies however.

I broke the needles when I tried to couch the sparkly gold ribbon around the candy squares. It only did that because I had to keep turning the piece and it didn't want to turn.

Couching is just applique of thread or ribbon. Zigzag over it.  Note my favorite Bernina stitch is the spiral. My old 1630 has it, and no other machine does except there is a similar one on the expensive new model.

 By the way, look at the cute prints! I love the little frog scrap, the zigzaggy purple on green.

I admit, I did this whole thing in a speedy fashion. I didn't dither, or check tension. Just got busy.
When it's quilted trim the tops and bind. I did a speedy machine binding in purple. The handles are 1" strips of peltex about 36" long. I cut fabric 2.5" placed the peltex strip on the back, folded and over lapped the fabric over, zigzagged it closed. Fastest sturdiest handles I ever made.
I measured to make sure to attach them in the same place on both ends, and machine stitched them on.

Next step is to fold back the lining fabric out of the way, and fold the bag in half RST. (Just try and pin it thru the peltex!) and sew a quarter inch seam all the way down. Be careful if you use peltex. Go slowly.

(Since I left the lining (backing) fabric larger around than the front, I had material to use to cover the seam)

Once the side seams are sewn, I pulled one side of lining over the raw edge, then the other side was pulled the other way, covering the first side. Tuck under the last raw edge and resew the now covered seam a bit less than quarter inch catching the lining fabric, finishing off the inside edge so pretty!

I know it might sound a bit confusing, after all I am a designer, not a pattern maker.
I can easily teach a class how, by showing them, but I just hope you can get the drift.

See there how the lining covered the raw edges?
It's inside out now and you need to box the bottom so it has a flat place to stand up, and these stand up on their own.

The only way to describe it here, is sort of open the bag until it forms the V on the bottom.
This is a 45* angle. Place the ruler 45*line on one side, use a chalk marker, measure up about 2" and draw a line.
Peek inside and make sure the side seam line falls in the middle of the bottom of the bag.
sew along that drawn line.

Repeat on the other side.

Turn the bag inside out, and it's all done.
Unless you want to bead or embellish it... and you should. I would. Er, did, and might do more.

And truth be told, I might tote this around though Thanksgiving.

Using Improv to make a tote #1

Voila! The Halloween tote finished  mere days before the holiday... well there's always next year too!
I have to work when I want to work and this wanted to be made. I already made a throw quilt with one concocted pattern, stenciled some sugar skulls, stamped some fabric for note cards  (winging their way to some of you as we speak) and now an improve tote.

Lookie! My motto "USE IT!" is in play because I have had these skelli key rings hanging around for years!
I just slipped it on the handle! What fun! There's a yellow one on the other side. 

 Each time I make something I develop a new technique and this time it was a way to finish off the inside seams. It is so picture heavy I plan to do two posts on the making of this.
I started with left over scraps from doing the quilt (pattern and tutorial to follow in a few days)

 That quilt was made from scraps from a quilt I made my friend Suze about 7 years ago. Heh heh
They must multiply.
So these really stale scraps became improv log cabins. I started with the icky candy fabric cutting it into various size squares. Then adding as I went, willy nilly, growing and growing til they were about 7" ish.

I had 12, and placed them on the wall. Decided where to add a bit, where to trim a bit so they would fit together into two main (front and back) sections for a tote.

then I sewed them together and added a little accent strip for the top of the bag.
I'm loving it at this stage, and wondering how it'll look in 3-D. Decided to add in side strips so when the bottom was boxed in, it would keep the log cabins mostly to the front.

Next step is to add in a strip that will be the bottom of the bag, sewing it to the two sections in order to layer and quilt. I use peltex instead of batting in my totes. It quilts great, the totes have body, but it's a mess to gather through the machine sometimes.Doesn't want to bend.  I broke two needles. shrug.

I quilt it as usual, and usually do an envelop turn to finish off the side seams. I didn't want to this time. so I came up with a way to finish the inside side seams. That's tomorrow.

I'll tell you about the couching, side seams, handles, and boxing the bottom all in this post:
the link is click here
 
Sewing is fun Y'all.
I know someone will ask if I made this! They always do, and I think of course, where on earth would you find this kind of nonsense?

Steps to this year's V-day quilt

In Progress, now about 20" X 38"

Every year I make a Valentine quilt to celebrate the love I found with my husband. V-day is in less than a week so I started this yesterday, lol! That's just the way I am.
My motto this year is "Use It" and I wanted to use some of my V-day fabric stash. Each year it's a different style, a different size, a different look but always...about love.
First choose some fabrics...

Of course my Valentine collection is all over the place since I collect heart fabric in any color I find.
Second, make a few strip sets in order to cut out some 60 degree triangles...

then cut out the triangles and arrange them on your sewing table.
Next sew three of the triangles together...

Note, you now have a half hexie. I am making these by machine so the easiest way to sew them is in long strips after arranging them on the wall..

like that.

When I am ready, I'll sew each half to the other into strips, then strips together with long straight seams. All straight seam sewing here! Fast. I made all these since yesterday afternoon.

It's messy, and fun, and busy and colorful and happy.

I must tell you a secret.
When I made the first two blocks I thought, that's it I wasted fabris, time and now I can't let myself throw it away.
I considered doing an art quilt instead that's on the back burner of my mind.

But, I know this syndrome... I've had it with each quilt I ever made.

Just about a fourth of the way along the process I begin not to like it, growing fear that I wasted fabric and time on it, then just before it comes together in the final top I love it again!
I mean, look at these fabrics!

Some scraps, some stash, all love!
I do a lecture on working in series and show all 22 quilts... but if you want to see just one more...
check out last year's  (  HERE  ) 
Love, LeeAnna

blue diamonds

Scraps from scraps... when I made the RSC2016 blue blocks last week, (Read all about it here) I had strata left over.
Perfectly good strip sets that I couldn't throw away.

with a bit of resewing I was able to get the diamonds in the top photo.
This appeals to me on several levels.
1. I love to see scraps turn into something else
2. I like diamond shapes (and real diamonds hon are you listening?)
3. It's very exciting to see what shows up in improv. I have already done this before with other colors

I remembered how to get around the bias problem from the first blocks.

lay the strata facing, mirror image, and pressing to see if the strata are lining up perfectly.
Draw a diagonal line the way the book says to cut.


Sew 1/4" on either side.....

trim on the drawn line

open up, just to make sure you sewed it right.

GENTLY press the seam to one side and done.

These aren't pressed yet so they look offset in the pic. For the most part they are perfect matches.

That's beside the point that I didn't like how the strata blended and may not use the four blocks in my finished quilt.
This method was so much faster and easier that it makes up for perfect joins to me.

Note: I wrote this last week and scheduled it to drop into place on Saturday for the link party. 
I live in the greater Washington DC area of Maryland and we are watching a storm approach that will likely cause massive power outages. If so I will be off line for up to a week. Wish us good luck.  
Linking to AD HOC at sewslowly.

necessity is the (valentine gift) of invention

 Those of you who know me, know I make a Valentine quilt every year for Mr. Not Afraid of Color and I.
The top photo is the quilt in progress, background chosen, appliques on, stamped and painted. Waiting quilting now.
Sometimes the V-day quilt gets done a bit after the day... life gets in the way.

So last weekend we went to a Festival near DC.
We had the best time and danced our tootsies off.

DH asked if I could make a dance bag to hold his shoes so they won't get scuffed or dirty other stuff in the larger dance bag.

I had the last of the guitar flannel, the fabric I taught my 17 year old nephew to make a pillow case on, the fabric I used for dh's mug rugs, and thought it might just be enough.


I've never made anything like this. I didn't let that stop me!
The scrap of flannel was about 11" by 24" and the black notes flannel was 6" by 24"
Perfect.
Flannel frays badly so all seams needed to be finished off. I'll try and remember how I made this.

I know one can buy shoe bags but not shoe bags for dancers... so here goes...

I folded the white piece RST and seamed with a 1/4th in seam to within an inch of the top, backstitching.

I cut the black into two 6" X 12" pieces, hemmed the short ends simply by folding over twice and stitching.
Then I folded each one in half lengthwise, seamed the long edge and turned the finished tube RS out.
I now had two of these tubes.

Fold one side of the bag out of the way.

I placed the tube down on the table, laid the raw edge of the bag about quarter inch down from the tube edge and sewed a seam. When this seam is opened up, the finished tube edge covers the raw bag edge.
Topstitch this finishing it off.
Repeat on the other side.
Sew about an inch down from the very top of the black to form a tunnel for a shoe lace to go thru.

All the way across, then turn and come back along the other tube's tunnel until the shoelace ends are together.
Overhand knot.
Voila! It's a drawstring!

The tubes are free, open on the sides but all edges are finished so they don't fray.

The shoes are in there and my work to find a gift for my beloved is done! One he actually needs and will use. Win Win!

Layer Cake in purples

unfinished double slice 37" X 46" 

My guild does makes and donates kid's quilts at Christmas. We wrap them around teddy bears for the Salvation Army. My bee gets together in the summer to try a pattern and make these. This year we used the tutorial from Missouri Quilts found HERE!

Of course I didn't completely follow the tute, I cut 20  10" squares of purples from my stash.
Then the first slice is at the 3.5" mark leaving a stack of 3.5" and a stack of 6.5"X 10" slices.
Turn one stack over so you will mix up patterns as you re sew them back together.

Take that re-sewn stack, and slice them in half (the 5 inch mark)   this way...

   Flip one stack over so you mix them up as you resew them into  now  9.5" squares positioned like this...

I did not worry about the orientation or having one fabric next to any other. I sewed them 4 sq by 5 squares and now I'll quilt it, bind it and I have a donation quilt. I don't usually like a jumble of prints like this, but it was fun to do in a group. Mindless so one could chat. Check out those piggy ballerinas, hats and cones.

pieced circle tute--part two

This is a continuation of the pieced circles tutorial.  See part one:   just click here! 

 after turning back the fabric over the FP, then run a small amount of glue stick over the fabric and
hold it over your focus circle, already cut in the previous step.

Make sure it's perfect as this will be how it looks after sewing!
After looking at the back and making sure the focus circle covers your clipped edge opening, give this a quick press with an iron to set.

At this point, I get a number of them ready for sewing by the machine. It's a fast process from here!
Next thing we'll do is stitch. 

 Lay the block face up, gently pull back the background to look at the FP. Place needle right next to the FP, which will be through the two layers of fabric only.

 Keep the background gently pulled out of the way to the left, and use a slightly shorter stitch length. If you have auto needle down, use it. Sew slowly around next to the FP, being careful not to catch the background.

When you sew completely around the circle, you are free to gently pull the FP out, and it usually comes out intact. Press the block flat and you are done.
LeeAnna

Sewing circles without worries tutorial part one

I would like to share a technique with you that I learned a long time ago by Sharon Schamber. It is a way of piecing circles, or any shape without worry of seam allowance. Keeping the correct seam allowance under the foot on curves is the hard part, but we will use freezer paper as a guide and stabilizer.

 just for the purpose of learning the technique I will give you sizes to cut, however you can do this technique with any size or shape block or center.

Cut a 6 inch block of background fabric and of...

Freezer paper.
Cut the same size and shape from freezer paper
as your background. I did this with an archway once.

 fold it in fourths and you will then cut a circle out of the folded corner

I use one of my acrylic circle or drunkard's path templates. You will choose the size of opening you want.It must be small enough to leave a seam allowance on the background but large enough to showcase your focus fabric.

Use that cut out circle, which is exactly the right size, as a template to cut out your focus fabric. This is the one you want showing through the background. I cut it a good half inch away from the F.P.

Iron the FP to back of your background. In this case, fold it in half, roughly cut out the center leaving about a half inch seam allowance, and clip almost to the FP

using a water soluble glue stick, UHU is best, run a small amount of glue along the clipped edge and a bit of the paper

Using your finger, open the clipped fabric and push over the edge of your FP so that it sticks to the paper smoothly. This will be the exact edge of your opening so you want it to look perfect. If you have a glitch, you might need to clip closer

After you have pressed the fabric back onto the paper it will look like this.

Since this is a picture heavy post I will do the next sections later. Please
see part two here click here!

LeeAnna