Triangle Pouches, Not a Sandhill Sling / Beauties Pageant 241

If you’ve been keeping up with my posts the past few months, you may recognize the sweet zippered makes in this post. Yes, I sewed some more of Sew Lux’s Triangle Pouches! Using scraps from a Songbook jelly roll (Fancy That Design House for Moda) and a Holiday Essentials Christmas mini-charm pack (Stacy Iest Hsu for Moda), I made two more pouches. (You can read my original post about the Triangle Pouch here.)

Although there are three Triangle Pouches pictured in today’s post, I’ve actually made a total of four—the last of which was sewn with Melody Miller’s Stay Gold collection. It proved to be my favorite thus far, so I’m sad I didn’t think to snap a pic before I wrapped it up with a little plate from the Fish Museum and Circus as my contribution to a guildwide Yankee swap.

Now, you may be thinking that all signs point to the fact that this post is about Triangle Pouches. In fact, it is a post that’s not about a Sandhill Sling finish. : /

I bought a kit to make the popular Noodlehead sling from Stitch Supply Co. back in January 2022. Then, because I had yet to embark on making it despite owning a kit, I signed up for a Sandhill Sling class through my guild this past September.

And here we are, almost four months later, with no finished Sandhill Sling. 

I can summarize the problem in one word: gussets. The exterior bag is completed, with the lining waiting to be inserted, and the outer gusset is off by 3/8 inch. That 3/8 inch has me completely paralyzed. Do I just forge ahead and live with what might seem to some makers like a minor oversight? (In a quilt project, 3/8 inch would almost always have me ripping out lines of stitching.) Or do I unpick the exterior gusset and hope that a second try will improve the situation, when it may actually end up making things worse?

Well, I tell you what I do ... I write a post about Triangle Pouches!

Needless to say, I will be spending the last days of 2023 trying to muster the courage to unpick that gusset. I wish you the best—with sewing, quilting, and beyond—as we wrap up this year and step into the next. : )

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A Ridiculously Easy Retrospective / Beauties Pageant 240

 

For the past month, the impending winter solstice has been the wrench in the works here at From Bolt to Beauty world headquarters. With the sun so low in the sky, I have to photograph finishes during the limited window when light is adequate, and don’t even get me started about the difficulties with making fabric selections. I love considering fabric pulls for new projects at night when I am relaxed and open to different ideas but cannot bear the thought of making a decision at 7 p.m. only to discover it’s a bad one at 10 a.m. the next day.

 

Instead of photographing a finish or picking out fabric for my next project, I used the daylight this week to make a silly reel, National Geographic style, about that elusive species called the quilted yeti. (If you’re logged on to Instagram, you can view it here.) And because the algorithms are forever plotting against me, I am sure no one will even see it! (Darn you, Instagram!)

But you got this far in a rather rambling post, and you deserve a little eye candy. So today I am presenting a retrospective on my Ridiculously Easy Jelly Roll Quilt pattern, mainly because it requires taking zero pictures.

 

 

I first published the Ridiculously Easy Jelly Roll Quilt tutorial back in November of 2015. Year after year, it was my most popular blog post. Since graduating from being a humble tutorial to a full-fledged pattern, in 2020, the design has been made by thousands of quilters. It has been kitted more times than I can keep track of. Many people have reached out to tell me they’ve made it multiple times. 

 

I don’t know why this quilt has struck a chord with so many makers. Is it the geometric design that renders well in both modern fabrics and more traditional collections? Is it the cheeky title? Truth be told, I wish I knew how to replicate Ridiculously Easy’s success! 

The pattern’s sweet spot will always be the lap size, which measures about 58” x 70” and requires just one jelly roll and background fabric. This pattern comes in other sizes, but I like the number of peaks of the chevron in the lap quilt. (Compare it to the child size at the top of the post, which has just three peaks.) Plus, the quilt top is pieced in columns. As the size increases, the construction remains simple, but the columns get longer and the lap quilt’s columns are easily managed.

 

The owner of the original REJR quilt is a friend. We were talking recently, and she said that the quilt is one of her favorite things in her house. I love that!

For those of you who are celebrating Christmas next week, have a lovely day of family and faith. If Santa brings you a jelly roll, you know where to go for a pattern to tackle it. As for me, I’ll be here next Friday with a finish to share!

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Beautiful Things (That I Did Not Make Myself) / Beauties Pageant 239

I’ve realized something in the past year: I cannot make all the things. I may have the fabric and crafty know-how to make all the things, but I do not have the time. So I’ve been purchasing beautiful finishes from other makers, and it brings me so much joy!

This isn’t to say that I’ve gone hog wild buying up all sorts of handmade loveliness. I am very deliberate with my choices, and I use and/or admire both of the creations that follow every day.

First up: the cheerful rainbow mini quilt, pictured above, from Amy Chappell of Ameroonie Designs. The Etsy listing billed this beauty as a mug rug, but there was no way I was going to put a drippy coffee cup on it. Instead, it’s pinned to the bulletin board above my desk, and I have that splash of color within view whenever I’m working at my computer.

I enjoy keeping tabs on Amy’s projects and new patterns. All of her projects are on the smaller side, and she incorporates a lot of applique in her work. You may remember the cutie-patootie mug rug I made back in 2022, pictured below. That’s one of Amy’s patterns.

Another item I’ve bought is this thread catcher from Cristi of Duval Quilt Co., who sells items from @cristiclothier_shop on Instagram. I used to have a brown paper bag under my sewing table for cut threads and such. This thread catcher is not only prettier, but it’s also more convenient to have right next to my machine. I adore it!

Again, could I have made this myself? Sure. But I really loved the combination of natural Maker fabric and the color gradient strip. Why try to replicate perfection when I could buy the very thread catcher I wanted?

I love having these objects in my life, and I love the idea of supporting other crafters. Do you have any recommendations on other crafters whose wares I should check out? I’m not interested in buying quilts but smaller objects, and I’m specifically in the market for a new pincushion. (Items would need to be able to be shipped to me in the US.) Thanks in advance!

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Elizabeth Hartman's Legendary Pattern / Beauties Pageant 238

Back in 2017, Elizabeth Hartman released her Legendary quilt pattern, and I was dubious. It was a cool design, but was there really a market for a Sasquatch quilt pattern? 

Six years later, I realized that, with a few palette decisions, I could transform Sasquatch into a yeti, and obviously, I need a yeti quilt in my life.

Yetis, or abominable snowmen, are a running joke between me and my older son. Over the years, I have bought him yeti Christmas ornaments, yeti stuffed animals, yeti washi tape, you name it. As his 15th birthday appeared on the horizon (and by this, I mean it was just three weeks out!), I knew I had to move into high gear and get this project done.

Essex Linen

Thankfully, I had already cut out almost everything, including five different green fabrics for the forest. The dark greens are two prints from Cotton and Steel past and present, and the lighter, brighter greens include a solid, a blender, and a print from Kate Spain’s Grand Canal collection.

For the background I used Essex Linen. It was something I purchased for a different quilt, one that requires a lot of fiddly curve sewing, and I am thankful I used that cut of fabric here instead. 

Now, I am not an Essex Linen novice. I’ve used it a variety of projects, most of which are bags, not quilts (see the links at the bottom of the post). In other words, I know Essex Linen’s lovely, textured hand can be annoying to work with. It’s malleable and stretchy and not nearly as well behaved as quilting cotton. So I took precautions: I washed the Essex Linen (and all the other fabrics, for that matter) and I gave it a good press with starch.

I chain-pieced 12 of the 14 tree blocks right off the bat. As I squared the blocks, though, I realized that I would lose some points when I sewed them into the quilt top. I blamed this (ahem!) on the fact that I did not mark the diagonal seams before sewing them and instead just eyeballed everything. But then I cut and sewed the final 2 tree blocks, diligently marking every diagonal seam with my hera marker, and they were not any more accurate than the first batch I sewed. Sorry, Essex Linen, it’s not me, it’s you!

The Quilting

There was no way I was going to quilt a project with this much Essex Linen myself. On one hand, I think Essex Linen merits a good amount of quilting to stabilize it. On the other, too much quilting could result in a top without much drape.

I decided on a pantograph called Ramble, and I couldn’t like it and the scale my longarmer decided on more. I had considered different designs that played up the forest theme, but this modern geometric seemed more appropriate for its 15-year-old recipient.

I’ve been second-guessing my thread choices of late (remember this quilt?), and Legendary was no exception. My usual rule of thumb is to use the lowest value in a quilt top as the color for the quilting thread. Instead, I went with a medium gray option here, which makes the quilting recede on almost all of the blocks and the background. Don’t get me wrong: I really like it. I can’t help but wonder, however, what Ramble would look like with an off-white thread.

The Backing and Binding

A flannel from Tula’s Holiday Homies collection was the perfect foil to all that Essex Linen. And I finished everything off with a solid binding, also from Tula, in matcha.

I knew I would miss an opportunity to add another layer of texture if I machine-finished the binding, so the time required to sew these chunky stitches was well spent, even if I was still at work on it the day before I planned on gifting the quilt to my son! (For a tutorial on chunky-stitch bindings, click here.)

I divide Elizabeth Hartman’s pattern design into two phases. Her earlier work, including the designs in her two books, is mostly geometric. The ones that do have a novelty feel to them (like these cats, which are freebies on her site) are fairly simple to make. Most of what she designs now is much more complicated. I’ve heard friends talk about all the pieces required to sew her sloths or her dinosaurs, and I cringe. Legendary may be part of her later work, but despite my woes with lost points, it’s pretty easy. If you have a reason to sew a Sasquatch quilt or, like me, a yeti version, I recommend it!

Other quilts from Elizabeth Hartman’s patterns:

• Valentine
• Neighborhood
• Me-Wow!
  

Other quilts made with Essex Linen:

• Birds in Blue
  
• No Latitude
• Me-Wow! (yes, it’s an EH pattern and I sewed it with Essex Linen)

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10 Quilt Patterns for $19.99 / Beauties Pageant 237

 

EDIT: This bundle is no longer available.

 

Calling all crafty gift givers, quilters who appreciate an easy sew, and makers who like a good deal! The Bountiful Bundle is just what you’re looking for ...

This collection from top designers includes 10 quilt patterns for $19.99 (or $2 per pattern). Many of the quilts come in multiple sizes, and all are geared toward confident beginner quilters and above.

Are you looking to ...

• Start—and finish!—a project before the holidays?
• Bust through your stash fast?
• Discover new-to-you pattern designers?

Then this bundle is for you! But hurry ... It’s available now through November 27, and then it’s gone forever. Sorry, this bundle is  no longer available.

I am sure you’ll recognize some favorites in the collection. In the picture at the top of the post, you’ll see (clockwise from upper left-hand corner):

• My own Irish Twist!
• Cheryl Brickey’s Broken Frames
• Yvonne Fuch’s Flight Path
• Emily Dennis’s Quilty Trees
• Shannon Fraser’s Etched Diamond
• Kirsty Cleverly’s Radiant
• Julie Cefalu’s Arrow Stone
• Mariana Diaz’s Full House
• Heather Briggs’s Goodnight Garden
• Laura Piland’s Exploding Heart

Please note: This is one of the rare situations where I receive compensation when you click through this link and purchase a bundle. (Actually, it’s the only affiliate link on my site.) Thank you in advance for supporting my little pattern business.

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More Pouch Patterns for Gifting / Beauties Pageant 236

 

 

So many of you reached out to me here, on Instagram, or in person to share that last week’s post might as well have been written about you. What can I say? We like to complicate things, but our gift giving is the better for it, right? 

In my last post, I sang the praises of Jeni Baker’s Lined Drawstring Bag pattern and an accompanying sew-along that starts next week. Just to make sure you have some ideas in your back pocket, waiting for an opportunity to level up the presentation of a holiday gift (or 12), I have a few additional patterns to introduce you to. 

In true let’s-complicate-things form, you could wait until you have a gift on hand before embarking on your next pouch-making journey. There is something to be said, however, for setting up your own little production line and banging out a few at a time, so there’s always one at the ready.

Sotak Handmade’s Drawstring Bag Tutorial

I first made Sotak Handmade’s Drawstring Bag tutorial back in 2015. The casing for the drawstring is unique and is what I think makes the bag something special. The directions walk you through making a 8-inch by 9.5-inch pouch, but it’s a pattern you could easily modify for the gift on hand. I recommend using a fun contrasting fabric for the casing and finishing these beauties off with a little faux leather cording.

Tinkalong Pouch

Cheri Lehnow’s Tinkalong Pouch pattern comes in two sizes: small and large. During a past sew-along, I printed the small size at 65%, making it perfect for holding a gift card. I used OG Cotton and Steel fabric and black cotton cording in the four bags I sewed to give them a polished look.

Popcorn Pouch

I found Amista Baker’s Popcorn Pouch to be a fast and easy sew, even for zipper newbies (not that I am one, but if you wait long enough between zipper projects, it’s easy to feel as if you’re tackling zipper for the first time again). I’ve been known to make several at a time ... I’ve used my Popcorn Pouches to wrap presents. I’ve slid a card into one, presenting the pouch itself as a small token of thanks. I’ve even packed my charging cords into that blue and mustard beauty, below, as I headed out the door on a quilt retreat.

I think a call to action is in order, so go forth and sew some pouches! And when you’re done, please report back to us about your triumphs. : )

Coming Soon

I have so much to share with you before the end of the year ... my Legendary quilt (pattern by Elizabeth Hartman), my Patchwork Sky quilt (Camille Roskelley), my Sandhill Sling (Anna Graham). So. Many Projects!

I am also participating in a specially curated bundle and wanted to get that on your radar screen today. The Bountiful Bundle will be available next Wednesday, November 22, through Monday, November, 27 (that’s EST, or GMT-5). 

It includes 10 PDF patterns for $19.99 (or $2 per pattern). Each design is beginner friendly and comes from a different designer. I am sure you’ll recognize some favorites in the collection, including Laura Piland’s Exploding Heart, Emily Dennis’s Quilty Trees, and my own Irish Twist. Stop by next Wednesday (or newsletter subscribers, keep an eye on your inbox) to get your bundle!

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Let's Complicate Simple Tasks! / Beauties Pageant 235

One of my special talents is turning a simple task into a more complicated and time-consuming one. I truly excel at this, friends.

Exhibit A

Let’s consider the case of my niece’s 14th birthday gift.

I decided to get her a Crumbl Cookies gift certificate because she’s such a fan of the store’s sugary offerings.

Most people would order the gift certificate online and call it a day. But do you know what’s better than an emailed Crumbl gift card? A physical gift card and a fancy pink Crumbl cookie cutter.

And do you know what’s better than a physical gift card and a fancy pink Crumbl cookie cutter? A physical gift card and a fancy pink Crumbl cookie cutter … in a handmade drawstring pouch! (Darn you, presentation—you get me every time!)

In other words, what I could have accomplished in two minutes at my computer (and what would have arrived on my niece’s actual birthday) ended up requiring a trek to Crumbl, a sewing session, and a trip to the post office … two days after her special day.

And that’s how I roll!

Project Specifics

If presented with a comparable wrapping conundrum, you may be tempted to draft a quick pouch pattern yourself. Do not bother: The Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern from Jeni Baker of In Color Order has all the math we need. It includes many different sizes, so it’s easy to home in on one for the gift at hand. 

I sewed the snack bag size, tweaking the measurements for boxing the bottom so that the fancy pink Crumbl cookie cutter would fit.

I wish I could give you information about the fabric, but all of it came from a collection of fat eighths I won through my guild, and there wasn’t a printed selvage among them. Perhaps the star of the project isn’t the fabric, though—it’s that awesome mint-colored flowery twill. My niece prefers black, gray, and white, so that twill tape adds a subtle and sweet bit of color to the project. 

If you find yourself in need of some mint-colored twill, it’s available for purchase through the designer’s website. Check out KP Creates for all the details. (All of my stash suggestions are just to enable your purchases. There is no affiliate anything on my site.)

The Lined Drawstring Bag is a well-loved pouch pattern. It was released a full 10 years ago, and I know that I am not the only sewist who considers it her go-to for making pretty pouches. It just so happens that Jeni announced a Lined Drawstring Bag Sew-Along on her blog recently. The fun begins on November 22. Both the original pattern and expansion pack are on sale through November 28. (Again ... just here, aiding and abetting your sewing purchases. You’re welcome!)

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Triangle Pouch by Sew Lux / Beauties Pageant 234

It always feels good to end the week with a finish, even a pint-size one!

I’ve long admired the pouch and pillow patterns designed by Chrissy Lux, and I finally made time in my sewing schedule to try out her Triangle Pouch. 

This pattern is a great way to use up a lone mini-charm pack or, in my case, the remnants of a jelly roll.

I love how this project exudes personality both inside and out. The autumnal palette on the exterior opens up to a gray and cream dot on the interior that’s punctuated by contrasting binding strips. Because if you’re going to take the time to bind raw interior edges, you might as well give them a little oomph, right?

This may be my first Triangle Pouch, but it will not be my last! I have three additional striped zippers that are begging to be transformed into something special. With one Triangle Pouch under my belt, it’s easy to plot three more.

Should you want to make your own Triangle Pouch, you can find the pattern on the Sew Lux site and view the accompanying YouTube video here. The fabrics, alas, are all out of print: I used Songbook by Fancy That Design House for the exterior and a Swiss dot by Jen Kingwell for the interior. The super awesome zipper comes in tomato (pictured), as well as aqua and black, and can be purchased at Stitch Supply Co.

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