Carry Me Bag

I made another bag! This one was a lot of fun and would be a great tote for taking to classes. It's 18" long so you can fit some rulers in there and it's nice and sturdy!
All you need is the Carry Me Bag pattern by Bunny Hill Designs, a Patisserie Honey Bun and some basic bag construction supplies. You know interfacing, Timtex, and a few pretty embellishments.
One Moda Honey Bun will make 3 of these bags, so make one for yourself and a couple of friends.
The first step is to lay out the strips in an order that you like for the outside of the bag.
Be careful when pressing your seams it's really easy to get tucks on these narrow strips!
Constructing the outside of the bag can get a little tricky on the corners, but it's okay. Just use a lot of pins and you will end up with a fabulous curved seam! The Glass Head Silk Pins are my favorite! Joan recommended them to me and now I don't know how I ever lived without them.

Make your lining and pockets. You can choose how many pockets you want on each side. I made two pockets on one side and three on the other.

The next part can get a little tricky working with Timtex in the bag construction. So you might want to call in an assistant.
Unfortunately, I became very involved in this part of constructing the bag and forgot to take photos and my assistant turned out to not be very helpful with photography.
Just remember when working with Timtex you are the boss. You are in charge of the Timtex. Don't be afraid to bend it if you need to when sewing pieces together. It's will flatten back into shape and when you are done you will have a super sturdy bag that you will love!

Next add your binding making sure to keep your button loop and handles out of the way while you are sewing.


Sew ribbons on the sides of the bag and tie into a pretty bow.
All done! Load it up with supplies and off to class you go! :)
I used the Patisserie Honey Bun for this bag, but I think the Aviary Honey Bun would also make a really beautiful bag. I've got my rulers, rotary cutter, scissors, Best Press, pattern and a Layer Cake in there and room to spare. I Love it!

p.s. If you were at the 2009 Quilter's Paradise Retreat you may have gotten a sample Honey Bun in your goodie bag that is enough to make one of these bags. You will need to just add a few extra inches to your lining yardage requirement for handles and binding.
Happy Sewing!
Tracy

Carry Me Bag

Charms, Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes...Oh my!

I love when the UPS guy visits the shop. It's like Christmas morning opening those boxes and seeing what goodies Sandy has been ordering for us. Just look at all of these Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes and Charm Packs! Oh, my wheels are just spinning with ideas of what to make with these new collections. A Thanksgiving table runner using the Pumpkin Spice Jelly Roll and the Diamond Medley Pattern and a Charming Tote would be pretty with the Pumpkin Spice Charm Pack! I must be in the mood for Fall.

How about a Jelly Braid quilt using the Millhouse Inn Jelly Roll or the Pashmina Jelly Roll. There are so many options! Now, if we could just get the UPS man to bring us more hours in the day!

Check out our collection of Jelly Roll and Charm Pack patterns and see what fabulous ideas you can find to create with all of our new Pe-cut fabrics.
Happy Sewing!
Tracy

Charms, Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes...Oh my!

That's a Big Bag Baby!

Okay, I finished the Chubby Charmer Bag and I want to share a few photos that I took while making it as well as some tips. This bag is so cool! You can actually fit a 13 x 9 casserole dish in the bottom and still have room to throw in a few bags of chips or maybe some beach towels and off to a picnic you go!
You start out with 48 charm squares. Arrange them in a pleasing manner.
Tip: Don't stress it...Batiks are always pleasing no matter how you arrange them!


Get all of your supplies together. Lining, fusible batting, Chubby Charmer pattern and magnetic snaps.

Assemble the bag according to pattern instructions.
Tip: Add the magnetic snaps (or velcro) before you put the lining in the bag.

After the lining was in I was turning the bag right side out and I noticed that it sort of looked like a frog. I just couldn't resist sharing that with you :) You can see my kitty helpers in the background hard at work as usual...
And there you have it! A gorgeous Batik Bag! But wait...

With the magnetic snaps on the sides undone look how BIG this bag opens up!
And for a little perspective, I put a 13 x 9 casserole dish inside. See, plenty of room to spare!

We have Batik Charm packs available at the shop in Green (as seen here), Blue, Pink/Purple and Brown/Golds. All of them would make a beautiful bag I'm sure. Also, consider using the Portabello Market Charm Pack or the Thimbleberries Charm Pack for a more homey look or come by the shop to check out our wide selection of Charm Packs. Oh...you could make a 30's bag, a Christmas bag, a patriotic picnic bag or maybe an overnight bag with soft floral fabrics. Just remember, you need 48 charm squares.
Have fun sewing!
Tracy

That's a Big Bag Baby!

Batiks are not just for quilts!

Do you love Batiks? Denise loves them so much she wears them! She made this shirt this past week and wore it to work on Tuesday. If there is a Batiks Anonymous we may have to admit her...

We have a great selection of Batik fabrics in the shop and our minds are always buzzing with ideas of how to use them. Currently I'm working on a Batik Bag using the Chubby Charmer pattern. I'll keep you posted on my progress. So, far I'm organizing my 5" charm squares in a pleasing manner, which is not hard to do with Batiks since they are always so pleasing :)
Maybe I'll be joining Batiks Anonymous with Denise hehe...
Happy Sewing!
Tracy

Batiks are not just for quilts!