PIXEL PERFECT
Embrace print mixing and mini piecing on a bag that'll join you everywhere, from beach days to shopping trips
Embrace print mixing and mini piecing on a bag that'll join you on all of your travels, from beach days to shopping trips
YOU WILL NEED
■ Blue prints: five (5) fat quarters
■ Pink and yellow prints: fifteen
(15) fat eighths total
■ Lining fabric: ½yd
■ Fuchsia accent fabric: / yd
■ 1¼in wide canvas
strapping: 1½yds
■ Batting: 27in x 21in
FINISHED SIZE
■ 14in x 20in
NOTES
■ Seam allowances are ¼in, unless
otherwise noted.
■ Press seams open throughout, unless
otherwise instructed.
■ RST = right sides together.
■ WST = wrong sides together.
■ Jess used a Jelly Roll to make her bag.
■ Print fabrics supplied by Moda
(modafabrics.com)
■ Solid fabric provided by Wool Warehouse
(woolwarehouse.co.uk)
FABRICS USED
■ Print fabrics are from the Clementine and Spark collections by Melody Miller for Ruby Star Society.
■ Solid fabric is a Bella Solid by Moda
in Fuchsia.
CUTTING OUT
1
From the lining fabric cut:
■ Two (2) 16½in x 20½in. Cut away a 2in square from each bottom corner along the 20½in width (Fig 1).
2
From the accent fabric cut:
■ One (1) 8½in x 20½in. Cut away a 2in square from each bottom corner along the 20½in width.
■ One (1) 10½in x 20½in. Cut away a 2in square from each bottom corner along the 20½in width
■ One (1) 1in x 20½in.
3
From one blue print cut:
■ Four (4) 1in squares.
■ Four (4) 1in x 1½in.
■ Thirteen (13) 2½in squares. 4
From another blue print cut:
■ Eight (8) 1in squares.
■ One (1) 1½in square (fussy cut for the
star centre).
■ Fourteen (14) 2½in squares.
5
From each of the remaining three blue prints cut:
■ Fourteen (14) 2½in squares.
6
From one pink print cut: Eight (8) 1in squares.
■ Seven (7) 2½in squares.
7
From another pink print cut:
■ Four (4) 1in squares.
■ Four (4) 1in x 1½in.
■ Seven (7) 2½in squares.
8
From one yellow print cut:
■ One (1) 1½in square (fussy cut for the star centre).
■ Seven (7) 2½in squares.
9
From each of two more pink/yellow prints cut:
■ Seven (7) 2½in squares.
HIDE AND SEEK! MIX SOME STAR BLOCKS IN WITH YOUR PRINT SQUARES FOR SWEET DETAILS
10
From each of the remaining pink/ yellow prints cut:
■ Seven (7) 2½in squares.
11
From the batting cut:
■ Two (2) 16½in x 20½in.
■ One (1) 10½in x 20½in.
■ On each piece, cut away a 2in square from the bottom corners along the 20½in width.
MAKING THE STAR BLOCKS
12
Take two pink 1in squares and draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each. Place one square at one end of a blue 1in x 1½in piece, RST. Sew along the marked line, trim leaving a ¼in seam allowance and press open. Repeat with the other square at the other end to make one Flying Geese unit (Fig A). 13
Repeat step 12 to make four Flying Geese units. Arrange the Flying Geese units with the yellow fussy cut 1½in square and four blue 1in squares. Sew together in columns, then sew the column together to complete the star block (Fig B). The block should measure 2½in square.
14
Repeat steps 12–13 using the blue 1in squares and pink 1in x 1½in rectangles to make Flying Geese units. Sew together with the blue fussy cut 1½in centre and pink 1in squares to make a second star block.
PREPARE THE PIECED PANELS
15
Take forty seven of the pink/yellow 2½in squares, and one of your pieced star blocks. Arrange in four rows of ten and one row of eight, as shown in Fig 2. Sew the squares together into rows, then sew the rows together, carefully matching seams. This completes the pocket panel.
16
Take thirty nine blue 2½in squares and one pieced star block. Arrange in four rows of ten. Sew together in rows, then sew the rows together to complete the front panel.
17
Take thirty blue 2½in squares, and arrange in three rows of ten. Take forty eight pink/yellow squares. Arrange in four rows of ten and one row of eight, beneath the blue squares. Sew together in rows, then sew the rows together to complete the back panel (Fig 3).
MAKING THE BAG FRONT
18
Sew the 8½in x 20½in accent fabric piece to the bottom of the blue front panel, along the long edges. Place on top of one 16½in x 20½in batting piece, right
side up. Baste in place then quilt as desired. Jess quilted a 2in cross hatch pattern.
19
Stay stitch around the outer edge of the bag front, !/ in from the edge, and trim any excess batting even with the sides of the pieced panel (Fig C).
20
Take one accent 10½in x 20½in piece and place right side down. Place the matching batting piece on top, then the pocket panel piece on top, right side up. Baste, quilt, and stay stitch in place, as in steps 18–19.
21
Place your accent 1in x 20½in strip RST along the top edge of the pocket panel, on the pieced side. Sew along the top edge. Press the strip over to the back of the pocket panel. Fold and press the long raw edge under, then slipstitch in place.
22
Place the pocket panel on top of the front panel, aligning raw edges at the bottom and sides (Fig D). Baste in place along the sides and bottom.
23
Create a pocket division by sewing along the seam line three squares in from the side, backstitching at each end to secure. Repeat this stitching on the other side of the pocket.
MAKING THE BAG BACK
24
Repeat the process in steps 18–19 with the bag back panel and remaining batting piece.
MAKING THE BAG OUTER
25
Cut the canvas strapping into two equal lengths. Take one length and align each short edge with the top raw edge of the bag back, aligning the edges with the third square from each side. Baste in place (Fig E). Repeat to place the other strap on the bag front.
26
Place the front and back RST and pin or clip along the sides and bottom edge (Fig F). Sew along the two sides and bottom, backstitching at each end. Leave the trimmed bottom corners unsewn. Trim the batting layers to !/ in at each seam allowance. Finger press the seams open.
27
Bring the side and bottom seams RST at one corner, so the trimmed edges line up. Pin or clip, then sew across the corner, backstitching at each end (Fig G). Repeat for the other corner.
FINISHING THE BAG
28
Repeat steps 26–27 with the two lining pieces, leaving a gap for turning along the bottom edge.
29
Turn the bag outer right sides out, and place down inside your lining, so the pieces are RST. Align seams at the sides, tuck the handles down between the layers and pin or clip around the top edge.
30
Sew around the top edge, backstitching over the end of each handle to reinforce. Turn right side out through the gap in the lining. Slipstitch the lining closed.
31
Push the lining down inside the bag. Press around the top edge, rolling so the lining is on the inside of the bag. Topstitch around the top edge to finish.