January 16, 2014

First Finish of 2014

 I have a finished project for 2014! Whoo hoo! I made this bag for the laptop Paul gave me for Christmas. Now, truth be told, the laptop will probably only leave the house a couple times a year (if that) and will live on the kitchen counter while in the house, so the bag is maybe a little unnecessary, but at least it's pretty. Plus I've already used it once...though not to carry the laptop.

I almost made this bag without looking at a pattern or tutorial, pretty much going on memory after making the messenger bag for the boys, but I had to check the tutorial when I was ready to sew the outside and the lining together. I can never remember which goes inside which and I really didn't want to get it wrong and have to take that seam out and sew it again. This is the tutorial I used.

I couldn't get fusible fleece so I used regular batting, with one layer on the outside and one on the lining. It makes for a nice weight to the bag. I quilted the outside with a loopy stipple, which gives great texture to the fabric, but the stitches themselves don't show up well because I used black thread. I quilted the inside (which is red) with straight lines.
This fabulous folded hexagon flower was so much fun to make. I used this tutorial for that. It was really quick to fold and stitch and I love the little detail it adds to the finished bag. I stitched it to the bag using a ladder stitch, so the stitches are pretty much invisible.

Another first for 2014...


My first empty spool of the year. This used to hold red thread until I polished it off while making the bag.

Do you keep track of how many spools you use a year? I kept all my empty spools last year, after reading a post on Quiltmaker's Quilty Pleasures blog back in January 2013. Turns out I used 27 spools last year, which sounds pretty decent. Of course, quite a few of those were almost empty to begin with and I used them up to baste hexagons. So now the count for 2014 has begun. I wonder if I'll top 27 spools.

This bag is the first of my finishes for my FAL list this quarter...and the link-up for proposed finishes isn't even closed yet! I feel so productive.

I also got an email yesterday from Leanne at She Can Quilt telling me I won fabric for one of my finishes last quarter, so now I may have to hang out at the post office a little, waiting to get my hands on these mystery fabrics. I'll be sure to share a picture or two when they arrive.

13 comments:

  1. That looks like a fabulous bag! Perfect for so many things!

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  2. I don't keep track of spools, but I will try to keep track of bobbins in a project. Nice bag! Love the details, really make it look finished.

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  3. Leanne, your laptop bag looks fantastic! I love the colors and the quilting! Thanks for sharing the folded hexi tutorial link. I haven't ever saved my thread spools, maybe I will this year!

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  4. Great bag and a great finish so soon! Love the hexie flower will definitely be checking that out!

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  5. Neat! Congrats on your finish!

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  6. This is a great bag! I love the folded flower!! Congrats on your first finish too! I also finished my first from the list. Thanks for lining up with TGIFF!

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  7. Yeah, great finish! I also won a price from FAL Q4/2013, we're lucky winners!

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  8. That's really nice! I need to make a Kindle cover. There's no way in the world I'm paying $70 bucks for one! :)

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  9. Sew Purrty!
    Love that flower!

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  10. I always forget to count how many spools I go through. I did use the rest of an Aurifil one a couple weeks ago.

    I adore your bag and the flower is stunning!

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  11. I love the idea of using batting for the lining, too. Did it make the seams too bulky? Your bag looks amazing.

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  12. your bag is awesome! Of course your laptop needs a bag- whether it actually leaves the house or not!

    Thanks for linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  13. Nice. Like your fabric choices. Nice texture but clean and simple. I like the flash of fun red playing off the more reserved fabric. Is it a civil war reprint?

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