Author: JayeL

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

Quilt Travel Bag/ Go Bag

Cyndi and I talked about the Ultimate Carryall Bag and travel bags in general at Sew Day. It made me start thinking about whether the Ultimate Carryall Bag was the best bag for the job.

UCAB: front, open
UCAB: front, open

I have been using my UCAB as a go bag / travel tool bag since I finished it. it is working ok, but I don’t love it. I forgot to put SF101 on the large pockets so they are particularly saggy. This is not a design problem; it is a construction problem. Ideally, I should make another one for myself, but the directions are so terrible that, even with my notes, I don’t have it in me to sew another one.

It is also kind of bulgy at the front when the whole thing is zipped. That could be because I overfill it.

My discussion with Cyndi got me thinking about the ideal travel tool bag.

Sheffield Tool Tote - front
Sheffield Tool Tote – front

I plan to make a Sheffield tote for myself. In fact, at Sew Day, I had some fabric out that I want to use, so I took the opportunity to cut those pieces as a start.

I haven’t decided if I will put the very outside pockets on it. I can see where they would be useful, but I can also see how items would fall out. If I do not include them, the Sheffield will look very similar to the Quilts Illustrated Tool Tote pattern I made in 2018. You can see a comparison of the two bags in a post I wrote in 2021. One thing I thought is that I could make the sides of Sheffield taller. I think I need to make a few more before I try that.

Arty Running with Scissors Tote-inside
Arty Running with Scissors Tote-inside

Another idea is to use the Kit Supply Tote and a Running with Scissors folio together. I have the Kit Supply Tote and could make a Running with Scissors folio for tools and it might fit inside the Kit Supply Tote.

I would have to carefully measure all of my tools so I could make the openings the right size and all of my tools would fit. I would somehow need to incorporate the Take a Stand Bag into this mythical system. As mentioned on the ByAnnie website, the Running with Scissors folio can be draped over the Take a Stand bag so you can see all of your tools. Also, I have the fabric quilted to the foam already ready to go. It makes good sense to make another Running with Scissors and try it out.

Oslo Craft Bag Swap Gift
Oslo Craft Bag Swap Gift

The Oslo Tote is a possibility as well. I am pleased with the way it came out, mostly, but it doesn’t have a top closure. I think it is also a little small for what I need and want.

I could redesign the inside of the Cavalcade Bag and make sure I can fit my Tupperware tool box inside it.

Both from the Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, I also have the Ultimate Project Bag and the Retreat in a Bag. I don’t think these are exactly the tool and supply totes I am seeking. I plan to make them soon, but am not sure how to incorporate them into my travel needs.

The All Rolled Up Tote could also be a good tool tote. I also like the fabric I used. I wouldn’t be able to put a pad of paper or large-ish rulers in there, but it would hold all the scissors, etc that I need.

I have also seen the Sew Awesome Travel Companion Tote. This bag has potential. I might have a similar bag pattern already, but the roominess of this bag means I could store other bags and my Tupperware tool box inside it.

There is also the Crafter’s Carry All Bag. It has similar attributes to the Sew Awesome Travel Companion Tote, but also has negative reviews. Reviewers say it is short on diagrams.

What I really can’t understand is why there is so little competition to the Ultimate Carry All Bag? None of the bag designers, besides Quiltessa Natalie has designed something like this.

Brown Stitch Hackney Going Together

Stitch Hackney in process
Stitch Hackney in process

I am making really good progress on this bag. The gusset is much easier to assemble after making so many.

In this case, I didn’t have a brown or beige double zip handbag zipper**. That is definitely a problem. I like matching my zippers to my fabrics, but I don’t want a bunch of beige and brown zippers hanging around that I can’t use, but have to look at. I think the grey looks ok. We’ll see when I get the top on.

Stitch Hackney in process
Stitch Hackney in process

I am fond of the leaf fabric I used for the interior even if it is beige. I don’t remember when I bought it, but it has a very nice metallic leaf on the fabric. The motif is delicate and not garish at all.

 

 

 

 

**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

More Pantone Blocks from Julie

Pantone Blocks from Julie - early July 2023
Pantone Blocks from Julie – early July 2023

I received more Pantone blocks from Julie. Fortunately, I am not completely lame, because I have also been making some blocks for her.

I did not include the squares of fabric that came along with these blocks in the photo.

There are a nice variety and very cheerful, unlike the fabrics I have been selecting, which are dark and depressing.

Starting Another Hackney

I can’t seem to help myself. I really like this bag and seem to need to keep making more. I definitely need to start making some more of the Minikins Season 4 patterns.

Hackney for Markus
Hackney for Markus

But, for the moment, I am stuck on Hackneys. I decided to make this bag and one of the Zaudal Creates Knitting Needles bags for my friends in Austria. I stayed with them and they drove to and from the airport and were generally super nice hosts. Honestly I enjoy making bags and can’t use them all so making gifts works well for me. Continuing to sew keeps me out of trouble as well. 😉

As you can see this is a lot of brown fabric. 🙁 Fortunately, it isn’t an awful brown fabric. I didn’t know that I had bought so much of it until I unearthed my brown bin and saw 2 yards of a completely uncut piece. 🙁 I have that fabric in several other colors and love it, but really had no memory of buying the brown. I’ll have to think of some other projects to make for my friend.

Scrappy Celebration Continues

It is a good thing that I chose good fabrics for this quilt, because the piecing is super easy and not interesting. I don’t know if it was the best choice for my ‘next project’ after finishing most of my UFOs. Still, it is a project and I will continue.

The Philip Jacobs Chrysanthemum print in those Autumn colors is really growing on me.

I have decided to use the Chrysanthemum print in the same block design, combined in different ways throughout the quilt. I may use it in other blocks, but primarily, I will use it in that block design.

Scrappy Celebration C3
Scrappy Celebration C3

I am not 100% on board with my first use (C3) of it when I used the same fabric in the center as I did in the Four Patches. I like the one above much better. The combination of the colors in the Chrysanthemum print and the turquoise is stunning.

So far, I have made 18 blocks of the 56 I need. I think this will be quite the large quilt.

Metro Twist Fabrics

The next Sew Day  will be a Super Sew Day/Meeting combination. As mentioned, I will be assisting Amy to teach the Metro Twist pattern.

Metro Twist Fabric Pull
Metro Twist Fabric Pull

One thing I did was look through the fabric pulls that I had saved. I chose one with a large number of prints to use.

A lot of these are Art Gallery fabrics. I may not use all of the grid fabrics and I may change out the focus fabric (4th from left, top row), which I added quickly before I took these to Sew Day. There is already a lot of green in this quilt and that might send it over the edge. Still, maybe not, we’ll have to see as I cut and start putting blocks together.

Peggy the Miracle Quilt Top Maker

Peggy's Sawtooth Star
Peggy’s Sawtooth Star

The other day I showed some red and dot donation blocks. I brought them to hand in at sew day and Peggy immediately grabbed them. Very quickly, she came up with a block with my donation blocks at the center.

This is such a cheerful block. I love the way she used HSTs instead of Flying Geese to vary the color of the rays of the star.  I would say the block is probably 16″ in this form, but I didn’t measure.

Sawtooth Star donation top
Sawtooth Star donation top

As the day wore on, Peggy continued to work. Midafternoon, she came up and showed me the quilt top made with my block at the center.

I know I say this all the time. I love this about the guild community quilt program. I can hand in something half finished and Peggy or someone will take it and make something fabulous.

I wonder if the Spiky 16 Patch #5 inspired her?

This is such a cheerful quilt top and was very quickly finished. It will also be good for a boy or a girl.

Finished: Blue Strip #3 Donation Top

Blue Strip #3 Donation Top
Blue Strip #3 Donation Top

I finished the Blue Strip #3 donation top and back in the nick of time to take to Sew Day on Saturday.

As I mentioned, it was a weird shape, so I made an effort to widen it by making the side border strips larger than the top and bottom border strips.

It is still very much more rectangular than square, but more of a bed shape than a weird shape.

I’ll have to work on a blue color improv quilt like the others as I still have quite a few blue scraps. They seem to multiply when I am not looking. LOL!

Peggy, as usual, was very complimentary and happy to receive it. I plan to make another one using greys or blacks or both. The scrap drawer with greys, blacks and browns is very full.

Finished: Kit Supply Tote

Finished: Kit Supply Tote
Finished: Kit Supply Tote

I really love this bag. It is sitting on my cutting table so I can admire it. The fabric is great, but I really love the size and shape.

I haven’t tried carrying anything in it, so stay tuned for that adventure.

There are also some details I haven’t used in other bags that I think make a nice finished look.

This is an Aneela Hoey pattern. It is a stand-alone pattern, as in not from her book, Stitched Sewing Organizers**. I have had the pattern for awhile and admired Mary C’s version at every Sew Day. I talked a little about the beginnings of this bag in the post earlier this week. I will say that I was able to finish it pretty quickly and that I immediately wanted to make another.

Finished: Kit Supply Tote
Finished: Kit Supply Tote

Of course I did! It seems to be my MO. I do have some of the pieces cut out for a smaller version, so I may make one of those. We’ll see. I do like the large size.

I had some trouble with some of the directions, but it is my poor pattern reading not the pattern. I’d love to hear what others think about the directions on pg. 8. I found them confusing, but I looked at some of the photos provided after the first page, then I tried some things and went with it. The basic idea was to sew the lining to the exterior staying within the seam allowance.

There was some ripping, but in general this bag went together pretty well.

Finished: Kit Supply Tote - lining
Finished: Kit Supply Tote – lining

The pockets look pretty useful. I don’t have measurements for my particular tools and supplies, so I mostly followed Ms. Hoey’s guidelines in the pattern. I don’t know yet what I will use this bag for, so I am not worried yet.

I did change the pocket fabric at the last minute for the circle motif fabric. I had cut out the pockets using the striped fabric of the lining, but changed my mind. I will use the fabric for the pockets for another version.

Finished: Kit Supply Tote - handles
Finished: Kit Supply Tote – handles

Considering my ‘handles from the back’ technique, I am pretty pleased with how they turned out. I don’t think these handles will feel very good if I had to carry this bag filled with heavy supplied for a long distance, but I don’t anticipate that happening.

One thing I did with my fingers crossed was modify the zipper. This pattern calls for a 14″ separating zipper. I only had a longer one. I followed the directions, which were to fold the ends over at a 45 degree angle and sew the angle into place. It seemed to work just fine and the zipper looks good. Whew!

I really want to put this bag into use. I may replace the Ultimate Carry All bag with this one, though that bag is growing one me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Various & Sundry 2023 #7

Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies

I recently read a blog post about the Classic Curves plus ruler. I have the regular Classic Curves ruler** and am slowly collecting pieces for a quilt. You know I love a good specialty ruler, so I looked carefully at this article and the specs for the ruler. It allows quiltmakers to create the same shapes as the Clammy. Since I have various sizes of the Clammy, I probably won’t be buying this ruler. The Classic Curves ruler does not take training to use, unlike the Clammy, so if you don’t have the Clammy rulers already, this might be the ruler that helps you create inset circles, Orange Peels, half circles and Drunkard’s Path blocks. Take a look and help support a small, woman-owned business.

There are other specialty rulers that create circles, Orange Peels, half circles and Drunkard’s Path blocks.  One is by Creative Grids, the Circle Savvy** ruler. I don’t have this ruler. You can find a few different rulers by searching around. In addition to Sharon of Colorgirl Quilts and Latifah, creator of the Clammies, Jen Carlton Bailley has her various Drunkard’s Path templates. Daisy of Warmfolk, Papper, Sax, Sten and many others want you to make curved quilts.

I struggled to butt the pieces of my La Pass quilt together so I can sew them as i sew more of the top together. I have some of the Sew Tite HDs**, which are great, because they are really strong. The problem is that they are not long enough. At the guild meeting the other day, Lindsay told me about Sew Tite Magnums**, which are longer than any of the other Sew Tites. They are on the pricey side, so we’ll see if I buy them, but they look really useful.

Events, Exhibits and Shows

The North East Ohio Quilt Show will be held in Wooster, Ohio July 20-22, 2023. No, I won’t be there, but I’d love to see what  you see there! There is free admission and free parking. They have a raffle and over 40 vendors. Check out their website!

There is also the Delta Quilters Guild 2023 Quilt Show being held in Brentwood at 35 Oak Street on August 19-20, 2023. There is a $10 entry fee, which is good for both days. See quilts, demos, vendors and take part in their boutique and raffle. Take a look at the Delta Quilters website for more information.

Media, Books and Articles

This isn’t quite the chart I was looking for, but I found a guide to interfacing from Threads magazine. I found a chart from the Cotton Patch in the UK, so some of the information isn’t relevant to all of the interfacings US quiltmakers have available, but it is somewhat useful. Pattern Pages has an article on choosing interfacing. Kayapapaya blog also has an article on various types of interfacings. They occasionally mention equivalents as well. They have a brief equivalency chart for those of you who live outside of the US and can’t get Pellon products.

Pellon has a series of guides about how to use the interfacing.

I talked about the Sew Tites magnetic cutting system last time. They are still taking pre-orders (no affiliation). The Sew Tites team went to Utah and talked with Annie Unrein of ByAnnie fame about their system. They recorded the show.

Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials

I may have posted this tutorial before. I am making another EPP ball, so I had to look it up again and I thought you might want to sew along with me. The last one I made was in 2020.

Sara of Sew Sweetness sent out her monthly newsletter last week. In it she reminded readers of her free technique videos. She says “The FREE technique videos that we have on the website are designed to enhance your skills as bag makers and can often be adapted and applied to many different projects. The video on “How to add a divider to a bag” can be used on any bag pattern that has a side panel. You can even add a divider that functions as a pocket. What a great place to add a fun bright zipper!” You can sign up for the newsletter on her site. The newsletter offer usually comes up when you open the page. You also get a free pattern for the Oslo bag. No affiliation; just a happy customer. Also, the Oslo Bag is great for organizing your tools and supplies.

 

 

 

**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

26 Projects 2023 #6

June was an okay month in terms of sewing. I got back in the saddle and was able to finish a few things. I need to get back in the swing for July as I have some projects to finish as gifts.

Finished 2023 Quilt Projects

Finished (for me!) Donation Quilts

I don’t quilt much and I enjoy the collaborative effort of making a top and allowing someone else to quilt it. Thus, the quilts below are mostly tops, but I will include a finished quilt once someone else finishes it for the group.

Finished Bags and Small Projects

This category covers bags, toys, aprons and knitting as well as other non-quilt projects.

In Process or To Make

The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or are on the design wall waiting for me to stitch. I am continuing to try not to put away projects. I find putting a project away ensures I never work on them, because I just lose steam.

Quilts (machine work)

    • Nothing at the moment!

Quilts (Handwork)

I decided that some of my quilts are in a different class because they are hand piecing or embroidery or beading. They take longer. Thus I created a new category and have moved some projects here.

  • Half Hexie Stars Project– I am reignited about this project after working on it at the November Sew Day. I have been working away steadily and can see the light at the end of the tunnel
  • La Passacaglia – The rosettes are all assembled. I am ripping out the papers and deciding which rosettes to finish into the border.

Ready for Quilting

 

In the Quilting Process

    • Nothing at the moment

In the Finishing Process

    • Nothing at the moment

Small Projects

Most of my progress involves thinking or just cutting. I don’t have a bag in process at the moment.

  • Ultimate Project Organizer – another project from the Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, also on my list, but not yet started. I did pull the fabric, supplies and reviewed some finished photos that others posted, so I am one step closer.
  • Retreat Organizer – another project from the Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, also on my list, but not yet started. Recently, I saw one of these made up and I am not so nervous about it. I did pull the fabric, supplies and reviewed some finished photos that others posted, so I am one step closer.
  • Rose Petrillo bag – I found the pieces for this bag cut out, but not sewn.
  • Superbloom tote using Hindsight fabric – not started. I did pull the fabric, supplies and found a photo I plan to use as inspiration that others posted, so I am one step closer.

Still UFOs
I still have UFOs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled, it hasn’t been worked on in awhile or it is waiting its turn to be worked on. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.

I am annoyed that some of these are still WIPs. I just need to work on them!

  1. Handbag Sampler – this is still the forgotten project. It should be on the UFO list. The blocks were teaching samples when I taught a sampler class some time before I started writing the quilt class sampler tutorials. I found one block recently, but otherwise I don’t actually know exactly where the blocks are hiding. I crawled up in the far reaches of my fabric closet to see if I could find them and they weren’t where I thought. I am sort of mystified as to where they could be. I haven’t even found a picture of all the blocks. WTH?
  2. Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. After a brief burst of inspiration, I am stalled on this again. As one of my oldest (I am pretty sure) UFOs, I put it on my blog and out into the Twitterverse and Diane suggested that I not consider this as a self portrait. I think that strategy is a great idea. I am now trying to think of a new persona for her.
  3. Serendipity Lady – I am still planning to take this piece to be framed. It might need a bit of quilting first.
  4. Fabric of the Year 2020
  5. Fabric of the Year 2021 – I may combine 2020 and 2021 into a COVID edition.
  6. Fabric of the Year 2022 – yes, I added this one to the list, but this is the last one I plan to do.

Blue Strip #3 Heading Towards Finish

Blue Strip #3 donation top without borders
Blue Strip #3 donation top without borders

I had time this week to work on this donation top. I was able to finish putting the blocks together into a top.

The top is a weird shape – kind of long and skinny. I probably should have put the top row of blocks on the side to make it more square. I didn’t, however, so I will put a larger border on the sides than on the top to see about making it more square.

The pink cornerstones add a little spark to the top.

Handles from the Back

Kit Supply Tote in Progress
Kit Supply Tote in Progress

I cut out a large version of the Kit Supply Tote by Aneela Hoey at one Sew Day in the past. I checked and can’t find a date when I did it. Still, I decided, over the weekend, that it was time to put the bag together.

Overall, this is a pretty straightforward tote. Directions are provided for two sizes and both are put together the same way.

Kit Supply Tote handles
Kit Supply Tote handles

Towards the end, I chose one of the webbing handle materials from Sew Hungry Hippie.They are a glittery black or silver overlaid on black. Very glittery

It was hard to sew on the previous lines from the front. I was using a charcoal thread color that  matched pretty well. I sewed the handles on a little bit from the top/exterior, counting stitches carefully until I had one line of stitching sewn in a square. 

Handle stitching
Handle stitching

Thereafter, I took the bag out of the machine and sewed from the lining side.  I could easily follow the stitching by sewing on the previous lines. I am pretty pleased with how the stitching came out.