Easiest Accessory Bags Ever
Jun 28th, 2009 by Kathy
Easiest Accessory Bags Ever is a sewing pattern by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts. It’s been on my ‘to make’ list for some time now. Leil’s birthday party provided the opportunity. I managed to make 3 of them while staying up late to monitor the sleep over goings ons. Not a recommended approach, I was still threading drawstrings early the next morning, finishing up just before I made the bacon and pancakes.
While the sizes are accurate on the pattern description, I totally underestimated what 19″ x 21″ meant! I envisioned cute little drawstring bags for the party favors. What resulted were these fabulous large bags that the moms were eying as the girls got picked up!
The pattern includes instructions for 3 different sized bags: the large Laundry & Gym Bag (19″ x 21″, the one I made), a medium Girly Girl Handbag (11″ x12″) and a small Makeup & Travel Bag (7″ x 8″).
Step 3 was a little confusing for me. I was probably making it harder than it needed to be. Ultimately I sewed it in a way that was logical to me and after finishing I’m certain that was the same approach being described in the instructions. I took some pictures of Step 3 (above) and Step 4 (below).
I think this is an outstanding pattern. I love it for several reasons:
- A simple, classic design that is perfectly proportioned.
- The combination of using different fabrics for each piece made for a colorful project. I had fun picking out coordinating fabrics.
- The technique of sewing the lining to the exterior and then turning it inside out before sewing the sides results in lovely finished seams both on the interior and on the folded over drawstring casing. Simple, elegant and oh so functional!
Problems I encountered:
- I found Step 3 to be confusing as I describe above. It’s actually very simple. If you’re like me and take every word literally definitely look at my pictures. Just iron the seam allowance open and stitch it down as shown.
- FYI on the materials list: it is very tight on yardage! The large bag requires 3 fat quarters (18″ x 22″). The instructions call for cutting these down to 18″ x 21″. If you pre-wash your fabric then you may be short. After making the bag I realized it really wouldn’t effect the construction. Your exterior piece would end up shorter than the pattern called for and the lining could be cut to match. Similarly with the lining yardage. It calls for 3/4 yard (27″) and then instructs you to cut a 26 3/4″ strip. Again, if you pre-wash you’ll probably be short but ultimately you can just cut the lining and the exterior pieces to match before sewing them together.
Materials Used:
Pattern: Easiest Accessory Bags Ever by Fig Tree Quilts
Aiden Linen Natural for the exterior base
Ohinasama Princess (one side of exterior) by Alexander Henry in Pink, Green and Red
Ta Dots (one side of exterior) by Michael Miller in Ocean, Tangerine and Lime
Mod Geo (linings) by Michael Miller in Green, Aqua and Blush
The combos: Bag 1 - Pink, Ocean and Green. Bag 2 - Green, Tangerine and Aqua. Bag 3 - Red, Lime and Blush.
Now, a little Giveaway:
3 randomly drawn winners will receive the fabrics and pattern to make the Laundry Bags as shown (one in each colorway). I’d planned to do kits for the shop but it hasn’t happened in two weeks and it’s summer. What else can I say.
and a Contest:
Leave a comment telling me 3 fabrics (2 exterior and 1 lining) you would use (from the shop) to make these bags. Let’s keep it simple and assume natural linen is the base. I’m going to pick a winner or two from the combination I like the best. The winner will receive a set of fabrics and pattern to make their design.
I’ll draw the winners on Friday morning (July 3).
Happy Summer Sewing! xo Kathy
I think I would make little car activity bags for the long summer drives–filled with snacks, books, games etc. I have been OBSESSED with the Traffic Jam line by Anna Griffin, which would be perfect for car activity bags! I think I would use Transportation Blue and Confetti Blue on the outside, then Stop Sign Red for the inside. Or maybe the Tip Top Buses japanese fabric with the Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods (pond)…. Or maybe the Busy Town fabric. Hmmmm….
Oooh, just lovely. I think I would make it in
1. My Folklore Medallion Chocolate
2. Home on the Range Turquoise
3. Disco Dot Red (lining)
What a great way to do a giveaway! I just love looking through your shop and this was another great reason to.
Great for holidays … shoes, laundry, etc. - must put it on my to do list!
Hugs - Lurline?
This was kind of hard but a fun exercise! I love girly fabrics and my nieces reap the benefits but for me, it’s a little bit tougher to get fabrics for my son. With him in mind, I chose:
* Traffic Jam Transportation in White
* Del Hi Stones in Scarlet
and
*Red Letter Ugly Ducking in Pond for the lining.
I think I’ll be place an order soon–I love this combination. Thanks for the contest or I’d never have tried to put these together!
Placing an order. Sorry about the grammar!
Oh my — I would definitely use the cat stripe by the Japanese designers and Mutt by Michael Miller just because it would be fun to have cats and dogs. I would go with Kona papaya. I could see this as christmas present bags too: I love the Michael Miller ditzy fabrics — holiday stripe green with damask red, and then a bright red on the inside. I can’t always tell by the colours on the screen so I hope they wouldn’t be crazy. Martha
That would be kona papaya for the lining…
Love the bags! there are too many fabrics to choose from! I want them all! =)
I would put the Traffic Jam Transportation Blue and Traffic Jam Transportation Red on the outside with the Traffic Jam confetti green on the inside - I need to make one for my son’s laundry basket - this would be so perfect!
Oh my! It’s hard to pick out fabrics to match online! I’m worried these would be perfectly awful together in real life, but here goes:
1. Tossed Owls - Brown
2. Mingled Circles - Leaf
3. Aviary Woodgrain - Orange
Ooooooh! What a great giveaway! I’ve been wanting this pattern. The seams are such a great idea!
K here goes, this could be a bad combo since I’ve never seen the fabrics in person, I guess maybe not since they are all from the same line though!
1. Wildwood Checked Floral Grey
2.Wildwood Pressed Leaves Grey
3. Wildwood Sprout Lime (lining)
Love that bag! -Allison
I forgot my fabrics
outside fabrics: Wildwood sprout lime and pressed leaves fucschia. lining fabric: Wildwood lotus and leaves gold.
Love that wildwood!
Let’s see what I’d put together. I would chose:
Daisy Chain Kaleidoscope Rose
with Daisy Chain Wildflowers Rose
and line it with the Martini Linen Midwest modern.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo.com
Those bags are ADORABLE. Those would be fantastic for carting around all the necessities for going to the beach!
- Mingle Circles Summer
- Livingston Seagull Robin’s Egg
- Cathedral Dusk (lining)
oK, here it goes…
I would do the Timeless Treasures in Apples & Trees both in cream and line it with the red swirl. I think the exterior prints are both summery and fallish as well and would make great kits for your store! And of course red inside is the contrasting bright (and dark enough to not need washing right away.) These look great… love them!
What a wonderful pattern review! I love those bags.
Wow, this is hard. First, I would make this bag using Del Hi Tapestry Ocean & Wildwood Sophie’s Garden Orange with the Kaffe Fasset Aboriginal Dot Lilac for the lining. The next bag I would make would be Mingle Circles Summer for the lining with Monaco Diamond Green and Fiesta De Los Muerto Turquoise - Alexander Henry for the outside. Too tough to narrow it down and stop at just one, but I guess that’s why having the pattern is fabulous!
Jeesh, there were zero comments when I read this post, and here I am way down the list by the time I finished choosing fabrics.
Exterior: Birds of Norway Espresso, Ta Dot Bubblegum (I don’t want to be a copycat on the exterior dots, but the colors are just too cool–or rather hot!)
Lining: Michael Miller Mutt (the color is great and I have cute black dogs–it had to be)
Oh, how fun! I’d love these Amy Butler fabrics:
Ripple Stripe Sand - Midwest Modern 2
Fresh Poppies Ivory - Midwest Modern 2
lined with Martini Linen - Midwest Modern
I LOVE this bag! My bonus daughter is heading to college this fall and I have a laundry bag on my to-do list. The fabrics you used are too cute!
Such cute bags! I bet the moms were planning what to trade their daughters for them when they got home.
So I just couldn’t decide between these two combos:
1) exterior: Wildwood Checked Floral Grey with Wonderland Metamorphosis Pistachio
interior: Ta Dot Celery
or
2) exterior: Alexander Henry’s Home Sewing is Easy with Wonderland Snip Snip Pistachio (guess I like the Pistachio color)
interior: Alexander Henry’s Perfect Pattern Black or it could be the Night and Day 2 Squares which would pick up the comic book graphic grid lines.
I can’t imagine that anyone would ever stop at just making one of these bags. Happy Summer Days!
ok, these are super cute, and wow was this a tough choice to make!! so many gorgeous fabrics, but for some reason, i’m already getting drawn to fall colors (silly, i know! we live for summer here in the NW, but fall is my favorite).
my choices:
-acorn dots
-echino dots mustard
-echino dots bittersweet (for the inside! i love pops of color on the inside
I would make a bag to carry toys and books in the car (instead of storing them all over the floor and seat like we do now) for my 4 and 2 year old. I could set it on the seat in between them. And, of course, when we went on vacation I could use it for laundry.
Fabrics:
Traffic Jam Stop Sign Red and Transportation Blue for the outside
Traffic Jam Confetti Dots Blue for the inside.
Thanks for the fun contest!
I think I could make at least 15 bags. It was really hard to narrow it down and I think I did pretty good at stopping with two:
1. Del Hi Flora Blossom and Cathedral Dusk on the outside and Lime Kona on the inside. Although, I did think the Monaco Diamond might be fun on the inside as well.
or…
2. Cat Stripe and Echino Dots Bittersweet on the outside and Checkerboard Goldenrod on the inside.
Great bags and I love the fabrics you chose! I would like to make some in Christmas fabrics. I am really going to try make all/most of my Christmas presents this year and I think these would make terrific gift bags! Handmade and “green”!
I like Holiday Santa Stripe and Joyful Damask Lime for the outside and Holiday Ditzy Red for the lining.
Or, wouldn’t they be great for Halloween treat bags!!!
TaDot in Tangerine and Mingle Beads in Black and White with Night & Day 2 Squares for the lining.
I will for sure be making some of these!!!
Imagining this is far too fun.
I’d go with Hedgehog Toadstool Stripe in Lime + Orange for the first outer color, because my younger daughter and I really like hedgehogs, and with the mushrooms it’s just adorable. The second outer color would be Mingle Circles Leaf, to carry out the green with orange accents and refer to the little circles in the toadstools. I wanted something that wouldn’t overbalance the little hedgehogs too much, and although the circles are larger than the individual elements of the stripe, the white space of the stripe means that the spacing is similar and the visual weight doesn’t tip *too* much toward the circles. And the lining? Tencel Linen Lime, because it goes back to the linen feel of the bottom of the bag and gives the eye a place to rest, because it’s light enough to find things in the bag, and because I do like my lime.
It also makes me think it should have a really soft hand and I like that it’s wrinkle-resistant. Plain linen or chambray in the right color would have been fine too.
I think that bag would be a wonderful holiday gift. I would put Alexander Henry’s Letter to Santa and Santa’s Sparrow’s Vintage on the out side. Inside I would probably go with Deer Valley Lodge Lattice Peony if the reds are good together. A tiny red and white stripe would be fun too if it exists.
Thank you for the fun idea and pictures.
What a fun giveaway - I’m having so much fun coming up with different combos.
OK I had to go with the Mutt fabric as soon as I saw it - it’s so cute! And the other outer fabric would be Echino Dots in bittersweet/khaki. Lining I’m going with Mod Geo brown. I can’t tell if those match well or not as I keep clicking back and forth to them. But I’m going with those
Wow - great bag. This is my choice:-
1.Momo Wonderland metamorphosis in Pistachio -love a butterfly
2.Wildwood Modern vine grey
3. Ta Da dots in lime
I love this combo with the linen. Thanks for the chance to win….
Didn’t think this was going to be sooooo hard…..but there are so many great fabrics to choose from;) Think I’ll go with Metro Market Chickens in Licorice and Livingston Seagull in black for the outside and Encino Dots in blue for the lining;) Hope you like my combo;)
Since I have a baby boy, I’m always looking for more masculine items. So I would choose the Street Stripes and Traffic Jam Beep Beep Blue for the outside and the Traffic Jam Confetti Blue for the lining. I know its all in the same line, and maybe you were looking to mix it up. I just had a hard time choosing between lines since i couldn’t put the fabrics next to each other.
Kathy: I love that you review patterns. It is so helpful! These bags are just awesome! I love the fabrics you used. I recently purchased some of the orange w/ white dot that you have! These are very hard choices. I’m loving the idea of aqua and tangerine together! so…,tangerine dots and ModGeo in aqua, but I’d love to incorporate a wildwood in there, ’cause I love that line!
Thank You!
Thanks for the competition! I have a friend going to grad school in the fall and would love to make a laundry bag for her. Here are my choices (All from Japanese Designers):
OUTSIDE: Strawberry Farm and Music Friends
LINING: French Laundry
They’re so pretty, I might buy them anyway
Love those bags!
I would use Aiden Linen in natural and the Mini Strawberries. I’d line it with Mod Geo Blush.
Thanks for letting me enter!
Angela
Oh, Darn…I’m torn between two and I can’t decide which one I like better, so I’ll offer them both…
Option A
Blakely Pool - Alexander Henry
Mingle Circles Summer - Robert Kaufman
Lining: Livingston Seagull Robin’s Egg - - Alexander Henry
Option B
Inked - Alexander Henry
Tossed Flowers - Timeless Treasures - Alice Kennedy
Lining: Deer Valley Architectural Persimmon - Joel Dewberry
How about:
Home on the Range and Granville Blue on the outside with Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods Pond for the lining
They’re beautiful bags!
Without hesitation my first exterior choice is Mutt by Michael Miller. On the other side I would have Jewel Mobile Natural by Alexander Henry and for the lining ….. hmmm… I would have gone for Planet Dot Green but it is out of stock so …… Red Letter Day Champion Pond by Lizzy House.
Thanks for the prod to hunt around your fabric shop - it was great fun
I love these bags! I would choose these three fabrics:
Timeless Treasures- Tossed owls in creme
TT- trees in creme
TT- stitched swirl in green
I love this kind of giveaway, where we have to think and are allowed to look at all those fabulous fabrics you sell.
So my choice would be:
1. Mary Poppins Pigs
2. Garden Maze Grey
3. Red Letter Day Stripes Feather
Have a lovely week!
My suggestion is:
Mutt and Quarter Dot Kiwi for exterior. Kona Cotton Artichoke or Ta Dot Lime (please see wich color is the best match) for the interior.
I love the linen you used for the bottom….
Oh, this is very lovely, and so hard to choose the fabrics!
I’ll go with Anna Griffin’s Fiona Flower Stripes Lime + Brown; Dumb Dot Brown by Michael Miller; and Fiona Winter Medallion Lime as lining.
Ooohhh..these look like fun to make (she says as she’s been up since 4am sewing cuz couldn’t get the ideas to go to sleep).
I would use for the outside:
Metro Mkt Chickens Summer and Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods- Pond
Lining: Planet Dot Green
What a cute idea for party favors! I just love the natural linen look mixed in with the brights; I would use Del Hi Tapestry Cinnamon and Stones Scarlet.
Oh, my,! so cute Love the color combos, but I am more shocked that this Friday is July 3!!
Because I am beach bound later in July, my choices would be:
Resort Cabana
Pretty Please Pinwheel Stripe Lime
Interior: Ta Dot Lagoon
What a great competition - I wonder how many of these combo’s you will be tempted to make yourself Kathy ?
Here is my pick….
Erin McMorris Wildwood - Sophie’s Garden - Orange
Heather Ross Far Far Away - Princess + The Pea - Blush
Lining: Erin McMorris Wildwood - Forest - Lime
Thanks for the chance!
1. Wild wood wallflower grey
2. Wild wood wallflower lime
3. Katie Jump Rope Stripes Fairways
Have a good time!
ooh, nothing like a nice slice of window shopping to start my day! truthfully, i concocted a list of almost a dozen combinations i L-U-R-V-E, but i’ll stick with the assignment and give you my top pick:
exterior: the funky-gorgeous pairing of Red Letter Day Ugly Duckling Galosh, and Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet Pond.
interior: Red Letter Day Stripes Feather.
yum!
Lovely bags and such a fun contest! There are already so many lovely combo’s in the comments! I love these fabrics:
1. Folklore Chicks
2. Traffic jam confetti
3. Home on the range turquoise (lining)
I hope the colours match…!
What a cute bag! I love drawstring. Ok, I think I would do something like
1. Metro Market Chickens Summer
2. Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods Pond
3. Mod Geo Green
1 and 2 on the outside and 3 on the inside. Yummm.
Oh so cute! Love the color combos you’ve chosen. Perfect accessories carryalls for weekend trips.
Wow, what a great giveaway!
1. Wildwood Forest in Lime
2. Kokka Bluebird Patchwork
3. Anna Maria Horner Buttoned Up in Sea (lining)
I would love to make the bag as holiday gift bag using Yule Critters, Holiday Ditzy Red and Joy Green! Looks like a fun project for all sorts of uses!
I keep going back and forth on my 3 choices!
Metro Market Chickens Summer by Robert Kaufman
Mingle Beads Black + White by Robert Kaufman
Stitched Swirl Green by Timeless TReasures
What a great bag!
Sounds like the sleep over was a great success!
These would be my picks-for a sister’s birthday present!
Deer Valley Lodge Lattice Peony
Deer Valley Columbine Natural
Kona Cotton Chinese Red
Alissa
I would like to see the bag made up with Robert Kaufman’s Metro Market Chickens Summer and Night & Day 2 Squares for the exterior. For the lining, I would pick Mingle Pebbles Black.
This was fun! It was a hard choice. I’d go with:
1. Mary Poppins Pigs
2. Echino Dots Bittersweet + Khaki
3. Modern Dots Blue + Brown (lining)
I’m in love with the ducks of Red Letter Day - so Ugly Duckinling and Walks in the Woods for the exterior and Perl Bracelet for the lining - in galosh. Thanks for the giveaway!
I would definitely stay with the linen on the bottom! A fun tote for crafting would use Wonderland Snip Snip Pistachio on the inside and the Mad Hatter Pistachio on the outside. Or should that be reversed? Tough call…
Lucky slumber partiers!
OK–This is not going to seem very creative, but I really do love these prints (and I like a sturdy bag), so exterior in County Fair Posie Raisin and County Fair Scallop Stripe Rose with interior in County Fair Tulip Medallion Berry.
Thanks!
Molly
These bags are so sweet! I would use mine as a sewing bag to take on picnics to outdoor concerts and so forth, so I would use:
Perfect Pattern Black by Alexander Henry
Wonderland Snip Snip in Glass
Monaco Circle Pane Gold as a lining for a fun surprise inside!
Bonjour Mon Ami (Hello, my friend)
Daisy Chain by Amy Butler
The French Life Teal & Lime by Japanese Designers
Bonjour by Japanese (lining).
Dreaming about going to Paris and brushing up on some 25 yrs old high school french LOL.
Au revoir (goodbye)
Lovely, just lovely. OK, here’s what I would try for my own bags:
Wonderland snip snip pistachio (I’m a sucker for scissors, I guess)
Wildwood sprout lime (I love this fabric)
Lined with Aboriginal Dot Lilac (because a splash of purple is just what these fabrics need).
Maybe when I see them in person the two greens might not work so well together — so I’d just have to get MORE fabric to make TWO bags!
I think that I would make a little bag for my son, because it is always easier for me to sew for my girls. I would make it out of the Tip Top Buses and Traffic Jam confetti green. Let him fill it with little toys for the car to keep him busy.
Oh how fun! I would love to make a boy-ish bag with “busytown” and “ta-dot tangerine”. I love those bags, they are super cute.
Such darling bags!
Now that I’ve gone and looked at fabrics,
I want to make one in my color combo choices!!
Because I LOVE Denise Schmidt and I LOVE canvas bags,
I would make it out of the County Fair canvas that you have.
I’d use Bouquet Berry and Medallion Berry for the outside.
Posie Raisin for the bottom [instead of the linen]
and the Dotted Leaves Rose on the inside!
Wow, these look great and what a good idea. My girl turns 12 the end of July and these would make good sleep over bag. I would choose Regent Skull Blue - Alexander Henry for the one outside, Mingle Beads Black + White for another outside and
Perfect Pattern Black - Alexander Henry for inside lining. Thanks for sharing and I will keep my finers crossed.
Now that it’s summer, I’ve been doing a lot of hand sewing during long car rides. I’d love a cute, handmade bag to place my projects and hand sewing supplies in. This pattern looks swell for that! For exterior fabrics, I’d definitely go with Home Sewing is Easy and Perfect Pattern Black by Alexander Henry. For the interior, I just love the fabulous red, white, and black combination in Katie Jump Rope Stripes Geranium. Thanks for the giveaway!
What a fun bag. Here’s what i would use:
Garden maze brown from Midwest modern
Del Hi Flora Blossom by Valori Wells
and then for the lining I’m thinking County Fair Tulip medallion pear by Denyse Schmidt.
I’m desperate for toy storage solutions so plan to make a series of drawstring bags to hang on a coat rack and fill them with tea-set items, wooden blocks and all the plastic play kitchen supplies my girls have.
So with toys and fun in mind I’d go with the fun and colourful Lizzie House Red Letter Day range as follow: Ugly Duckling and Pearl Bracelet in pond lined with Ducks in a Row also in pond; then Ugly Duckling and Pearl Bracelet in galosh lined with Ducks in a Row also in galosh and lastly Ugly Duckling and Stripes in feather lined with Ducks in a Row in feather.
Thanks for the chance to win.
I would use one of these two combinations:
1. exterior: Erin McMorris Wildwood Checked Floral Grey & Wildwood Pressed Leaves Grey
interior: Wildwood Wallflower Lime
2. exterior: Joel Dewberry Deer Valley Lodge Lattice Peony & Deer Valley Columbine Natural
interior: Deer Valley Floral Drop Azure
Love these bags and I am interested in making the three you made —for starters.
How might I order?
Thanks!
egads kathy! you had me stuck in your shop for 30 minutes.
okay, so i’d pick the traffic jam in red and ohinasama princess in red. then the ta dot in lime for lining.
xo
jade
Your fabric combinations are always terrific and the accessory bags are so fun and functional. Hope the birthday celebrations were fun filled! My fabric choices for the exterior would be: Mushroom Stripe (Japanese Import) and Aviary Woodgrain Dark Green by Joel Dewberry. For the lining, Mingle Pebbles Summer by Robert Kaufman. I hope the summer is treating you very well!
What fun! It was a great chance to look through all your wonderful fabrics, now I think I need to order some
I put together the bag with my about to turn 6 year old son in mind. Fun but not too “little kid”. We have dogs on the brain over here because we are looking to get a puppy, so I would do:
Outer: Mutt in green
Other outer: Mingle Pebbles Summer
Lining: Buddha Party Dot Plaid Orange (because I love a hidden splash of color.
Thanks - this is a fun contest!
These are really cute! I love the Aiden Linen Natural fabric you used. I think the Joel Dewberry Deer Valley Columbine Natural and Deer Valley Lodge Lattice Peony would be beautiful.
Thanks for giving a breakdown on how it worked for you.
These would be great travel bags for the kid’s during long car rides-they can put all there activities in their own bag.
If I were going to make one for me :), I would choose Vicki Payne’s For Your Home Aqua and Savoy Glass for the exterior and Roses Lime for the interior.
Wendy
Oops - I forgot to mention the inner lining: Joel Dewberry Deer Valley Floral Drop Azure
Wow!! I’d love to try on with:
Traffic Jam Transportation Blue and Michael Miller Sprockets for the outside and Traffic Jam Beep Beep Green for the lining.
Thank you!
These bags are AWESOME! Thanks for sharing — I had not been aware of this pattern. Now I really want to make some. I would love to win your giveaway!! OK, for the contest, I would love a kit of the following combo:
- Red Letter Day - Ugly Duckling in Pond (second choice: Champion in Pond)
- Good Folks in Cathedral Dusk
- and Natural Linen for the base.
Great for boys. Sweet!
Ooops, forgot my lining:
- Monaco Diamond in Green. As a back-up, Good Folks Filigree in Sun. Thanks!
I would do one for the car to keep stuff in so it would be:
Megatropolis
Merryville
Mod Geo green
I love the combination that you chose for each of your bags! I would love to try making a bag with Dainty Damask Peppermint, Red + Pink Valentine Stripe, and Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods Feather. The combination of red, pink, and orange seems just very cheerful to me.
What fun! I would use Deer Valley Columbine Natural and Deer Valley Rustic Dots Terra Cotta for the outside, with Deer Valley Floral Drop Azure for the inside.
I just LOVE that new Deer Valley.
I would love to win the pattern - I would use the following:
Traffic Jam Transportation Red (outside)
Michael Miller Street Stripe (outside)
Lining Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods Galoosh
I have two nephews that would love these for their sleepovers and camping trips.
since I would be boy themed>>I would coose
1. Metro Market Chickens
2. Sprockets
3. Echino Dots: Red
What a fantastic pattern! You must have had so much fun making all of those bags!
I’d use:
Hedgehog toadstool stripe in lime and orange,
Tossed owls in cream (I love that name, “tossed owls”)
and Traffic jam Confetti green
I think I’d do the scandinavian sampler with winter forest and then echino dots because really, who doesn’t love those dots!
i think because summer is upon us and time is so streatched, i would plan for a more fall/winter color palet:
aiden linen natural for the bottom — i LOVE that stuff
joel dewberry - deer valley architectural in persimmon for the top front fabric
ab mirtini rust for the interior or, if it doesn’t *go* well, i would repeat the linen for the interior .. (it’s so hard to tell color online)
for the ties i would use three different colors of something like soutache (sp) braid that match the fabric, braided together then threaded through the top.
it’s a darling bag and so functional: to the library, the store, just hangin’ around …. oh, yea, i would made the mid-sized one.
thanks for the opportunity to win the bag and fabric to match …
WOW! What a contest!
I didn’t read all of the entries, so I may be the only one using skulls. I just figured…why not? LOL! So here are my choices:
Exterior - Regent Skull Blue - Alexander Henry & Night & Day 2 Squares.
Lining - Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet Pond (I just hope the blue matches with the skull print).
Sorry for posting again, but I realized I gave the wrong B&W print for the exterior. I was looking at too many and narrowred it down to 2. So here’s my OFICIAL entry…please ignore my previous comment.
Exterior - Regent Skull Blue - Alexander Henry & Night & Bohemian Babes Barbara Nite.
Lining - Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet Pond.
Really! I love this.
I would use Wildwood pressed leaves in green, ta-dot in tangerine, and for the lining I would use wildwood forest. I just love that line of fabric and I haven’t had the chance to see it in person yet as no one has it locally, that I have found.
This was fun…
I’d do that outside in MoMo Wonderland Snip Snip in both Sugar Plum and Tomato since I love both those fabircs and I like the reverse play. For the inner lining I’d brighten it up a bit with Dena Designs Monaco Circle Pane Gold. I’d do the whole thing up in the largest bag possible and sent it off to college in the fall with my soon-to-be-freshman as a reminder of her Mom’s sewing machine rattling along more nights than not as she went to sleep at home.
LoVe those cute bags! I would pick Dance with Me Kimblerley Teal and Pretty Please Ann Flower Mural Ice…lining it in Pretty Please Sally Fuschia.
Thanks for leting me enter!
Fun stuff, I love bags! I would choose Metro Market Chickens Summer, Tadot Tangerine, and Garden Maze Olive. Yours are sweet!
Thank you for a good pattern review.
I would choose Home Sewing is Easy from Alexander Henry and Ta Dot Celery from Michael Miller for the exterior and Wildwood Forest Lime by Erin McMorris for the lining to make a nice retro sewing bag!
What a great pattern!
I love the Del Hi prints by Valori Wells. So fresh! I would use:
Stones Sage and Tapestry Cinnamon for the exterior, and
Tape Measure by Kokka for the lining.
Have a great Independence Day!
What a great idea for a giveaway. I would use Hedgehog Toadstool Stripe - Lime + Orange and Tossed Owls Brown for the outside and Traffic Jam Confetti Green for the lining…
Cute bags and fun contest and giveaway! Thanks for both, and for the pattern review. For the contest entry, here is my fabric combo:
exterior: Erin McMorris Wildwood Pressed Leaves Fuschia & Anna Maria Horner Good Folks Festival Tangerine (hope they match in person - looks good via internet)
Interior: Metro Market Apples Red+Yellow
Thanks again - this was fun!
Outer fabrics: Valori Wells Del Hi Flora Blossom and Del Hi Pom Pom Scarlet.
Lining: Valori Wells Del Hi Full Bloom
My *exact* first thought was the same as Alisan… Tossed owls, mingle circles, and aviary woodgrain. So, upon further consideration, I came up with this:
1. Red Letter Day Ugly Duckling Pond
2. Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet Pond
3. Aviary Woodgrain Orange (lining)
What a great idea for a contest… Can’t wait to see the winners!
Oh boy, I am seeing one of these in my granddaughter’s future! After spending a week at her father’s, her clothes come back in a mish-mash of clean and dirty all toghether. She would so love this bag to put her dirties in.
I am going back to my 70’s roots I guess, but I really like the Happy Owls and the Hedgehog Toadstool (in the pinkish) for the outside and would line it with the Echino Dots Cerise + Baby Pink, all from the Japanese line. Oh I gotta make this!
I’m always a sucker for County Fair– raisin posie and pear dotted leaves outside, berry bouquet inside
I love the traffic Jam fabric. I would match it up with one of the colors from the vehicles. I like the orange trucks and the green tractors and would probably pick those colors. Then the lining would be a light blue.
Love your bags! I can believe that the Mom’s would be eyeing the girl’s bags
This is a great pattern! I would do:
1. Fresh Poppies Amy Butler
2.Wildwood Forest in lime
3. Lining: Del Hi Paisley Earth or Kona cotton Violet.
I think I would use:
Jewel mobile natural Alexander Henry
winter forest
lining: pearl bracelet in pond by Lizzy House
Cute bags! I love bags.
1. Resort Cabana
2. Mod Geo Brown
3. Street Stripe lining (I heart MM if you can’t tell!)
Thanks!
I’m going with a more adult fabric selection, even though almost everything I make is for my daughters. I would choose all of my fabrics from the Joel Dewberry Deer Valley line.
Exteriors: Antler Damask in Celedon and Lodge Lattice in Peony.
Lining: Columbine in Natural
This is a really great contest idea, by the way!
Those would make great laundry bags for the kids when they go to camp or a sleep-over to grandma’s house. I so home I win this!!
These look fab!
I would have to go with the Japanese fabrics,
Mushrooms stripe and Scandinavian Sampler, lined with the modern dots brown and orange..
I can’t really tell from the photos how well this will work - but if the colour way doesn’t quite match up the mushrooms appear in both the exterior pieces
My daughter would love the bag to tote all of her treasures!
1. Valorie Wells - Del Hi Pom Pom Scarlet
2. Buddha Party Dot Plaid Orange
3. Ta Dot Bubblegum
I think I have a pink/orange problem. But I love them together.
The bags are so cute, and would be perfect for books or for swimming lessons! I would use on the outside: My Folklore Medallian Chocolate & Kona Chinese Red and the inside would be Strawberries on Black and White Ginham.
I’m loving Anna Griffin’s fabrics at the moment. From the Fiona collection, I would go with Fiona Floral Brown, Fiona Flower Stripes Pink + Brown, and Fiona Winter Medallion Pink for the lining. And It would be super cute to do the girly bag version with Fiona Floral Links Pink for the handles. Of course, I think it would be really cute to do accessory bags in the pink + brown stripes and the links in pink.
Love these bags!! I think if I were making them I would use “Hedgehog Toadstool Stripe - Fuchsia + Amber” with “Echino Dots Cerise + Baby Pink” on the outside with the “Red Letter Day Stripes Feather” on the inside….oh but so many good choices!
What fun - your bags are so cute! Well, I’m going to use it for my sewing projects, so Wonderland Snip Snip Tomato, Street Stripes and then Nice Threads from Alexander Henry. I could choose a million combinations from your wonderful shop!
Ooh! What fun! I absolutely love the Dance with Me Libby Turquoise and would match it with the Pretty Please Pinwheel Stripe Lime and the Kona Cotton Bright Pink. Thanks for the chance to win!
I’m going to make this for a laundry bag for my baby boy that’s due in September. His room is being decorated in grees and reds so my pick for the fabrics are Traffic Jam Beep Beep Green and Mutt Green for the exterior and Hedgehog Toadstool Stripe Lime Orange for the lining. Yum fabrics!
Fun, fun, fun! Here are my choices:
Metro Market Chickens Summer (love that fabric!)
Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods Galosh
Planet Dot Green
What a great bag! Every year I struggle to come up with Trick or Treat bags that are “cool” enough for my 4 boys. I would use
Fiesta De Los Muerto Turquoise and Bohemian Babes for the exterior with Street Stripe for the interior. Thanks for the fun idea.
Del Hi Tapestry Cinnamon and Del Hi Stones Cinnamon for the outside and Del Hi Stones Scarlet as the lining.. would be a great combo in my opinion! i’ve seen this pattern before but i haven’t bought it… maybe now i’ll give it a 2nd look!
Ooh how fun!!
Shell - Red Letter Day Ducks in a Row in Feather and Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods in Feather
Lining Kona Cotton Pomegranate….what a yummy color!!
I love the bunny fabric you chose! But, after some fun perusing, here’s my choices:
Dance With Me Libby Turquoise
Cathedral Dusk
lining - Pretty Please Pinwheel Stripe
This was fun! I have many more combinations in mind, but this one makes me think cheery summer. Thanks for the chances! You have great fabric to play with!!!
Love these bags! I’d like to make a beach or pool bag from these fabrics:
Exteriors in Michael Miller Resort Cabana and Ta Dot Bubblegum with the lining of Mod Geo Aqua
I love the Del Hi Flora Blossom and the Del Hi Stones Scarlet! Thanks for the review. I can’t wait to try them.
Hmmmmm, this is hard! I would probably pick the Tina Givens Honeysuckle Pink, and Coneflower brown with the punchy Berries green for the lining! Love the colors and I really love SALE fabrics! Looks like a great pattern - I need to make hostess gifts for the hostesses of my future daughter-in-law’s shower and this bag just might be the one! Thanks!!!
I would use the following:
1. Joyful Damask Lime (exterior)
2. Ta Dot raspberry (exterior)
3. Mini Flowers Red Green Orange (lining)
I would use Far Far Away Snails Blush + Tangerine and Far Far Away The Frog Prince Blush for the exterior. And a solid Kona Cotton for the lining, probably the Tangerine in that as well.
This is such a fun contest! My choices are as follows:
Exterior 1: Kokka Strawberry Farm
Exterior 2: Little Japanese Birds Cardinal Red
Lining: Timeless Treasures Apple Stitched Swirl Green
Thanks!
I have to agree with everyone, it’s super hard to pick just one combo from all the wonderful fabrics that you have online! I would have to stray from my usual pink for this, and think more “boy friendly” fabrics/colors, now that I have a son. Trying to find crafty things for boys is so much harder than it is for girls!
Anyways, I can picture my son using this wonderful bag to tote his toys, snacks, and whatnot for when we go on picnics. So I picked out food related fabrics. My choices:
1. Japanese Mushroom Stripe
2. Metro Market Apples in blue
3. Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet Pond (lining)
Thanks!!
cute bags!!
Sweet!!
Perfect Pattern Black
Wonderland Snip Snip in Glass
Mini Flowers Red Green Orange lining.
Ooh! There are so many combinations I could do with this!! But this morning I was feeling very “aqua” - maybe it’s spending so much time at the pool. So here’s my pick…
For the exterior fabrics
1. Vicki Payne’s Savoy Glass
2. Michael Miller - Mod Geo Aqua
And for the interior -
Jennifer’s Pretty Please Fushia.
Couldn’t tell on my computer screen if the pink in the savoy glass is the same as the fushia in pretty please - but you get the idea.
Thanks for the chance - darling bags! I’m going to have to get that pattern.
susan
I totally have this bag pattern on my list too! Thanks Kathy for all the tips during construction…here are my 3 fabric choices…
Wildwood Checked Floral Grey
Wildwood Wallflower Lime
Ta Dot Lime
Once again, you do beautiful work. I think I’d pick:
Metro Market Chickens Summer
Metro Market Apples Blue
Mingle Circles Summer (lining)
Thanks!
WIP Bag theme:
Exterior
1) Nice Threads - Alexander Henry
2) Home Sewing is Easy - Alexander Henry
Lining - Minny Muu Fabric Whimsy White
So I sat down to breeze through a few of my favorite blogs … one hour later I’m still dreaming up fabric combinations.
How about Dena Design Monaco Stems in Blue with Mod Geo Blush and Kona Cotton in Pear?
Or, how about Metro Market Apples in Red and Yellow, with Kona Cotton Canary and Kona Cotton Red?
Can I do more? What fun this has been!
Those bags came out adorable. I can see why the mommies would eye them, as I would have, too. I’m a new sewer and would LOVE to try those beautiful and easy patterns.
Oh, I had so much fun ’shopping’ for fabric for these bags. They are so sweet. Here is what I would pick
1) Deer Valley Damask Celadon
2) Mushroom Stripe
3) Lining - Little Japanese Cardinal Birds (Red)
Thanks for a great giveaway!
As a bag freak, I love the pattern and the casing for the drawstring.
My bag would be all Alexander Henry: Home Sewing is Easy and Nice Threads on the outside, lined with Perfect Pattern Black. For my 9 year-old ballerina/ violinist granddaughter I think the Japanese designers with Kokka Bluebird Patchwork and Music Friends on the outside and Strawberry Farm lining.
Thanks for the chance to win.
I just love it when I open my email and I have news from Pinkchalk!!
I had so much fun looking through all of the beautiful fabric designs.
My daughter is getting married and I think I’m going to use this idea to make all of her bridesmaids these cute bags as gifts. She’s getting married in Missouri so I thought these bags would be a great travel companion for them to use, considering that the wedding is 8 hours away. I chose 3 patterns that complimented her wedding colors. I would use: Livingston Seagull Black and Joy Pink on the outside and line it with Mod Geo Green. This was so much fun!!!
Really cute bags! I would choose Robert Kauffman Mingle Beads in Black and White for the inside of the bag and Metro Market Chickens in Licorice for the outside of the bag.
Cute bag!
I would choose Metro Market Chickens in Licorice for the exterior, and Mingle Beads in Black and White for the interior of the bag.
Thank you.
What a great idea to send us into the shop. I’ve gotten stuck wandering around in there twice. But here are my picks:
Red LetterDay Ugly Duckling and Holiday Ditzy Lime for the outside and Red Letter Day Stripes Feather for the lining.
Thanks for the contest.
Had a really hard time picking only three!!
1. Midwest Modern Fresh Poppies Ivory
2. Dance With Me Leann Grass
3. Ta Dot Celery (lining)
An adorable toy bag:
1. Traffic Jam White
2. Traffic Jam Confetti Blue
3. Traffic Jam Road Stripe Blue (lining)
what a fun contest!
I would pick:
Buddha Party Dot Plaid Orange
Far Far Away Princess + The Pea Tangerine
and Far Far Away Snails Blush + Tangerine for the lining.
What sweet bags! I would make one from fabrics I’ve just been working with: Amy Butler Nouveau Trees Moss, Ripple Stripe Sand, and Martini Linen. Or I’d try the Anna Marie Horner Festival Dusk, Cathedral Dusk, and Buttoned Up Sea.
Wow! Those really turned out cute!
I would one in:
Traffic Jam:
Beep Beep Green
Transportation white
Confetti green (interior)
OR
Far Far Away:
Princess Tangerine
Frog Prince Tangerine/yello
Snail Tangerine/Fuchsia
Thanks for the chance to win!
Thanks for the chance to win! I’m going to go visit the shop to pick out my fabrics for a chance to win the contest as well!
I would make the bag for my son so I would chose these fabrics:
Tip-Top Buses Blue Lime Periwinkle
Martini Yellow - Midwest Modern
Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet Pond (interior)
Thanks again!
Kinda classy for a laundry bag, but I’d choose: Deer Valley Antler Damask Celadon, and Deer Valley Architetural Barnwood with Deer Valley Lodge Lattice Peony for the lining.
I had such a hard time deciding. So many great fabrics. I think in keeping with the spirit of the bag, I would make the outside using Mutt, and Quarter Dot Kiwi, and for the inside I would chose The French Life-Teal & Lime. Too much fun. Thanks for allowing this girl to dream.
Marsha
Resort Cabana and Ta Dot Ocean for the outside and Mutt for the lining. The natural linen for the base is perfect! Such a quick and fun project!
Patty
Thanks for the pattern review, I’m inspired to try it. Here are my choices: Red Letter Day Ugly Duckling Galosh and Red Letter Day Walk in the Woods Galosh for the outside, and Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet Pond for the inside.
Oh, I love them! I’m thinking Mutt and Ta Dot Lime with Floating Buds Sage on the inside. Very cute bags, you did marvelously. And I just did the mad-sewing-for-daughter’s-birthday-party thing, too. Seventeen reversible aprons, but I finished everything before midnight the eve of the party. Not bad, eh?
Nice Pattern
I’d go for
Martini Lime and Martini Yellow - Midwest Modern for the exterior and Mingle Pebbles Summer for the interior.
Have a wonderful summer day!
If I were to make this bag, It would be for my mother. So I would use Exterior: Anna Griffin’s Fiona Flower Stripes in lime and Brown and also Michael Miller’s Dumb Dots in Brown. For the Lining I would use Joel Dewberry’s Woodgrain in lime.
What a great giveaway! This was fun to dream up……thanks!
How fun! I love your combinations!
Let’s see what I can come up with….
Mushroom Stripe for the lining
Wonderland Mad Hatter Sugar
Enchino Dots Bittersweet + Khaki
I love your combinations.
Here are my selections, exterior: Dance with Me Libby Turquoise by Jennifer Paganelli and Cathedral Dusk by Anna Maria Horner. Interior would be Dainty Damask Peppermint from Michael Miller fabrics.
Perusing your fabrics was fun to come up with a combination, but not so fun for a girl on a budget!
Very cute bags! I would love to make one of these!
My fabric picks would be: Bonjour (Japanese Designer) for the bottom of the exterior of the bag & Aiden Linen Natural for the top of the exterior of the bag, with Winter Forest (Japanese Designer) for the inside of the bag.
So much fun to look through the shop for great fabric combos!
Modern dots Blue + Brown
Modern dots Brown + Orange
Lining: Kona Cotton - Petunia
All of my fabrics would be by Amy Butler (what can I say…I heart them)…
Liner - Nigella Wood Fern Forest
Outsides - Martini Moss & Martini Rust
Wildwood Checked Floral Grey
Ta Dot Celery
Lining: Mingle Pebbles Summer
What a great pattern!
I love the pattern for the bag!
For the exterior I would use: Tape Measure by Kokka & Strawberry Farm by Kokka with Mini Strawberries for the interior. I just love fruit prints!
Oh fun! I’d do Happy Owls and Echino dots in mustard and white with a lining of Hedgehog Toadstool stripe in fuchsia and amber. Thanks for let us play…even online I love pulling fabrics!
I love Michael Miller fabrics, so all three of my choices are from there.
Outside 1: Birds of Norway Espresso
Outside 2: Dainty Damask Peppermint
Lining: Ta Dot Celery
I think the espresso would coordinate nicely with the natural linen base. Plus, I love any print with birds!
There are so many comments, I don’t know if this fabric combination has been chosen yet –
1. Kokka Bluebird Patchwork
2. Ta Dot Ocean
3. Mini Strawberries (lining)
I think these fabrics in combination with the natural linen would make a sweet bag.
Thanks for the great pattern review!
wow gorgeous bags. I think I would use the licorice print from amy butler. Or any other bright fabrics with linen
What a fun invitation!!! Your fabric shop is impressive!
I would put My Folk Medallion Chocolate and Happy Owls together on the outside, and Clamshell Sashiko Cardinal Red on the inside. Your post that mentioned linen and some Japanese term that I cannot recall at the moment (something about objects that help us think fresh) made me think that Japanese-themed fabric might be nice with the linen.
Thanks for sharing a fun offer!
Hard to pick without touching! Let’s go crazy with wildwood checked floral grey and bubble flower summer with stitched swirl green.
Halloween Trick or Treat bag:
Bottom: Aiden Linen - Black
Side Panels:
Bat-Tastic by Alexander Henry
Witchy Webs by Alexander Henry
Lining: Carolina Chambray in Ebony
What a sweet idea for a giveaway Kathy! And what a cute bag. I would choose the following fabric:
1. Wildwood Pressed Leaves in Fuchsia
2. Sophies Garden in Fuchsia
3. Wildwood Sprout - Lining
What a great excuse to go and drool over the fabrics…!
I’d go for
Wildwood Forest Lime (lining)
Wildwood Wallflower Lime
Tencel Linen Lime
I like lime. And so does my eldest, who needs a PE bag for her new school in September..
And thank you for the chance of taking part!
Oh, this was so hard - not the picking, but the narrowing! Kudos to those who could cut choices down to two colorways; alas, I must split my heart three ways:
1a. Pretty Please Ann Flower Mural Ice
1b. Mod Geo Green
1c. Traffic Jam Road Stripe Blue (lining)
2a. Deer Valley Antler Damask Celadon
2b. Modern Dots Blue + Brown
2c. French Laundry (lining)
3a. Wonderland Metamorphosis Pistachio
3b. Mingle Pebbles Summer
3c. Dumb Dot Brown (lining)
This is a great pattern! Very versatile for many gift occasions. Hope to be able to try this soon!
This was so much fun, I love pairing colors together.
1. Robert Kaufman’s “Metro market chicken summer”
2. Erin McMorris’s “Wild wood checked floral green”
3. and for the lining - Michael Miller’s “ta dot Lagoon”.
With the linen base, I would make the exterior fabrics: school yard friends and music friends; the lining would be Obinasama princess red.
Oh my, what a wonderful bag! For the exterior I would use: traffic jam beep beep blue and traffic jam trasportation blue; the lining would be traffic jam conffetti blue. The other fun combination would be resort cabana and sprockets on the exterior (play and work–get it!) with street stripe on the inside! Have a wonderful 4th!
I could spend all day picking fabric combinations. Now I want to make a bag for everyone I know. A bag for my daughter would be made from…
Paper doll bunny (japanese) & Wonderland snip snip tomato, lined with urban chiks sweet spots bubblegum.
This was a lot of fun… Thanks!
This is so hard but I guess I would choose Mutt, Ta dot Lagoon and Quarter Dot Kiwi.
Thanks
Tanya
So many possibilities! The obvious one for me (having boys) would be the traffic jam line, but after looking, and leaving, and coming back I thought that a Christmas bag would be cool … so my selection is …
1. Candy Colored Christmas (Alexander Henry)
2. Joyful Damask Lime
3. Holiday Ditzy Red for the lining
Awesome bag!!!
b.
What a fun giveaway!
My choices would be:
1. Daisy Chain Deco Rose Forest
2. Fresh Poppies Sky
3. Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet Pond
Thanks!
I can say with certainty that I do not need another project but those bags are so super cute, I’m probably going to have to make some!