Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Because I Needed a Finish

My current quilt project is in time-out. I’ll spare you the full story, but highlights include me sewing many straight lines of quilting, me stubbornly continuing even though the quilting didn’t look so great, and me spending many hours ripping all of it out. Sigh. My crafty little heart needed a finish.

So I turned to Lazy Girl Design’s Mini Miranda Bag. If you’re new to From Bolt to Beauty, you’ll quickly learn that I like making the same bags again and again. They’re my slam-dunk in-between-quilts projects. I’ve made this pattern three times before, all as gifts. This version, however, is for me.


Compared to my experiences with my Cosmo Bag, this pattern was easy. I paired Anna Maria Horner’s Postage Due, from her Dowry line, with Quilter’s Linen in chocolate and lined the bag with Michael Miller’s Cotton Couture in teal. The inside pockets were made with Twill Bouquet, another Dowry fabric, and I finished the bag by using some Clover handles instead of making ones out of fabric. Although the construction is straight-forward, the result is elegant, don’t you think?


I was happy to use some of my AMH stash. I love her work, but so many of her designs have big repeats. It breaks my heart to chop them up for the sake of a quilt. (I could say the same of Amy Butler’s fabric designs.) Of course, fussy-cutting around the motifs created a lot of waste. I’ll have to put the remnants to good use. Maybe they’ll end up in a quilt after all.


Speaking of quilts, it’s time to deal with the aforementioned one. I tweaked something on my machine and am ready to give it another go. Wish me luck!

Linking up to Sew Cute Tuesday, Let’s Bee Social, Fresh Sewing Day, Needle and Thread Thursday, TGIFF at Quokka Quilts, and Finish It Up Friday ... 

14 comments:

  1. This is SO CUTE. That's one of my favorite all-time AMH fabrics! How easy/hard is using hardware?

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  2. Another great bag! So happy that this one is for you to keep! And that you get to have the boost of a mid-week finish. . .ripping stitches is the worst!

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  3. Cute bag! I have so many projects in time-out I'm starting to feel like a warden. :D Good luck with your quilt!!!! If it goes poorly, let me know, I'll stop by with cookies. :D

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  4. Good luck! I put my quilts on the bottom step when they are not behaving themselves ... Love you choice of fabrics for this bag.

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  5. Looks great! Perfect combo of pattern and fabrics!

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  6. Beautiful tote and I like making the same pattern over again too!

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  7. I love the bag, the handles make it look very professional. I am looking to make a bag (I am a beginner) for Quiltcon that is large enough to hold an 8 1/2 x 11 folder but is not enormous. Would you have any recommendations?

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  8. I found your blog via Kelly at "my quilt infatuation" and I ca hardly believe you're not my alter ego!!! I too have just finished quilting a quilt with one inch lines, and guess what ...... Yes carried on only to have to rip it out. So guess what I did? You got it made a bag!!!! Love your bag and good luck with the quilting. I'll be keeping in touch for more coincidences!!!

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  9. oh this is lovely! What perfect fabric choices. You are like me - a little 'other sewing' diversion is good and then gets me back on track with my quilting. How's that going?

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  10. I am like you I hate to chop into my fabrics I always ponder over what or how I should cut it.

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  11. Oooh, that looks really awesome. I love the quilting, I love the fabrics you used, I love how professional it looks but is still super fun. Lovely finish!

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  12. That looks fab. love the handles!

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  13. The bag looks great and I like the wooden handles.

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  14. I really like this bag! Fabulous fabric choice.

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