When Cacti and Quilting Collide

To readers old and new, welcome! You’ve arrived at the day’s stop on Bonnie Christine’s Succulence Blog Tour.

If you’ve visited before, you know that I’m a quilter, and I rarely need an excuse to make a quilt. If there’s a new baby in my life, I make a quilt. If a friend is sick/sad/otherwise not feeling like herself, I make a quilt. If I want to deliver a handmade birthday/Christmas/Flag Day gift, I make a quilt.

Here’s the thing: Quilts, even simple ones, take a long time to make. So aren’t you surprised—maybe even a little proud—that I listened to my inner voice of reason and, when given the opportunity to work with Bonnie Christine’s Succulence fabrics, sewed a bag?

Look! A finish that didn’t require moving a huge
quilt sandwich through my domestic machine!

It was a fast and satisfying finish, constructed with three Succulence fabrics. Bonnie designs for Art Gallery Fabrics, so these lovelies have a soft and supple hand. They sewed—and quilted—up nicely. (Yes, the bag is indeed a quilted bag.)

The entire Succulence line is pretty fabulous, but it’s this print that captured my eye:

This is Rosette in Fireside. So. Darn. Pretty.

It comes in another colorway, shown here at Taylor Made. I chose this colorway, however, for the beautiful raisin color. It reminds me of a hue in Bonnie’s Winged line, which I have also had the pleasure of creating with.

What else can I tell you about this project? The pattern is from Stitched in Color’s Color Intensive course, and it’s the first time I’ve sewed leather straps on a bag. The result was a faster and cleaner-looking finish than when I make my own fabric handles. I’m giving this bag to a friend; I’ll have to ask her how they hold up over time.

Those three short lines of stitches through the top layer of fabric is all that keeps
the handles on. I pray they hold up!

I’m also fond of the rounded corners at the bottom of the bag, which make this project my entry into this month’s Le Challenge (the theme is round).

Truth be told, I did design a quilt for this fabric line. It has been mocked up in EQ7 and is ready to go. Will I have the time to tackle it? We’ll see. If I do, you’ll be the first to know.

In the meantime, check out the other projects sewists and crafters alike have made with Succulence:

Monday, February 1st: April and Mickey Zimmer | Sweetwater Cotton Shoppe 

Tuesday, February 2nd: Taylor Urban | Taylor Made 

Wednesday, February 3rd: Bonnie Christine | Going Home to Roost

Thursday, February 4th: Daisy Aschehoug | Ants to Sugar 

Friday, February 5th: Katie Skoog | The Simple Life Company 

Monday, February 8th: Staci Barrett | A Vintage Fairytale 

Tuesday, February 9th: Denise Palmer | Denise Anne Studio 

Wednesday, February 10th: Sahnda Black | Wildwood Poppy 

Thursday, February 11th: Monica De Leon | Journey De Vida 

Friday, February 12th: Sarah Bertochi | Sarah B. 

Monday, February 15th: Ali Brorsen | Because of Brenna 

Tuesday, February 16th: Maxie Ramey | Maxie Makes

>> Wednesday, February 17th: Michelle Cain | From Bolt to Beauty <<

Thursday, February 18th: Katharina Pferdmenges | Der Rabe Im Schlamm

Friday, February 19th: Isabel Kelly | Lamb and Wolfie

Saturday, February 20th: Emi Shimokawa | Just Add Fabric

Want even more inspiration? Check out the Succulence look book. Need some Succulence for your very own? Succulence is available at Hawthorne Threads, Fat Quarter Shop, and many other online retailers. : )

Linking up to Let’s Bee Social, Needle and Thread Thursday, Finish It Up Friday, and Sew Cute Tuesday ...