Friday Favourites: The Social Tote by Carolyn Friedlander

The Social Tote from Carolyn Friedlander is an awesome project. End of story.

You know me and small projects. We get along as well as clothing and zippers and the neighbour that thankfully moved out this summer. But Carolyn gave me this pattern after seeing them in person at Market. They really are pretty cool. And handy. And not difficult to make at all.

What I really love about this pattern is the inspiration behind it and the rest of Carolyn's Slow Sewing Studio line. In her words:

The projects in this group give us an opportunity to slow down and to enjoy the process as much as the result. Not only a back-to-basics program, this is also a program to strengthen our skills and our relationships with each other.

These projects are things we can take with us and enjoy with others. We'll bring them to our guild meetings, on trips, or wherever our busy lives take us. They require no chargers, adapters, or electricity and will allow us to press pause on the realities of everyday life and enjoy what we are making.

It was that inspiration that pushed me to make this little tote. The pattern is a collaboration with Anna at Noodlehead. It is detailed and well written. As I'm not much of a pattern follower, when I do follow one it must make sense and move methodically through the steps. This one does. And if we ignore that I completely missed the fact I was supposed to interface all the fabric for the inside of the tote and the handles I followed the pattern exactly. There is a pin cushion in the pattern too, but I'm waiting for the pet store near me to have crushed walnut shells in stock again.

Already the tote has found a purpose in sorting and holding bits for my latest project, a baby quilt. I'm pretty sure another tote is on the agenda precisely for my ongoing hand sewing project. This is just what I need. And you too, I bet.

(In coincidental news, Carolyn reviewed my book this week. Totally unsolicited by me. And I think she captured it beautifully.)

Ring Tutorial

In my Craftsy class: Inset and Applique Circles by Machine I had a request for a short tutorial on making a ring, instead of a circle. It's an effective design and a great adaptation of a single technique.

1. Gather Your Supplies
Paper scissors, sewing scissors, compass, freezer paper templates, fabric glue, and fabric for the background, ring, and inner circle.
I've made this a 12 1/2'' by 12 1/2'' block. So my background fabric is cut to the same size, as are my freezer paper templates.

2. Make Templates
For this ring I've used an 8'' circle and a 4'' circle. You need two separate templates. From your 12 1/2'' by 12 1/2'' squares draw and cut out your circles.

3. Insert The Circle
For this block we are using the Reverse Circle technique reviewed in Lesson 3. This technique achieves the look of an inset circle with no headaches and consistent results. Use the first template, the 8'' circle, to start the block.
You can see in the photo above that I haven't trimmed my excess circle fabric after sewing it in place. Do so before you move on to the next step.

4. The Second Circle
Apply the template for your smaller circle to the block of the block, after trimming, from Step 3. Prepare for sewing the same way your did the first circle: cut out and opening - leaving seam allowance, fringe the seam allowance, press back, glue, apply fabric, then sew in place. Only this time your background is actually the first circle.

Here is what it looks like from behind, before trimming.

And after trimming.

What a great effect, right? Don't hesitate to adapt this technique. You could try off center rings, circles within ovals or vice versa, and maybe even multiple rings. The design possibilities are endless!

Love the example, but want to learn more about the technique? Don't forget you can sign up at any time for my Craftsy class: Inset and Applique Circles by Machine. Access it on-line, anywhere, whenever you want!

All Voile Patchwork Top

I've been remiss in posting about my at-home retreat a few weeks ago. Those awesome slabs took over! But I did have a highly productive week with my sister-in-law and finished far more than I expected. Let me share some with you.

Up first, my all voile quilt top. I had everything cut, from a random collection of voiles, and ready to go. All my triangles went in a box and I sewed whatever I grabbed. For my first row I kept going and every few pieces I laid the strip on my bed. This quilt is intended for our bed, so I wanted to make sure I had the overhang. Turns out 28 7 1/2'' equilateral triangles is about perfect on our giant mattress.

The resulting quilt is more horizontal than vertical. That's totally fine for me. The finished quilt will be backed with voile (the new Koi from Rashida and Cloud 9) and I plan to use the lightest batting. This quilt is for those sultry, summer nights when it is too hot for the covers. But, if you are like me, no matter how hot it is, you still want a sheet or something on top. So the height of this isn't as important as being able to cover down the sides. 

Of course, by the time this is finished the sultry nights will be long gone for this year. Even if I will be sending this to Andrea. 

It's all good though, because this is so soft, so silky. I cannot wait to wrap myself in this. It is ridiculously girly and I'm sure my husband will hate it. I have no idea why I was drawn to making this. Yes, the fabrics are gorgeous. I usually go for more geometric than floral prints. 

Note to Fabric Designers and Manufacturers: Can you please make more geometric prints in voile?

The colours are rich and the whole thing has that patchwork chaos that somehow always works.

Been Quilting

All three seasons of Downton Abbey. Almost all the Ted Med lectures, plus a few others. About a dozen beers. And one very sore set of shoulders later and I am done quilting this beast! (Yes, that's a king sized bed up there with a deep mattress.)

No, that's not an earthquake, that's me jumping up and down.

Now, just to bury a million threads, square it up, bind and wash it. Thanks for all the cheerleading along the way!

That's our original wedding quilt underneath.