Tag: Center Street Quilts Pattern

Gift Post: Cal Atlas Zipper Case

Cal Atlas pouch - closed
Cal Atlas pouch – closed

Another project I finished for the holidays was a second Atlas Zipper Case. This one went to SIL#2. She is a Cal (UC Berkeley) alumna so the fabric was appropriate.

As mentioned, the pattern is from Center Street Quilts. The second one went more quickly and came out really well. This is a really good pattern. I want to make more of them.

I didn’t have quite enough of the Cal fabric. I bought 5 yards several years ago and I am down to scraps after this project. I found some yellows and blues that matched the Cal fabric colors perfectly. I went looking for more of this fabric, but aside from Spoonflower options, this particular print is nowhere to be found.

Cal Atlas pouch - open
Cal Atlas pouch – open

This pattern requires quilting, as do many of the Center Street Quilts bag patterns. I learned a lot by quilting the other Atlas and applied this knowledge to this bag. As you can see, I only quilted it intensely in a few places, not all over the whole piece. That technique made it a lot more doable. I like very dense quilting for bags, as you know, so I really had to restrain myself.

Cal Atlas pouch - right
Cal Atlas pouch – right

I thought about making the privacy pocket (lower right) with vinyl instead, but ended up fussy cutting some of the Cal fabric and keeping it as indicated in the pattern for private items.

The interior fabric on the top vinyl pocket is an older AGF fabric and it is just a little off of the Cal yellow. I like it as an addition so the whole bag too matchy-matchy.

Cal Atlas pouch - left
Cal Atlas pouch – left

I think the most useful pocket will be the large vinyl pocket. It has a lot of space for various items.

There are also slip pockets underneath all the pockets described, so flat items can be safely placed there.

I did shorten the tail of the zipper. I had a longer piece than required and thought it would be fine, but it was really too long.

All in all, this is a great project.

Gift Post: Atlas Zipper Case

Paris Atlas Zipper Case
Paris Atlas Zipper Case

I finished the Atlas Zipper Case right before Thanksgiving. Of course, I couldn’t talk about it before now  because I wanted to be a surprise. Even this is a little early!

I am super pleased with the way it came out. I hope my Lil Sissy likes it, too. She shared the original IG video about the pouch (portfolio) with me.

I didn’t find the project to be very difficult even though I struggled to get started. Cutting is always a hassle. I always want to get straight to sewing.

For this piece, I used a piece of the Paris fabric I have been using to make gifts for my sister. The fussy cutting, after I quilted it, came out really well. I used my 20.5 inch x 20.5 inch Creative Grids ruler**. That ruler is really big and a bit unwieldy on my small cutting table, but I wanted to be able to see the whole piece and trim exactly. It worked really well except for pushing my entire scrap bin onto the floor in the process! LOL! The Eiffel Tower is perfectly placed on the front.

Paris Atlas Zipper Case - back
Paris Atlas Zipper Case – back

The bicycle on the back looks good, too. I haven’t ever asked my sister if she likes this fabric. I hope so as I just bought more of that yardage. I feel like I was lucky to find some as is isn’t new.

I forgot to sew the label on before I added the inside pockets, so I hand stitched it later.

The portfolio has a zipper that goes all the way around, so the bag is completely closed when it is zipped.

Atlas Zipper Case Open
Atlas Zipper Case Open

It has smallish, but useful pockets to keep some of your tools, or, possibly, project pieces organized.

There is also space for flat items, like a 6.5 x 6.5 ruler** under the pockets.

Atlas Zipper Case -open, right
Atlas Zipper Case -open, right

I am on the fence about the fabric pocket on the lower right. All of the other pockets are vinyl. I like seeing what I have available, but I guess you could use that pocket for things you didn’t want everyone to see. Credit cards or your driver’s license? I don’t know. I keep those things in one place so I always know where they are. If I make this again, I might make it into another vinyl pocket.

Atlas Zipper Case -open, left
Atlas Zipper Case -open, left

The left side has a larger pocket completely made from vinyl. This is a really useful pocket.

I really like this project and am looking for ways to make more.

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and support small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Improving the Atlas Zipper

I didn’t really understand the directions for curving the zipper at the top of the Atlas Zipper Case pattern. My first one came out a little weird looking. There is a weird lump in the curve on the top. Underneath the end sticks out a little bit. None of this is fatal, but I wanted to do better on the second one.

Zipper tape at 90 degrees
Zipper tape at 90 degrees

I decided to make a triangle out of the end of the zipper. It makes a neat end with no lumps or bumps. I sewed the end down in the triangle, like in the photo (from another project). This keeps the end of the zipper in place, so I wouldn’t have to worry about it moving. As a bonus, I was able to create a nice curve as well.

Atlas zipper - better ending
Atlas zipper – better ending

The zipper on the Cal Atlas came out much better than on the Paris Atlas. There are no lumps and the curve is much flatter. In the future, I’ll do that to finish the zipper ends.

I recommend this method for crating zipper ends in the right circumstances. If you have a zipper tab, then you don’t need to do this. This is a great finish if the end of the zipper will be exposed for whatever reason.

 

Stella Swap Pouch

Yesterday was the guild’s Holiday Extravaganza. SIL#2 organized a pouch swap. I didn’t participate in the last swap, which featured potholders.  I am not a fan of potholders, so I didn’t want to bother. There were plenty without me.  However, I want to encourage people to make bags, and I like making pouches, so I planned from the beginning to participate in this latest swap.

Swap Stella pouch
Swap Stella pouch

After seeing the Center Street Quilts video on IG showing the making of a half vinyl pouch, I decided to try and make one for the swap. I thought I could probably make the pouch after watching the video, but decided to buy the pattern, the Stella Pouch from Center Street Quilts just to make the process a bit easier.

I looked for more specific directions on the Flying Geese and the vinyl, but didn’t find any. Even with the pattern, I still had plenty of figuring out to do. It wasn’t a problem. I knew I could figure it all out. That is one reason I enjoy making bags. There is always something to figure out.

I think I forgot to trim the height, so the pouch is bigger than the pattern states. Still, I think it will be useful. Small project bag?

Swap Stella pouch - back/vinyl
Swap Stella pouch – back/vinyl

I am pretty happy with the way the pouch came out. I am getting more practice with binding the inside edges and I was thrilled to get more practice on the zipper tab technique I talked about a week or so ago. I have big plans to make a bunch of these, but we will see.

Gift Post: Holland Pouch

Black Cat Holland Pouch
Black Cat Holland Pouch

I finished the Holland Pouch while I was in Portland in October. It was a pretty quick sew – ~6 hours from start to finish. I  wasn’t feeling my best, so I knew I could make it faster.

Center Street Quilts directional fabric chart
Center Street Quilts directional fabric chart

I bought this pattern at Stitch during the July trip home from Portland.  The fabric was also purchased during that trip at Sewlarium. It was a great choice for this bag.

The directions show how to position fabric if it is directional, which is the first time I have seen such a feature in a pattern, that I can remember. I’d love to see this type of chart in all bag patterns. I know most say something like “all cutting directions are width x height”, but having the visual makes a huge difference for me. Even before I saw this chart, I drew little pictures of how directional fabric should be cut in my various patterns.

Black Cat Holland Pouch - interior
Black Cat Holland Pouch – interior

I used some hippo fabric and hope he remembers visiting the hippo at the zoo when he was young.

This is the first bag I have made for the YM. I hope it is one he likes and will use it. I sent it off to him for his birthday, which was on the 30th.

Atlas Zipper Case Start

My Sister has taken to sending me Instagram videos. One of them showed a new Pattern by Center Street Quilts,  the Atlas Zipper Case. It is a portfolio like case that can be used for tools or small projects.

I was on the fence about another new pattern until I visited with Mary. She had bought and printed out the pattern. I was able to look through it. I decided that the pattern would be a good gift.

Atlas Zipper Case start
Atlas Zipper Case start

I started right away, but struggled to get past cutting. I was dreading the quilting part until a friend mentioned MistyFuse. I used MistyFuse to fuse the lining to the foam so I could quilt it. I never tried it before, but it adhered the fabric to the foam really well.

I haven’t tried quilting it yet but my fingers  are crossed that it will help keep the pieces flat.

Zipper Tab Technique

I was very pleased to learn a new zipper tab technique after working on the Stella Pouch. I actually emailed Sara Lawson from Sew Sweetness about it. She said it was new to her. I really like the technique, because it makes zipper tabs really easy and you don’t have bits sticking out as you do when you fold them.

Note this is not a tutorial. I am just showing a technique you can try. It is well explained in the Stella Pouch pattern. You can probably figure out how to sew zipper tabs using this method from the photos below.

CSQ Zipper Tab Technique step 1
CSQ Zipper Tab Technique step 1

First you cut two pieces of fabric and place them over the zipper. You don’t put the fabric quite to the end.

CSQ Zipper Tab Technique step 2
CSQ Zipper Tab Technique step 2

Next sew a big U starting away from the end of the zipper. Do not catch the zipper tape in the stitching. It is pretty easy to see the zipper tape through the fabric.

CSQ Zipper Tab Technique step 3
CSQ Zipper Tab Technique step 3

After the tabs are sewn, turn the zipper tabs out to cover the raw edge of the zipper. You might want to trim the corner where the vertical stitching meets the horizontal stitching to reduce bulk.

CSQ Zipper Tab Technique - turned tab detail
CSQ Zipper Tab Technique – turned tab detail

Now you can sew your zipper into a bag or pouch.

CSQ Zipper Tab Technique - info
CSQ Zipper Tab Technique – info

However, one thing I didn’t like was that I couldn’t poke the turning point corner out to be crisp. I even tried my awesome Modern American Vintage turning tool. It was a little large for the job. I wonder if they have a smaller version? I didn’t trim around the corner, but I would try that next time (see above).

Zipper tabs sewn in
Zipper tabs sewn in

Fortunately that particular area is sewn into the seam allowance when you sew the zipper into the bag or pouch. It makes the technique really crisp and clean. Of course, if the zipper is sticking out like in the Cotton Candy pouch or the Boxy Clear pouch, then a different technique needs to be used.

 

Gift Post: Stella Pouch

We are thanking Laura, a longarmer in Half Moon Bay who has been longarming donation quilts for us for a year or more. Carrie is gathering gifts to make a nice basket for her.

Stella Pouch for Laura
Stella Pouch for Laura

After seeing the Center Street Quilts video on IG showing the making of a half vinyl pouch, I decided to try and make one. I actually made two. One will be for a guild swap. I thought I could probably make the pouch after watching the video, but decided to buy the pattern, the Stella Pouch from Center Street Quilts just to make the process a bit easier.

Stella Pouch for Laura - vinyl side
Stella Pouch for Laura – vinyl side

I looked for more specific directions on the Flying Geese and the vinyl, but didn’t find any. Even with the pattern, I still had plenty of figuring out to do. I knew I could do it. That is one reason I enjoy making bags. There is always something to figure out.

I think I forgot to trim the height, so the pouch is taller than the pattern states. Still, I think it will be useful. Small project bag?

One of the good things about using vinyl for this bag is I was able to use a very pretty lining fabric. Having a good fabric show through the vinyl is an added bonus.

I made a pattern in EQ8 for the Flying Geese portion. This pattern is for the large sized pouch. Make sure you print it on thin paper, or special foundation paper piecing paper**. If you don’t know how to foundation paper piece, check my tutorial. You can find all 5 parts on the Quilt Class page.

I think I might have a few more of these pouches in my future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and support small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Bird Holland Pouch

Bird Holland Pouch
Bird Holland Pouch

Despite my objections to the zipper installation, I decided to make another Holland Pouch. While I was in Portland, I went to Modern Domestic and bought some fabric, then went back to my AirBnB and made the pouch. The second time it only took me about 4 hours from cutting to completion. I couldn’t make these for a living, but I was pleased with how fast I did it.

Bird Holland Pouch Interior
Bird Holland Pouch Interior

I have been buying a few Charlie Harper bird prints lately. I don’t know why as I don’t usually make projects out of novelty prints. I bought this particular print because Amanda loves animals. The print is sophisticated as well. Most of Charlie Harper prints have a bit of humor as well as some sophistication.

The inside of the bag is made from a Ruby Star scattered star print. The color doesn’t exactly go with the outside, but choices were limited at Modern Domestic. I think the variation looks nice.

I also couldn’t wash the fabric (AirBnB and all), but for a bag, just this once I was ok with it. I was concerned about the smell from ironing the fabric, but I didn’t smell anything and didn’t have any breakouts, so it was all ok. The Charley Harper fabric is organic, so maybe that makes a difference?

Quilting Bird Holland
Quilting Bird Holland

This pattern requires quilting the exterior, foam and lining fabrics together. Instead of quilting on each side of blue tape only, I put down a piece of blue tape, measured 3 inches to the right and put down another piece. I did that on both sides of the center piece of blue tape until I ran out of space. This means that my quilting isn’t as close together as in the Oxbow tote. It also took less time and I didn’t get as irritated.

Holland Pouch side
Holland Pouch side

The quilting went faster, but it means there is a 3 inch gap between some of the quilting lines. You can see that there is a dearth of quilting lines on the side towards the top, because of the 3 inch gap. I probably should have turned the fabric around, so there was more quilting on the top. 

I also had a bit of trouble keeping the fabric taut, so the 3 inch spacing may not have been the best interval. Oh well. Live and learn.

Bird Holland pouch top
Bird Holland pouch top

This bag has a bit of an accent around the zipper, which I think looks nice in this bag.

This is a very quick bag to make and I am pleased with the outcome. I was more pleased that Amanda loved it. She really helped me during the visit and this was a small token of my gratitude.

Holland Pouch Progress

I am making good progress on the Holland Pouch.

The one objection I have to Center Street Quilts patterns are that she doesn’t cover the zipper with the lining. I know this is super petty and have been told so by people to whom I have mentioned this quirk. After all, zipper tape doesn’t fray and if you use a matching thread, the thread doesn’t even show.

Binding the Holland Pouch
Binding the Holland Pouch

I didn’t have a lot of thread colors with me, but I had one that matched the zipper I chose.

The picture (right) shows how the pouch is finished when the lining and exterior fabrics are quilted. You have to bind the edges from boxing the corners. I have done this by hand before. This time I did it by machine. Again, with matching thread, it would look better. I need to practice this.

I am almost finished. This will be a Christmas gift for the YM.

Holland Pouch Start

I went to Portland again last week. My original plan was to help the YM settle into his new apartment. He hasn’t found one yet, so I helped him job search instead. Mom didn’t go this time, which was weird. I tried to embrace the weirdness and I did ok. It was nice to be on my own.

Black Cat Holland Pouch cut out
Black Cat Holland Pouch cut out

In my off hours I sewed. I brought my sewing machine and a few projects. The first thing I started was the Holland Pouch. This is a basic boxy bag, which I bought at Stitch in Ferndale in July. I bought the pattern as I thought it would be a good gift and I was too lazy to try and find a similar free pattern.

Center Street Quilts directional fabric chart
Center Street Quilts directional fabric chart

One of the things I don’t like about Center Street Quilts patterns is that she doesn’t cover her zippers on the inside of the bag. I gave myself a talking to after a discussion with Amanda about this point. First, the zippers won’t fray. If I use a coordinating thread color, it looks fine. So, I am mostly over that. I have to say that CSQ had a GREAT chart showing how to deal with directional fabric. I am in love with this chart. It was so helpful and I am convinced that my cat fabric will not be upside down.

 

Holland Pouch Plans

Holland Pouch + fabric idea
Holland Pouch + fabric idea

As I was organizing all the fabric to wash, I made notes and took pictures of projects I had in mind for the fabric. I need to do that because I am excited about sewing. I am excited about making gifts and some donation projects. I have a lot going on and I don’t want to forget what I was thinking.

Holland Pouch + fabric idea
Holland Pouch + fabric idea

First up is the Holland Pouch. I saw this pattern at Stitch in Ferndale and decided to get it. I love the Hemingway pattern by the same company and it was convenient to purchase the print version while I was there. I found the fabric above and I know the perfect person for it.

I bought the black cat fabric in the second photo for the same person. I bought it first and if I had seen the cat fabric above, I wouldn’t have bought the second fabric. Still, I might make this person two bags. I’ll use the same lining for both.

Hemingway Finished

Hemingway Pouch finished
Hemingway Pouch finished

This was a relatively easy project. As mentioned the other day, I didn’t use the exact dimensions, but it didn’t matter. You can make this pouch any size.

For me, it seemed best to make two at a time since you only use one side of a zipper. I didn’t want to have a random piece of zipper hanging around, so I made two.

I am going to try making one with some of the pre-quilted foam I got last year. I might make a bag for my lightbox.

Hemingway Start

Hemingway Pouch start
Hemingway Pouch start

Am I starting everything?

Yes.

I am also finishing some things, but you’ll have to wait for that news. I need to take photos.

The Hemingway pouch is a quilted pouch by Center Street Quilts. She has some very appealing videos on IG. She released this pattern recently and I have to admit I was taken in by the angled zipper. I also like this feature on the Enigma bag, so I think it is a ‘thing’ for me right now.

As you can see, I am making this bag with vinyl, because I wanted to finish it fast. I decided to use the vinyl that Carrie gave me. The roll is not as tall as the Sew Hungry Hippie glitter vinyl, so I didn’t use the directions in the pattern exactly, but it is working out.

I just have to put some binding on it and it should be done.

One thing I worry about is the triangle that gets cut off. I thought the zipper was sewed to both sides of the vinyl, but I was wrong. We’ll see if I can think of something to make with a random triangular piece of vinyl.

Finished: Bristol Pouch

Finished: Bristol Pouch
Finished: Bristol Pouch

I finished the Bristol Pouch. I am pleased with how it came out.

I am also pleased with the “fussy cutting”. I have to laugh, because I didn’t really fussy cut the big flower. It just happened: Happy accident!

Bottom and side
Bottom and side

I think I would construct it a little differently if I made it again. I think the foldy instructions for the bottom are cool, but I don’t like the way it looks on the outside. I also think this technique would be better without the foam. I might try this technique with fusible fleece. The finished piece just feels too thick in the corners. I am pretty sure this is personal preference.

Bristol pouch: top closed
Bristol pouch: top closed

From the top, the pouch looks good. It looks very sleek.

As you can see, I chose a striped binding. I love striped binding and I think the fabric combination looks good.

I am also pleased that my leftover zipper end worked in terms of color with this pouch. I struggled a little to get the zipper to work properly, but once I zipped it a few times, the teeth got themselves organized and there was no problem.

Bristol pouch: top open
Bristol pouch: top open

I really wanted to make this quickly, so I didn’t spend a lot of time choosing fabrics. I used the quilted combination I had from Colleen, but I probably should have matched the binding on the inside to the lining fabric. Maybe next time.

I am not sure how I will use this pouch, but some need will turn up.