Quilt As You Go Tote Bag

'Quilt As You Go' Tinker Tote

Several weeks ago I got interested in a 'Quilt as You Go' tote bag tutorial on Craftsy. I was intrigued by the idea of not having to quilt something at the end and I liked the idea of using up a lot of my scraps.

I learned to make an inside zipper pocket

In the summer I usually don’t get a lot of time to quilt as I am an avid gardener which takes up a lot of time, planting, watering, weeding, and so on. However in July my golf fanatical husband went away on a 12 day golf trip, so I found myself with some extra time on my hands.  I saw an online quilting class on Craftsy for this “quilt as you go” tinker tote and decided to give it a whirl. 

Pinned together- inside lining and outside quilted purse

I love the idea of using up my leftover scraps of fabric as well as a few small fabric pieces from my stash. I watched the first few videos, downloaded the bag template and got started.  I like the Craftsy classes because you can watch them at any time and as many times as you like. That way if you get stuck on something you can go back and watch it again. You can also send questions to the instructor at the side of the screen and also read other people’s questions and the answers.

I am pleased to say that I made the whole bag using what I already had on hand, without buying anything new, except for a magnetic snap! :)

I learned a few new things, too, as I went along, which I always enjoy doing.

1. I learned how to make a zipper pocket (easier than you would think!)
2. How to put a snap on a bag flap, 
3. and most useful of all, how to make bias edging. 

The most difficult part of the whole bag was sewing the edging all the way around the outside of the otherwise completed bag.  It was necessary to make bias edging (cut diagonally across the fabric) so it would be stretchy enough to sew on the curves.

Bias Binding-

There are a number of ways to make bias binding for the edging, some easier than others. I looked on line for one method where you sew the fabric into a tube shape and then cut the bias strips which ends up as one big long continuous strip, but the directions were not very clear.

I did find a method that I liked which was relatively simple where you fold the fabric into a triangle, by folding the bottom edge up to meet the right side. 

Lay binding fabric right side down (Mine just happens to have a top corner missing)

Take the bottom edge and fold it against the right side of fabric

Turn the long side so it is against the ruler, straight up and down; 

Turn the long side so it is against the ruler, straight up and down

Next fold the fabric in half downwards, then in half again upwards.  After that, take your ruler and cut off the folded edge. Now you are ready to cut your 2 1/4 inch bias binding. Then sew the pieces of binding together to make a long binding strip. Last, press the binding in half lengthwise, right sides out.

Fold the fabric in half downwards, then fold in half again upwards

After folding, trim the folded edge right off

After that, take your ruler and cut off the folded edge. Now you are ready to cut your 2 1/4 inch bias binding. Sew the pieces of binding together to make a long binding strip. Last, press the binding in half lengthwise, right sides out, wrong sides together.

Does this make sense?  Here is a link to a website where I got this information:

  http://www.thatgirlthatquilt.com/2011/02/rounded-quilt-corners-bias-binding.html

Also good:

http://pir8.freeservers.com/quilting/CBT/

I had a hard time trying to figure out how many feet of bias binding I would need for my purse. I tried to calculate the distance around all the edges, easy on a quilt, not so easy on a bag...

Here's a site with a good table for calculating that:

http://www.quiltersparadiseesc.com/Calculators/Binding%20Calculator.php

Now you are ready to sew it onto your bag, with raw edges facing out.  Not quit done yet! Fold the edging inside the purse, then ditch quilt the whole edge to secure the inside edge. 

NOW it's done!!!