THOUGHT FOR THE DAY  +   QUILTED BAG TUTORIAL  .....................................................

(Taken off Pinterest)

Helloooooo everybody!!!  How's life been treating you since we last met on my blog? 

Suddenly the early morning temperatures here in S.A. have dropped and one feels them in the evenings as well! I enjoy this this time of year as the leaves start changing colour (and dropping) and thats a photographer's dream - if you like the outdoors? I just love it!!

TUTORIAL - QUILTED BAG :

I have sandwiched my American Star quilt and am awaiting the cooler weather to start the hand stitching.

I have also started another bag - remember the one I mentioned earlier that I never had a pattern for? Well, I've decided to share the pattern with you all. So if you decide to give it a try, please share it with ME again. You are welcome to ask any questions.

Here goes :

1. Cut - 3 separate pieces - your outer layer, batting and lining -11" x 39". Forms a rectangle. Then  iron and sew any pictures of your choice on the outer layer (or you may leave it plain).

I'm busy appliquing some pics from Tiki Brophy's designs on mine in the same Vintage fabric that I used for my Star quilt and I added a small American flag in same fabric. See pic above.

2. We may as well complete all the major cutting out, so....Cut 3 pieces for top panel of bag - 4,5" x 22,5" each. See photo below.

Once the above steps have been completed, you are ready to move onto the next step.

Please give me a chance to catch up with my own work so that I have a written record of this bag pattern, before we move onto the next step. 

Happy stitching - until next time.........

3. The blanket stitching is now complete and we are ready to move onto the next step which is attaching that piece to a piece of batting  (similar size) underneath and tacking the 2 layers together so one can quilt through.

Below you will see that I have pinned the 2 layers together and will tack them and then complete the 'quilting' around each picture.

4. The quilting through the top and batting layers is now complete. I also added some wording to fill in the empty spaces.

5. I will now proceed to add whatever I need to the inner lining in the form of a pocket. I made a log cabin square which will be my pocket on the inside of the bag.

6. Once that is sewn in, you can then fold the lining over in half and stitch the sides together, leaving the top open. See pics below.

7. Then fold the quilted piece over in half and stitch the sides closed, also leaving the top open. 

Turn it inside out so that the right side is on the outside now.

........like this....

8. Then slip the lining inside the bag and smooth out all the folds and creases so that you have a flat surface. Corners into corners. Can you see my little pocket on the inside? Don't lose hope. You are almost finished! Remember that this is the lower part of your bag. You still have to tackle the top panel.

9.  Now the top panel of the bag.  Just to refresh your memory. This is what the completed bag will look like : (the lace is optional.)

10.  Remember you have 3 pieces for the top panel. So, fold each one over in half and stitch closed the side that is open. Turn the right way around,

11.  Stitch along the sides where I've placed the pins, so that they look like this :

12.  Once you have completed above, then turn right way round and slip the outer layer inside the lining -right sides together - and then the batting on the outside. It should look like this : it will be in this order..... batting,lining then fabric.

13.  Then stitch around the top through the 3 layers and .....

      

14.  ...........and turn the right way round.

15.  Pin and machine stitch through all 3 layers again to secure the top edge.

16.  Machine stitch through all 3 layers as close to the top of the edge as possible.

17.  Turn around to the right side.

18.  Then open up and separate the fabric and batting and keep them together and separate from the lining.

19.  Move it slowly over the top of the bag and secure with pins. Like this.......  You will need to gather the top of the bag because it's wider than the panel.

 20.  Machine stitch around that edge slowly catching all the layers as you move along. Remember there are gathers to catch as well. Work slowly.

21.  Lift the lining up and over the top edge and fold down to the inside of the bag and pin carefully so that the edge lines up with the bottom edge (there where i have the orange pin.) Fold in with a small seam and hand stitch with a slip stitch.

22.  Turn the whole bag right way round and attach any type of suitable handles. I chose these wooden ones.

The finished product!! I just love love  love it!!

Please feel free to ask any questions and share the bag that you've created, using my tutorial.

                                                       Much love..... Riekie x

Oh yes!! Almost forgot to tell you..... the baby quilt that I've been working on for the past few months for my dear friend Antonique's (baby 'Luron'), is finally complete. It's hanging up to dry and is absolutely gorgeous - if I must say so myself. Will post a pic of it tomorrow, once it's dry, my dears. Thanks for stopping by. May the Lord keep you until we meet again.