Why I Love Craftsy!

I love Craftsy for so many reasons--and especially that I am selling patterns for my designs all over the world. I wish I had kept a list of all the places they've gone--South Africa, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Mexico, Great Britain, Canada, and Ireland are some that I can remember, but there are quilters and sewers in many other countries who are using my patterns. It's really very gratifying to know that your designs are appreciated worldwide--and that simply would not have happened without the venue created by Craftsy for independent designers like me to show and sell their patterns. They also have wonderful online classes to take!

I often send thank yous to my Craftsy customers and am sometimes rewarded with a lovely response, like the one from Joan Wium in South Africa. She purchased my Quilted Carryall tote bag pattern to embroider it for her entry in a competition offered by Hatched In Africa (they have lovely machine embroidery designs for download to use on your embroidery machine). Click on the photo and it will take you to my pattern store at Craftsy. 


Joan finished her totes for the competition and won in her category--and I can clearly see why. Her workmanship is outstanding--truly beautiful sewing, plus wonderful embroidery! Kudos to her. She shared these photos so I could share them with my readers.

Joan wrote these kind words in our e-mail correspondence.
"Well I just thought to let you know that I made my tote and I won the contest in my category! I loved to create the tote from scratch (even doing the quilting as we do not have much fabric  that is ready –quilted ). We had to make two totes –Plain and Fancy. I could select some designs from Hatched in Africa as my prize. They often have these contests to promote their gorgeous designs. Your pattern was really easy to follow and I had no problem sewing the tote."

By reaching out to Joan, I also received a lovely invitation: "I’ll really look forward to meeting you should you come to South Africa. I live in the capital of Limpopo Province, Polokwane and about two and a half hours from the Phalaborwa gate to the Kruger National Park."

You can be sure we will try to meet up with Joan when our travels take us to South Africa in a few years.

Thanks to Joan for the photos to share and for the invitation! If you have made a project from any of my patterns, I would love to see photos and to share them with other readers.

Til next time, keep on smiling and stitching!
Barbara

Travel in Style

Summer vacation is just around the corner so it's a good time stitch up a new travel bag and travel accessories. I have several patterns for you to consider for your travel wardrobe.  

The Quilted Traveler's Tote

I think you'll love this pattern. Since the availability of quilted double-faced fabrics is very limited, you get to choose two fabrics you love—and then quilt your own double-faced fabric panels to make it. The quilting is really easy to do because you cut the bag pieces from the two fabrics and lightweight batting first, and then quilt the layers together. The pieces are cut oversize to allow for the natural "shrinkage" that occurs when you do the machine quilting. Of course, if you do find a quilted fabric you like, you can substitute it and eliminate the quilting steps. Cutting for already-quilted fabric is included in the directions.

Note: To keep bulk to a minimum, the bottom panel is interfaced only, and the pocket panels are quilted to a layer of cotton flannel, rather than to batting. When I first designed this bag, all the pieces were quilted, which made the side seams way too bulky. The re-engineered tote is easier to sew because some of the layers are thinner.

Yardage requirements are generous in this pattern, based on using a fabric that has 40" of usable width after preshrinking. You will cut the required pieces as if you are using a directional fabric. There will leftover fabric that you can use to stitch up coordinating small bags, like the Accessory Bag pattern you will find included in my Easy Breezy Padded Tote pattern.  

It's easy to make, using the quilt-as-you-go technique with stitch-and-flip construction. Use it for a cosmetic bag or for organizing small items inside your tote or suitcase.

Note: The Easy Breezy Padded Tote is sized to fit most laptops and has an interior pocket that will accommodate most e-readers. It's another great option for day-to-day or long-term travel. The coordinating accessory bag is perfect for the adaptor cord or for your small travel camera and cords.

You will love the Quilted Traveler's Tote because:

• It's sized to fit in the overhead compartments on airplanes.
• It has a zip-top closure so you can fill it to the max when traveling. Or, you can leave the zipper open if you want an open-top tote for carrying supplies to your favorite quilting class or when using it as a carryall for shopping or errands. 
• One of the outside pockets features a zipper, making it a great place to stash your travel documents for safekeeping.
• The outside pockets are divided into 3 pockets when you sew the straps in place. That gives you several places to tuck small items for easy access.
• There is a hanging pocket inside the tote—another easy-access place for safe storage of small items.
• The straps wrap all the way around the tote, making it very sturdy. I usually use 1"-wide cotton, polyester, or nylon webbing for my tote straps but the colors are limited. For this tote, webbing wasn't available in any color but white. When I got ready to stitch the white in place, it stood out like a sore thumb even though there is white in the print! Back to the fabric store I went, where I found the perfect 3/4"-wide green polyester grosgrain ribbon. I bought the same amount as the webbing and then stitched it in place on the white webbing. A bit of white shows at the edges and that's OK with me!

For the Perfect Companion Piece...
consider the Sew 'N' Go Sewer's Wallet. You can use it for travel documents, cash and change, your glasses, and other small items to keep close at hand when maneuvering the security lines at the airport. Wear it around your neck for easy access, and then tuck it into the pocket of your travel tote to keep it handy during the flight if needed. Multiple pockets on both sides make this pattern a real favorite with sewers and quilters traveling to quilt and sewing expos and to keep small tools handy during classes.

The Terrific Travel Tote

If you want a tote that is lighter in weight, try this pattern. It's very similar in style and features to the quilted version, but you can use any fabric--tapestry, leather, faux suede, outerwear fabrics, how dec prints--the possibilities are endless! This is the perfect tote to fold and pack in your suitcase for toting home your travel treasures. It will take less time to assemble, too, because you won't be quilting your own fabric pieces first!

FREE pattern for Eyeglasses Case

I hate it when I have fabric leftovers--I'm not a scrap saver because I don't have a lot of storage space for fabrics. So, when I finished my new pattern for the Sew 'n' Go Quilted BeachMat Tote & Pillow and had scraps, I whipped up this little project. Most of the time one of the "sides" of double-faced quilted fabric is never seen, so I remedied that by using strips that featured both sides!

You can download free PDF pattern and purchase the as well as the BeachMat Tote PDF pattern at my pattern store at Craftsy.com.

http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

The directions help you customize this design to fit any pair of glasses, from big, flirty sunglasses to your smaller readers. Just follow the measuring and cutting directions to make a case that fits your glasses to a T! I suggest you make it to fit your largest glasses to ensure that you can use it for all of favorite specs!

 You can also use scraps of medium-weight double-faced fabric--a coating woolen for example. You will need a scrap of a contrasting fabric for the binding and trim.

Hope you'll head over to my Craftsy store and take a look at all my sewing and quilting patterns. There are several other Free patterns there, along with all of my other quilts, totes, and accessories.

Happy stitching!

Barbara

Make a BeachMat Tote & Pillow for Summer Days!

Ready for the Beach? Not quite? Maybe the weather isn't warm enough yet, but it will be soon. Get ready for it by making my newest pattern, the  Sew 'n' Go BeachMat Tote & Pillow. This oversize quilted tote has separating zippers on each short side. Just unzip them and unfold the ends for a colorful beach mat for lazy summer days. When the mat is  zipped and folded into the tote, you can tuck the small matching pillow inside, along with your reading materials and other larger items. Use the two outside pockets for other necessities--sunglasses, lotion, cell phone-you decide! The pattern is available at my Craftsy store as a downloadable PDF.

http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

You can stitch this project in an evening and head to the beach the next day! Two zippers, binding, outside pockets, and straps, and your tote/mat is finished! Straight stitching and binding make quick work of the matching pillow.

The good news? Use quilted double-faced fabric for the speediest-ever project! Or quilt your own favorite fabrics together in panels--directions are included in the pattern for both versions!

Of course, you may think of other ways to use the tote. Even if you're not heading to beach, you can use it as a sunning mat in your backyard. Or use it as a soft cover to cushion a sun chair or lounger on your deck. You could even use it as tote for class supplies, including fabrics, a small cutting mat, rulers, and other necessities.

Finished Sizes

Tote: 16-1/2” tall x 24" wide

Unfolded into a Mat: 24" x 66"

Pillow: 14" x 20"

I hope you enjoy a sunny summer wherever you are. Grab your BeachMat Tote and head for a sunny spot to read and relax. Oh, and don't forget your sunscreen! 

Happy stitching and sunning!

Barbara

My Oldie But Goodie!

My Quilted Carryall tote bag pattern has been selling like gangbusters on Craftsy. It's one of my earliest designs, but it just keeps selling and selling. With pockets inside and out, it makes a great tote for shopping or for taking supplies to quilting or sewing class. Directions are included for two sizes and it also includes an optional eyeglasses case, and an attached coin purse that drops inside the bag when the zip-top is open if you prefer an open-top tote. No matter how you look at it, this tote has lots to offer.

Like most of my tote bags, this one is made from quilted, double-faced fabric that you make yourself. Choose two prints and a lightweight batting and quilt the pieces panel by panel. OR, if you just happen to find a quilted double-faced fabric that you love at your favorite shop, use that instead. Directions and yardage are included for that option, too.

Note: You can purchase this pattern as a PDF download from my pattern store at http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

You'll find patterns for totes, travel accessories, handbags, table runners and placemats, and quilts there. And some of them are FREE. Be sure to visit my store to see all of my patterns!
http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

I love seeing what others create from any of my patterns and invite you to submit your photos to me at barbara.weiland@yahoo.com. I recently heard from Mary who lives on beautiful Whidbey Island in Washington state, and she sent photos of her finished tote to share with my readers. What a great job she did! Great fabric choices!

 














Thanks, Mary, for your kind words about the pattern:

"Barbara is a mind reader!  I've been seeking a pattern for a large tote with lots of pockets yet has a shape to it rather than looking like a big sack.  Her Quilted Carry-All is exactly what I was looking for. The only problem with it is that it means I can put LOTS of things in it when I take it to shows, craft fairs, and fabric stores. Special pockets so I don't lose track of things, exterior pockets large enough for a magazine or my quilting wish list book, an attached glasses case that holds both my readers and sunglasses and, most importantly, the oversized, attached change purse so I can quickly whip out the credit card.  Uh oh!   

Great design, Barbara." 

Mary Mc, Whidbey Island, WA

Until next time,

Keep smiling and stitching!

Barbara

Lots and Lots of New Patterns
It's been forever since I posted here--and lots has happened. All of my patterns are now available as PDFs for purchase at Craftsy. You can see them all at my pattern store http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store. If you don't know about Craftsy, you should! It's a wonderful resource for topnotch online classes--I've enrolled in several and have access to them on my computer whenever I want to dive in and learn more! I'm focusing on free-motion quilting class with Leah Day and learned something in the first lesson. It's also a great source for quilting and sewing patterns.

I spent most of last year designing new patterns, so there are lots of new ones in my Craftsy store. We also bought a new house and moved in December, which interrupted my creative stream. The older I get, the longer it takes to get settled into a new space! But, lucky me, I ended up with the best space for my office/sewing studio ever. I'll share more about that, after I finish hanging artwork on the blank walls.

For now, I'd like to introduce you to my latest pattern--the Sew 'n' Go Quilted HandBag. It's pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself. Directions are included for quilting your own double-faced fabric since there are so few of these fabrics available for purchase. But, if you find one you like, you'll also find yardage and cutting info for that option in the pattern, too. I love making my own quilted fabrics because then they are truly one-of-a kind. 

This little shoulder bag has six pocket compartments on the inside, plus two on the outside--lots of places to stash your stuff. It doesn't take much fabric or much time to stitch this up--and if you prefer a more tailored look, don't add the optional jumbo rickrack trim.

I made the prototype for this little bag from a quilted batik and used cotton webbing for the straps. I like this one too! 

Hope you like this bag and will check out all of my other patterns for bags, quilts, and travel accessories at my Craftsy store http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

Until the next time, keep on sewing and smiling!
Barbara

It's Never Too Late...to Finish a Quilt! 
Sweet Shabby Dreams is my newest quilt pattern, but it was 13 years in the making and finishing. Actually, the quilt top was finished in 1997 and had 63 blocks in it to make an oversized queen-size quilt. I made most of the blocks but many were made by my co-workers in a block round robin group quilting effort. I started to hand quilt it with diagonal lines across all blocks in both directions and I had also hand-quilted-in-the-ditch around each block.  I was ready to tackle the borders, but since I was moving to  Massachusetts, the quilt went into a box for the move, and then into a box under the bed, never to see daylight again until this past summer. (In the meantime, I moved back to the West Coast.) When I took the quilt out of the box, I knew I would never finish it by hand and it really needed more quilting in the blocks and sashing, as well as in the wider outer border. Instead of banning it to the box again,  I took the quilt top to my long-arm quilter, Debi Breese of Heart in Hand Quilting in Portland, OR. She thought she would be able to add machine quilting to it, but alas, that didn't work, so home it came again--but it didn't go back under the bed!

Since I had already written the pattern directions for the quilt--including yardage and assembly directions for several sizes--I decided to take on the task of "unquilting" it and disassembling it to make a smaller quilt. It was just too darn big and I knew I wouldn't use it if left that size. Yes, I took out every tiny little hand stitch and unpicked lots of seams. The finished quilt top with only 25 blocks proved much more manageable and makes a cozy lap-size quilt. (I just took a lovely nap under it earlier today.) I took the new, smaller quilt top back to Debi and she chose an overall floral pattern that floats across the center and the multiple inner borders. She added a coordinating floral pattern for the outermost border. I'm happy with the results and glad to have one more thing off my "round-to-it" list. 



The pattern is now available for download purchase at www.craftsy.com, where you will find all of my other patterns for quilts, place settings, table runners, tote bags, and even a child's apron. Directions for a Baby, Lap, Twin, and Queen size quilt are included in the pattern. To view all of my patterns at Craftsy, simply double click on the photo of Sweet Shabby Dreams. It's that easy!

If you haven't visited Craftsy, be sure you do. They offer lots of patterns and great on-line classes. I've signed up for several. It's so easy to watch the lessons at your leisure and then go practice at the machine. And you can take the classes at your leisure--forever. Once you've paid for it, it's available to you whenever you want to access it. They offer classes and patterns in other crafts, including paper crafts, knitting, and crocheting, too. It's a great resource! I found a great sweater pattern on Craftsy to knit while I was on a month-long boat trip with my sweetie.

And what about all those leftover blocks? Don't know yet, but some might show up in a shabby little tote bag--or baby quilts--I still have 34 of them!

Keep on stitching and smiling,
Barbara