County Fair Tote

I got the work done on the second Round Robin Tote Bag for Fyber Café. Tracy's bag has a County Fair theme. Her front side has 4 diagonal strips, separated with a coarse rope. I wanted to quilt it, so I could add buttons, so I had to stitch down the rope pieces first. I had quiet a few buttons already and just had to purchase the chicken buttons.

I hit a few quilt shops, oh, such a chore, to find fabric with a pig and sheep, that I could fussy cut. I got some cute llama fabric too. The pile of animals, is like the folk tale "The Musicians of Bremen." The cow barely fit on the 6" width, that I had to work with. I stitched the edges with a small zigzag stich in clear nylon thread.

For the backside I wanted to make a pocket with Tracy's daughter Annaka and her prize winning chicken pet. Gramma had sent me the photo she had taken, that I was going to use on a different project, but this was too perfect a use. I made a batting, photo and backing sandwich, that I thread painted with rayon thread. Then I collaged chicken cut outs around the pocket. The chickens are quilted and thread painted also.

So now, I am passing it to the next person, to do the last side. To see what other wonderful textile artists have been doing this week. click her for Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Friday.