A Huge Single Girl Tote Bag

A Super-Sized Zen Zip Tote Bag

This little journey  (HUGE tote bag !) began in   early summer,  when I saw some Instagram photos of blocks being made by my friend Gina, @PartyOfEightOurStory and Party of Eight Our Story blog.   Gina happens to be one of my enablers.... almost everything she makes, I want to make,  (I confess !)  to copy !!
***There just isn't enough time in a day for me  to make all that she makes, and all that my other primary enablers make!!***  

Gina was making  some Free -Wheeling Single Girl blocks .  Go check her gorgeous work  at her Instagram @PartyOfEightOurStory  !!   This quilt pattern  is designed by Denyse Schmidt , DSQuilts ... available {here}. 

I decided to make the block using up a modern charm pack from my stash...
Barcelona  by Zen Chic for Moda.   I liked the way the lime greens pop out when I added a lime green border!

My Single Girl block using a Zen Chic Barcelona charm pack

Now this is a big block, measuring in at about 20 " square finished!  I didn't have any more Barcelona fabric, and wondered what to do with the block.  I liked the Barcelona fabric so much better when it was made up, than when it was laying there as 5 " charm squares!

I decided to feature this bold Single Girl block on the front of a big zippered tote.  
I wanted a tote bag with a  zippered top closure that had lots of pockets.
My solution.... I decided to modify a pattern from a book I have had for awhile...              " Handmade Style" by Anna Graham, of  Noodlehead blog.  
I rounded up my "modern looking" black denim fabric, and some  of my stash DSQuilts fabric that blended so well with Barcelona...  Aunt Edna ( gray with cream dots.)

First, I quilted the Single Girl block, using my walking foot and straight line quilting.

So here is the result of this pattern modification.... My Super-Sized Zen Zip Tote Bag

Super-Sized Zen Zip Tote Bag  by Susie's Sunroom

The Details:

Patterns used:      Free -Wheeling Single Girl blocks  by Denyse Schmidt  (here )
                        and     the Zip Top Tote   from " Handmade Style" by Anna Graham (here)

Tote bag size:   23" tall x 17 " across at bottom and 22" across at top  x 7 " deep !

Top closure:   22 " zipper

Handles:  27 " each

Pockets:   Outer-   back side slip pocket:  12 " tall x 22 " across
             Inner slip pocket - 6" tall x 9 " across    in pieced Barcelona fabric
             Inner zippered pocket -  11 " tall x 15 " across  ( 13" zipper) 

Fabrics:  Barcelona  by Zen Chic for Moda  ( a charm pack)
             Solid Kona Cottons  in lime
            Lining -  gray  Aunt Edna  by DS Quilts
            Denim -   black  bottomweight with striations ( lines)


This is the back of the tote.  I quilted it to provide some more structure.

The back of the tote... features a pieced Barcelona fabric- trimmed outer slip pocket

It looks even bigger in person!!

Seriously,  you could hold at least two cats inside this tote bag! ( Not that that would have a good outcome !!  )

But it would make an excellent weekend trip bag. Or a  carry-on bag for the overhead compartment in an airplane.  

 My sister saw this  tote bag  in person, and told me how awesome it would be for a quilter to take  along to sewing guilds ...  It can hold a full quilt  to show and tell,  a   WIP quilt ,  and still have room for fabric,  rulers , cutting boards and tools.... Or to take along to a quilt show and shop,  to fill up with new fabrics and tools!!

A neutral gray fabric lining.... where the pieced Barcelona slip pocket contrasts!

A side view.....  Can you see that Barcelona trimmed slip pocket on the back?!

I love the black denim with this fabric!!   

After I made my Super-Sized Zen Zip Tote bag,  I remembered that I made a small clutch purse awhile back.... using a pattern by Samantha of Sewing Patterns by Mrs H.  
It features  paper pieced sunset rays, and denim ...

The clutch with Barcelona flap and black denim   made by Susie's Sunroom
Clutch size:  6.5 " tall x 9 " across

I think they just naturally belong together, don't you?

The back pocket of the tote bag can easily hold the sunrise clutch (and more!)....

The clutch  inside flap is  more colorful Barcelona, and the main lining is an orange solid.  There's a pieced Barcelona slip pocket inside  there , too!

Check out my Etsy Shop.... you can find it , and some  more items, available for purchase in there!    {SusiesSunroomShop  on Etsy }

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up at:     Let's Bee Social @  Sew Fresh Quilts   and

                          Can I Get A Whoop Whoop @  Confessions of a Fabric Addict   and 
                           TGIFF  @ Anja Quilts    and 

                               Finished Or Not Friday  @  Busy Hands Quilting  

Farmer's Wife Blocks

Friday Block Talk

It's been awhile since I sat down to make a few Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks.  I really enjoyed making these!  I had fun looking through my laundry basket of Denyse Schmidt fabrics to pick the fabrics. 

Block # 27:  Darting Birds

#27   Darting Birds       Susie's Sunroom

Block # 28:   Duck and Ducklings

#28  Duck and Ducklings    Susie's Sunroom

Block # 29:  Economy

#29  Economy     Susie's Sunroom

I really like this Economy block!  I can see making a quilt with this block , where I want to feature some cute fabrics in the center.

Block # 30 :  End of Day

#30    End of Day    Susie's Sunroom

You can see all of my completed Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks :

Here  at the FWSQ Page  ,  at the top of my blog under the header    

and

Here   in my FWSQ  Flickr Group


I think I'll be adding to my pile of FWSQ blocks this summer.  They are very relaxing for me to make ( by paper pieced foundation!)

What do you like to sew, that is relaxing?

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 Studio      and
                           Paper Piecing Party @ Quilt Art Designs  and
                           Sew Cute Tuesday @  Blossom Heart Quilts

Making some Farmers Wife Sampler Blocks

 Farmer's Wife Sampler blocks with  Friday Night Block Party

Weekly Block Party  by Elaine at  Summercrater.com ...   Joining in with Elaine to make blocks and Farmer's Wife Sampler Blocks

Elaine, over at Summercrafter.com ,  has started a linky group ,  called Friday Night Block Party.  We can link up a block that we made during the week, and see what other blocks everyone is making. 

Recently, Elaine began to make some blocks from The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt Book, by Laurie Aaron Hird.  I looked up my book, and decided to join in with her.  I want to try to make as many of the blocks as I can, to continue to  improve my block-piecing skills. (But am not worrying about being late or missing some blocks.)  I also joined in the Yahoo Farmer's Wife Sampler group,  where I can access foundation paper pieced patterns for the same blocks and get some advice on the hard blocks. I really love to paper piece, but will challenge myself to do many of  the template pieces, too, for the experience.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt book   sold at Amazon.com

I am going to use my stash for making these blocks.  (Good girl!!)   I have a lot of Denyse Schmidt fabric , in  DS Quilts line, in turquoise, gray, blues, oranges, and teals that I love. 
It will be a scrappy look, I think.

Before I began to sew, I wanted to make sure that several 'size issues' were cleared up in my mind:

• Use scant quarter inch seam allowance?  

 Yes.   I verified that my sewing machine and quarter inch foot worked well, when I sewed  a SCANT quarter inch. After  pressing the seams, it turns out to be a quarter inch seam allowance.   Now, this should allow my templates to be put  together with the right seam allowance size. 

• Print options... print like usual, with "no scaling to page size" ?

Yes.  And,  I  verified that when I also checked the "borderless" print option, the pattern prints out much larger... to make a 7 1/2 inch block , rather than the 6 inch block 

Checking the "borderless" print option made the block bigger than the intended size of 6 inch

• Is the template method or the paper pieced method more accurate (for me)?

 Paper pieced method is more accurate, for me,  for meeting points and keeping the 1/4 inch  seam allowances needed  for putting the blocks together later.

Left block was constructed with templates... I did not have a 1/4 inch seam allowance at the intersection on the right (marked as "here *" )
Right block has all of the seam allowances and the square has all of it 4 points, using the paper pieced construction

After studying all of these issues, I am ready to make the blocks finally!

Elaine started out making the block # 58   Mother's Dream  (page 185 in the book)
My block:    I chose to paper piece it this time.  

#58  Mother's Dream  FWSQ block    by Susie's Sunroom

It did turn out to be a slightly small, measuring in at just under 6 " all around.   I am not going to trim these blocks until I am ready to use them in a project.  I really liked making the one!  You might see some project using this block some time down the road....

The second week, Elaine made Block # 1  Attic Windows.    (page 128)

 #1  Attic Windows   FWSQ block  by Susie's Sunroom

I made it initially using the template method, and had to use the seam ripper a few times to keep  the square "square at the corners".  It is trickier than it looks!  I made this one by paper piecing and was happy with it.

Last week, Elaine  made the #2  Autumn Tints block.  (page 129 )

#2  Autumn Tints  FWSQ block    by Susie's Sunroom

I used the paper pieced method again, as I was under a time constraint.

Since I have 3 blocks made, I'll show you how they look together!

My blocks so far                 Susie's Sunroom

I have some bigger projects to complete soon. But it was very  enjoyable to make these blocks.  I know that I will have fun making a lot of these, and then pick out favorite block patterns to use in other projects.

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up to:   Friday Night Block Party @ Summercrafter
          and         Paper Piecing Party @ Quiet Play