A little winter tale ...

I have been longing too much to make this idea into reality since 2 years ago… but I always can’t find time to start it.  Is it an excuse ?  I wonder .. :p

Few weeks ago, I have decided the shape of bag I wanted for this project and started to draft it out (at last !! ^v^).  At least there is a little progress to this project.  I take it pretty slow to slowly sew my heart out for the appliqués of the houses.  Yes, it’s made from the heart.  I just want to make sure these houses really make one feels so heartwarming when they see it. 

Here is the front view.

I have been thinking, what should I add to the back of this bag project ? A cute little bus reaching the home ?  snow man ? some beautiful writings ?  Finally I decided to use a snowing view, I simply love it.

Hmmm … to my surprise, I am actually working pretty fast when I decided to take it slow. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/StoryQuilt?section_id=11661173&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1

Rest is required now.   Am having some icy cold orange juice to refresh ... I just need it.

Hexagon patchwork basket bag.

This bag is completed, yahoo !!  It is just perfect as expected.  I hope you will love it ^v^!  The pattern will be available in my Etsy shop soon.

The entire bag is fully quilted.  Quilting allows the bag to maintain its shape and also very comfortable to the touch. 

The unique patchwork bag provides very idea shape to put all daily goodies.  You don’t have to rummaging about to look for things at all.  It’s light and easy to carry around.

The long handles also makes this bag very easy to carry, as a shoulder bag or handbag.  

I  hope you love this bag too ^v^ !

Am taking a break from now on !!

If you are interested to purchase this pattern, please feel free to email me at StoryQuilter@gmail.com or visit my Etsy shop.  ^v^

Sunbonnet Sue Bucket Applique Handbag PDF pattern available now !

It is December now, rainy season in Malaysia.  Rainy day is always romantic and don’t know why tropical rain always give me such warmful feeling.  This bag project theme was derived from rainy season.

Finally, it is completed. 

 Below is the back side of the bag

 The interior, I love to use different fabrics for the interior of my bag, it really add more character and personnel touch to a handmade bag.  The interior has a big pocket to put handy goodies like my subway card or keys.

 I can also add a clip on leather handles to turn this bag into a shoulder bag too.  Now it's a tote bag !  ^v^

If you are interested to purchase this pattern, please feel free to email me at 

StoryQuilter@gmail.com

or visit my Etsy shop at the link below. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/storyquilt

I hope you will like this work of mine too ^v^

Sunbonnet Sue & Missing chicken handbag

A-ha !!   Found these photos in my hard disk.  This Sunbonnet Sue and missing chicken handbag was actually my old work back in 2011.  Back at that time, I difficulty accessing to blogspot from Shanghai, In the end, I no longer do any blogging.  So since I “meet” these project photos again, I want to share them in my blog.

I like this scene so much, it’s nolstagic and heart warming and I remember that was my second project in machine applique.  Take a look at the expression of little chicken there.  The angle of its eyes was really a hard one and I remembered sweating a little when sewing the eyes ^v^ hahah….. can’t help laughing just to think of that moment.  It was really a big “phew” after completion.

Apart from that the shape of the bag is pretty unique too.  It may look small in the eye but you will be surprise that it can actually put quite a number of goodies (one of my biggest criteria when making bag too).   My only regret here is I never thought of making pattern for this one that time … (~n~).  Any way, it’s just so great to see this bag again.

I always want to add more surprises to my bag projects, see the bag side of the bag, apart from a beautiful quilted pattern, I added a little pretty Lily of the valley applique.  I love this flower so much and went searching for the flower language.  It said “Return of happiness, purity of heart, sweetness, tears of the Virgin Mary, you've made my life complete, humility, happiness, love's good fortune. The legend of the lily of the valley is that it sprang from Eve's tears when she was kicked out of the Garden of Eden. It is also believed that this flower protects gardens from evil spirits. Also known as the flower of May.”  What a perfect match of floral language for this bag. So it was added to my bag. 

What is the story of this bag, I will leave it for you to tell ^v^

About Anne Story Quilt original digital pattern file available in my Etsy now ^U^

Hello, everybody

Story Quilt About Anne cute tote bag digital pdf sewing pattern is available in my Etsy shop now.

The digital pattern is in photo illustrated step-by-step instructions.  I will guide you through almost every step, at the same time, I also use a more error proof way to help you through your sewing process. All you need to do is to understand every step and take it to your own pace.  Apart from making a beautiful bag for yourself or your love ones, you will surely enhance your quilted bag making skill from my pattern too.

If you wish to find out more about this pattern, please check out my Etsy shop or by clicking on the photo below.

If you are interested to purchase this pattern, please feel free to email me at 

StoryQuilter@gmail.com

or visit my Etsy shop at the link below. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/storyquilt

Weekend is coming soon, so any special plan ?  Enjoy your weekend ^v^

How to choose the right batting for your bag project ?

Choose thickness based on size of your project counts !

It is very much depends on the size of the bag.  If your project is going to be big, you will need thicker and more compact batting to provide a sturdy support to your big bag.

However, use a thinner batting for your small projects like pouches, pencil cases etc. The thinner batting is enough to provide good support to your small pouch at the same time presenting very neat result (not bulky and heavy).  Apart from that, thinner batting makes it easier for your to bind the pieces together. 

Below are photos of thick and thing batting.

Thick batting

Thick batting

Cotton or polyester batting ?

Polyester batting normally produces better support compared to cotton batting when making bags.  


When making 3 D flowers ?

If the instruction calls for batting, always use thinner batting.  Thicker batting will make your flower looks very heavy and lifeless.  Or another way is to use thick fabrics for your 3 D flowers, you don't need to use batting at all.

When you can’t find thick batting at your place?

Well, you can use 2 thin batting together, just perform more quilting to your project.  Quilting allows your work to becomes more sturdy.

Below :  I use thin batting for this Sunbonnet Sue pouch below, see the background is quilted with beautiful square to provide further support to the thin batting of this project. 

(If you are looking for this beautiful sewing pattern, please visit my Etsy shop at the link below

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/162123330/make-your-own-sunbonnet-sue-pencil-case?ref=listing-shop-header-0  

When making big quilt project that requires larger batting

Simply bind the pieces together using your sewing machine.

Another funny idea, not for commercial use

This was suggested by my quilting friends in Taiwan.  For certain countries, some of you may not be able to buy batting that easily.   There is a good way for your to save your batting by binding the smaller pieces together.  Some of my friends used the batting as the cotton for varnishing their nail color.  Hahah..  I pretty love this no wastage, stay green idea.

But for this method, I would suggest you to use the batting for personnel use only.  ^v^

Completed with relief !

I can’t wait to see the result of this bag, so far so good.  I just completed all the appliques.  This is the result of my applique tips here ^v^  I will be quilting them tomorrow.  I hope you will like my works 

Please refer to my tips for making applique works, it may help you a lot in your future projects.

http://storyquilt.blogspot.com/2014/07/important-tips-for-making-applique-bag.html

Time for me to stop for the day 

Diary of a little cat series is out for sell now.

2013 is really a busy year for me.  There are so many changes in my life.  I recently moved back from Shanghai to Kuala Lumpur.  Though back to our country, we still find it very difficult to adjust.  Not only that, I also went through a minor operation just few weeks ago.  Though the operation was minor one, I still feel the slight pain from time to time.  BUT I still work on things I love the most ... handmade goods ^v^.

Here are my latest series, available for sell in Etsy.  (Please be informed that 2 of them were sold out on the day they were launched ).

Available for sell in Etsy :  ^v^

http://www.etsy.com/listing/152499768/story-quilt-diary-of-a-little-cat-series?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=story+quilt&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_search_type=all

Please note that the one of the Left and Right were sold out on the day they were launched .  Thank you ^v^

 Please feel free to join my Facebook to see more photos of my works ^v^

https://www.facebook.com/story.quilt.9

Sunbonnet Sue time for breakfast tote bag.

Hello  everybody.  Thank you for all your support all this while.  I have not been able to update anything lately because China bans accessed to Facebook and Blogspot.  Since I am having few day short break in Hong Kong, I am updating all my works now.  Hope you will love them. 

If you wish to see my future works, kindly join my Facebook here 

https://www.facebook.com/story.quilt.9

of Facebook Page 

https://www.facebook.com/StoryQuilt?ref=hl

Front of the bag - little Sunbonnet Sue with friends going to have breakfast soon.

Back of bag - beautiful patchwork designs

Side of bag

Sold out within minutes when I launched in Facebook ^v^

A simple pouch

  I wanted to make this pouch since long time ago but couldn't find a slot to make it.  I am now back to my home town for holidays, so now is really a good time to make it.  This pouch / bag pattern is based to the following book

Here is the bag I am very interested in. 

Have a look at this pattern.  I added a zipper to the pocket area, also enlarge the pocket to about 1 1/2 cm.

29/5/2010  Very close to completion now.  The last thing to do is to embroider the X stitches to the Hexagon patchwork.

2/6/10  Here we are.

Instead of using plain fabrics for the inner fabric, I prefer to use colorful pattern fabrics for the interial.  Take a look