End of the Year Odds and Ends

Out of the pile of fabrics I had to touch last week, one fabric called loudly.  And so I turned it into a tote.  But wait - it gets better.  This is the tote that turns into a duffel bag.

Here's the first one I made.  Then I made one for Emily B's birthday.  A few weeks later Jen B, Sarah E, and Melissa came over for a playdate, and we made more. And the following summer I made three more for commission.  This is a clever pattern.  And for this bag it's perfect because the fabric was too pretty to cut up into pieces. In the top picture the tote is holding six purse kits, all ready for January sewing - 5 Trail Totes by Noodlehead and a Sloan (Sew Sweetness) bag.

Guildster Beth gave me a 2016 Calendar Tea Towel, unfinished, along with a link to a tutorial about mitering corners.  Excellent tutorial.   Now it is finished, just in time to ring in 2016. 

Finally, I finished the backing for Julie's quilt.  So as soon as Frank and Terri are finished with my current quilt, this one is ready for longarming.  It snowed this week.  Nothing better for sewing than snow!

The Elves have left the building...

Four little Runarounds for my niece Laura's little girls

My sewing is complete - for the next few days.  Time to reorganize, put away, and focus on the bigger projects I've been wanting to start.

Interested in the WOW/Duffel Tote bag pattern mentioned below and before?  You can order it from Dusty Attic Quilt shop in Maryland. 

The opposite sides of the above bags

For the granddaughters and another niece

Little zippered pouches, at the request of my trainer.  (Phone included just for size)

WOW Duffel/Totes for Richard and Laurel

Three More WOW! Duffel/Totes and an Aeroplane Bag in Process

These three new WOW! duffel/tote bags are all very clever and very sturdy. I'd provide a link, but all I know is that I bought the pattern from the Jinny Beyer web site. The pattern is clever, and I've made it before. My sister-in-law gifted her realtor with a bag from my studio, and this is what Linda chose, along with two others, gifts for her sisters. Stylish! Sturdy! So practical! Below is an Aeroplane bag due in mid-September for Wayne's mother-in-law, whom I love. I can't wait to start this. Pauline has chose the black and white striped fabric draped over the bag and wants a hot pink lining. Talk about traveling in style!

Baggage

Jen's Bag

 Some guildsters came over to play bags, and working together - with a completed project at the end of the day - is a great way to roll.  We all made the WOW bag, a neat tote that expands and become a duffel bag.  This clever pattern is one I bought from the Jinny Beyer website and made in her fabrics - see it here.  Here's the one I made for CMQG's secretary Emily, who just turned 25. 

Natalie's Bag

Sarah's Bag from Fat Quarters

Inside of Sarah's Duffel, with gusseted pockets

Outside of Sarah's Duffel

Melissa's Bag with its fancy pockets

 Guild member Erika volunteered to help the CMQG organize and unify its approach to social media.  Although we have yet to put her 7-page plan into action, we are appreciative and will implement many of her suggestions soon.  As a thank you, I asked her to give me a yard of a fabric she cherishes.  And here's the result.  I can't wait to give it to her.  But not until December 9!

Erika's Duffel

Erika's Tote with a little matching tiny tote

 If you want to know more about the WOW bag and the pattern, contact The Dusty Attic at dustyatticquilt@verizon.net.  The creator of this pattern is Mary Beth Scarborough. 

Spontaneous Overflow of Powerful Feelings

Do those words look familiar? It's Wordsworth's definition of poetry. But it's my definition of why I sew. Yesterday - instead of bursting into song as most of my family is apt to do - I burst into "bag." I had to use this fabric, and within three hours it had become a tote that turns into a duffel. I sew my best when I'm sewing for someone, as is the case here. This fabric was one I had designed from Spoonflower and had just never gotten around to using. It was too unique to cut up and is really perfect in this application.

And of course there's the ever-changing pile of quilts for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. Each one of them comes with an artistic statement. It's a daily reminder of how pervasive Alzheimer's is. And I'm beginning to realize that each quilt artist has a purpose for her artistic expression and an outlet for her powerful feelings.

It's a Tote AND a Duffel!

This little tote bag is pretty sturdy. It could carry at least 10 quilting books comfortably. Instead of being quilted and lined with batting, both the outer and inner bag have interfacing fused to them. So the bag is foldable but strong.On the left side of the bag, you can see the strap for the duffel bag conversion.

Here is the bag now turned into the duffel. Notice the pocket on the right is now horizontal. The lining matches the pocket.

Both the bag and the fabrics are from Jinny Beyer

Of course I have to make another one and have hit my batik stash. The construction of this bag is pretty simple. The zipper goes into the sides, and then the raw edges are seamed together. Once the four corners are boxed and the duffel strap sewn in, it's complete. Pretty nifty! Do you think this qualifies as transformational quilting?