Ah, Friday – I am so happy to see you! I know y’all are excited to see what my surprise is, but you know I like to build some suspense. :p Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from scrolling to the bottom to see what it is! I’ll give you a hint – it’s a giveaway and it involves this post and some organization. More about that at the bottom! Right now, let’s take a look at how to turn charm squares into a quilted tote. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you what a charm square is too – in case you don’t know!
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What is a Charm Square?
Did you know you could buy pre-cut fabric to help you get a head start on your quilt? This is a great way to whip up a quilt top or smaller project (like this bag!) in no time flat! A charm square is a 5″ x 5″ piece of fabric and they come in packs of about 42 pieces usually. I recently bought 2 Alison Glass charm square packs and I’ve divided them up into 3 different pattern sets.
Square Layout & Sewing
The first thing I do before sewing quilt pieces together is lay them out so I can decide how I want it to look. A good tip is to take a picture and look at in black and white. This will help you balance darks and lights better.
Cutting Corners and Adding Batting
To make this into a tote, we’ll need to cut some corners! I’m using my gridded quilting ruler and rotary cutter to cut 2″ squares out of two corners. Stop a little before the corner to prevent over cutting. Then snip the rest with some scissors. You could also trace a line to cut with the scissors.
Sewing the Bag Together
Once both sides are quilted to your liking, trim off the excess batting and lay them face to face. Sew down both sides and the bottom using a 1/2″ seam. A larger seam is better for sewing garments and accessories together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This giveaway has ended ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now for the fun part! I will be giving away this tote to one lucky reader! OR maybe you would like one in one of the other pattern styles! All you have to do is tell me which is your favorite by picking from the list below and leaving me a comment. There’s a picture of the other fabrics and how they will be arranged.
Drafting Patterns ~ The bag in the tutorial.
Dot to Dot ~
Floating Floral ~
But wait! There’s more! I’ll be filling the bag with some things to help you with starting your own planner, but you’ll have to come back Monday to see what it is. I’m such a teaser! :p
Hope y’all have a great weekend and don’t forget to vote on your favorite to be entered to win. The choices are:
- Drafting Patterns
- Dot to Dot
- Floating Floral
P.S. Sign up for Teadoddle’s Newsletter and get an extra entry!