Adventures in teaching - part one

I've done quite a lot of teaching this year, and I thought it might be nice to share some of my students' work here.

First up are the ladies who took my Modern Baby Quilt class at Stitchbird.  Over the course of four sessions we covered cutting, piecing, assembling the quilt top, basting, quilting and binding.  Everyone did amazingly well, and got to the point of starting the quilting on their quilt in the last class. 

This quilt is super simple, which is perfect for beginners, but has enough happening that class participants can really put their own spin on it with fabric choices and quilting designs.  Seeing the different choices people make is one of my favourite parts of teaching.  While my students were working on this quilt, I made my own version (outside class time, of course).  You can check it out here, together with other previous versions here and here.

Next up is some of the work that came out of my foundation paper piecing class, also at Stitchbird. The pattern I've used here is, of course, Artisania's Lil' Fox pattern, and you can see my class sample cushion here.

 

 I actually ran this class twice last year, because there was so much interest after the first class, and it was a lot of fun.  It is a technique class, so only takes two hours, and participants leave with a partially completed fox block and the skills to finish it at home and tackle other foundation paper piecing projects on their own.

 

I know that a few of these foxes have made their way into finished projects - like these cushions made by Kerry and Bridget.

Another class I taught twice this year was a class based on my Soft and Stable Tote Bag tutorial.

I taught this one at both Stitchbird and Nancy's Stitch Studio, and had a blast each time.

I know, as a student, that it's so satisfying to come out of a class with a finished project, and my participants left each class with a fully completed tote bag each, which was awesome!

I was going to share all of my class photos for the year in a single post, but writing it up, there are a lot, so I think I will spread them over a couple of posts.  Come back later in the week for part two...

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Guest post from my friend Anne: all the tote bags!

Hi everyone - my lovely friend Anne is guest-posting today about all the tote bags she has made using my tutorial.

Hi there! Anne here, one of Adrianne’s quilting friends. I am lucky enough to be in a quilting group (the Ratbags) with five lovely ladies, one of who is Adrianne.  

I am writing a guest post today about the tote bags I have now become obsessed with.  I watched as Adrianne made the first bag with cat fabric I brought back from Tokyo for her.  Then another appeared for Helen (another Ratbag) on her birthday.

I too am lucky enough to have a hand made item by Adrianne (a laptop sleeve made for Anne's birthday last year).  We had a quilting retreat in September and I watched as she whipped up a bag, which was used in the tutorial, and I thought maybe I should make one.  

A few weeks later upon visiting Stitchbird I found some perfect striped webbing for handles and my first bag was made.

This Alexander Henry fabric was perfect with these straps.

Then after another trip to Stitchbird, I found some fabric that had to be made into a bag, this time for my lovely Mum who helps me with my gardening.

Then the wife of one of my wonderful staff members made enough lasagna to feed me for a week - that was another excuse to make a bag!

 

 

While at Wellington Quilters Guild meeting last Thursday, I saw Helen (another Helen!) who blogs at My Inner Thread carrying a bag that looked familiar.  “Is that an Adrianne tote?” I asked.  “Why yes it is” she replied.

Helen made her own straps using the main exterior fabric from the bag.

I have one more tote planned for my non-quilty friend who may or may not like the handmade item.

How can you not like something handmade!?  My non-quilty friend just phoned while I was typing this and demanded I come up with an acronym, as she didn’t like being referred to as a “non-quilty friend”!  Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks Anne!  Anne has the most amazing stash and she's very generous with her fabric and her support.  Seeing all these lovely variations on this simple tote really makes me want to make another one for myself!  If you've made one, let me know - I'd love to see it!  Kiwis, don't forget you can get Soft and Stable from Stitchbird now.

Tote bag for my mum

I told you I was obsessed with tote bags...

 

I made this one for my Mum for her birthday.  It's similar to, but not quite the same as, the last version I made.

 

I didn't have a half yard of a single fabric I wanted to use to line this tote, so I used two fat quarters instead.  I rather like having two different fabrics for the lining.

If you'd like to make your own version of this tote, you can find the tutorial here.  I have fabrics picked to make one more, this time for myself, and I'm planning to make it giant so I can fit a whole bunch of quilting gear in there.  I have a reasonably formidable to-do list but these only take a couple of hours so I'm sure I'll find the time soon.

I'm going to link up this finish with crazy mom quilts.

Tote bag tutorial

So last weekend I made yet another tote bag - what can I say?  I'm obsessed!

While I was making it I took some photos so I could write up a tutorial - here it is.  Warning - may spark obsession with tote bags!

You will need:

- half yard main exterior fabric

- fat quarter contrast exterior fabric

- half yard lining fabric

- half yard Soft and Stable (you can find it at By Annie's website, and for kiwis, Stitchbird now has it in stock)

- 2 yards webbing strap (I used 1.5" wide webbing)

- pins

- large quilting ruler

- scissors

- thread

- rotary cutter

- cutting mat

- sewing machine (preferably with walking foot)

- Clover wonder clips (optional but very helpful)

All seams are 1/4" unless otherwise specified.

Step 1 - Create the fabric exterior of your bag.

If you are using a non-directional fabric for your main exterior fabric, cut a piece 22" by 16.5".  If you are using a directional fabric for your main exterior fabric, cut two pieces 11.25" by 16.5".  Sew the two pieces together along the long side so that when the seam is at the bottom of the bag, both pieces of fabric will be facing the correct way.  Cut two pieces of your contrast exterior fabric 5.5" by 16.5".  Stitch one piece of your contrast fabric to each end of the long strip of the main exterior fabric.  Press all the seams neatly - on this project I recommend pressing to the side rather than open for extra strength.

Step 2 - Add the Soft and Stable.

Lay your exterior panel out on the Soft and Stable, and trim away any excess so you have a piece of Soft and Stable that is bigger than your exterior panel by approximately 1" all around.  If your Soft and Stable is not very flat after being stored folded, you can iron it flat.  I use the wool setting on my iron, and steam, with good results.  Bear in mind that the Soft and Stable is synthetic material so should not be ironed at full heat - I haven't tried it but I expect it would melt.

Smooth your exterior panel flat on the Soft and Stable, and pin in place.  If you are going to quilt the exterior, you will want to use a good number of pins - spaced about every 4", to ensure that the fabric does not shift around too much as you are quilting.  If you are not planning to quilt the Soft and Stable, you can use fewer pins.

For this sample, I decided not to quilt the exterior of the bag.  Instead, I simply stitched around the very edge of the exterior panel, using a longer than usual stitch length.  The stitching is within 1/8" of the edge of the fabric, so it will not be visible when the bag is finished. Either do this (using your walking foot) or quilt the exterior panel to the Soft and Stable using your preferred design (also using your walking foot).

Using your rotary cutter and ruler, trim away any excess Soft and Stable.

Step 3 - Add the straps.

Cut the webbing into two pieces, each approximately 1 yard long.  This length should give you a bag that you can carry over your shoulder or in your hand.  That said, the best strap length for you will depend on your own height, so you may wish to experiment with the strap length by pinning the strap onto the bag in approximately the right position and seeing how it feels.

At each end of your bag, measure 4.5" from each side of the bag, and make a small mark.

To prevent fraying, tuck each end of the straps underneath by about 1/4" to 1/2". Pin one strap to each side of the bag, aligning the outer edge of the strap with the mark you made, and aligning the bottom of the strap with the seam between your contrast and main fabrics.  Stitch each strap in place, making sure you leave at least 3/4" at the top of the bag where the strap is not stitched down. I like to stitch a rectangle with an X in the middle.  I also usually change my thread colour so it matches the strap so that the stitching is almost invisible.

Step 4 - Complete the exterior.

Fold the exterior panel in half, right side in.  Pin or clip along the sides, making sure that the seams are aligned.  Stitch along the sides using your walking foot, backstitching at the start and end of each seam.

I generally prefer to stitch from the fold to the top of the bag - this way there is less chance of having a pucker at the fold. I also usually stitch along these seams twice, for additional reinforcement (alternatively you could stitch a straight seam and then a zig-zag seam right at the edge for reinforcement - I didn't do this because I was working on my Juki which is straight stitch only).  Remove pins or clips from bag.

Box the corners of the bag by pushing the corners out and aligning the side and bottom seams.  Using your ruler, draw a line perpendicular to the side seam, 1.5" away from the point of the corner.  Most quilting rulers have a 45 degree line on them which should help with this step.

Pin so that the corner of the bag is sticking out and you can stitch along this seam.  Repeat for the other corner of the bag.

Stitch along each line, using your walking foot, and backstitch at the start and end of each seam.  Again, I like to stitch these seams twice for extra reinforcement.  Trim away the excess by cutting 1/4" from each drawn and stitched line.

Turn your exterior right sides out.

Step 5 - Create the lining.

Cut a piece 31.5" by 16" for the lining (yes, this is slightly smaller than the fabric you cut for the exterior).  Fold in half, right sides together.  Pin or clip along the sides. Stitch along one side, backstitching at the start and end of each seam.    For the other side, stitch the first 5" or so as normal, then backstitch a couple of stitches.  Increase your stitch length to almost the maximum, and then stitch another 5" with the longer stitch length.  Return your stitch length to normal and backstitch a couple of stitches again, and finish the seam with a normal stitch length.  The part with the long stitches will be unpicked at a later stage for use as a turning gap - I simply find this easier than leaving an actual gap. As with the exterior, I generally prefer to stitch from the fold to the top of the bag.  Box the corners of the lining in the same way as you did for the bag.  Leave the lining with the right side facing in.

Step 6 - Add the lining to the bag.

Pin the loose part of the strap to the exterior of the so it does not get in the way at this stage.

Put the exterior part of the bag inside the lining, so the right sides of both are touching.  Align the side seams of the lining and the exterior.  Pin or clip along the raw edge to hold the two in place.

Stitch the exterior and the lining together at the top of the bag using your walking foot, and going slow and carefully because of the bulk in certain places.  Unpick the long stitches on one side of the lining, and turn the bag out through the gap.  Push the exterior and the lining out.

Close the turning gap by tucking the raw edges inside and stitching close to the edge.

Push the lining inside the exterior of the bag.

I often find it's useful to press along the top of the bag at this stage to get a neat seam, but be careful of touching the straps with your iron.  Clip or pin along the edge, and then top stitch using your walking foot and a slightly longer than usual stitch length to create a neat finished edge at the top of the bag.  Stop and start your top stitching so it is under a strap for maximum neatness.

Voila - you have a nice structured but light tote bag ready for use.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial - let me know if you have any questions.  If you make a bag using this tutorial, I'd love to see it - you can add it to my flickr group or flick me an email directly.