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Loop-strap tote

by Linda Theil Alisa liked this tote for its simple and whimsical loop-strap closure, so she bought the "Loop Bag" PDF pattern from Motif Studio and sent me her request. The bag is simplicity itself, and comes with directions for two sizes. We chose the 8x10x6-inch small tote as an experiment to see if we like the concept in use. Not to be confused with the popular "dumpling" or "knot" bag, the Loop Bag features a simple closure using a long loop strap that slips through a short-loop strap to secure the top opening of the tote. We chose a sophisticated palette of two grays from the Tilda "Chambray" collection and a coordinating dot from the Tilda "Chambray Dots" collection for our tote. I have a nice selection of fabrics from these collections in my fat-quarter stash, but had to use two fat quarters for the exterior and two coordinating fat quarters for the lining because I could only fit one pattern piece of each on a single fat-quarte...
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Matisse sling

by Linda Theil This bag is the "Mini Traveler Sling Pouch" available from Kandou Patterns on Etsy. I fabricated this sling from the Gingiber "Imaginary Flowers" collection for a young woman who loves Matisse. The large floral print from the collection features a Matisse quote: "There are always flowers for those who want to see them." Matisse sling, front I have altered the original pattern to change a slanted zip to a straight-line zip pocket on the front, and added a large slip pocket on the back instead of the original vertical, inset pocket. Both the original front slip pocket and the added back slip pocket extend the full length and width of the bag body. Matisse sling back Because I replaced the back zip pocket with a slip pocket, I birthed the bag through the zip pocket on the front, instead of through the back zip pocket as the pattern is written. The webbing is 1.5-inch wide "sand" from Penny Supply on Etsy . The hardware is  CRAFTMEMOR...

Tiny "Plover" with slip/zip pocket

by Linda Theil To complete my trifecta of Noodlehead's "Plover Pouch" , I made the bag in the smallest size -- eight by five by 2.5-inches -- presented in the pattern. I included a scaled-down, interior version of the slip/zip pocket that I refitted for the Plover based on the slip/zip pocket featured in Noodlehead's "Fireply Tote" pattern. The small-sized slip/zip pocket is shown in the photo above. Information on how to create the slip/zip pocket for both the medium and small "Plover Pouch" is available in the AppletonDance blog post, "Slip/sip pocket construction" . I made this tiny Plover using cuts from a fabric panel that my thoughtful sister-in-law sent me as a gift recently. The panel featuring cardinals and chickadees is titled "Winter Elegance" by Jackie Robinson of Animas Quilt published by Benartex, LLC in 2020. "Winter Elegance" 24 x 46 inches In addition to the cotton panel, the exterior of the bag is ma...

Zippy ad bag

by Linda Theil I am a big fan of making bags out of advertising materials and this medium-sized Noodlehead "Plover Pouch" made of remnants from the Lori Holt "Calico Home Decor Zippy Bags 2 Project Panel" is no exception. When I cut it out, I knew the bag would be cute; but, not this cute! The gusset is Bison Brown Prairie faux leather from Emmaline Bags in Alberta, Canada. More one-of-a-kind, AppletonDance art-bags made from advertising materials: Zingerman's Sling Re-use promotional tote bags Logo tote remake American Spoon mini-traveler Starbucks mini-sling

Pineapple pie Plover

by Linda Theil I finished the medium-sized Noodlehead  "Plover Pouch"  using scraps from the Lori Holt "Calico Home Decor Zippy Bags 2 Project Panel" and "Multi Pineapple Pie" yardage from her "Baked with Love  Home Dec" collection. I planned the pouch to accompany the large-sized Plover I made recently. The medium Plover pouch measures 9x8x3-inches, and features a slip/zip pocket I altered from the Noodlehead "Firefly Tote" pattern to fit the front pattern-piece of this medium-sized Plover. For more information on the slip/zip pocked alteration see "Slip/zip pocket construction" on this blog.  The back of the medium-sized pouch is cut from the Lori Holt "Multi Pineapple Pie" yardage and the dark green lining is from the Gingeber "Imaginary Flowers" collection,

Slip/zip pocket construction

by Linda Theil The purpose of this post is to describe the basic construction of a dual slip pocket and zippered pocket that can be adapted to the interior or exterior, front or back pattern pieces of many bag designs. I describe this pocket and its inspiration in a previous post titled "Autumn pouch".   To make a basic seven-inch wide by eight-inch long combined slip/zip pocket that may be incorporated into many bag designs you will need four pieces of fabric. This specific pocket was sized to fit a Noodlehead "Plover" design MEDIUM. Cut sizes for the Noodlehead "Plover" SMALL are also included in the fabric listing below. In any size, the process is the same for construction. All pieces in this basic, slip/zip pocket demonstration will be seven-inches wide. You will also need an eight- to nine-inch length of #5 zipper tape and zipper pull. (Yes, you can use any size zipper you like, but not much shorter than eight inches or so.) #1 One piece of matching,...

Autumn pouch

  by Linda Theil I made another large Noodlehead "Plover Pouch" from the Lori Holt "Calico Home Decor Zippy Bags 2 Project Panel" last week. This time I hand-embroidered the autumn-themed design to quilt the front panel.  I used Bison Brown Prarie faux leather for the pouch gusset and zipper panels, and Mustard Mora faux leather -- both from Emmaline Bags in Alberta -- for the pouch back.  Ben 3D printed a " Chubby Cat Keychain-Charm Kitty Figurine " for my zipper pull with a free pattern from MakerWorld.com . I attempted to adapt a combined slip/zip pocket featured in Noodlehead's "Firefly Tote" pattern for my large Plover with no success, but I used one of my experiments as a zippered pocket in the interior of this current Plover incarnation. After purchasing the Firefly pattern and watching the free Noodlehead sew-along for the "Firefly Tote" on YouTube, I was able to adapt the slip/zip pocket to fit a medium-sized Plover that ...