Mill House Inn « modafabrics

Hello! It’s Lola….again!! I know that it hasn’t been very long since my last Bake Shop,but I just had to hurry and get a few ahead. These next few weeks/months are going to be crazy with Quilt Market rapidly approaching……yikes!! I hope you like it!

10″ Chinese lantern
11 Fat quarters or 1-Jelly Roll

Adjustfabric quantity if you are using a different size lantern.

Step 1-Cut fat quarters into 2.5” x 22″ strips. If you are using a jelly roll cut the strips in half so they are 22-ish inches long.

Step 2-Fold each strip in half, and run a gathering stitch along the bottom, securing at one end. You can use a machine, or do it by hand.
I did it by hand so that I could make the rosettes while I was waiting for kids at soccer, dentist, football, etc.

Step 3-Pull gathering threads, and curl strip into a rose.

Step 4- Apply Hot Glue to the back of a rose and randomly stick it onto the Chinese lantern

Step 5- Keep gluing them on until the lantern is FULL.

Step 6– Hang, and adore!

1 lovely Be-rosed Lantern. Wouldn’t this be great in a girls room?

I’m putting mine in my studio because it makes my heart go pitter-pat!

These roses would also be fabulous on a pillow!! (Thanks for the idea Angela!)

If you have any questions, comments, or just want to say “HI!”

come see me at

Izzy & Ivy Designs or Lola…again!!!

1 Mill House Inn Honey Bun by Fig Tree Quilts
1/3 yard of Coordinating fabric (bottom of bag, handles)
1/4 yard of Coordinating fabric (tie on front, loop closure)
1/2 yard of broadcloth or coordinating fabric for lining of bag
1 button (inch or larger) for button loop closure
1/2 yard of Warm & Natural or other similar batting

Pick out 14 of your favorite honey bun strips, cut them so they are 15-16″ long. You can use the rest of of the strips for another project or bag.

Step 2 – Cut two 7″ pieces. These will be for the top of the bag.

Step 3 – Cut two 15 x 7″ pieces out of your 1/3 yard of coordinating fabric. Make sure when you cut these that there is enough fabric to make the handles which will require 2 – 21 x 4″ pieces of fabric. Sew the two 15 x 7″ coordinating fabrics onto the bottom of the two pieced pieces of fabric. Make sure that the end strip of 1st piece and beginning strip of 2nd piece are different so that when the bag is sew together there aren’t two of the same strips by each other.

Step 4 – Cut two batting pieces a little bigger than the pieced pieces you just finished. Lay pieced fabric on top of batting and quilt. If you don’t know how or don’t want to free hand quilt with your machine, you could just sew in between each stripe and at the bottom. Do this with both pieced pieces.

Step 5 – Trim extra batting off of both pieces. Place right sides together making sure the strips of fabric are together and the bottoms are together and sew around the sides and bottom using a 1/4″ seam allowance, turn fabric right side out.

Step 6- Making the tie around the middle of bag. Cut a 3″ x 37″ piece of fabric from your 1/4 yard of coordinating fabric. Fold in half width wise with right sides together and press. Cut both ends off at a 45 degree angle, or whatever looks good to you. Sew up the ends and down the side of tie (leaving an opening to turn). Now turn so right sides are out and press. stitch up small opening on side.

Step 7 – Pin tie onto the bag. Do this by folding tie in half length wise to find the middle and mark, also mark the middle of the back of the bag where the strips of fabric meet the bottom fabric. Now fold the fabric in half length wise, this just helps with making sure it’s centered on the bag when you pin it. Starting at the back of the bag where you marked, and the mark on the middle of the tie start pining tie onto bag by lining up the fold of the tie to the seam where the strips of fabric and bottom of bag come together and pin all the way around. Stop pinning when you get to the front middle two strips. This is where you’ll tie a knot. I feel like I just made that way more complicated then it needed to be, hopefully it makes some sense.

Now sew tie onto bag using about a 1/8″ seam allowance and sewing down the top and bottom of tie fabric. Remember to stop when you get to the front two middle strips of fabric.

It should look like this……………

Now the easy part……..tie it into a knot.

Step 8 – Turn the bag inside out. At the bottom of inside of bag measure in 2 1/4″ inches on the side and bottom of bag at both corners. Now reposition so that the marks on the side seam and bottom seam are touching.

Pin at cut at the mark so it looks like this…………sew closed using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Do this on both right and left sides of bag.

Turn right side out and wa la, it should look like this.

Step 9 – Inside or lining of tote bag. Cut two 14 x 15″ pieces of broadcloth or coordinating fabric. Place right sides together and sew around the sides and bottom leaving about a 4 inch opening on one of the sides.

Step 10 – Handles. Cut two 21 x 4 inch pieces of fabric out of the 1/3 yard of coordinating fabric. Fold piece of fabric in half width wise and press. Unfold and fold outer edges into the middle crease. Now fold entire piece of fabric in half width wise and sew closed using about 1/8″ seam allowance.

Center handle between the 3rd and 4th strip like shown below and pin on both sides. Turn fabric around and pin 2nd handle on the back by doing the same thing.

Step 11 – Loop Closure. Cut a 4 x 61/2″ piece of fabric out of your coordinating 1/4 yard piece. Fold, iron and sew just like you did the handles. Now fold the sewn piece of fabric in half length wise and press. Fold both sides down at a 45 degree angle using the middle crease as your guide.

Turn piece around and sew down the bottom of the triangle of fabric using a 1/8″ seam allowance.

Pin onto the back of bag at the top in the very middle.

Step 12 – Last Step. Put the entire tote bag inside the lining so that the right side of bag and right side of lining is together. Line up the side seams and pin. Line up the tops of fabric and pin a few times. Now sew along the top all the way around using 1/4″ seam allowance.

Pull the outside of bag through the opening that you left on the side of your lining fabric. Stitch closed the 4″ opening left on the side for turning. Tuck lining of bag inside and press.

Now stitch around the top using a 1/8″ seam allowance.