To Market, To Market ...
May 9, 2011 ... to buy a fat pig, home again home again jiggity jig. To market, to market to buy a fat quarter, home again home again ... I'm a fabric hoarder!
Yes, I'm a very lucky girl who's going to Quilt Market this week with my best friend. I decided last week to make each of us a pretty quilted tote bag and thought you might like to see them.
I love Japanese quilting books & magazines (don't mean to offend, but I call them - shh - quilter's porn!) and have long admired this delightful little design of revolving log cabins, alternating with solid squares, on point.
I practiced making a few of these itty bitty 1 1/2" finished blocks a long time ago (I included them in my banner photo up top) and have been patiently waiting for just the right project to come along. They aren't difficult - necessarily - but they are quite fiddley because you need to sew a partial seam on a 1" square.
The bag required only 63 log cabin squares but I ended up making ... almost triple that number. Why? Good question.
First, I started out with this grouping of fabric. I was trying to imitate the book's use of black/white (with a little brown) but with a smokey gray, taupey brown palette.
and ended up with this (the first 42 blocks).
Too scrappy. I don't like the weird geometric accidents happening from the dark rectangles. If you look at this picture with squinted eyes you'll see what I mean. Plus, it looks like a patchwork bruise to me.
But I was determined to get it right so I removed all the very darks & very lights and came up with this grouping.
Too dull. The results were a little better, (another 35 blocks) but I wanted the piecing to ... sparkle. I also figured out that some of the "too scrappy" was happening because I was picking my log cabin logs randomly.
Third time's a charm? I again removed all the remaining darks, put back all the lights and added a few more lighter lights. I also planned out the log cabin blocks by using either a light middle square with equal valued dark logs or dark square with equal-valued light logs.
You know how when you plan to make something and you have an idea of what you think it will look like but somehow your imagination never quite manages to see exactly how it will turn out until it's done? And sometimes you're happy with the results and sometimes ... not so much? Well, I literally got butterflies in my tummy when this came together (another 35 blocks).
(And there's no pink in it!?! Quick, check to see if the sky is falling!) Right now I'm wishing I'd made just a few of the little log cabin centers with the softest blush pink. That would have been really pretty.
Oh, and then when I was making the outside pocket, I must have been totally distracted because I accidentally made it one row too short - yet another 24 PLUS 28 blocks for a grand total of 164 - and of course didn't notice until I'd already top-stitched it ...
I have to admit that I've absolutely no idea where I got the inspiration for this top-stitching design - it came out of no where. Up to the very last minute I was just going to ... you guessed it ... cross-hatch (which I still did on the piece behind the pocket). Maybe I was influenced by all the Cathedral Window quilt stuff I've been seeing around lately. And I do love the classic Double Wedding Ring, but I haven't made one in years.
Anyhow, it should be big enough to fit my camera, a bottle of water and all the paper one tends to collect at Market.
I'll show you the other bag tomorrow, but I'll tease you with this ...
Reader Comments (12)
Your quilting also looks like a classic sashiko pattern. Perhaps there's an example or background in your book which gave you a subliminal message. Beautiful bag.
Ohhh, say hi to Camille, and Anne Sutton, and Joanna from Fig Tree. Their my bff's. Course we've never met, and they don't realize that I love them, but I do. They are my quilting inspirations! Have a blast!
What a beautiful bag!!! I totally vote for a tutorial when you can. Love the outside pocket especially.
Have fun at Quilt Market...if any subliminal messages going on it may be needing a bag that size;-) Lots of room in there for lots of fabric. I would tell my husband, "I just don't know how it all got in there?"
blessings, jilly
You really are a very clever girl, that is one absolutely brilliant bag!
Vivienne x
Such a beautiful bag! Yes, third time's a charm. And the quilting is wonderful - seals the whole deal. Good luck on your travels to Market. Excited to meet you soon!
Amy
That bag takes my breath away! It's beautiful.
Have a great time at market, you VERY Lucky Girl!! Are you going to get a chance at the sample spree??
Lisa L
are you kidding me ... another bag ... another AMAZINGLY STUNNING bag! You, my dear, is a Superstar!!! xoxo
Great bag... great post... can't wait to see more!
Angela xx
This bag "rocks". Love, Love the colors in this 3rd choice. Have fun at quilt market. Oh, and I love that poem!
Have fun at market! I am big time jealous! Please give Sandi H and hug from me and Monica S too : ) Maybe someday I will be able to join in the fun!
You made a non-pink quilt!! I love it!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pins-Needles-Sewing-Studio/354125258016413?fref=nf
Thanks!