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.

Round Robin Totes

Yea, a new computer to play with! It takes some getting used to, a new keyboard, touch screen, and updated software. I was definitely getting withdrawal symptoms, 6 weeks without it. The new challenge for Fyber Café is to do a round robin with a tote bag pattern. We will pass it around with 4 people, each doing the front, back, or each side. Because Clare has volunteered to weave straps/handles for us, I am doing her bag sections, twice the work for me. I began with a 14" front panel, and used curved strips, in her color palette to make a sunset. Each strip has an ironed 1/4" seam, them is stitched with monofilament in a blind hem stitch. I embellished with some satin ribbon and couched rattail cords to add extra curves to the layers.

I embellished the panel with a twisted fabric tree, and 3-D flowers. I made 5 flowers, and 1 large one, in a pretty mauve print.

Needing buttons for the centers, I made a quick trip to Joann's. "Holy moly!" buttons are expensive! The first pack I picked up was $7.50, then I found a $5 pack but I needed two of them, to get the right sizes in the quantity I needed. After a long search I found a nice big pack for $3.50. Jeez, it's for a round robin, I did not want to spend too much on just the buttons.

This tote is for Clare, who is a weaver, so I thought a celtic knot on the side panel was appropriate. I looked through several books to find a pattern I liked, but they only had a small picture, no pattern, so I had to draft it myself. I ended up simplifying it a bit, but I got it to work. I made quiet a few 1/4" wide bias strips, with fusible web on the back, and pinned, then ironed them in place. I love my little pointy Clover iron. It was all stitched on each side of the strip, with clear nylon thread in blind hem stitch.

The finished front and one side. I think she will be happy with it! I am linking this to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Friday"click here to see what other textile artists are doing with their work this week.