Design It, Quilt It Tote Bag Sample #1

I just finished taking the Craftsy Design it Quilt class by Cindy Needham.  I loved this class and especially like that I can watch it on my ipad.  I learned so much about quilting.  I decided to practice on a tote bag.  I had 2 blocks already made to work on. 

On the first block, I used some old polyester serger thread that match the blue squares. The thread was awful to work with.  It kept breaking.  

I decided to try the straight line quilting in each of the squares.  I am not pleased with the result.  First, I think that the squares were too large (4” finished) for this technique.  Second, the quilting does not show in the blue squares.  I should have used a darker color or perhaps white.  If quilting doesn’t show, then for me I don’t know why I am doing it. 

I also did not have a backing fabric.  Since the tote bag will be lined, I don’t need a backing fabric.  Perhaps,  I do need a backing fabric so that the quilting shows better.  Next time I will try it with a backing fabric.

I added some pearls to the white squares to add a little interest.  I, for sure, need more practice doing the pearls since some of them are very baroque that is they are not circles.

Here is the first side of the bag with the quilting finished.

 

For the second block, I decided break the spaces into smaller blocks by sewing straight lines on the diagonal.  I liked this look much better.  I used a superior polyester thread which worked so much better than the serger thread.  I still didn't have a backing so the quilting still doesn't show as much as I would like.  I also think I should have used a darker thread or white thread in the blue squares.

 

 For the white squares, I did scribbling.  I am not sure that I like the way I moved from one side of the square to the other with a straight line.  I need to work on that technique.  My scribbling may need to be denser.

 

For the border, I did two curved lines with my walking foot.  Then I when back in an added the pearls.  I really like this effect. 

 

Here is my finished second block.



 

Here is the finished tote bags showing the side that I like.

 

 Note that my blog title is sample #1. So now I plan to quilt lots of tote bags to practise my quilting techniques.  Practise makes perfect or at least makes it look better. 

Re-purposing Fabric Scraps

I use up fabric after finishing a project by making 12" blocks. Most of the time there is not quite enough to make another bigger project.  Since I have already spent the time coordinating the fabrics, I would like to keep the fabrics together. Keeping that in mind,  I cut the fabrics into one of the following sized squares 4.5", 3.5", 3" and 2.5".  I use the strips less than 2.5" to make a string pieced 12" block.

One of string pieced blocks can be used to make a evening purse.

Two of string pieced blocks can be used to make a tote bag.

Two of the 9 patch blocks can be used to make a tote bag.
The 9 patch blocks are made from nine 4.5" squares.

Two of the 25 patch blocks can be used to make a tote bags.
The 25 patch blocks are made from twenty five 3" squares. This block will actually be 13" with seam allowances. If I am using it in a tote bags I don't worry about the size.  If I use this block in a quilt with other 12" finished blocks, then I trim the block to 12.5".  Visually it is very hard to see that the squares on edges are not squares.

Three of these blocks can be used to make a table runner.

For this table runner, I used 3 of the blocks made with 3.5" squares. I used a strip of fabric that I had left over from the back of a quilt that just happened to be 12.5" wide. I cut 3 squares 12.5". Cut 2 of the squares in half once on the diagonal for the inset side triangles. Cut the remaining square twice on the diagonal for the 4 corner triangles.  If I had more fabric, I would have cut the inset triangle blocks slightly larger so the points on the 16 patch don't get cut off.

Since I didn't have a fabric that worked well for the back of the quilt, I used 7 black fat eighths and sewed them together for the back. I used a solid black fabric for the binding.

This table runner was made left over fabrics in my stash and I didn't have to purchase any fabric to make it.   If you would like the pattern for this table runner click on this link 16 Patch Table Runner Quilt Pattern.

Five of the blocks can be used to make a table runner.
Cut 2 of the blocks in half on the diagonal to make the inset triangles.  Note that the one of the inset triangle blocks was a 16 patch and the other 4 blocks were 9 patches.  As with the table runner above, the vertical points are cut off by a small amount.  If I had one more block with these colors, I could have used it for the corners.  Instead I just left the corner blocks off so that the table runner had pointed ends.

The lap quilt was made with 9 twenty five patch blocks.  I use a printed fabric for the blocks down the center, and a different printed fabric for the inset blocks. I added a small border on the sides to make the quilt a little wider so it worked better as a lap quilt. I cut one of the 25 patch blocks in half twice for the corners. Once again, I used fabrics from my stash.

This last quilt was made with 24 blocks.  It is sometime hard to find 24 blocks that coordinate.  Since all of the blocks had some black in them, it was made easier in this case.  Some of the blocks are 25 patches, some 16 patches, some 12 patches and some are string pieced.  This quilt was constructed using a quilt as you go technique.  Each of the blocks has a different black print fabric on the back.  Once again, all of the fabrics are from my stash.

I hope you enjoyed seeing what is possible using simple blocks and the variety of things you can do with the blocks.  I do have to admit that I have over 100 blocks that have yet to be made into projects.  I also have lots of squares in the sizes I mentioned, waiting to be made into blocks.  There just never seems to be enough time.

Your Camera is your most valuable quilting tool

• When you take a picture of a quilt or block it removes your emotion from it and allows you see what need to be changed
• Great tool for checking value, most cameras allow you to take pictures in grayscale you just need to find out how your camera does it.  Take a picture of the block or quilt in grayscale and see if you need to change the values
• Your camera is also a great tool for checking values in fabrics before you even buy the fabric.  Take it with you shopping and stack your fabrics then take a picture in grayscale to check the value.
• Value does all the work, color gets all the credit.

 

• You can also use your camera to help design a quilt with blocks.  Arrange the block on a design wall, take a picture.  View the picture then make changes to your quilt. 
• Keep taking pictures and re-arranging the blocks until you are happy or too tired to move the block around any more.
• Take a final picture and print the picture.  Use this when sewing the blocks together to make sure that you sew the blocks in the correct order.

Accurately Sewing Strip Sets

 

·        In order to keep track of the end you started, leave the threads long on the start end and cut them short on the finished end.

·        This technique works well in our Riding the Waves Quilt Pattern

·        Alternate the starting end when sewing strips together to get straight strips.  The bottom teeth gobble up more of the fabric.  If you always start from the same end then the strips will start to curve.

Reduce background showing through the appliqué pieces

·        With some fabrics, the background will show through even after the fusible web has been added. For example in The Magic Hat pattern the background may show through the snow folk if the background fabric is dark and the snow folk fabric is light. 

·        One way to eliminate this is to use a light weight fusible interface.  Fuse the interface first to the appliqué piece and then add the fusible web.

·        Another way to prevent the background from showing is to fuse a second piece of the appliqué fabric to the first piece of the same fabric.  This will make the piece a little stiffer but it should eliminate the background fabric from showing through the piece/s.  

      

Reduce appliqué stiffness

·        In some of our patterns, some appliqué pieces are fused on top of another appliqué piece.  To reduce the stiffness,  cut out the center of the template on the fusible web leaving ¼” seam allowance on both sides of the drawn line. Then follow the normal procedures for fusing to the fabric.

·        This will give a softer feel to the quilt.

·        Some patterns that this would work well for are most of the turtle pattern such as Heading Out quilt pattern.

 

Temporary Basting Spray

We use a temporary basting spray 505 Temporary Fabric Adhesive to secure the quilt top to the batting.  We also use the spray to secure the quilt top/batting to the backing.  The spray eliminates the need to pin the layers together and makes it easier to stitch around the appliqué pieces.  The following link has some more good information about this product.  You do need to place your quilt on a large piece of fabric to catch the overspray.  The oversprayed fabric can be washed to remove the spray.  However if you spray on a hard surface such as a cutting board or table you can use alcohol (rubbing not drinking).  However I have got the spray on walls as well and the alcohol didn't seem to remove the spray so I had to repainted the wall.  I am more careful now to spray on a very large piece of fabric such as muslin.

http://www.sprayandfix.com/505.html