The Urge to do Another...

I really enjoyed the result of the checkerboard, vinyl-front project bag from the previous post.  I had another charm pack in my stash - one I had purchased at Quilter's Cupboard a few months ago. At the same time, the coordinating fabric was purchased as well. I used it for the lining of the project bag I made for Barb using the French General Bleu de France charm squares.

To do the checkerboard back for the new project bag I used the same technique as the 'ugly' placements I made a couple of months ago. For this project, there are 7 columns and 6 rows = 42 squares. 21 dark squares and 21 light squares. Each charm 5" square cuts to four 2.5" squares, so 6 of each one are needed.

First, I draw a 2.5" grid on the fusible side of featherweight interfacing. Then I lay out the dark squares in every other square and fill in with the light squares, taking care not to duplicate a square in the same row or column, and, if possible not in the adjacent diagonal square.

To me, it's like solving a puzzle. This could also be done with light, medium, and dark squares as in the photo above. Taking a photo makes it easier to see anomalies or mistakes.

The next step is to carefully take the unit to the ironing board and iron the squares in place onto the interfacing. Again, stand back and check for mistakes and that the patterns in the squares are oriented correctly. Changes can be made by peeling the squares off, relocating, and re-ironing them in place. I always start with the darks in the bottom corners so know that is always the bottom.

Take the fused unit and fold an outer column onto its adjacent column, right sides together. Sew a 1/4" seam in from the fold. Then do the same for the next columns until you have completed all the vertical seams. Press all the columns in one direction. Be careful not to use too hot a setting on the iron so as not to damage the interfacing.

Then do the same for the horizontal rows. I like to make my horizontal seams slightly larger than 1/4" so the finished bag is a little shorter than 12" but that is just personal preference. Press the seams downward.

I tried something new this time. I took my thin, micro serrated scissors and cut the interfacing folds on the horizontal seams,

then pressed them open. This was to try and eliminate some of the bulk. I'm OK with leaving the bulk of the vertical seams as it gives the bag some structure/firmness.

I then cut the fusible batting to match the dimensions of the checkerboard piece, then pinned the back of the checkerboard to the non-fusible side of the batting through the dark squares. The backing fabric will be fused to the other side of the batting in a later step.

I prefer using a walking (quilting) foot for any sewing through multiple layers or batting.

For the quilting, I drew diagonals through the lighter squares. This could also have been done just through just the dark squares.

I used tailor's chalk but next time I'll use a water soluble pen. 

On previous bags I've used a heat erasable (Frixion) pen but am concerned that if the bag gets cold (i.e. sitting in a car in the winter) the dark lines will reappear. No worries if that happens, they can be removed again with a hot blow dryer or iron.

Then with matching thread, I quilted through the light squares and 3mm stitch length. Rather than cut the thread each time, I just rotated to the closest line that needed to be quilted. Then brushed away all the chalk marks.

This will be the inside of my project bag facing outwards through the vinyl. 

This is where I stopped today.

The next step is to prep the zipper and vinyl for the front. 

From the backing fabric, cut a 2.5" strip slightly wider than the checkerboard. Then a second 3" strip the same width. Press the first strip in half lengthways. This will be the binding above the zipper teeth. Press the wider strip in half lengthways then the long edges in towards the centre fold, creating a double fold strip. The vinyl will fit between and the single fold will be the binding below the zipper. 

With the closed zipper pull to the left and extra length of the zipper hanging out both sides, butt the upper binding's folded edge against the upper teeth of the zipper and clip into place. The raw edges will form the top edge of the bag's front. 

Helpful hint: use double sided basting tape on the zipper to tack the binding in place before sewing.

Sew 1/8" in from the fold, attaching the binding to the zipper. Then another seam 1/4" above that seam.

Lay the zipper and its top binding on the quilted piece aligning the raw edges with the top of the quilted piece. Measure down from the lower zipper teeth to the bottom of the quilted piece. This will be the length to cut the vinyl. After cutting the vinyl, enclose its top edge in the lower zipper binding then butt the fold up to the bottom edge of the zipper. If unzipped, it will be easy to clip the lower binding into place.

Sew a seam 1/8" away from the zipper teeth. This will secure the vinyl inside its binding to the lower zipper tape. Then a second seam 1/4" lower to secure the lower edge of the binding to the vinyl.

The front of the bag is now finished. Square up and trim the front to match the quilted piece, making sure the zipper pull is inside the width of the quilted piece. 

The backing can be done in three ways:

Option 1: (backing fabric creates the binding)

Baste the quilted piece to the vinyl front with a 1/8" seam on all 4 sides. Take care to keep the clips within a 1/4" margin so marks won't show on the vinyl.

Cut the backing fabric 1" larger on all sides and carefully centering it, fuse to the back of the quilted piece. Fold the extended fabric in half then in half again, over the edge of the front to create the binding and clip into place. Sew a 1/8" seam all around, carefully mitering the corners and securing the binding.

Option 2: (completely sewn binding)

Cut the backing fabric the same size as the quilted piece. Fuse the wrong side of the backing fabric to the fusible batting, creating the back of the quilted piece. Baste the completed quilted piece to the vinyl front with a 1/8" seam on all sides. Take care to keep the clips within a 1/4" margin so marks won't show on the vinyl.

Cut enough 2.5" strips and sew to make a 60" binding. Press in half lengthways. Align the raw edges of the binding along the raw edge of the back of the basted unit, clip in place  and sew 1/4" seam all around, mitering the corners and finishing the two binding ends. Fold the attached binding over to the front of the bag, and sew a 1/8" seam, securing the binding all around.

Option 3: (hand-sewn binding)

Cut the backing fabric the same size as the quilted piece. Fuse the wrong side of the backing fabric to the fusible batting, creating the back of the quilted piece. Baste the completed quilted piece to the vinyl front with a 1/8" seam on all sides. Take care to keep the clips within a 1/4" margin so marks won't show on the vinyl.

Cut binding strips and press as directed in Option 2 above. Clip in place to the edges of the front of the bag and sew 1/4" seam all around, trimming and securing the two ends. Fold over to the back of the bag and hand stitch into place. Caution: Be careful to only sew into the batting. If you sew all the way through the quilted squares, your stitches will sew through the batting, as shown in the previous blog post.

The finished bag is about 14" x 12". An advantage of doing this bag is that less fabric is required - a fat quarter would easily work for the backing and binding of Option 1 above as no additional strips of fabric need to be used. Just a larger piece of vinyl is needed.