This was one of the first projects I did when I started quilting--even before I started this blog, which is why you haven't seen it here before. Back in 2004, I signed up for a class at the local tech school. I was the youngest person there. Although I'd been sewing most of my life, I was not familiar with quilting ways and means. Most people in the class were retired ladies, committed to lifelong learning. Most of them signed up perpetually and were always in the class. The tech school was getting some tremendous grants back then so that the retired set paid something like $5 for a class (per term) on a fixed income. I paid the going rate, which was something like $55 per term, but I didn't mind because I was working full time, and could afford it easily. It was still a bargain, and a nice way to spend a Saturday.
Anyway, Donna Tegan was one of the wonderful instructors at the local tech school. I thought it would be a more structured class with everyone working on the same project, but she helped you on whatever projects you brought--whatever we wanted to work on. I started out with a 9-patch quilt kit my mom set me up with -- for a relative in Japan. That came together fast and easy! And I still had several classes left, so Donna suggested I make one of her giant quilted carry-alls. It was her own pattern -- I know I have it filed away someplace, but I'm pretty sure it's not available online anywhere [Please don't ask me for it.]. The first thing I had to do was map out the pattern pieces. She had sizes on paper, but no pattern pieces as I was used to from my former life as a dressmaker. To make 1 bag, I had to make it multiple times for each layer: outer fabric, fusible pellon stabilizer, batting, muslin lining--in addition to the pattern pieces I made up. Keep in mind, I was also learning to use rulers and rotary cutters back then. Great exercise for that, too!
The idea is that you could put the makings of an entire quilt in this bag, and easily haul it to class. Batting, quilt top, backing -- or even a finished quilt -- would easily fit in this bag, along with rulers, and cutting matts. That said, it's very easy to overload it, too, by putting too much in it.
To give you an idea of how big it is: The bottom of the bag is held in shape by the empty cardboard from a bolt of fabric. You cover it with multiple layers of batting and fabric, so you can use it as a portable ironing board when you are at quilting class.
I made 2 other bags after that, for the Quilt Ladies in my life at the time: 1 for my mom, and 1 for my Aunt Rosita.
For Rosita's, I used a crazy quilt print. She was the master embroidery lady.
Not sure what happened to that bag after she died? I only have these 2 scraps left ...
For my mom's, she picked a winter berry pine fabric. I had just a few scraps left of that, so I used it as the accent border on Holly's Christmas Quilt.
1 comment:
Wow, that's some project bag! Even though I now know the bottom is as big as a fabric bolt cardboard, it's still hard to envision just how big it is.
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