Newbie needs help with 1st project

While I have some machine experience, I have had no experience at patchwork/quilting.

After lurking around the NGs I decided that today was the day when I would dive in and purchase the fabric (I already have most of the other essentials such as cutting mat, rotary cutter and ruler (not to mention the most important essential - courage).

I need a new tote bag and thought this might be a good project to start with and so trundled along to my fabric store where, of course, I was stupefied by the vast range of choices. Not being afraid to call HELP, I explained my predicament to one of the staff.

Her reaction was along the lines of 'Oh, no not another beginner!' and I did feel I was imposing on her valuable time (even though I was the only one in the store). Feeling a bit intimidated I chose 3 fabrics each measuring half a yard along with the same amount of wadding and left.

So here I sit asking cyberspace for help. The fabric colours are (1) mid blue plain; (2) a teal blue and white check with random splotches of emerald green, mid blue, purple (3) an abstract pattern with all the colours of the check with an additional cherry colour, with the mid blue the most dominant.

Do I have sufficient fabric? Any suggestions would be appreciated whether they be a design for a block or blocks, whether I should incorporate another colour or any tips that might help me make this project.

I am determined to make my new bag and hopefully use it with the special pride that comes from DIY.

Cireen

Reply to
Isee
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Hi, Cireen! How do you pronounce your name? It looks lovely. :-)

In answer to your question: Do I have sufficient fabric? The answer is always "no". You may have enough to do a tote bag (I dunno, never made one), but that is not sufficient. You need more. Much more. And then some.

Reply to
frood

Welcome aboard Cireen!!

Do you have a pattern (store bought or hand drawn) for the bag? What will the finished size be? Will it be lined? Are you going to quilt it when your done? These are a few questions that come to mind when trying to determine if you have enough fabric. =20

=46or a project like this, you might c>While I have some machine experience, I have had no experience at >patchwork/quilting.

Reply to
IMS

Hi, I'm also a newbie and I'm making a handbag using the pattern from this site

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I'm just making it using smaller squares to give a handbag rather than a tote bag.

HAve fun Sarah

Reply to
Sarah Dixon

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This link appeared on the ng some time ago. I printed out the instructions, and it looks pretty simple. Made from 16 8-inch squares. You could use plain squares of your fabrics -they sound lovely -or you could piece some stars. Maybe piece 4 star blocks for all the #3 squares (look at the pattern for this to make sense).

Reply to
Roberta Zollner

Thanks Wendy for the nice comment about my name which is pronounced serene, although my DH tells me life with me is anything but :). As for your observations on 'sufficient fabric' I agree we never have enough. I had a built-in cupboard (some 9ft wide x 8ft high) constructed in my sewing room and mistakenly believed this would be an adequate size to accommodate my stash but have come to the conclusion the room needs elastic walls :0) Is it just me or do others also struggle with accommodation for the self-expanding stash?

Reply to
Isee

Hi, Cireen!

Stash expands to fit the space available. Your idea of "available space" may not be the same as the stash's.

Thanks for letting me know about your name. I love knowing that sort of thing as I read the posts. It saves guessing and coming out wrong! Or pronouncing an abbreviated name as if it were a word, but not the right word. For instance, I'm still reading nzl* as "nasal star" instead of New Zealand Star. (Sorry, Jeanne! I think I still owe you a FQ for that one!) Could be worse. There used to be one I read as "nibble harder".

Reply to
frood

i say N Zed L star. they dont say zee but zed downunder for that letter. i'm easy to please, heck i'm not turning down any pretty fabrics but dont feel obliged...the thot alone pleases me :D. jeanne*

Reply to
nzl*

Ooooh smells great! BTW if you ever need any help or to chat and want a really quick reply just email me!

Reply to
Sharon Harper

I think everybody needs/wants to live to that sort of age to get everything done!

Welcome Cireen! I'm also near Newcastle Australia, email me if you like. :-)

Reply to
melinda

Re: Newbie needs help with 1st project snipped-for-privacy@mybox.com.au (Isee)

As for your observations on 'sufficient fabric' I agree we never have enough. :0) Is it just me or do others also struggle with accommodation for the self-expanding stash?

Reply to
sewingbythecea

Those of us who do both, have twice the stash because you never know when the tiniest piece might fit into a quilt so you save it, and then, of course, you buy more material for a quilt just in case, and then you look thru the remnants at places like JoAnn you buy them cause you never know, might be enough to make something for the kids or it might be enough to fit into a quilt someday!

Carey

Reply to
Carey1003

I swear the damned stuff breeds behind my back! I put it all in plastic crates in the loft: I think if I got it all down in one go it would scare me!

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Hi

Is all the material exactly the same composition, IE, cotton, polyester etc?

Best wishes

Lynne

Reply to
NormanNotsam

Hi Almost all material will tell you the composition, i.e.. 100% cotton, 50% cotton/50% poly, 100% wool.

I have always been puzzled when you find two fabrics that both say " 100% cotton", but one will wrinkle like the devil when washed yet the other doesn't need pressing at all. Very frustrating when making children's clothes that you plan for "wash and wear". How can you tell about them other than the old " grab tight" trick at the store? Thank you in advance.

Reply to
gail

That's the easy way. Fabrics with high twist yarns or creped yarns tend to have better resistance to wrinkles than ones with softer or straight yarns. Also, various post-weaving finishes contribute to wrinkle-resistance.

Kay Lancaster snipped-for-privacy@fern.com

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

Lynne, you can tell, to a certain extent, by the feel of the fabric. Very good cottons, made of long-staple fibers, do not wrinkle, and they tend to have a silkier feel to them. It's very subtle, and it takes a while to "educate your fingers" to know how a fabric will launder, wear, etc.

The grab trick doesn't always work, either, since sometimes there are finishes applied to the fabric in processing, and these may wash out, leaving the fabric completely limp. Your best bet is to buy from a reputable dealer, and stay away from the bargain stuff at Wal-Mart.

Another trick I've done with laundry, for many years, is to only dry it partway, then immediately take it out of the dryer and hang it up to dry the rest of the way, smoothing out as many of the wrinkles left as I can. This works with jeans, knit things, cotton shirts, and my husband's pants. But you have to be able to hear when the dryer stops, so if your laundry room is far from the rest of the house this might be difficult to do. Luckily, our house has a laundry room between the family room and the kitchen, where I spend most of my time.

Hope this helps! Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

Reply to
SewStorm

Some of that "bargain" fabric at WalMart really is a bargain. Some is not. Always pre-wash fabric before cutting. Before you buy, read the end of the bolt, too. There are times when there is no information, then you rely on your hands (and nose), and if the price is low enough you may gamble and win .... or lose.

Reply to
Joanne

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