Trunk Show of Totes!

Greetings!

I have made many bags over the years!  I’m including photos of some of those bags.  I hope you'll enjoy looking at my photos! 

 

The tote bag shown below is made from one of my all-time favorite fabrics, found while I was in Joann Fabrics with my (visiting) sister.  Another customer was having some of this "Hudson 43" home decor fabric cut.  My sister and I both loved the chicken fabric, but didn't buy any at that time.  I went back the next day and scoured the store to find this fabric.  Once I found it, I bought a piece, later sharing it with my sister.  Since that time, both of us have "collected" more of this print!  Good thing, as it's now been discontinued.  

The tote bag has no batting in it.  It is lined with mattress ticking.  I sewed the top edge with a decorative machine stitch.  I also added a few black/white polka dotted buttons as trim.

 

The next tote pictured is one I call "Strip-pieced Whopper Shopper.  This large tote bag was a way for me to use up some smaller pieces of fabric.  The tote is made of bright, jewel-toned fabrics.   My favorite!  Strips of patchwork pieces were strip-pieced atop quilt batting.  I used strips in 3 different widths to add visual interest.  The bag was lined AFTER the body and straps were sewn together.  My design, 2018.

 

The next bag was inspired by a Boro (stitching) class I took in 2018  I've made, or started a number of totes using this stitching technique.  The bag has a crazy quilt appearance

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I made this colorful bag in the late 1990's.  I used Benartex fabrics purchased at the AQS show in Paducah, KY.  I used a commercial sewing pattern for this one.  McCall's 7567 is the pattern I used.  The bag wasn't shown in patchwork but I figured "why not try it?"

 

"Shaggy Raggy Baggy" was made for a Kaufman Fabrics purse challenge contest years ago.  The bag traveled around the country as part of the contest exhibit.  There is no pattern:  I made it up!  The bottom section of the bag is made of fabric strips knotted together, then knitted.

The small necklace purse shown below was made for an exhibit at the Madison Art Glass and Bead Show in 2015.  Participants purchased a special handmade featured "show" bead, then used it in their entries.  Some entries were jewelry creations, but it wasn't a requirement.  I chose to make a small purse.  The first photo shows the back of the purse, the second, the front of the purse.

 

"Alaska Evening Bag" features a bag enhanced with metallic threads, tatting, and mother of pearl buttons.  This small bag was part of a purse display by a no-longer-in-business local quilt shop.  I didn't have a pattern for this bag.  I basically cut a shape out of a grocery bag and used that to design  my purse.  The bag closes with the miracle of Velcro.

A few more bags, just to look at!

Another bag featuring Boro stitching.  I incorporated some vintage embroidered pieces in this bag.

Sometimes I'll make tote bag handles out of two different fabrics!

I call this pink/black bag "Whatever" only 'cause I couldn't think of a name for it!  I wanted to use up some pieced squares that were a combo of pink and a tropical print.  I'd originally made the squares as class samples.  I dug through my stash and found some black fabric with bright polka dots to tie the pieces together.  I used black webbing for the handles.  I made plenty of mistakes in this mismatched, machined-quilted bag, but I still like it!  This bag was made in 2022.  No pattern.

Another Boro stitched bag below.  I love blue and decided to feature it in this bag.

The panel on the front of the bag below is an ad for my favorite local quilt shop.  Customers could incorporate the printed panel into a bag.  In return, a discount is offered at the end of the month if you carry in your bag!

I love chocolate and I love Halloween!  The bag below is another rendition of the "Strip-pieced Whopper Shopper" shown earlier in this post.  Most of the fabrics used were purchased while on a trip in 2021.  I made the bag in 2022.

John C. Campbell Folk School 2023

THIS could be the year that you visit the awesome John C. Campbell Folk School!  I was 

lucky enough to take a one week workshop there last month.  The school is located in Brasstown, NC. Brasstown is in the southwest corner of the state.

I learned some new techniques in the Shibori Dyeing class taught by Emily Ayers.  Following are some photos from my most recent trip to Brasstown.  I have now taken three classes at the Folk School.  I’ve also taught two classes there. 

I made a dress and harem pants several months before traveling to Brasstown.

I used Kona PDF (prepared for dyeing) cotton for those garments.  See before and 
after photos below.

I purchased a white jacket from St. Vincent’s here in Madison before heading to 

North Carolina.  I didn’t pay much for it.  I thought it would be a good candidate 

for dyeing.  And it was!

I also dyed some cotton fabric yardage, a silk scarf, and a pair of socks!  It’s

pretty obvious that I love the turquoise range of color!

Recently Completed Projects

I purchased an under-seat bag recently, to be used for future travels.  Thinking it needed some sprucing up, I stenciled and painted one section of the front.  I used Jacquard Lumiere paints for stenciling and mark-making on my bag.  

I made a hat to wear for the holiday season!  The hat is knit sideways.  It has a seam up 

the back.  This pattern, all in garter stitch, is from a vintage Columbia-Minerva publication *.  I have used this hat pattern many times.   The wool, hand dyed “Jingle Bells” yarn was purchased on etsy.

* Teach Yourself to Knit the Easy Way, book 770.

A holiday party invitation typically motivates me to make a new festive top to wear 

to the event!  I like this (2022) pattern from Simplicity.  When I made my cotton blouse, I used 3 different fabrics, not just one, as shown on the pattern envelope.  I pieced the sleeves 

and added vintage trim to them. I also slightly changed the sleeve and used a gathered sleeve with a short cuff.  This involved lengthening the gathered sleeve pattern piece by a few inches.

Buttons in three different colors were used!

I couldn't resist adding this vintage crocheted bird to the back yoke of my blouse.

Ready to go!

John C. Campbell Folk School Campus Photos

Greetings!  Happy Fall!

The following photos, taken in late May/early June of this year, will give you an idea of what the Folk School campus is like!  Enjoy!

The Louise Pitman Fiber Arts building is home to the weaving,sewing, and quilting workshops.  The workshops I taught were held in this building.

 

Photos below show students, and their creations, done in the two classes I taught this year.  I had wonderful, generous students in both classes.  The "Vintage Denim Jacket with Boho Flair" class was a weekend session.  "Brasstown Boho Skirt" was a week long workshop.  I'll be teaching that workshop again in 2023.  Registration is open now!