What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 A customer told me about her favorite tote bag pattern recently. It's called the Tourist Tote. It looked like a good pattern and I had a good recommendation for the pattern, so I ordered several copies of it.

Then I had to make one!

I used four prints from the new Serene Nature fabric collection that arrived recently. This is a very nice bag and a nice pattern. It's not a very complicated bag pattern but you could easily add some pockets (inside or outside between the handles). You could also add a magnetic snap or zipper to ...

 I got some new patterns in my shop recently. 

Tick Tock, Tango, Simplify, and Boxed Up

I love all of the Cluck Cluck Sew patterns because they are all well-written and include fabric requirements and directions for several different sizes of quilt.

Also new in my shop is a fabric collection called Swatch.

I decided to use some of these fabrics and make the Boxed Up pattern.

I don't have it all sewn together yet but you get the idea. This is the crib size version.

 I've had the London City Bag pattern in my shop for a while, but just got around to making up one. I shouldn't have waited so long!

It's a Pink Sand Beach Designs pattern which means it's a good bag pattern. I opted to do the B version of the bag so the outside pocket is a single fabric instead of strips like is shown on the pattern.

On one side inside it has three pockets.

On the other side inside it has a zipper pocket.

The fabrics I used are from a new collection called ...

 I have been on a mission lately to find some new patterns that feature a panel. This one is a "keeper."

I don't yet have any of these patterns in stock in my shop. I only got one copy since I was not familiar with this pattern company. Lots of folks have great ideas for quilt patterns, but it is a lot harder to write a good quilt pattern than most folks realize. I am happy to report that this is a great pattern! 

Here is my version of this pattern.

Unfortunately, I don't have this panel listed ...

 One of my customers is planning a big trip with a friend in November. She made them both RunAround Bags for their trip.

These bags are fun and easy to make. Cheryl has very limited experience with zipper installation, but did great with these bags because the way the pattern has you put in the zipper is very forgiving. The pattern is very well written with good diagrams. I would say it is a good beginner bag pattern. It's an older pattern, but doesn't mean it isn't still a great one.

It's a good travel bag ...

 I finally had time to get the Starlets sample pieced together.

I love the traditional style fabrics made up into a very modern style pattern. The fabrics I used are from the 6th Street Cottons collection and I might have used a couple from Homestead Harvest. Both collections are designed by Julie Letvin for Robert Kaufman Fabrics.

This is a really nice pattern! There are instructions for 4 sizes of quilt. I made the smallest version. It will finish at 45" by 48". You need yardage for the stars but the rest is made from fat quarters.

Now I need ...

 I got my Wind Drifter shop sample quilted. Patterns are available by clicking the link: Wind Drifter.

I quilted this very simply but I love the effect. I started by quilting a straight line from corner to corner diagonally in both directions. Then I used a ruler and quilted lines in a "V" shape to fill in each section. The lines are 3/4" apart. I used my Q20 longarm and a straight ruler but you could easily do the exact same thing with a walking foot on a regular sewing machine.

My other finish for this week is a ...

 I recently tested another new pattern. This one is for a quilt.

The pattern is called Wind Drifter and the cover is shown in the photo above. The pattern includes instructions for two sizes of finished quilt: 32.75" by 32.75" and 65" by 65". I made the smaller one for a shop sample and to test the pattern.

The pattern uses fat 1/8s and yardage for background. I made the smaller size because it is so much easier to display in my shop. There is really nothing very difficult about this pattern. It is mostly rectangles and ...

 I'm always on the lookout for a good, new bag pattern. This one caught my eye and I finally had a chance to test the pattern.

The bag has a top zipper closure and customizable interior pockets. 

The handles can be made short like I did or longer to go over your shoulder. This is a shop sample and short handles are easier for me on a display bag so I went with the shorter handle length. If I was making this to use myself I would make them a little longer.

The wallet has plenty of pockets for ...

I'm always looking for cute and professional tops now that I'm working from home (there are currently no plans to send us back to the office) and I think I found a really good one in the True Romance Bishop Sleeve Top by Pattern Emporium.

This is a boatneck top with many different sleeve finishes - 5 in fact - and 4 different hems. You can make this top with a bottom band at the waist, at the hips, leave it unbanded or simply turn the hem up like you would a tee.

I made the dramatic cuffed sleeves with ...

 I got in a couple new patterns and this one, Constance, is one of them.

Before I started sewing my own garments, I was never a fan of button-up shirts on me. I've always been busty and in order for there to be no gaping at the bust, I always needed to size up and then the fit was all wrong at the shoulders. Of course, sewing my own clothes means I could remedy that and make myself a few nice shirts. 

For my second attempt at a shirt, I chose to use the Itch-to-Stitch Bonn shirt pattern.

Pattern Details:

The Bonn hasn't yet been updated in Itch-to-Stitch's full size range - it ...

I don't share progress or process posts or pictures here or on Instagram. I just never think to stop and take a few pictures while engrossed in a project. Also, because of my full-time job, my sewing time is so precious. I want to make the most of it and just sew! What I thought I could do instead of simply sharing a finished project is provide you with a little bit of a review. Hopefully, you'll find this helpful.

A little note before I get started: I don't get sponsored and pay for everything I share ...