The Fiesta Tote Bag

The Fiesta Tote Bag


I recently made a super cute tote bag!   I was testing a new  pattern,  called  the "Fiesta Tote",  by  Samantha , of  Sewing Patterns by Mrs H.

The Fiesta Tote Bag
You can buy it HERE

I really love it!!   It has some fun features:    rivets,  and  webbing  for both short handles and a removable strap.   There's an outside zipper pocket, and  inside slip pocket to keep you organized!

Here are the details:    

Pattern:   The Fiesta Tote PDF Pattern  by Sewing Patterns by Mrs H
Size:   W 14" x H 11.5" x D 5"

Fabrics:  Miss Kate     by Bonnie and Camille for Moda

Special components:  Rivets  ,  Webbing,  zippers, magnetic snap. swivel clips. Soft and Stable interfacing

See the back outer  zippered pocket?  I love it!!

The Soft and Stable interfacing gives just the right of stiffness to the tote.

The back side of my Fiesta Tote 

It has both short handles....

The short handles

and you can use the long body strap!

The body strap.   It's removable, too!

There are lots of pockets inside!!

I added a zippered pocket, too.   Because you can never have too many pockets!!

Inside the Fiesta Tote

There's a magnetic snap closure , too.

Inside view

I love the size of this tote.... it can hold a lot , and yet look stylish as a purse.

Amanda's directions are clear and well written. This is a good bag for a beginner sewer.  

Fiesta Tote

I had a lot of fun making this bag!  Since I gave it as a gift, I want to make one for myself this summer!  

Linking up at:    Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts   and

                        Can I Get A Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict  and
                        Let's Bee Social  @ Sew Fresh Quilts   and  
                         Finish It Up Friday  @  Busy Hands Quilts  and
                         TGIFF  @ Devoted Quilter

Mini Swoon

A Mini Swoon Finish

I have grown to love seeing the amazing  projects on the Instagram app. It is so handy to see what is new, using my phone.     Recently, Camille @Thimbleblossoms, 
hosted a SwoonAlong { #SwoonAlong}.  I just  had to join in with everyone!
Besides, Camille has 3 different sizes of her Swoon block that I could make! (available here at Thimbleblossoms )  Oh, and she has a Patchwork Swoon, too!

Some of you may remember that I added 4 sweet regular - sized Swoon blocks to the back of my Clambake quilt......

This is my  very first Swoon block....

My first Swoon Block     ( 24 " )            Love those strawberries from Hello Darling!

My Clambake quilt, with 4 Swoon blocks on the back!!

Sew...since it was a busy time of year, I purchased the Mini Swoon pattern to join in sewing in this Swoon Along!  I thought it would be do-able to make 4 mini 9" blocks.

For fabrics:   I decided to use up the leftover 5" charm squares that I had, from a charm pack of "Miss Kate"  by Bonnie & Camille for Moda.   Win- Win !!

Miss Kate Charms squares plus a bit of  Hello Darling yardage for the binding

I cut out the pieces for all 4 blocks before I started to sew .  I like to do this on small projects.

My muffin tin holds the small pieces... it's a hand-me -down that my mother had from our family

It only took about a week to fit in time to make up my 4 sweet Mini Swoon blocks! ( 8 " each)  The mini quilt comes out to be about 19" x 19".

My favorite block ( winning by a narrow margin !) is the dramatic red and dark blue one!

My Miss Kate Mini Swoon quilt

I think that it was helpful  that I had experience making the biggest Swoon block, before I made my mini blocks.  I am relieved to see my  points and corners where they should be for the most part!

I still had some small pieces left, so I made up a scrappy label.  And I added the triangles to the two top corners, for easily-made holders for a small dowel rod. 

For quilting:  I quilted  straight lines in a 1 " grid, with my trusty Aurifil #2021 thread and my walking foot.  (The batting was scraps of Warm and Natural batting.)

The back 

I like to seeing my Mini Swoon in my kitchen area, leading into my pantry!

                                 

My Mini Swoon quilt

You can see what I am currently making, as well as  past projects, if you follow my Instagram account at @SusiesSunroom .     ( Look at the right margin of my blog page!)

I had fun sewing along with Camille and allof  the other sewists making their own gorgeous Swoon projects!  What inspiration!

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up at:     Let's Bee Social  @ Sew Fresh Quilts      and
                          Building Blocks Tuesday @  Quilter In the Closet    and
                              Midweek Makers  @ Quilt Fabrication  and
                       Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts   and
                        Can I Get a Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict   and
                      Fabric Frenzy Friday @  Fort Worth Fabric Studio   and
                         TGIFF  @ Anja Quilts   and
                         Finished Or Not Friday  @  Busy Hands Quilts

Bunny and Berry Cuteness!

Bunny  and Berry Cuteness!

I had such fun  ( more than " a barrel full of bunnies!" ) making a spring pillow.... using a paper pieced pattern design by Janeen at Quilt Art Designs, and a background fabric by Moda's Bonnie and Camille fabrics!

Pattern:    Rabbit  by Janeen  from Quilt Art Designs "Paper Piecing 1/4 " " digital magazine, issue 9  April-June 2016  {available Here }.  This issue 9 features lots of adorable pets!!!  

Block size:  14 " x 14 "  finished

Fabric:  -   background for pillow front-  Hello Darling  by Bonnie and Camille for  Moda Fabrics   
             bunny - various taupes and creams from my stash
             back-   red and white picnic gingham from my stash

Zipper and 14" pillow form

I looked up some cute little pet bunnies online, to give me some inspiration on what fabrics to use for making my own little bunny.

I love the taupe and white bunnies.... and before I knew it,  my own little paper pieced rabbit, shown below,  in the center, was sewn up!

My little pet rabbit.... her name is Strawberry!  

Strawberry,  the sweet little pet  rabbit pillow

I love, love, love using the  Bonnie and Camille "Hello Darling " strawberry fabric as my  background fabric for the pattern!!!  I smile whenever I see it !

And when I found the red gingham fabric in my stash, I knew that would make the perfect backing for the pillow !  And I couldn't resist making a  covered zipper with some of the strawberry fabric scraps!!

Strawberry loves posing for photo shoots!  ( Don't tell her about Instagram!)

The eyes on Janeen's patterns are so life-like, aren't they?  

Want to see other cute little pets??   Be sure to look at the rest of the   pet patterns that Janeen has designed in this issue 9 ,  of "Paper Piecing 1/4 "  "  digital magazine !  A pillow or a mini wallhanging would make a beautiful Mother's Day  or birthday gift!  

available here

***And don't forget to visit these quilters in the Crafted Applique Blog Hop:

The Crafted Applique' Blog Hop Schedule for the month of May:

Sunday, May 1 - Introduce the Hop and post the schedule onBuzzinBumble
Monday, May 2 - Valerie Smith - Pumpkin Patch Quilter
Tuesday, May 3 - Dana Gaffney - Stormy Days
Wednesday, May 4 - Lorna McMahon - Sew Fresh Quilts 
Thursday, May 5 - Mary S. - Needled Mom
Friday, May 6 - Heidi Kuntz - Red Letter Quilts
Saturday, May 7 - Alycia Carmin - Alycia Quilts
Sunday, May 8 - Amy DeCesare - Amy Made That
Monday, May 9 - Sherri McConnell - A Quilting Life
Tuesday, May 10 - Lara Buccella - Sew Mama Sew 
Wednesday, May 11 - Christina Cameli - A Few Scraps
Thursday, May 12 - Melissa Corry -  Happy Quilting
Friday, May 13 - Sarah Craig - Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Saturday, May 14 - Soma Acharya - Whims and Fancies 
Sunday, May 15 - Val Reynolds -  Val's Quilting Studio
Monday, May 16 - Angela Pingel - Cut to Pieces
Tuesday, May 17 - Sandra Walker - Musings of a Menopausal Melon
Wednesday, May 18 - Cheryl Brickey - Meadow Mist Designs
Thursday, May 19 - Judy Murphy - Quilt Paradigm
Friday, May 20 - Yvonne Fuchs - Quilting Jetgirl
Saturday, May 21 - Cindy Pieters - Stitchin' at Home
Sunday, May 22 - Susie Zlogar - Susie's Sunroom
Monday, May 23 - Connie Kresin-Campbell - Freemotion by the River
Tuesday, May 24 - Ruth Bourke - Charly & Ben's Crafty Corner
Wednesday, May 25 - Kaja Zieslar - Sew Slowly
Thursday, May 26 - Ann Brooks - Fret Not Yourself
Friday, May 27 - Cynthia Brunz - Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
Tuesday, May 31 - Jenn Trott-Zisserson - Quarter Inch From the Edge
Wednesday, June 1 - Paulette Horn - The Way I Sew It
Thursday, June 2 - Sandra Jansen - Studio Sew of Course
Friday, June 3 - Christine Sherman - Triangles and Squares
Saturday, June 4 - Darlene Simmons - Quilt Shop Gal
Sunday, June 5 - Announce BuzzinBumble Giveaway Winners - Lara Buccella

Nibble ! Nibble!

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up at:    Let's Bee Social @  Sew Fresh Quilts      and 
                         Sew Cute Tuesday @  Blossom Heart Quilts

A Clambake Quilt

The Clambake Quilt

Ding! Ding!  Ding!
I found a winner -a fun and easy way to make the popular clamshell quilt!

The Clambake quilt pattern  

                                                           
The design is by  Camille Roskelley  , " Thimble Blossoms".   ( available here), and also  at the Fat Quarter Shop ( here ).

Camille's pattern had me hooked  when I saw it was Layer Cake friendly, and no curves!
She featured this pattern with the new Bonnie & Camille fabric " Vintage Picnic", but I have  stashed  curated a  huge  nice selection of their "Hello Darling" fabric, and thought the Clambake quilt would work well with that gorgeous fabric . 

Hello Darling ( B & C by Moda)  has  the ultra-cute strawberry fabrics in five colorways!

Five colors of Strawberries!!

My March OMG was to make the flimsy top 

In early March, I wrote in  my blog {here}, stating my  OMG,  One Monthly Goal for March, but I realized that I forgot to link up the blog post at Red Letter Quilts!  O.M.G. !!

I still won.... I did accomplish my goal!

Lay out of the basic bricks

I had sixteen different fabrics to lay out.  I wanted LOTS of strawberries in my quilt!

Now I was joining the rows together

And before I knew it, I had the flimsy top of the quilt all sewn together!

They look like clam shells now!!

It was time to decide how to make the quilt backing.  Do I use up my precious stash of leftover Hello Darling fabrics,  or do I make something else  for the back of the quilt?  

Fortunately,  I had started  viewing the Craftsy Class by Camille, " Pre-Cut Piecing Made Simple, " where she teaches us how to make her Swoon block.  I officially  *heart* everything that Camille makes now !    I have seen the Swoon quilts out there, and always wanted to make one.  Now was my chance to try a Swoon block out!

 I chose the green strawberry fabric , and the red floral fabric for some pop and jolts of color.  This is a 24 inch finished block.
WOW!   SWOON! SWOON!  

This is my first Swoon Block!  

I noticed that  somebody else began to swoon, too......

Whiskers , on her first swoon block!

Well, there was no turning back at this point... I had room on the quilt to make a total of four Swoon Blocks.

I used strawberry fabrics for each center fabric

And , I needed a label.  I just love these strawberry star points!

I only had room for the inner star of the Swoon Block.... so I made up a scrappy star!

And here is my finished Clambake Quilt!
 

Quilt Stats:

Patterns:    Clambake  and Swoon Block    by Camille Roskelley of  "thimble blossoms"                                                                                                          (here)
Size:  70 inches across x 76 inches high

Fabrics:   Hello Darling   by Bonnie and Camille for Moda    I used 16 fabrics of the line
              White on white tonal fabric from my stash

Batting:  Warm and Natural  100% cotton

Thread:  Aurifil  50 wt.  color #2024  my favorite for piecing

Quilting:  I made fine,  Serpentine  "S" lines , on the diagonal, approx 5 inches apart 

I used my walking foot to quilt the curvy  diagonal lines ,  from edge to edge, using Aurifil 50 wt thread. I set my Viking Topaz on the largest S shape stitch, and  followed the edges of the clam shells to make the diagonals.  

Things I like about these two  patterns:

• The size of the "rectangle" for  each clam shell is 7.5 " across x 4.5 " high.  This allows the design of each fabric to really shine through!
• It was fast and fun to piece the clamshells
• There is a mini Clambake pattern available, too!
• Camille's directions are excellent 
• The Swoon blocks are addictive!!

                                                                              

See all of the strawberry fabrics!

The quilting - Fine lines of the wavy s line on the diagonal

I love the back as much as the front !

I like the way the FINE lines of quilting create  diamonds , as seen on the back of the quilt. 

April- FINE challenge

                                                                   

  I am linking my Clambake Quilt up to the Le Challenge blog, for the April "Fine" challenge.   

"Fine" Quilting lines

And, since I am allergic to seafood,  this is is close as I am going to get to a "fine dining" ,with clams ,meal!!  Hop on over here to see the other entries.

I am enjoying my quilt , laying over top of the railing, in the back of my kitchen.

Whiskers likes to lay on the fourth step, while we eat dinner and clean up.  She likes "hiding" behind the quilt.  I think it must be warmer there with the quilt.  Plus, she may be or may not be a little bit spoiled!

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up at:   Can I Get a Whoop Whoop   @  Confessions of a Fabric Addict    and
                       Fabric Frenzy Friday  @  Fort Worth Fabrics     and
                        Let's Bee Social  @  Sew Fresh Quilts   and
                       Le Challenge - Fine @  Le Challenge