Thursday, April 26, 2012

A Little Scraps Bag and A Precious Quilt


I've decided that little tote bags are one of my favorite handmade gifts for kids - they are relatively easy to whip up and the kids can actually use them.  I also like making them because I can experiment with different patterns and techniques without having to commit to making a whole quilt.


And that is my middle daughter's foot in the photo staking claim to this bag!

I put this together by taking the linen-y fabric and a piece of batting and, using a strip of masking tape as a guide, stitched a grid.  I then cut out little rectangles of fabrics to fit in each box and used my free motion foot to applique the shapes to the background.  (Is it still called applique if I use the free motion foot to outline the scraps???)

I used home decor weight fabric for the back and straps and then lined it with regular quilting cotton.

I also got started on my first QAL.



When I read about the My Precious Quilt -A-Long on Kelbysews, I knew I had to join since I've had a yard of Momo Wonderland in my stash pretty much since I started sewing that I've been saving for some reason even I don't know (Kelly even mentions Wonderland as an example - guess I'm not alone!)

As I'm completely hooked on HSTs, I decided to try another HST quilt.  I added in many of my other favorite fabrics and this is what I came up with.  I only used a small bit of the Wonderland maybe I'll make a trio of small quilts with it?!?

There is also some Mendocino in this quilt.  The Mendocino is another one of those fabrics I bought when I first started sewing.  It was on clearance and I only bought one yard!!!  Well, and one yard of the orange.  I think it was less than $5 - oh, well.  Live and learn.  I definitely didn't realize what a find it was.   My daughter loved the fabric and at her request, I immediately used it to make a skirt for her - um, the first skirt I ever made so it wasn't even a good skirt - just great fabric.  Well, the skirt is a bit too short now so I reclaimed the fabric and upcycled it to use in this and a future project.

To make this quilt, I first cut up a bunch of squares and randomly put together fabrics to make a pile of HSTs.



  I put those to the side and cut out strips from the same fabrics.  I pieced the strips together.


And then cut it into strips.


 I then took the strips and the HSTs and arranged and rearranged until I liked the pattern.



Then I added in the white fabric as sashing to piece it all together.  It was kind of like figuring out a puzzle.


I wanted to try something new with the quilting so I did diagonal lines of varying widths along the whole quilt, horizontal lines about 1/2 inch apart along the bottom third of the quilt and vertical lines about 1/2 inch apart along one of the sides.




Oh, and I used some Jennifer Paganelli Pinwheel stripe fabric for the backing.  



And here is the very beginnings of my next small quilt using my "precious" fabric:



Linking up to 

21 comments:

  1. Isn't it nice to finally get to use that precious fabric, and have enough left over to use in something else!

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  2. Wow, love all the creative inspiration just flowing from the pages!

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  3. Like the colors....The bag looks nice and sturdy. The simple blocks really give it character.

    I did something similar to your "puzzle" design on the back of a quilt I am currently HQing. I had some large pieces left over so essentially made another quilt top and used it as a backing..won't be on display for awhile, but will be in Whoop! Whoop! when I finish.

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  4. Cute quilt, love love love the colors and the white sashing! I really adore the bag for your daughter, using up the scraps like that is such a great idea! I might just try it in the future! :) Thanks for sharing your work! Found you on amylouwho's sew and tell Friday!

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  5. Darling projects! I love the bag idea -- that owl is so cute! -- and the quilt is beautiful.

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  6. Your "puzzle" came together beautifully! I love making tote bags for kids. There are so many things you can experiment with, and it's easy to modify them to fit the child's "personality" -- like you said -- without commiting to a whole quilt. Adorable!

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  7. What a great way to keep those fabrics around! Thank you for sharing.

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  8. What a great way to keep those fabrics around. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. What a great way to keep those fabrics around. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. that wonderland fabric is so pretty. i love the little quilt. and that bag is adorable.

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  11. Love the tote and your quilt looks fantastic!

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  12. Very cute quilt! Love the colors, fabrics and what a cute bag...so cute I had to pin it! I found you on Sew Many Ways, Find a Friend Friday! I'm now following your pins too! Have a wonder weekend.

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  13. The bag looks so cool, great way to use up those scraps! =D

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  14. Very cute! Please don't give me any more reasons to hang onto scraps though! Hopped over from Family Ever After. :)

    Jess @
    TupeloCreative.Blogspot.com

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  15. I like the bag! As a bag hamsterer I only make a new one once the old one is falling apart, that way I can keep the bag production in check.

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  16. Great bag! It has a wonderful scrappy look.

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  17. I love your colorful quilt! I love HSTs too! I used to hate them, but 100 later they grew on me! Cute bag too, I love how you outlined the fabric rectangles!

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  18. Good for you for cutting into your favorites! It looks fantastic! I don't really keep fabric - I buy as I go. Now yarn, I horde like a rat. I should have a precious knitalong! www.paperstarfish.prettyposies.com

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  19. Wow. That quilt is gorgeous! I love your blog. Count me in as a new follower. :)

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  20. I love the little quilt. I try to be brave and use my favorite fabrics, but I go into a cold sweat whenever I touch my hoard of Strawberry Fields. This might be the quilt that cures me. Thanks for sharing.

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