Skip to main content

Charlie Harper tote

by Linda Theil

9.5 x 9.5 x 5-inch "Forever Shopper-small" tote in "Purple Finch"
fabric from "Best of Charlie Harper collection by Birch Fabrics


For Christmas 2019, Alisa gave me a selection of fat quarters based on the art of Charlie Harper. While each fabric is incredibly beautiful, the designs didn't harmonize in any way that I could work into a quilt, so the Charlie Harpers have been stewing in my stash all these months. I had just finished making my second Diane Spencer Ogg "Forever Shopper", and had returned to the Charlie Harper conundrum when I realized I could use a single Charlie Harper fat quarter as part of a two-toned tote in the small-sized "Forever Shopper" pattern.

I used a fat quarter of the "Purple Finch" design from "Best of Charlie Harper" collection by Birch Fabrics to make a 9.5 x 9.5 x 5-inch tote. 


I cut the fat quarter into two 11 x 18-inch pieces and sewed the pieces to each side of a 11 x 18-inch piece of a coordinating solid fabric. Because the "Purple Finch" design is a directional fabric, I had to sew one piece to the solid-colored fabric upside-down so that when the tote was assembled each panel would appear right-side up.

Because the tote is unlined, to give the fabric body and stability I quilted the fabric to a cream colored cotton in a 1.5-inch diamond design.

The handles are cotton webbing folded and stitched through the center, leaving a flange on either end to attach to the tote.

The tote features an interior, zippered pocket.

Because I eliminated an interior slide pocket, I decided to make a coordinating pouch using the Diane Spencer-Ogg "Cosmetics Pod" pattern featured free on the Spencer-Ogg website. 

Although I've made many of these little pouches, this is the first time I tried making one with quilted fabric. I used the quilt-as-you-go method to attach pieces of the black and cream cotton fabrics used in the tote, then added some extra quilting to the piece before cutting out the pod pattern.

Spencer-Ogg Forever Shopper - Small, and
 coordinating Spencer-Ogg Cosmetics Pod

UPDATE: April 13, 2021

Full-sized "Spencer-Ogg Forever Shopper" tote made with Birch Fabrics' Charlie Harper "White-breasted Nuthatch" design. 


This is my first tote featuring riveted handles. 

Resources

Birch Organic Fabric Charlie Harper Fabrics
https://birchfabrics.com/product-category/charley-harper-fabric/

Charlie Harper fabrics
https://www.charleyharper.com/products/fabrics.html

"Mother Goose shopper" by Linda Theil on AppletonDance
http://appletondance.blogspot.com/2021/03/mother-goose-shopper.html#.YGMia7RKhMY

Diane Spencer-Ogg
https://www.spencerogg.com/

Spencer-Ogg Forever Shopper pattern
https://www.spencerogg.com/product/the-forever-shopper-pdf-bag-sewing-pattern-in-2-sizes/
Forever Shopper video introduction
https://youtu.be/WMinmWrLeSs



"Carrot Mug Rug" by Linda Theil on AppletonDance

Comments

Cathy said…
Simply beautiful and what an excellent, detailed explanation. You have a way with words! Love it!!

3/30/2021
Elisabeth Waugaman said…
Beautiful and amusing for those who know about Nuthatches, who can hang upside down! (-:
Wearable, portable art! (-:
5/13/2021
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Notes on Purl Soho Cross-back Apron pattern

Purl Soho Cross-back Apron, regular sized,  front view Purl Soho Cross-back Apron, regular sized,   back view by Linda Theil This is the Purl Soho Cross-back Apron featured on their website at  https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2015/11/20/cross-back-apron . Their page includes complete directions for making this one-size-fits-most apron with large, side-pockets and cross-back straps. This retro apron is so nicely made and looks so much like the apron my grandma wore in the Nineteen-fifties that I had to make one for my friend who appreciates the nostalgia and the beauty of this design. Although this apron pattern, as published, can adjust to several sizes from 2-10; I also made a larger option, adjusting the width of the pattern pieces to accommodate up to size 16 and up. Size adjustment may also be made by varying the length of the straps. These notes are a record of my experience with the pattern, and should only be viewed as...
13 comments
Read more

Plover Pouch adaptation

by linda Theil I made several adaptations to Noodlehead's "Plover Pouch" for Emerson's birthday present. I had previously given her a medium-sized "Plover Pouch" that she added a cross-body strap to, so thought I'd make her a larger, sturdier bag with the crossbody strap built in. I modified the zip-end detail featured in the pattern to allow me to insert the strap ends into the top of the gusset. The "Plover Pouch" pattern includes three sizes with the largest measuring 12 x 7.5 x 4-inches. For the large bag, I used "Hedgehog Hollow" cottons by In the Beginning fabrics for the front and back exterior panels and the lining. I machine quilted the front and back panels to increase the stiffness of the bag, and I interfaced the lining with iron-on fleece as well. That was actually an accident, but the fleece interfacing in the lining worked out pretty well. The side-panel and bag-base gusset are made of Mora faux leather. I used a #5 dou...
Post a Comment
Read more

Notebook cover from Arabesque

by Linda Theil I just finished making the "Crafted Life Companion" notebook-cover designed by Australian Ali Phillips of Arabesque Scissors . I've made several of Phillips' patterns and have come to experience Phillips as creating at the same stratospheric level as English designer Diane Spencer Ogg for brilliant design innovation and attention to minute specificity in their patterns. Both creators are also highly professional and skilled presenters in their step-by-step demonstration videos for every design. Please see Phillips' video at the end of this post. The Arabesque notebook cover is designed to fit an A5 notebook size, and includes a sleeve for notepads up to 4 x 8-inches. Other pocket options are included in the pattern -- most of which I left out in my first version. I did take advantage of a marvelously useful innovation Phillips provided: a beautifully designed "coloring page" that helped enormously to keep all my pattern pieces organized....
Post a Comment
Read more