Level Two Tote - A Pattern Release!

Hi all! Exciting news today. I've finished up an new pattern and it is now live in my Craftsy shop right here.  I've always been a bag lady and have made umpteen bags from many fabulous patterns available out there, but I put my favourite simple requirements together and came up with my own design.

You've seen a few of these totes I've made over the last 18 months. Initially, I designed one for myself as a simple last-minute bag to take with me on a trip. Since then, I've made a few others as gifts for friends, each time refining the design.  Finally, an Instagram follower commented "Please tell me you are making a pattern for this! I want to make one!"

Well, my friends. Ask and you shall receive. That IG follower even offered to pattern test for me and she made a beautiful tote! Here's my latest version that appears on the pattern cover. I made it with the gorgeous Rifle Paper for Cotton and Steel Alice in Wonderland linen blend and the most perfect shade of fuschia cork fabric that I was able to purchase at my LQS. In the pattern, I list various sources for materials you'll need to make this tote.

Finished size: 16" wide across the top x 13" high x 5.5" deep at base

There are fully illustrated and thoughtfully explained instructions for creating a zipper window like you see here. You'll also learn how to install a magnetic snap if you haven't tried that yet! This LEVEL TWO TOTE is so named because there are a few potentially new skills to learn, but also for that bottom level fabric that is chosen for durability and wash-ability. I've suggested waxed canvas, cork, vinyl or lightweight hide. My next one will be made with leather!

I've been using my original tote as my everyday purse and it is perfect for me. I wanted an uncomplicated bag that didn't have too much structure or fancy hardware detailing. This tote has plenty of room to accommodate a few extra things picked up during the day (like, for instance a yard of fabric, 5 FQ's or a couple of skeins of yarn.....ahem).

There is no central bottom seam and the leather handles are securely riveted on; both details that really increase the strength and durability of this bag. I regularly carry a full water bottle, heavy wallet, sunglasses, chequebook, iphone, car keys and a few pens around in mine. There's an internal slip pocket with two pen slots and the external zip pocket is large enough for your cell phone.

I hope you'll try one for yourself (and then make lots more as gifts!). It's an afternoon or evening project that only requires 6 rectangles of fabric! For real! 

Special thanks to Jackie and Eileen for testing this pattern so thoroughly for me!

Notes From the NJS Judges - Part 1

My two quilts that hung at the Canadian National Juried Show in Toronto last weekend made it home today. For the first time in 3 shows, I found that the judge's critiques are very constructive, thoughtful and well-explained. I'm actually going to keep the pages with their thoughts this time. Usually I read judge's comments and then they head straight into paper recycling either due to a misunderstanding of the intention my quilt, or comments on elements of the work that aren't that relevant to me (but are very important for traditional judges).

I thought I'd share the comments with you here as a point of interest. This is what the three CQA-certified judges wrote about Round Peg, Square Hole, which was juried into the Modern category:

Judge 1
Unique optical illusion created in overall design (mission accomplished, thank you!). Value gradation in every other block is effective. Straight-line quilting is even but stitch length seems long. The white thread colour that contrasts with the solid coloured fabrics and then blends with the background white fabric is effective.

Judge 2
Fascinating visual play is achieved in this compelling design. Excellent understanding of balance using colour is shown (yay me!! Maybe I know more about colour than I give myself credit for). Some well-blended gradation of fabrics is noted. While the quilting stitch throughout is even, it would improve the construction and visual effect if the stitch length was shorter.

Judge 3
Accurate piecing (woohoo!) suports the creative circular design concept. The gradation in colour in some of the pieced units adds design interest. The quilting stitch is even and straight but extremely long - quilt stitch length could be shorter.

There is much for me to celebrate here. This quilt is my very own design and I chose the colours carefully (thanks to RJR Fabrics for supplying all of the fabric for the front of this quilt during their What Shade RU blog hop). The design compliments really make me proud!

I've always liked a long quilting stitch length and typically when walking foot quilting I increase the stitch to 4.0. I'm hearing loud and clear that quilting judges (at least at CQA) prefer a shorter stitch length...even on a wallhanging. I will keep this in mind when making a quilt that I'd consider entering in a show.

Would you like to try creating your own version of this fun log-cabin variation? The .pdf downloadable pattern is available in my Craftsy shop (link up there at the top of my right sidebar).

Tomorrow I'll let you know what they had to say about the last Speed Date with Improv sample I made and entered in the Abstract Design category.

Colourplay with Round Peg, Square Hole

The response to my pattern shop launch on Craftsy has been wonderful! For those of you that have picked up a copy of Round Peg, Square Hole  (THANK YOU!!) I will share different layout options here periodically. I hope that these ideas inspire you to try your own colour play for secondary patterning. Use the colouring sheet included in the pattern to audition your ideas!

I love the central star variation with this colour placement:

There is just no way that I could make all of the options I've discovered with this pattern. I'll leave that up to you and I hope that you share the results using #quarterroundquilt or #roundpegsquareholequilt on IG!

By way of clarification, the pattern includes full colour instructions for the block, which is a log cabin variation. There are fabric requirements to make the Quarter Round mini quilt version (20" square) which requires four blocks. You'll also find instructions for making the ombre blocks for Round Peg, Square Hole (40" square); that quilt requires 16 blocks.

HAVE FUN!

Cutting Garden Weekend Workshop

There's been a lot of prep work going on this week from the Sunshine Coast to Vancouver to Whistler. Scrap bin diving, pressing, cutting. And more cutting, cutting, cutting.  This is Cutting Garden Weekend for myself and 19 friends! We're all coming together to spend two days working on this gorgeous, scrappy quilt and learn a few new piecing techniques.  I'm looking forward to sharing some of my most special scraps and swapping 2" squares with everyone. This quilt really is a joy to lie under and seek out those precious fussy cuts and coveted prints.

I've got some exciting news for all of you, too! I finally opened a pattern shop on Craftsy! Now you can purchase .pdf downloadable patterns for 5 of my designs including Cutting Garden. The best part of this pattern is that I'll be donating a portion of profits to the BC Cancer Agency twice yearly in memory of my friend Deanna and Tracey's friend Chelsa. 

Once we arrive at our great venue Saturday morning and grab a cup of coffee or tea the fun will start. We'll all be able to take a rest from the rotary/ruler routine and cut in bulk with two super cute Sizzix Fabi cutting systems. I've got all of the necessary dies required for our 2" squares, 2" strips, half triangle squares and circles.  Many thanks to the Sizzix company for generously providing us with the equipment we need! One lucky quilter is going to win their own Sizzix Fabi to take home this weekend! 

I'm grateful to the following sponsors for providing some fantastic loot for our goodie bags that are all packed and ready to go.  Everyone will leave with some great new patterns, notions and kits, all provided by my generous industry friends.

        

  

   

Plus Bernina Canada!

I'll share some workshop photos next week. I hope you  have some fun sewing plans this weekend, too!

#May is for Makers

Here's something cool. Lindsey over at LR Stitched has launched a wonderful initiative for May. She's written a great little post (and designed this awesome button) that explains her thinking and her hope for the month right here.  Have a read.

We've all shared patterns with friends. We've all balked at prices. We've all asked "where can I get that for free". In reality, most sewing and quilting patterns are around $10. In Canada, we pay up to $20 for quilting magazines - I have stacks of them, yet I can count on one hand the number of projects I've actually made from a magazine. They are great inspiration, but it is the individual patterns in my collection that I return to over and over, either to make or to dream of making. Patterns like Anna's 2-4-1 Tote (in fact, any of Anna's bag patterns!), or the Liesl's Weekend Getaway Blouse or Kirsty's The Plus Side Quilt

    

Guess what?  I've even bought patterns from blogging friends and others I don't really know, just to say "thank you" and acknowledge the inspiration and great content they provide for free in between their pattern releases.  I know, my halo shines.  My "pattern downloads" folder on the laptop overflows. Doesn't mean I will ever getting around to making every pattern I've purchased, but it's easy to drop $10 to show someone the love. Around these parts, that's a lot less than a meter of fabric or a couple of lattes!  I'm acutely aware of the time and energy it takes to come up with an idea, sketch it, test it, write it up, make it, edit it, produce it and finally, get it ready to market and sell. I cringe every time I see someone comment on a blog "will you create a tutorial for this? I'd love to make one!" Yes, but how much would you love to make one? Would you reward the designer for two, three or four days' work by spending $5 on a pattern? Would you? I hope so.

Here's another great post by Mandy with some food for thought on supporting indie.

I'm ahead of the game. I've already bought my first indy pattern for the month. It's one that EVERYONE but me has made already and it's high time I put my extensive zipper stash to use. Can you guess which pattern it is? Tune in Monday for the first day of #MayisforMakers!

Support creative people. 

The end.