GRAPHIC GEESE
Transform basic Flying Geese blocks into a sleek and stylish tote bag to pop your picnic quilts in and take on the go!
Transform basic Flying Geese blocks into a sleek and stylish tote bag to pop your picnic quilts in and take on the go!
NOTES
■ Seam allowances are ¼in throughout,
unless otherwise noted.
■ RST = right sides together.
■ Debbie used Vlieseline S320 for fusible interfacing, Vlieseline Style-vil for foam interfacing and Vliseseline #279 80/20 cotton mix batting (vlieseline.com)
■ Fabrics supplied by Art Gallery Fabrics
(artgalleryfabrics.com)
FABRICS USED
Fabrics are Snow (white), Grapefruit (peach) and Tender Green (green) from the Pure Solids collection by Art Gallery Fabrics.
CUTTING OUT
1
From the outer fabric cut:
■ Two (2) 5¼in x 15¾in (front panel sides).
■ One (1) 17¼in x 19¼in (back panel).
■ One (1) 1¾in x 17¼in (top trim).
■ One (1) 2¾in x 17¼in (front panel base).
■ Two (2) 2½in x 17¼in (facings).
■ Two (2) 2in squares (zip tabs).
2
From the lining fabric cut:
■ One (1) 7¾in square (zip pocket lining).
■ One (1) 7¾in x 10in (zip pocket
back lining).
■ Two (2) 17¼in square (lining front
and back).
■ Four (4) 5in x 9in (slip pockets).
■ Two (2) 2in squares (zip tabs). 3
From the white solid fabric cut:
■ One (1) 8¾in square. Cut along both diagonals to make four (4) triangles.
4
From each of the green and peach solid fabrics cut:
■ Two (2) 4¾in squares. Cut each square in half on the diagonal to make a total of four (4) triangles for each colour.
5
From the handle trim cut: ■ Two (2) 1in x 16in.
6
From the fusible interfacing cut: ■ Two (2) 4in x 8in.
7
From the webbing cut:
■ Two (2) 25in long pieces.
8
From the batting cut: ■ Two (2) 10in squares.
KEEP THE BACK PLAIN OR PIECE FOUR MORE QUILT BLOCKS TO MAKE IT DOUBLE SIDED!
9
From the foam interfacing cut: ■ Two (2) 18in x 20in.
PREPARING THE HANDLES
10
Use a round object to mark and round both ends of each handle trim piece with a fabric pencil (Fig A). Debbie used a bottle of nail varnish.
11
Find the centre of one trim piece and one webbing piece. Place the trim on top of the webbing, aligning the centres. Carefully glue in place. Once dry, topstitch around the edge of the trim. Repeat with the other handle and trim piece.
PIECING THE FLYING GEESE PANELS
12
Take one white triangle and one peach triangle and place RST, aligning the diagonal and the bottom straight edges (Fig B). Sew along the diagonal edge and press open. Repeat with another peach triangle on the other side of the white triangle to make a Flying Geese unit (Fig C).
13
Repeat step 12 to make two peach and two green Flying Geese units. Trim each unit to 4¼in x 8in, centring the unit and leaving a ¼in seam allowance above the point.
14
Sew the two peach Flying Geese units together along their long edges, so the units point in the same direction. Repeat with the green units.
15
Baste each Flying Geese pair to a piece of batting and quilt as desired. Debbie quilted an organic wavy design across the panels, using her walking foot. Trim away excess batting.
SEWING THE ZIP POCKET PANEL
16
Press under ¼in on one edge of each zip tab piece. Take one outer and one lining tab and place wrong sides together, sandwiching one end of the zip in between. Glue, and then topstitch in place (Fig D). Repeat at the other end of the zip.
17
Trim the zip and tabs to 7¾in long, centring the zip. Trim the sides of the zip tabs even with the sides of the zip.
18
Take the green Flying Geese panel, and place the zip along the top edge, right side down and centred along the panel. Place the zip pocket lining on top, also right side down and centred. Pin or clip in place and sew. Press the panel and lining away from the zip. Topstitch in place (Fig E).
19 Take the other Flying Geese panel and place RST with the other side of the zip. Sew in place and press away from the zip. Note, there is no lining piece for the top edge of the zip.
20
Place the zip panel on your work surface with the lining side facing up. Place the zip pocket back lining on top, so the two lining pieces are RST. Align the side and bottom edges of the two lining pieces. Baste along the sides and bottom.
21
Topstitch along the zip edge of the top Flying Geese panel, through all layers (Fig F). This will close the top edge of the pocket. Trim the panel to 7¾in x 15¾in.
MAKING THE BAG OUTER
22
Sew the front panel sides to either side of the zip pocket panel. Sew the top trim to the top and the front panel base to the bottom. Press all seams away from the zip pocket panel.
23
Press the front panel well. Pin the front panel onto a piece of foam interfacing, and baste right around the outer edge. Debbie also topstitched along the edges of the outer fabric pieces. Trim away excess foam interfacing.
24
Measure and mark 5in from each side of the front panel. Align the edges of one handle piece with this mark and pin in place, with ½in of webbing above the top of the panel on each end (Fig G). Baste in place.
25
Repeat steps 23–24 with the back panel piece. Debbie did not add any topstitching to the back panel.
26
Place the front and back panels RST. Sew around the sides and bottom, backstitching at each end of the seam.
27
Cut a 1¾in square from each of the bottom corners. Bring the bottom and side seam together at one corner. Sew across the corner, backstitching at each end. Repeat at the other bottom corner.
PREPARING THE SLIP POCKETS
28
Take one slip pocket piece and apply the fusible interfacing to the wrong side, centring the piece and following the manufacturer’s instructions. 29
Place the interfaced piece RST with a second slip pocket piece. Stitch all the way around, using a ½in seam, leaving a turning gap in the long bottom edge. Backstitch at the beginning and end of the seam to secure.
30
Trim the seam of the pocket to ¼in and clip the corners. Turn right side out through the turning gap. Press well, turning the raw edges to the inside. The turning gap will be closed when the pocket is applied to the lining.
31
Repeat steps 28–30 to make a second slip pocket.
MAKING THE LINING
32
Sew a facing piece to the top of the front and back lining pieces. Press the seam towards the facing and topstitch in place (Fig H).
33
Take one lining piece, fold in half widthwise and finger press to mark the centre. Take one of your prepared pocket pieces and use the centre crease to align in the centre of the lining, approx 4 in below the top edge. Make sure the turning gap of the pocket is at the bottom, and pin the pocket in place.
34
Sew the pocket in place by topstitching around the sides and bottom. Sew close to the edge of the pocket, making sure to close the turning gap of the pocket as you sew. Backstitch at the beginning and end of the seam. You may also choose to topstitch vertically along the centre of the pocket to divide the pocket and prevent sagging.
35
Repeat steps 33–34 to add a pocket to the other lining piece.
36
Place the two lining pieces RST and sew around the sides and bottom, leaving a turning gap in the bottom edge of the lining and backstitching at the beginning and end of each seam. Box the bottom corners of the lining as in step 27.
FINISHING THE BAG
37
Turn the bag outer right side out and place down inside the lining, so they are RST. Align the side seams, tucking the handles between the two layers. Pin or clip in place around the top edge.
38
Sew around the top edge. Turn the bag right side out through the gap in the lining. Hand sew the gap in the lining closed and push down inside the bag. Press the top edge, making sure the lining is turned completely to the inside. Topstitch around the top edge.
39
Hand sew the facing to the inside of the bag to finish. Stitch in the ditch using a matching thread and small stab stitches, so they are not visible. Make sure your stitches go into the foam interfacing, but not to the outer fabric layer.