Thursday, January 3, 2013

A Pretty Pink Tote Bag : :

I can't believe it has already been a couple weeks since the night I started this tote bag! Which will explain all the dark photos, yikes! One thing I do plan to do in this new, glorious year is lots and lots of more applique projects. I do love applique!! And, I'm excited to finally share this pretty pink bag today, yet another handmade gift for the holiday!

a tote bag finish

This particular applique was so simple and completely inspired by one of the Joel Dewberry Notting Hill fabrics I recently stashed from Sprightly Fabrics, Primrose in Magenta.

notting hill primrose in magenta

Mimicking the simple, modern flower, made up of stacked circle shapes in Mr. Dewberry's lovely design, plus a couple fussy-cut leaves from a Stockholm print, just as I did on this pillow -- this applique came together super quickly with some Heat'n Bond Lite and a little zig zag stitching with black thread.

applique

The night I finished up this bag front I was so tempted to continue sewing this into a colorful quilt top! I had to hang it up to snap a quick photo and stare at it just a little while before I could move on with my tote bag making. What do you think about a quilt made up of these blocks?

tote bag wip

The rest of the bag is made up of a few more Notting Hill fabrics, some pretty pink Pure Element solids, and a little coral pink polka-dot!

Pink & Bright!

It came together using very similar instructions to the Quilted Tote Bag Tutorial that I put together for Riley Blake. I love the soft, sturdiness the batting and quilted stitches add, while leaving it very washer friendly!

a finished tote

I've made a few other bags in a new style that I'll be sharing soon! How about you, what have you been stitching up? I'm loving all the Scrappy Trip Along photos I've been seeing everywhere!!

25 comments:

  1. This came out really great. I love the color comnbination. I have been debating on whether to buy some Notting Hill, so I love seeing it in action. A tote bag is definitely on my list for this year. Great job, and Happy New Year!

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  2. what a sweet tote bag, Maureen. I personally don't enjoy working with applique, but I love seeing it in projects, yours looks wonderful.

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  3. Darling bag! I love your applique too.

    Aren't the scrappy trip blocks fabulous? It's such a great idea.

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    1. It really is! I wish I had the time, but it's always fun to follow by watching a sew along like this, too! A finished quilt is suppose to end up have 1000 2" or 2.5" squares, I think?! That's amazing!!

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  4. I had to google Scrappy Trip Along and now, of course, I want to make one! I'll add that to my list of things to make this year...or at least things to say I'm going to make, whether I do or not.

    I just blogged about a bag I made for my daughter here: http://melissalovescolor.blogspot.com/2012/12/giannas-library-bag.html

    It's the first bag I've made, aside from super simple gift bags, and there are lots of things I would change. I'm going to check out the tutorial you did. I like the idea of using batting. I used fusible interfacing...never again in a bag!

    Anyway, I love your pink bag! I'm sure the receiver loved it. Though I do think it would make an adorable quilt, I really love it as a bag!

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  5. Not my colours personally, but I do like the style of the block and it's a pretty tote. :) I should really try some applique this year, and make myself a new tote, I think.

    I'm currently working on a pixelated quilt for a birthday gift. Here http://aquamareencrafting.blogspot.de/2012/12/yoshi-60.html and here http://aquamareencrafting.blogspot.de/2012/12/yoshi-70.html. Tons of work but really worth it.

    Happy 2013, Maureen!

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    1. Not my favorite colors either, taking pics at night toned down the bright pink quite a bit, too. It was made for my almost 8 yr old niece, but it turned out too big! It was really late and I completely forgot to adjust the measurements. So, a new one had to be made and this became a gift for an adult someone who LOVES pink -- perfect!! :)

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  6. Beautiful work, Maureen! I look forward to these applique project and following all your creative ideas in 2013! Happy New Year!

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  7. love the applique on this, very stylish!

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  8. Gorgeous bag Maureen, you have a real flair and talent for colours and patterns. I'd love to make it. I, too, love appliqué and do quite a bit. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. I love your use of colors and patterns. Everything you make looks happy!

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  10. Greta bag and the color is perfect for anyone who loves pink, young or not! I have gotten swept into the Scrappytripalong...very fun, not any pressure and the blocks build together very quickly. I joined on a whim and its all so spontaneous, it will be my first project of 2013 and totally from stash, a first for me I think. happy New Year Maurenn!

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  11. Love the bag ~ so bright and cheery!
    So far I've done a sewn and knitted things that I'm not too terribly happy with and I'm setting my reset button. Hopefully the next thing I sew will be more successful!

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  12. I love the Notting Hill collection and think your block is lovely, it would be great for a quilt.

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  13. So gorgeous! I love that fabric line and I think a whole quilt would look amazing!! Your applique is so perfect - I really need to practice zig zag stitching.

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  14. I love your flower appliqué! A whole quilt of them would be marvelous! Great tote bag!

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  15. wow maureen this tote is beautiful! love the color and the cute flower

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  16. ive been sewing lots of bags! i have a nikki tote ready to be sewn together for my sister and i have made 3 241 bags so far this year. i really am looking forward to making myself a weekender bag and the studio cherie duffle. i need some cute handmade duffle bags because the ugly nike duffle just isn't cutting it anymore!!!

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  17. You are such a rock star with this darling bag. Thanks for detailed tutorial. I am going to bookmark it. Thanks once again for sharing.

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