Totes while I wait...

So, I'm patiently awaiting the arrival of the batting for my current quilting projects. I ordered it on the 3rd from Joann.com, since they had this crazy deal going, but with the holiday it seems like it's taking forever to arrive!

I ordered two crib-size rolls of Warm & Plush batting ($4.99 per roll!) for the baby quilts (Jelly Roll Jam and Disappearing 9-Patch), and two packages of craft-sized 100% recycled plastic Evergreen batting ($3.49 per pack!) for tote bags... which I have cut and prepped to match each baby quilt!

Tote bags are one of my favorite things to make... and I know I shared a few pictures of the process a while back, but I figured I'd do it again just for fun!

I started with the 9-patch one. I didn't have any finished blocks left over, but I had plenty of extra fabric scraps so I got a bit creative. I ended up with a mini disappearing 9-patch and it's SO CUTE! I used 3" squares to make the mini block, and surrounded it with scraps of the accent colors to make it approximately 13x16". I also constructed a back piece to the same dimensions, made sides and bottom panels, and sewed a lining from leftover grey and blue fabric- leaving one bottom corner open for turning. I plan to make the handles yellow... but I haven't cut them yet.

Cute baby 9-patch!

Front of the tote...

Back of the tote.

Lining- right corner open!

I did the same exact thing for the Jelly Roll quilt bag, using the tiny bits of leftover piecing I had from cutting out the strip blocks and some fat quarters I grabbed to match the busy Kaffe Fassett prints. I also paired up some extra jelly strips for the side pieces, and used a chunk of the leftover backing fabric for the lining. This one will have handles out of that funky purple print... it reminds me of something you'd see through a microscope!

Leftovers!

Front, sides and bottom.

Cute lining, right corner open!

Waiting, waiting, waiting for my batting to arrive... all the outer pieces will be quilted before assembly, so I've got nothing else to do but pull out another half-finished project.

I chose to work on those darn Adopt Me dog vests that I've been meaning to get done for months. People just keep having babies... I can't keep up!

Update: 7/18

The batting arrived last Monday the 10th, and I've been working on the jelly roll set as often as I can.  The shower date is August 6, and I don't want to be rushed to finish it.

I was able to get the tote bag finished over the weekend, and I love it! I started by quilting the bottom and sides of the bag with a 1/2" square top stitch, and carried that same motif into the purple areas on the front and back. I allowed the piecing to guide some larger square quilting on the rest of the bag body. I was a bit skeptical about quality of the peacock green cotton thread I ordered from threadart.com... but I figured at $3.50 per 1000 meter spool it's worth a try. And I love it! It's really, really nice thread. In fact, I plan to buy a lot more from them in the future! 





I then assembled the tote;  sides and bottom on, handles made and pinned in place, lining inserted and sewn in place, flipped right sides out, hole closed and top stitched around the upper edge... to put in in a nutshell. I think it turned out really cute!



I also got the quilt halfway top stitched. I decided to carry the same square quilting into the quilt. I think it really compliments the piecing on the front without distracting from the pattern, and contrasts the round swirly things on the backing. Also, it will provide a lot of texture and comfy loft after it's washed. All the vertical lines have been sewn, and it just needs to be run through the machine about 30 or so more times to finish up the horizontal stitching.


Stay tuned for finished pictures... this one might actually be done ahead of schedule!

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