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Landscape tote

by Linda Theil

I recently learned that the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild's 2027 quilt show will have an entry category for accessories, so I thought I might make a bag to enter in the show. I had a quilted landscape that I'd made in Karen Eckmeier's "Accidental Landscapes" workshop; and I thought that UFO might make a nice panel for a tote.

The workshop was a lot of fun. For those interested in pursuing her technique, Karen Eckmeier has produced an "Accidental Landscapes Magic" YouTube video and an Accidental Landscapes (Quilted Lizard, 2008) book available from Amazon.

For my quilted panel, I had used fabrics from Sarah Sczepanski's "Rust & Bloom" collection of monoprints published by Free Spirit Fabrics in 2023. I had purchased a half-yard bundle of the collection, so I had several fabric choices to use in the construction of my new tote.

British designer Diane Spencer-Ogg just released a new, small-tote pattern, the "Clever Core Tote", that would fit my landscape panel perfectly; except that the new pattern featured seams down the center of the bag front and back. 

So instead of seaming the centers of the front and back panels, I seamed the front and back on the sides so I could use my panel. To accomplish this, I cut four of the lining pattern pieces: two for the lining, one for the exterior back, and one cut out of the landscape panel for the exterior front. I didn't make any other changes to the design, and the bag went together without any difficulties. But, the next time I will use the pattern as designed.

The main feature of the 16x10x4-inch tote is a fully attached, zippered pouch included in the interior. The bag also has a large, interior, zippered pocket that is used to turn the bag after assembly. The pattern includes information on installing short grab handles or shoulder straps; but, I made longer grab handles with a standard nine-inch drop. Also, I did not install an optional security flap incuded in the pattern.

I did include the optional "base" reinforcement and secured it by sewing the short sides into the seam allowances of the exterior corner seams as indicated in the pattern. I used a very heavy pellon interfacing because I didn't have enough Peltex to make the pattern piece. This reinforcement is hidden by the lining after installation. I think this method is a nice, neat option for stiffening the base of any bag with a boxed bottom.

Although the tote is very nice, I think it would have been better if I had taken the time to remove the framing from the original landscape panel and instead have incorporated the panel more smoothly into the sides and back of the tote. I don't think I will enter it into the guild show, but I think I can make good use of it for carrying tech.

Back of altered Spencer-Ogg pattern "Clever Core Tote" in "Bloom" fabric from artist Sarah Sczepanski's original 2023 "Rust & Bloom" monoprint collection from Free Spirit Fabrics; tote fabricated by Linda Theil, 2026.

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