Weekender Bag Tips and Modifications - Part 1 - Planning and Piecing

There are so many blog posts out there about the Amy Butler Weekender Bag pattern. When I decided to make my first one two years ago, I was overwhelmed by all of the blog posts and finally just decided to work through modifications on my own. I am on my third bag joining up with the Weekender Bag Sew Along hosted by Sewlux and Happy Little Cottage, and I am trying some new techniques. Chrissy from Sewlux has a ton of really great tips on her blog and has made some stellar bags.

I tend to use my blog to earmark how I make things so that I can remember down the line. I made lengthy handwritten notes with my first bag and typed them up into a lengthy blog post. It was pretty helpful for the second bag I made and to reference this time around as well. But I also blog to give more detailed info and everything in one spot for people who are interested. If you are on Instagram, you can take a peek at the hashtag where I posted the evolution of each bag #threeowlsweekenderbag and the 2016 Weekender Bag Sew Along hashtag where there are so many creative people joining to to make this crazy bag that allows for a million modifications - #wbsa2016. I am moving way ahead due to multiple obligations next month as well as needing to clear out the piles of cut pieces and supplies.

First Weekender Bag 

It was pretty ridiculous. All those 1/2" hexies and multiple quilt blocks.Here it is:

I am making this third bag for my oldest daughter and I wanted to make something cool, but not as complex. I also wanted to try and use duck canvas behind batting rather than my Peltex behind batting method.

Planning:

All Cotton + Steel fabrics - mostly Tokyo train ride and some Melody Miller

Piping and straps - c+s navy sprinkle counting stars

NOTE ABOUT PIPING AND STRAPS:

I buy one yard to make bias cut piping for this bag with some leftover, but it makes nice long strips that have less joins. Since I used the same fabric for straps, I bought 1.5 yards. See below for cutting straps.

Piping made using piping foot not the Steam A Seam method this time (takes forever!)

I think I would also be willing to try glue basting with Elmer's. I love Elmer's Glue Stick for sewing so much that I buy it in bulk.

Quilted 1/4"ish with batting on entire exterior

Duck canvas behind batting for main panels, top panels, bottom panel

Top panel and main panels: Quilted but not pieced 

Main Panels:

No piecing

Main panel 1 - Melody Miller Bees

Main panel 2 - Tokyo Train Ride

Straps:

Lengthened 1.25" x 52" finished with 1.25" webbing inserted 

I cut the strips WOF and joined them with a diagonal seam

This is .25" narrower than my previous straps and I like it just as well.

Exterior Pockets:

No canvas - batting only

I don't think it is necessary and would be pretty bulky.

Main Pockets:

No canvas - batting only

Main pocket 1- Tokyo train ride canvas scene - no piecingMain pocket 2 - 2" finished patchwork

End Pockets:

No canvas - batting only

End pocket-mustard mustang

End pocket - first initial "R" using reduced size Spell it With Moda pattern (pic below)

Interior:

Interfaced with shape flex SF101Lined slip pocket on one side - using main pocket panel pattern piece, stitched down middle to make two slots. Cut one exterior and one lining, stitch across the top RST, turn right sides out and topstitch, baste to lining, stitch down the middle to make two slots.

Inset pocket on other side with 9" zipper (see below for dimensions)

Bottom exterior:

Navy duck canvasOne layer of Peltex behind duck canvas bottom 1/2" smaller all around - both quilted to batting 

MAYBE two layers of Peltex to insert in bottom - adhere in place after bag exterior is completed using spray adhesive (because I am lazy and don't want to use the interfacing method. I'm also not convinced that this particular bag version needs it with the Peltex, canvas, and batting already on bottom.)

False bottom:

Same as pattern

Lining:

Hand stitched in same as pattern

Exterior zipper:

Separating Sport Zipper tacked on the separating end - it is hard to find 30" non-separating zippers

Prepping:

Most of the time when I make something, I like to bounce around between cutting and sewing. I don't really like to do that with the Weekender Bag though. I like to cut all of the pieces, then prep them, quilt, assemble.

I knew I wanted to use a lot of Tokyo Train Ride by Sarah Watts. I bought a lot of it and was gifted a nice selection of it, and my daughter loves it. I pulled a bunch of fabric and gathered supplies to start editing with her input. I also grabbed my bag so I could measure my interior zip pocket placement. I made my piping and straps before I did anything else.

Straps:

I attached using the same method I previously used and with webbing inserted instead of Peltex. I mark the top line as the pattern states and I sew across there and edgestitch all down the length of the straps on both sides and then sew an X at the top attachment even more stability. I usually just eyeball the X box, but using chalk to mark probably made for a better result.

Interior pockets:

Here are the particulars if you want a 9" pocket as well. So many tutorials for zipper pockets. I like this one.

Cut two rectangles 10.75" W x 7" H (not super deep but deep enough to fit some stuff without it getting lost).

Centered 3.5" from the top of the lining. Draw 1/2" tall rectangle 1" down and 3/4" in on each side.

Here is a pic of my pockets in very bad late night lighting:

Pieced main pockets:

I really like to use wax paper or freezer paper to help me plan out how much of what I need and what it looks like prior to stitching, especially since the pocket is angled. I was thinking 2" patchwork so I mocked it up on freezer paper. When I made my hexie pocket previously, I used wax paper cut the shape of the pocket to see how much to keep adding.

I know it took a few minutes, but by mocking up my patchwork pocket on freezer paper, I was able to quickly see how my pocket panel would look with mini charms centered and how to cheat around the edges that will be mostly hidden by the 1/2" seam allowance. 

Here is how I did it if you are interested in not using squares for the sides that will be covered:

(40) 2.5" squares - 8 across x 5 down
On each side: (2) 2.5" T x 1.5" W strips at the bottom 

and (1) 7" T x 1.5" W strip at the top (only about 6.5" needed so trimmed down after attaching). 

I pieced the squares first and then added the mishmash scrap on the sides after. The long strips will almost all be hidden in the seam allowance. 

(These measurements have some overage on all sides to quilt and then trim to size.) 

Quilting panels and then cutting to size - or not:

I couldn't easily go bigger on the size of the quilted panels when I did the method with 1/2" smaller Peltex behind the batting and I didn't do that on most of my panels here - I just cut my main panels with the pattern piece, basted, quilted, trimmed. I used my walking foot with the presser foot pressure super low and occasionally stitched from the opposite direction.

It might be a good idea to make the panels bigger, quilt, then cut down, because it can shrink up, but it worked fine three times, but please don't try it my way and get mad if it doesn't work - do at your own risk and stop if it is warping badly. LOL

I definitely cut using the top panel pattern piece and then quilted. The sheer amount of waste in my aqua Farmdale Blossoms with the first bag would have made me cry. I also fussy cut the Tokyo Train Ride print I used for this bag and it was easier to cut first. You have to be SO careful about basting this evenly though. I cut my batting and canvas nicely and used my 24" long acrylic ruler to help and spray basted it without a lot of stretching.

Quilting: 

I did my Ish Quilting - not exact. I love the texture, but densely quilting will add a million pounds to the weight of the bag. You can also see more of the straps and piping across the top of the main pocket as well.

End pocket:

I really love how this block turned out! My daughter LOVES sloths, but who doesn't?

Bottom Panel:

I wanted to sandwich the Peltex (cut 1" smaller, so 1/2" smaller all around so it doesn't get in the seams during bag construction). I layered canvas, then the Peltex with basting spray, then batting.

I'd also like to say that I added feet to the bottom of my first bag and it was a mistake. They weren't big enough and it was stupid and pointless, and I am still mad at myself. If you do it, buy some good size feet.

Ok, in my next post I will have my piping corner cheat that helped me avoid having my corners eaten in the bottom curves during assembly and some actual assembly tricks I figured out on this bag for an overall better effect. Well, for me anyway. There is no right or wrong, just what works best for each individual person. I hope to have that post up pretty soon. My bag exterior is done and just needs a lining. :)

Part 2

Machine Binding Using Elmer's Glue Stick

This is a super quick and not super pretty how-to on using plain old Elmer's Glue Stick (washable) to temporary tack quilt binding down for machine quilting. I've seen tutorials on using Elmer's with a fine tip applicator, but I don't have that, so when I was trying to quickly bind my daughter's Meadow quilt in time for her birthday, I didn't want to fuss with Wonder Clips and missing bits on the back. So I grabbed the glue stick.

I was able to glue down the entire 84" x 96" Meadow quilt binding using this method in minutes and there were no spots on the back that I had to go back and stitch over again. I've been using it to tack down the binding on fiddly curved binding for potholders and even a placemat. I took a few pics while I bound my placemat last night for anyone interested in my method. I apologize in advance for my scorched ironing board.

Here is the Meadow quilt binding:

Machine stitch binding to the front and then press the binding seam away from the quilt top. I do this with all of my binding because it helps the fabric flip to the back.

Turn the quilt over to the back side and apply a line of glue stick along the raw edge of the quilt back, making sure to stay behind the seam line. Doing it behind the seam line will also make it easier if you want to hand stitch the binding using this method because glue can make the fabric stiff and harder to hand sew through.

My glue stick is purple when wet so it's really easy to see where you applied, but clear works too. Work in shorter sections so the glue doesn't dry before you press down the binding. I work in approximately 8" sections. (I made that up. I don't know how big the sections are, but probably less than 12")

Fold binding down in the section you glued so that it covers the binding seam line by a little less than 1/8" or 1/8". It's really hard to take pics of this by myself so it doesn't look perfect, but you get the idea.

Set the binding with your hot iron. Work around the perimeter.

Mitered corners - glue all the way to the corner of the backing, then just press down.

Add a bit of glue to the corner fabric that will fold down over the binding on the side you just finished, add glue to a section of the quilt backing on the next side, then fold down and press as you did previously. Try to match the corner folds for a perfect miter.

Turn the quilt back over to the front and stitch in the ditch on the front, catching the back binding. I didn't do my best work with this last night because I used 2.5" binding which is wider than my usual preferred 2.25" binding (2.5" wide binding gives me more poof in the front and obscures the ditch somewhat, in my opinion. I also used a contrasting thread color, and sew in a cave so I couldn't see the ditch. And it's a placemat, not a special piece. Haha. Anyway, I set my machine stitch length to 3 and use my walking foot.

Close up of the front of the finished piece:

Close up of the back:

Full placemat front and back:

Also a view of my "ish quilting" - 1/4"ish, straightish, good enough.

Tiny Scrappy Circle Mini Quilt Tutorial

A couple of years ago my daughter made some round fabric covered magnets with my scraps. Sometimes I have a hard time letting go of little odd scraps of beloved fabric, so for part of my "leave no fabric scrap behind" project this year, I decided to clean out some small and cut sections of scraps by making an applique circle mini using the same cutting method that we used for the scraps. It's a bit of an odd method, but it worked out well, and it was a great on-the-go and TV project.

Quilt Details

(676) 3/4" fabric circles
20 3/8" square of Essex linen in flax
(2) binding - WOF strips Bonnie and Camille Miss Kate scallops
22" square of backing fabric
22" square of batting
Elmer's glue to baste circles

Cutting the Circles

I used a 3/4' magnet I bought at a craft store to trace the outline of the circle on the back of each scrap. Fussy cutting these little circles is so addictive! Both large and small scale fabrics work well to highlight different details; one fabric print cut in different areas can look completely different.

Tip: Press and starch the fabric well prior to cutting to help the fabric hold its shape during cutting and gluing.

To hold the fabric in place to trace, I set the fabric on my metal IKEA tray, and laid the magnet on top. This help keep the fabric from shifting around. I then used my favorite little Singer scissors and carefully scissor cut the circles. My circles aren't all perfectly round, but they worked in the end.

Adhering the circles to the background

I thought 20" finished would be a good size for a mini or a big sofa pillow. I intended to cut my background fabric 20 1/2" square, but somehow I cut it a smidge smaller at 20 3/8". I'd love to tell you it is because I subconsciously knew this would work better, but it was serendipity because it worked perfectly for laying my circles side by side.

I cleared a spot on my table just like I would if I were going to work on a big puzzle, and laid the background fabric on it. I used a Clover Hera Marker  to score a perimeter line 1/2" from the edge of the background fabric to guide placement of the circles.

The trickiest part was figuring out the best way to attach these without spending a year on it. In the end, I decided that a mini quilt hanging on the wall won't be handled a lot, so I just used Elmer's glue to temporarily baste them to the background. I used a very thin layer Elmer's from a bottle spread across the back - try not to use so much that it soaks through the front of the fabric. I tried a couple using a glue stick and that was not the best method because it pulled on the bias edges of the circle, and also frayed the edges of the circles.

For projects that will get a lot of use - it is probably a good idea to use a product like Heat n Bond Lite to fuse each circle on. I thought I would use it, but the idea of tracing and cutting 1,676 Heat n Bond circles made me sad.

Starting in the lower left hand corner of the background fabric, I laid one circle touching both the side and bottom Hera lines. I then added circles along the bottom row, each side of the circle just barely touching each other, and the bottom of the circles touching the bottom Hera line. Once I figured out that the placement work perfectly, I glued each circle before laying it down and smoothed it in place gently with my fingers.

I continued to work horizontally and sometimes vertically, gluing and placing until all the space was filled, choosing fabric as I went. I worked over the course of several days, little bits at a time when I had a few minutes.

If you look closely, you can see the Hera lines in the photos below.

Quilting

To permanently adhere the circles to the background, I just quilted it densely - one line in the center of each circle, and lines 1/4" left and right of center, going both directions.

After quilting, I trimmed the edge edge of the quilt to 3/8" from the edge of the circles. Two WOF of strips works perfectly to bind the mini.

I hope this helps anyone who would like to use up some teeny scraps!

Dollhouse Miniature Precuts Tutorial

I recently participated in a small swap with some sewing friends. Stalking my recipients Pinterest board revealed a whole new world of miniature quilt shop supplies. She has a dollhouse, so I decided to make her some bundles. I looked around at various blogs for tutorials. I found several for fabric bolts and fat quarter bundles, but I wanted to make a few adjustments to size/fold. I tried to stay as close to 1:12 ratio as possible. While I saw pictures of super adorable miniature jelly rolls, I couldn't find a tutorial. I also didn't see any pics or tutorials for dollhouse size charm packs or layer cakes; they may be out there, but I missed them.

I wanted to make fat quarter bundles that look a bit like Moda's. Given the thickness of the fabric, it is not practical to make a full 40 fabric bundle. 7-8 fabrics seemed to be just the right height. I forgot to take pics of the individual fat quarters I folded on the long side, rolled up, and tied with perle cotton to store individually, but that is also a fun way to display individual fabrics.

Additionally, I wanted to make the bundles sturdy enough to be handled without coming undone, so I used glue to keep the pieces together. On the jelly rolls, the first one I made, I used only glue stick to glue as I rolled, and it was a horrible sticky mess that was slow to dry. I switched to glue gun for that part on subsequent ones, and I was really happy with the result. I am sharing here to refer back to later when I make more, and for anyone who is interested in making some like mine.

I have also included printables to print labels for charm packs and layer cakes. A link to the document is found in the supplies section below.

I don't have a dollhouse, but my daughter does, and these were such a fun scrap buster that I kept on making bundles. I'd love to show you a beautifully staged dollhouse quilt shop, but we aren't to that stage of the process. (Maybe in the next several years.....)

Supplies

Jelly Rolls:
Fabric: (8) .25" x 3.5" strips
Perle cotton or embroidery floss to tie bundle
Low temp glue gun and glue sticks
Water soluble glue stick (ex: Elmer's or Sewline)

Fat Quarter Bundles:
Fabric: (7 or 8) 1.25" x 1.50" rectangles
Perle cotton or embroidery floss to tie bundle
Water soluble glue stick (ex: Elmer's or Sewline)

Charm Packs:
Fabric: (8) .5" squares
Cardstock: (1) .5" square
Water soluble glue stick (ex: Elmer's or Sewline)
Labels - printable file download available here

Layer Cakes:
Fabric: (8) .875" squares
Cardstock: (1) .875" square
Water soluble glue stick (ex: Elmer's or Sewline)
Labels - printable file download available here

Fabric bolts:
Chipboard: Cut into .625" x 2" (or .875" x 2" if you prefer a bit wider than 1:12 scale)
Fabric: 3.5" T x 4" W (or wider if you prefer a fuller bolt)
Low temp glue gun and glue sticks - or -
Water soluble glue stick (ex: Elmer's or Sewline)
White acrylic paint

Folded yardage:
Fabric: Each yard approximately 3" x 3.625"
Fold as desired to fit doll cabinet space
Press well. If you want to stay folded, add a bit of glue to hold the fabric layers together

Assembly

Jelly Rolls:
1. Select 8 strips. Layout in preferred order.
2. Use glue stick on the wrong side of half of each fabric strip and fold in half with wrong sides together. Press with the iron to lay flat and heat set the glue.
3. Stack fabrics, matching raw edges, folded side of fabric on the same side. Using a glue stick, glue 1/3 of the strip from the raw edge between each strip and press with an iron to heat set. This holds the layers in place to minimize shifting when the fabric is rolled, however you do not want to glue the entire length of the fabric because they need to be free to roll and stagger on the folded end.
4. Using the glue gun, add a small bead of glue near the raw edge of the top fabric and on the bottom raw edge of the stacked fabric. Fold all of the strips of the raw end in just a tiny amount to stick to the fabric. (2nd row, pic 1)
Note: You will be rolling with the fabric you want to be the exterior on the bottom. Let's just pretend I was paying attention and had my fabrics stacked in the same order that I laid them out it in the first pic. As you roll, you roll onto the fabric you want to be the inside inside the jelly roll.
5. Using the glue gun, add a small bead of glue on about 3/4" inch of the inside fabric and roll the jelly roll a bit more. Try to keep the jelly roll in a round shape. I have a couple that I made that ended up a bit more oval shaped because I was not vigilant about keeping the shape round as I rolled/
6. Continue adding a small amount of glue to the inside fabric and roll. Add glue to the free edges in small amounts. gluing the inside fabric, then glue the fabric next to it, until you finally glue the top fabric in place. Each layer has a shorter amount to glue.
7. Add a label if you wish. Wrap and tie jelly roll with embroidery floss or perle cotton. (I used baker's twine here, but it was a bit too bulky for my taste)
8. Add fray check to keep the exposed raw edges of the fabric from fraying.

Fat Quarter Bundles:
1. Select 7 or 8 fabrics.
2. Fold 1.25" side of fabric into thirds. Press well with iron, reopen fabric, glue both folds, and press down again to heat set.
3. Fold fabric in thirds again on the long side. Press well with iron, reopen fabric, glue both folds, and press down again to heat set.
4. Stack fabrics in desired order. If you would like your fabric to keep from shifting in the bundle, add a small bead of glue between fabric layers with the glue gun.
5. Add a label if you wish. Wrap and tie bundle with embroidery floss or perle cotton.

Charm Packs and Layer Cakes:
1. Select 8 fabrics. Only the top fabric is immediately visible, but this is a great way to use up tiny bits of fabric that would otherwise be thrown away.
2. Layer cardstock on bottom with the fabric squares on top. To keep fabric from shifting, add a small bit of glue in the center of the cardstock and each fabric layer (do not glue the top fabric). Fray check edges to keep raw edges from fraying.
3. Print attached printable label sheet and cut on black lines. The charm pack label will need to be shortened before attaching.
4. Wrap label around the center of the bundle and glue both edges on the back of the cardstock.

Fabric Bolts:
1. Paint ends of the chipboard white.
2. Fold fabric 3.5" edge of fabric down in half and press. Optional: Glue the perimeter of wrong side of fabric and press back in place. This will help to keep the fabric from shifting. Fray check bottom raw edge of fabric.
3. Using glue gun, add a bead of glue down one side of chipboard and glue raw edge of fabric in place.
4. Wrap fabric around the chipboard, fold remaining raw edge under 1/4" and press. Glue into place on the fabric bolt.

Minis, minis, minis

My sewing space consists of a small corner of our multipurpose game room. Even so, my little corner of mini quilts has been a slow, evolving work in progress. I have a lot of mini quilts from various quilting friends and swaps, and a few minis I have made as well.

A month or so ago, I finally made a little mini I have had on my mind for a long time. I grew up a huge Star Trek fan, especially Next Generation. "Make it Sew" gives a nod to two of my favorite things. I used the foundation paper pieced pattern called My First Alphabet by From Blank Pages. Fabric is a mix of Bonnie and Camille lines on Vintage Modern low volume dots with Tasha Noel Vintage Market navy binding. Let's just pretend that the word "sew" is perfectly centered, or let's call it jaunty.

I originally had it hung in the top left of my sewing corner, but it was too narrow for the space. I decided to move it, and wanted to fill the space left. My quilting friend Ellyn and I decided to do a little mini quilt swap for our respective sewing areas. I was pretty excited about it; Ellyn and I are kindred spirits and I love her work. I was also happy to have a small, short time period swap with no pressure of extras. 

I have been eyeballing CraftyPod's free Cover Girl Rosette Pattern (from the cover of her book on English Paper Piecing called All Points Patchwork). I decided to make four blocks and applique them onto a netural background. Ellyn's only space requirement was to keep the quilt width at 16" or less. To accommodate Ellyn's wall space, I scaled the pattern down to 85%. I am disappointed that I didn't take any decent photos of the blocks as I made them. I didn't set out to fussy cut Bonnie and Camille scallops for each block, but after I did one it just seemed to be the natural progression of things. I love the effect. 

I hand appliqued each block onto a Carolyn Friedlander botanics low volume print. Sorry it is so hard to see in my too-bright pic. Placement of the blocks was interesting. I creased the center and halfway from the center to the edge, measured where each block should be to line up, and then made little dots at where each point should line up with water soluble marker. You can see creases and dots a bit in the pic below. I have no idea if this is a good or goofy way to line it all up, but the end result worked out fine. I tried doing the applique in a hoop, but that mostly annoyed me. I appliqued the last three without a hoop.

I was able to use my new custom rubber stamp on a twill label. 

Ellyn made me an awesome Thimble Blossoms Picadilly Circus dresden plate using Hello Darling (my current fabric line obsession) mini with paper pieced "Create" underneath. I love to have quilty messages on my wall, along with super bright and scrappy fabric. I also requested a bit of an odd size to fit the hole in my space. She nailed it! I love how the orange background makes the dresden plate and "create" pop.

Vintage Candy Cottage Pattern

I drafted a pattern for a holiday pillow swap a while back, and I added extra pattern pieces which can be substituted to make the pattern with a year round theme. The Vintage Candy Cottage pattern was once available to purchase on Craftsy, but I now have it available on Payhip. I dusted off my pattern this month to make a pillow for a friend. I used some of my favorite Tasha Noel fabric for the house and border, and quilted with 1/2" diagonal crosshatching and Miss  Kate red and white scallops for the binding. Pillow finishes at 20" square.

The original Vintage Candy Cottage pillow I made for a holiday swap adds candy canes to the yard and wreaths to the windows, along with a patchwork border.

I made a spring mini quilt for a friend last year with 1/4" crosshatch quilting and also using my favorite Tashe Noel floral, this time in aqua for the background.

At some point I would like to make myself a mini to hang in my sewing room, but I have many other things planned before I get there.