Quilted Boxy Zipper Bag Tutorial

Hi There and Yay to 2018!!! 

I hope everyone had a great holiday break. I know I am already way back in the swing of my work so I figured I should blog. My resolution for 2018 is to blog more. I do so much fabulous sewing and I have gotten out of the habit of documenting it. It gets given away or sold and I never see or think of it again...its like it never happened.

My husband and I have already made a video tutorial over on Youtube for the way I make Quilted Boxy Zipper Bags. Please go over and have a look. If you are visiting from Youtube, welcome! I am so happy you are here. I have quite a few tutorials here (and over on my old blog) the list is over on the right hand side of the blog as well as several video tutorials over on Youtube. Poke around a bit and make yourself at home. Feel free to make comments or suggestions for future videos too. 

Here is the video if you don't want to go to youtube.

The lighting is funny, but it sure showed all the lint and pet fur on the navy blue fabric. I used a really cheap sheet as the quilt back and it just acted as a magnet to any lint, fur, hair and thread. yippee.

OK, so a couple things that will be important if you want to make the zipper bags. Below is a quick shot of the dimensions for the different sized bags. It is not fancy and it is really the technique I wanted to showcase, not really the pattern. I just wing it whenever I make them anyway. I find a zipper to fit the quilted bit I have ready to go and move on from there. But maybe you want more structure? I get that. I am here for you!

If you want a closer look at how I put in the zippers, here is a LINK to a picture heavy blog I did a couple years ago. It might help you.

I will have the same info below with a couple sample bags pictured too. I have your back!

Bags

More bags!

Both of these bags are made from the same 10" x 16" quilted piece. I just used a different sized zipper and did the sides and boxing of the corners different.

Boxy Zipper Bag

The large bag = 14" sport zipper and 15"x 21" quilt

The Small bag = 9" zipper and a  10" x 16" quilt

Tall Curved top bags

Wide Bag = 12" zipper and 10" x 16" quilt

Skinny Bag = 6" zipper and 7" x 13" quilt

Pencil Bags

*this is the only bag where you will sew the zipper along the longer edge of the quilt sandwich. All the other bags get the zipper sewn along the shorter edges. Muy Importante!!! 

Large bag = 12" zipper and 13" x 11" quilt

Small Bag= 10" zipper and 11" x 9" quilt

So folks, use these formulas to make some great zipper bags. This is just the jumping off place. Go bigger, go smaller do your thing! Practice your quilting and make some great little projects. These are perfect for gifts or to organize your stuff.

I buy my zippers from ZIPIT on Etsy. Her (or his) prices can't be beat and the selection is too awesome.

Ok, let me know if you have any questions!

xo,

Tia

KCMQG Block of Every Month #6 The Improv Spike Border

Hey there folks!

Here is the sixth portion of the #KCMQGBOEOM. Improv Spike borders are awesome! They are really great looking and are quick and easy to make. I made a video, so the instructions are there. I have all the other videos on my Youtube channel and there are also links to them on my website. 

You can see how my version of the quilt is coming along. I am trying to figure out the last part that will be available next year. Between you and me I really just want to get one to the best part...the Quilting!!!!!!

Here is the video. I bet you will be able to see it better on Youtube, but I can't figure out how to make it bigger here. Oh well.

The Improv Spike can just be used as individual blocks too. 

Yay Improv Spikes!!!

xo!

Tia

KCMQG Block of Every Other Month #5 - The Wonky Star

HI there! 

Thank you so much for shopping from me this Holiday season. It really means the world to me. I am a tiny business and most of my time is spent quilting. I don't make time to market my shop and that has been a poor decision on my part. For those of you who have sought out my shop and bought fabric, patterns and things from me I truly truly thank you. 

xoxo

Hi There! Are you ready for the next Part of the KCMQG BOEOM?

 It is stars! I love stars. I always turn to these wonky little stars when I am feeling my quilting muse has abandoned me and I'm not totally sure what to make, but I feel like I must make something!

I love to use ombre or gradient dyed fabric. I used Cotton+Steel Pigment Gradients for these stars. I think the different shades really add so much to my quilts. I used Navy and Marigold. The two different sizes really make the stars shimmer.

I have a Youtube video for you to watch if you want to. 

Wonky Stars are easy to make. They are basically a 9 patch block, and those are super easy right?

I used 2 different sizes, a biggish one and a little one.

The bigger one is made using 2.5 inch squares and the little ones are made with 1.5 inch squares.

You will need: 

8 background squares

5 squares for the star.

Cut 4 of the star squares in half diagonally, keep the 5th square for the center of the star.

Choose 4 background squares and lay 4 of the star points on the lower right corner pretty side down like the picture above. When you do this hold them down at the stitch line to make sure after you sew them the star points will cover all the triangle part behind the point. I don't always do this step, at this point in my quilt making life I can eyeball it pretty well so I don't check. If you are new to this type sewing do check. It will save you some frustration.

Sew them all down. If I am going to be making a bunch of stars I chain piece these puppies by the bucket full.

Flip over and press the star point down then trim away the extra fabric so there isn't a lot of bulk. This step will make it easier when it comes time to quilt your quilt.

Do the same thing with the other 4 star points. 

Same sewing 

Same pressing and trimming

The last step is going to be sewing the block together and trimming it to whatever size you want it to be. If its too small add some fabric, if its too big trim it down. Easy Peasy.

After you have made your stars you can make them into a border I used 13 large stars and 10 small stars. I knew I wanted my border to be 10 inches wide, so I added more of the Navy gradient dyed fabric to make the star segments 10 inches wide. Then I scattered them around the 2 sides of the quilt and filled in with more fabric. Not very fancy or precise, but that is how I work.

I used a bunch of the stars in this Menagerie Eclipse quilt too. Once you get going you will knock out a big stack and have so many stars you don't know what to do with them!

So I am making the next blocks already. Just to tempt you a little they will be spikes!

Have the best day!
Tia

Grocery Bag Tutorial

We made another video tutorial! This one is for making simple grocery bags. I hope you like it! I have a bit of a cold so it slowed me down a little. I have been meaning to make myself some bags for the grocery store for ages now as the old ones I have are slowly tattering away. 

Materials:

1/2 yard of Home Dec or Canvas fabric

2 yards of heavy cotton twill tape for the straps

and 

regular sewing supplies (sewing machine, thread, ruler. rotary cutter, scissors and pins)

So let me know what you think and let me know what you would like to see in the future.

I buy my heavyweight cotton twill tape from Twilltape.com This is an actual link to the roll of twill tape that I use. It is 1.25 inches and comes on a 72 yard roll. I use it for straps, apron ties and sometimes I even use it as binding around the top of quilted bags. It is great stuff folks.

 TWILL TAPE LINK


Cheers!
Tia