Four patchwork bags

I have been making bags for the past few weeks to show that patchwork and quilting is not just about big bed quilts.  On the 30th August we will have Enrolment Day for the U3A and I shall take these bags and some quilts to decorate my signup desk!

We went to the Festival of Quilts last Thursday and I bought this pattern.  It is a huge bag with pockets for ruler and cutter and big enough for an A2 mat, perfect for class.  Here are the pockets -

This bag is called a twisted patchwork bag and I learned to make it at a class in Barrington Quilting.  I am waiting for the pattern to turn up.  Luke and Caroline gave me the fabric for mother's day, I love blue and white.

This was supposed to be a small version of the blue and white bag, but I couldn't remember how to make it - no pattern - and it went wrong, so I turned it into a drawstring bag without a lining and put lots of beads inside.  I especially like the Japanese endings of the drawstring!

This is a perfect bag for a child - I made it with five inch charm squares - and put an elephant button on the front for more decoration.  Here is the lining and the elephant button.. 

The pattern for this bag came from the Popular Patchwork magazine and used half a charm square pack.  I am very inclined to cut up some five inch squares from my stash and make another one, they are so easy to make and so attractive, especially for a little girl.
If I make another one, I shall put the stages on this blog.  Please leave a comment if you would like to see step by step instructions for it.

Vintage Rouge

The garden is nearly finished, well as good as I care to have it really, and so I can go back to writing and quilting, hooray.
I find that writing this blog each morning is helpful for loosening up the brain and today I am going to show you my latest project, well I have two really.  One is called Vintage Rouge and is a block of the month and I am hoping the first block will turn up today.  Here is the finished quilt -

Lovely and pink.  Here is the first block of which I need to make four -

And here it is finished and quilted up -



I think they are the first blocks away from the centre medallion.  I love the fabrics, but of course you can't really tell the colours on the net.

I have found instructions for easier piecing on a lovely website in the States, this started in May 2012 and the blogger is going to put on instructions for each month - it is a 6 month block of the month.

I am also going to make two more twisted bags, as in the day class I attended.  I will take a photo of the almost finished one and put it here.  I woke up this morning thinking how to improve it, and I do think that incorporating the lining into the quilting is the way to go.  Anyway, will give it a go with 10 inch rather than 6 inch squares to make a much bigger bag.  Photo later.  I am looking for a lovely layer cake (40 ten inch squares of co-ordinating fabric that will make two bags) to use for the bigger bag and when I find it I will let you know.