Craftsy Baby Tote Bag

I really enjoyed making and reviewing the Three-Quarter Patch Tote for Craftsy last month.  That post is here.  Add that to wanting to make a gift for my preggers yoga teacher here in Sarasota, and I knew that that would be a great gift.  Add that to one of the fabulous fat quarter bundles Craftsy puts together at terrific prices, and I had a perfect gift.

Somehow I must have known Liana was going to have a baby girl.  I picked up this bundle of Michael Miller Sweet Baby pinks and yellows at a steal of a deal in early January from Craftsy.  I knew it would grow up into a quilt; little did I know it would actually grow up into a bag first!

I modified the pattern slightly this time, choosing to quilt as you go.  I cut the batting at the recommended size plus an extra half inch all the way around, and marked a vertical line the size of the panel that the pattern indicates you make by sewing together the jelly roll strips .

Added the strips diagonally, sewing them onto the batting

Once I'd covered that rectangle, I drew another line on top of the fabric this time as my placement guide for the vertical pink strip.

Have I mentioned yet how much I love water soluble blue markers?!

Than I sewed the vertical strip on that line RST.

Then I trimmed the strips even with the vertical strip using scissors, and repeated the process to add the side panel.  Trimmed everything to size.

Finished panel

and back:

And then I decided, because you know me, to add a little more quilting...

Both sides all pieced

Extra quilting between the seams and straight lines on the strip and panel

I pieced a couple of fat quarters from the pack to make the lining, since I didn't want each side to be a different fabric.  I think my mum would approve of the "bright lining"!!  She hates bags with black linings.

It's a general holidays and celebrations print I paired with the solid grey. I was SO tickled to see the menora!  Liana is Jewish.  :-)

I quilted Liana's initials at one bottom corner.  A subtle personal touch.

Used the blue marking pen to write them first and then FMQ-ed

Dead chuffed with mi'self, à la English accent... Until....

NOOO!!  Very bad non-repeatable words in a Canadian accent were said.

When I boxed the bottom, they were very neatly chopped off.

So I redid them, near the top, but allowing enough room for the seam allowance that adding a lining dictated.

Here is the back of the tote.

There is enough of the fat quarter bundle to easily make another couple of totes.  Might have to use yardage (hello stash) for the lining though.

I wrote my name etc inside the pocket on the lining.  A new LOVE: Pentel Arts Gel Roller for fabric, here on Amazon. No affiliation. 

Liana LOVED it.  I had picked up a burp cloth little kit and pattern from my LQS in Leamington, Ontario, A Stitch In Time, back in early December.  I scored a great deal on a remnant of terrycloth at JoAnn's in early January, almost a yard for $4.  So I used remaining fabric of one of the strips to make a burp cloth to include with the bag.

This is really a great design, and I know I will make it again.

Quilt Stats:
Pattern: Three-Quarter Patch Tote from Craftsy
Size: 17X12X5"
Fabric: Michael Miller pinks/yellows fat quarter bundle
Batting: Pellon Nature's Touch 100% cotton
Quilted: on my Bernina
Threads: pieced with Essentials; quilted with Essentials in magenta and white (available at Connecting Threads)

Remember Craftsy always has these fat quarter bundles, maybe not as good a sale as the after Christmas clearance prices, but still really decent, even at the Canadian dollar. Here is just one I found with a quick search this morning:

I can see such a sweet bag with these darling prints.  Oh and that is not the only bundle for that price...not enabling, nope, but Michael Miller Pastel Provence is yummy. Just putting it out there.  OMG I do enough enabling for myself these past 3 months...ask me how I know...had to pack up the sewing room yesterday and finished it up this morning.  Oops.  It all fit back in the same containers it came down in.  Well, almost.  ;-)

Yes there are affiliate links in this post for Craftsy, so I do get a commission off purchases if you go through the links on my blog. PS FREEBIE!!  I downloaded this fabulous scarf pattern today from them; remember there is a TON of free stuff on Craftsy, my two patterns just two of those freebies:
Lace Scarf
Isn't it great?  Wish I had some needles and wool to knit this baby on the way home...oh well, good that I don't, so that way I can work on Brady's DVD of his trip, long overdue.


Linking up with:
Crazy Mom Quilts
TGIFF at The Celtic Thistle Stitches
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Fort Worth Studio
A Quilted Passion