Charmed Gift Bag

My newest project for Moda Bake Shop is a quick & easy gift bag. Just fill it up with a matching charm pack and maybe even a cute teddy bear too. You could also add any quilt notions and more fat quarters if you like. What a fun gift to give to your quiltie peeps.

Other ideas:

• I’ve also made the gift bag as a birthday present for my daughter’s friends and filled it with things like make-up, nail polish, jewelry and candy. I’ve even put a Webkinz inside the bag along with other treats. The girls are crazy about these bags.
• Give it as a party favor filled with treats at your child’s birthday party.
• You could also fill the bag and give it as a gift to your quilt group.

So Let’s Begin:

• 4 fat quarters from the Snippets Collection by American Jane
• 1 Snippets Charm Pack by American Jane (this will be put inside the bag as a gift)
• Cereal Box Cardboard (to put in bottom of bag for stability)
• Cardstock (to cover cereal box cardboard)
• Double-stick Tape (to stick fabric to cereal box cardboard)

Cutting Instructions:

The picture below shows the pieces you will have when you’re done cutting your fabric, cereal box cardboard, and cardstock according to the list below.

• Red Floral Fabric (outside of bag): Cut 2 pieces @ 7″ x 8″
• Paper Doll Fabric (bag lining): Cut 2 pieces @ 7″ x 8″
• Red Plaid (Handles): Cut 2 pieces @ 2″ x 10″
• Red Polka Dot (Pleated Edge): Cut 2 pieces @ 4″ x 12″
• Cereal Box Cardboard: Cut 1 piece @ approx. 2 1/4″ x 5 1/8″ (trim to fit if needed)
• Cardstock: Cut 1 piece @ 2: x 5″

All Seams are sewn using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Let’s Get Started:

1. Take the Red Floral Fabric with right sides together and sew the two (7″) sides and the (8″) bottom of the bag. Clip corners.

2. Take the Paper Doll Fabric with right sides together and sew the two (7″) sides and the (8″) bottom of the bag. Clip corners.

3. Take the Red Plaid fold with right sides together and sew. Then turn right sides out, press, and sew two lines of top stitching on both sides of each handle. Then sew a wavy line down the middle if you desire.

4. Take the inside and outside pieces and press the seams open as seen below.

5. This is a view of the open seams looking into the bottom corner of the bag.

NOTE: The next steps are kinda tricky to explain so you will want to look closely at the pictures to help you follow along.

6. You will take the side seams and match them up while moving your fingers down the bag. This will create the bottom of the bag when you’re done. Repeat for the outside of the bag too. Let the top edge of the bag fall to the right (see picture below).

7. Turn the outside and the lining pieces over so it looks like the picture below.

8. Now you are going to place the outside bag on top of the inside of the bag as seen below. Lay the top edge of the bag down so it mirrors the (lining) bag below it.

9. Measure 2″ across the pointed edge (as seen below) and draw a line.

10. Sew on the pencil line and then cut off the points.

11. It’s time to pull the outside up and around the inside lining.

12. Set aside the bag while you make the pleated trim.

13. Take the red polka dot fabric for the pleated trim and sew the side seams then press the seams open as seen below.

14. Fold the fabric in half making sure the seams match, then press the fold. Mark the center for each side of the pleat (in between the side seams). You will also make a mark at 1″ and 2″ on each side of the center.

15. Fold and pinch the fabric at the two inch mark and bring it to the center mark. Press and repeat for the other side. Baste the pleats in place.

16. Make a pencil mark at 1 3/4″ in from each side of the back and then pin the handles in place. You may stitch them down to keep them from moving.

17. Now take the pleat and make sure that the pleated side is facing the inside of the bag. Match the side seams and then pin in place. Now sew around the top of the bag.

18. Pull the pleat upward and fold over the top of the bag. Pull the handles out too. Then press the top edge.

19. Now you will make the bottom insert by taking your cardboard and covering it with a piece of fabric. I used heavy duty double-stick tape. Then I place the cardstock over the back of the fabric to finish it off. Now place it into the bottom of your bag for stability.

20. This is what the inside of the bag will look like.

21. You’re DONE! Now you can fill it up and give it away.

ENJOY!!

• 3 Charmed Gift Bags out of 4 fat quarters.

Exciting News!!!

I’m giving away ONE Charmed Gift Bag on my BLOG.

The giveaway will END on Friday, July 31st at Midnight.
I will then pick a WINNER on Saturday, August 1st.

9-Patchtastic Quilt

A fun and easy 9-patch making method to make this 9-Patchtastic quilt. Use a 40 count package of Moda Charms and a background fabric to make a little 24″ x 30″ quilt… or go big and use a package of Moda Layer Cakes and a background fabric to make a large 66″ x 82½” quilt.

This easy 9-patch method makes for a perfect retreat or group project. Less thinkie – more talkie, more snackie, more laughie. Remembering to always press to the print, or to the side that has the most print… will make for nicely nested seams when joining your blocks and rows.

All seams are ¼” and are sewn with fabrics right sides together. Please note:

“[ ]” denotes Charm quilt instructions and “{ }” denotes Layer Cake quilt instructions.

[CHARM QUILT 24″ x 30″ Finished]
1 package Moda Snippets Charms (or forty 5″ squares)
¾ yd. Moda Bella Solids – Snow (9900-11) for background
¼ yd. for binding
1 yd. for backing
30″ x 36″ batting

CUTTING:
From 5″ SNIPPET charms, cut:
40) charms into 4½” squares

From MODA BELLA SNOW, cut:
5) 4½” strips
–> sub-cut into 40) 4½” squares

——– OR ——–

{LAYER CAKE QUILT 66″ x 82½” Finished}
1 package of Moda Snippets Layer Cake slices (or forty 10″ squares)
2⅞ yds. Moda Bella Solids – Snow (9900-11) for background
⅝ yd. for binding
5 yds. for backing
72″ x 89″ batting

LAYER CAKE QUILT CUTTING:
From 10″ SNIPPET Layer Cake slices, cut:
40) slices into 9¾” squares

From MODA BELLA SNOW, cut:
10) 9¾” strips
–> sub-cut into 40) 9¾” squares

1. Layer a print square and a background square. Right sides together.

2. Join fabrics with a seam on each side.

3. Cut joined unit into three equal slices in the same direction as your seams.

[1½” slices for Charm quilt]

{3¼” slices for Layer Cake quilt}

4. Press each seamed end slice unit toward the print. Layer a center slice unit to each end slice unit.

5. Join, right sides together with a ¼” seam.

6. Press to the print on both units.

7. The back will look like this:

8. Layer each unit (right sides together) with the seams horizontal.

9. Join units with a ¼” seam on each side.

10. Cut joined unit into three equal slices in the same direction as your just made seams.

[1½” slices for Charm quilt]

{3¼” slices for Layer Cake quilt}

11. Press end slices toward the side that has the most print.

12. Layer a center slice unit to each end slice unit.

13. Join units with a ¼” seam.

14. Press end slices toward the side that has the most print. You will yield two 9-patch blocks:
— One block will have 5 print squares – a “5 print block”
— One block will have 4 prints squares – a “4 print block”

15. Lay out your blocks on a design wall or favorite design laying area in rows of 8 blocks, each block alternating with a “5 print block” and a “4 print block”. Start your first row with a “4 print block”, the second row starting with a “5 print block” – alternating with each new row. Make 10 rows.

Join blocks in each row, always pressing to the “5 print block”.

Join rows to finish quilt. Layer, baste, quilt as desired. Bind. Fin.

Along with background fabric… a 40 count charm pack will yield a 24″ x 30″ quilt top… and a 40 count Moda Layer Cake pack will yield a 66″ x 82½” quilt top.

This fun 9-patch method can be used on any size square of fabric, as long as you trim up your square so that it can be divided equally into thirds.
Have a happy patchtastic day!
Monica/Happy Zombie

Pinwheel Baby Quilt

1 Charm Pack of Snippets by American Jane {40 squares}
1 1/4 yd. Moda Bella Solid White
1/3 yd. for Binding
1 1/4 yd. Backing and Batting

All seams are 1/4″
From White Cut:
3 – 5″ x 44″ strips (for pinwheels): Cut again into 5″ squares:
Cut again in half diagonally
4 – 2″ x 44″ strips (for inner border)
4 – 5″ x 44″ strips (for outer border)
From Charm Pack Prints:
Choose 24 Charm Squares:

Cut in half diagonally
Cut remaining Charm Square Prints into 2 1/2″ squares (for prairie points)
Sew White triangles to Print triangles, long sides together.
Press towards print.
Sew 4 of these squares to make one Pinwheel block.
I pressed seams open when joining squares to eliminate bulk.

Make 12 Blocks and Square to 8 1/2″
Sew Pinwheel blocks 3 to a row
Sew 4 rows
Sew 2″ inner border strip to top and bottom, then sides

Make Prairie Points:

Fold a 2 1/2″ square in half diagonally

Fold diagonally again and press
Pin points to inner border on quilt, as shown. Overlap just a tad bit.
(Hint: pin all points to quilt top. There should be exactly the right amount of points. Should you run short, use a little of your binding or backing fabric to cut a few)

Baste points close to the edge as shown
Sew 5″ outer border strip to top and bottom, trim excess, sew sides, trim excess

Iron outer border towards outer edge of quilt.
Back, Quilt and Bind!

A really cute, nice sized { finished size 36″ x 44″ } baby quilt
made with 1 Charm pack and a bit of fabric!
Can’t beat that.

Happy Quilting! ooxx`jodi @{pleasant-home.com}

Reversible Pocket Calendar Cover

Little inexpensive clear vinyl covered pocket calendars can go from ho-humm functional – to oh-so-cute in a matter of minutes. The pocket calendars with the clear removable covers can be found in almost any store that sells office supplies, and can occasionally be found at “dollar stores”.

• 2 slices of a Moda Layer Cake (2 – 10″ x 10″ squares). Snippets by American Jane featured.
• 1 pocket calendar with clear vinyl removable cover
• Iron-on Adhesive for fabric (example, Heat n Bond Lite)

1. Select two Layer Cakes (2 – 10″ x 10″ squares), and remove vinyl cover from calendar.

2. Cut a piece of iron-on adhesive larger then your calendar. A good half inch extra on all four sides is plenty.

3. Iron on the adhesive (according to manufacture’s instructions) – bumpy side down, paper side up – to the WRONG side of your fabric. Leave yourself a 1/4” clearance near the edge of your fabric and the adhesive so you don’t fuse your project to your ironing board.

4. Remove the adhesive’s paper after ironing.

5. Place second fabric, WRONG side down – so adhesive is sandwiched between your fabrics. Iron to fuse the pieces together.

6. Place your calendar over your fused fabric unit, at least a 1/2″ in from the side and bottom. This will insure your sandwiched unit will be fused on all four sides (this will help prevent fraying). Mark the four corners of the calendar with a pencil as a cutting guide.

7. Trim unit using your pencil marks as your guide. TIP: It is better to cut larger, and then trim as needed to fit unit inside your clear vinyl cover.

8. Slide fused unit in cover. You may need to do a little trimming to get it to fit accurately and neatly.

9. Insert calendar and you’re done! Done of course, unless you can’t decide which side of the fused unit to use. Alternating the sides of the fused unit takes only seconds to change.

One package of Moda Layer Cakes will yield 20 reversible calendar covers. Make 20 to give to your friends, family, co-workers and the appointmently challenged … or keep them for yourself to alternate with your mood, fashion/desk accessories or season.
You can take your personalized cover a step further – and embellish your cover with fused/ironed on applique pieces. Your iron is your oyster. Something like that.

Happy Days! And months. And year…
Monica