Island Batik's November Challenge and Blog Hop is sponsored by ByAnnie.
I chose the project - Room with a View. I chose to make all three sizes.
The pattern and all supplies including vinyl, mesh, Soft and Stable, zippers etc. were provided, thanks to our generous industry partners at ByAnnie.
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| Supplies |
I received fabrics from the Morris Mist collection.
Morris Mist is a signature collection by Kathy Engle for Sherry Shish of Powered by Quilting.
It should be shipping to a quilt stores in November 2023.
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| The Fabrics |
ByAnnie patterns are very detailed with excellent step-by-step directions. Once you make a bag/project using these directions, you are kinda spoiled. They also come with additional videos to guide you through tricky/difficult steps.
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| Getting Started |
The very first thing to do (even before reading the pattern very carefully) was to buy 100 clips. No, this is not an exaggeration :-D You will see.
Secondly, I changed the needle. A Schmetz Microtex 90/14 Needle is an absolute must to sew through multiple thick layers.
I quilted the fabrics with Soft and Stable. I made bias binding. I made handles - top and sides.
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| Quilted! |
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| Bias Binding |
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| Handles |
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| Zipper Loops |
I could not listen to a book/podcast/music during this time. This project required my complete attention.
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| Mesh Pocket inside the Lid and lots of clips |
Each bag has three bindings, one on the lid, second where the lid connects with the body and the third on the base. I am NOT a hand sewing person. Seriously, by the time I get to the binding (for a quilt), I am already thinking about the next project and cannot finish the current one soon enough. So machine binding is my default method.
But in the case of ByAnnie patterns, I have accepted that it is impossible to maneuver the thick layers under the needle. I can stitch the binding by machine but must finish it by hand. This view is corroborated by other Island Batik ambassadors. After I completed the hand sewing of first three bindings, I was in a foul mood. My thumb and forefinger felt raw and painful.
The fact that there were two more bindings to stitch per bag, six in all brought out the worst in me. I was beyond hating this project. I didn't care about neatness any more. I had a deadline approaching and I was frustrated and stressed.
So I did something that I had never done before. I finished the second binding by machine. PHEW.
It isn't neat but it is done.
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| Getting close |
My thumb and forefinger thanked me. It was time to attach the base. Could I finish the last binding by machine? I had to try. I started with the small bag. I machine stitched the binding, folded it over and "tried" to finish it by machine stitching it from the front using stitch in the ditch method. I missed the binding around the corners. Removed a few stitches, smoothened the fabric, glued it in place and FINISHED it by machine stitching.
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| Small Bag's Base - Kinda Ugly |
Of course it is ugly. A war is ugly. In the end the only thing that matters is that I won! No PTSD for my thumb and forefinger.
The second bag went smoother, slightly. Still missed a couple of places and had to redo.
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| Medium Bag's Base - Missed a Spot |
The last bag went much better; no missed spots. After machine-stitching the binding, I folded it over and glued the entire thing, and then clipped it using about 40 clips (told ya).
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| About 40 clips on the base |
Then I turned it over and machine marched victoriously (but slowly), needle in the ditch. More or less, you know. Since I was killing it, neatness be damned.
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| Finishing Binding by Machine - Stitching in the Ditch |
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| Large Bag's Base - Not Too Ugly, Not Perfect. |
The binding is far from neat or uniform. I am sharing this with only you (so don't tell anyone else). If I can manage it, you can too :-) Besides this would be on the bottom of the bag.
There was just one last step - adding zipper pulls. I don't like the fabric pulls. So I found these little beauties for the final flourish in my conquest.
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| Fancy Zipper Pulls |
One more challenge conquered!
Once the war is over and debris is cleared, there comes the photo shoot and glorious celebrations.
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| Happy Fall! |
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| Small, Medium and Large |
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| All Lined up! |
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| What is inside? |
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| I am Small & Cute |
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| I am Medium & Pretty |
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| I am Large & Spacious |
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| Rooms With a View |
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| Fabulous Finish! |
Me (suspiciously): WHYYYYY?
Paul: We are going to see Mom for Thanksgiving. She'd appreciate them, you know.
Me: No, I love these beauties and they are perfect for my storage needs.
Paul (eyes twinkling): That's what I thought.
I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.
Make sure you check the Island Batik Blog for fabulous giveaways every week! The full list of Ambassadors’ names, collections they will be using in their projects, and their post dates are as follows:
November 1:
November 2:
November 6:
November 7:
November 8:
- Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine
- Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood
- Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights
November 9:
- Sarah Pitcher, Pitcher’s Boutique LLC
- Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts (You are here)
November 13:
November 14:
November 15:
November 16:
November 20:
- Renee Atkinson, Pink Tulip Quilting
- Anorina Morris, Sameliasmum
- Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion
You had to do it extra hard and do ALL three sizes? Oh my, this is one challenge. They turned out wonderful and I am sure when they sit in your schelves beautifully showcasing your fabrics, then nobody will wonder about the binding on the bottom. I would have saved my fingers, too! ;) Big congrats! xo
ReplyDeleteI very much enjoy reading your description of making this set of projects. Congratulations, you won! The bags/boxes are beautiful. I find projects of this sort challenging as well, but I lack your skills in describing the process, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI would have had a lot of cursing and whining I am not good at bags and don't like to make them. Yours look like they turned out good even though you didn't like the process. That sure was a challenge.
ReplyDeleteI cannot even imagine sewing something like this... you are a rockstar! And they look gorgeous! The zipper pulls are the perfect touch!
ReplyDeleteThe finished results are worth the effort - I think. LOL ByAnnie's patterns are awesome but I do find bag making to be frustrating because of the layers to sew through. Great job on these bags! They turned out beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThose are so neat! you did an amazing job & they turned out amazing!
ReplyDeleteAll your struggles were worth the it, you have 3 beautiful bags to enjoy and had practice with machine binding.
ReplyDeleteThey look great! My fingers no longer have the strength to do any hand sewing so I am a machine binder too. We are totally the same when it comes to binding, sometimes I have a stack of quilts that need bound because I dislike doing it so much and ready to move on. You should share this in my linky party, I have one every Thurs.
ReplyDeleteHeroic effort! These turned out adorable and useful, even if they were a ton of work. The binding looks just fine. I would never have known! If you get tired of these, I bet I could find a place in my sewing room. Just saying! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful bags! I got tired just reading about your work! Like you, when I get to the binding part, I just want it done and do it by machine. This is when I'm glad I have my vintage 15-91 Singer as it is pretty good about going through a lot of thickness. Great work!
ReplyDeleteIn spite of your sewing pains your bags turned out beautifully - and who notices the binding stitching in those 'show off' photos - not me!! They look extremely handy. have made couple of byAnnie products and also machine sewed the binding down - it worked!!!
ReplyDeleteThey look great! I hate machine binding because I can't control it. I miss whole sections, but maybe I just need glue?! Hmm... And I love your zipper pulls.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I am so proud of you for conquering the machine binding, too. There is always an ugly side when you do this, but the more you do it the better it gets, and it's way easier than hand binding! They are beautiful, I don't blame you for keeping them :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful finishes on these!! Sounds like a "bear" of a pattern to wrestle through your machine. Kudos for sticking with it!!:))))
ReplyDeleteI am no kind of sewer either--bags, bowls, clothes etc etc not for me.
Hugs, Julierose
They are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI have a...problematic project that vexed me to no end on the wall in my office. I often sneer at it and think, "I beat you, you didn't beat me!!"
You beat those bags, and what a triumph!
These look great even with the binding issues. Thanks for showing what fits in each size! I have some 10 inch stacks that would fit great in the large one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a job, but you persevered and wo the war! Even if you never make another one, you can be very proud of yourself, untidy, to your eyes, binding or not. The bags look stunning.
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing, Preeti! Way to persevere through a difficult project! These are great bags, and I can see how they'd be useful in so many ways. Now the question is: would you make them again for your MiL? :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you won the war. All three turned out beautifully. If you aren't entering a competition, who is going to look at that stitching? Your sanity (and fingers) are definitely more important.
ReplyDeleteThese are some beautiful batik boxes! I am glad you figured out a way to do it on machine and do you know sharpies will help with hiding those mistakes in the binding if you find a color that matches. I will think of you when I get to the binding on my Ultimate Travel Bag...procrastinating is what I am doing now.
ReplyDeletePreeti, you did a fantastic job on these! My binding is not pretty either, but, as you say, it is finished! LOL These are so roomy and I love the fabric!
ReplyDeleteNice job!!!
ReplyDeleteSew cute!!! Good tip--switch to a size 90 needle. And I totally agree--sewing vinyl is tricky! Love those zipper pulls. Very pro final product, Preeti!!!
ReplyDeleteWell worth the extra effort…your bags/boxes are wonderful! Gail at the Cozy Quilter
ReplyDeleteWell Room with a View is quite the project. Glad it turned out to be worth it at the end.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, it was quite an adventure, but you did it! Beautiful bags, I love these cute zipper pulls too ;) Now your fingers can rest and heal.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these wonderful projects.
Your effort was so worth it! They are beautiful bags. I love that purple fabric and the zipper pulls. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bags, love the zipper pulls! Congrats on sticking with it no matter what!
ReplyDeleteYour rocked it out of the park. . .those are three beautiful bags! I agree with you about ByAnnie patterns!--TerryK@OnGoingProjects
ReplyDeleteYay! Victory is yours! Yes sometimes a project almost wins but you were victorious. The Bags look great . I do understand about binding, ergh, it is often hateful . Great work conquering those bindings!
ReplyDeleteWhat neat bags...and what an entertaining way to tell the story of making them. I know what you mean with bindings. There are a couple of places that I donate quilts that wants them to be machine bound. I'm not very good at machine binding. I'm better at hand binding...but it's a long job to get all the way around a quilt with a binding. Jeepers having multiple bindings on your bags. Thanks for sharing that the instructions on Annie's projects are good. That makes me feel better about buying one. :)
ReplyDeleteAll 3 of your bags are very nice, I really like the fabrics. I recently finished a bag I started a year ago. I'm glad it's finished and I really like it but NEVER AGAIN! I can't believe you have to make a bag every year! I also machine stitched the binding on my bag, no way was I going to hand stitch it and I'm a hand sewist!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain, having made many ByAnnie bags. I always finish the binding by hand for the same reasons as you--my thumb can't take it. Never thought of using glue and clips but I will now! Your boxes look so pretty! And they fit your batiks perfectly. Love them so much. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2023/11/15/wednesday-wait-loss-354
Thoroughly enjoyed your post! Your insights are impressive. Please write more!
ReplyDeleteThose are way too cool
ReplyDeleteYou may have struggled but they sure are pretty and I bet so very useful. I detest hand sewing bindings too!
ReplyDeleteOh, I know what you mean about putting those bindings on. I remember working on the Running with Scissors project, and being frustrated with the binding. Of course, I read her tips after I had done one (ahem) - the next one was a bit easier, but they still don't look great. Like Mari said, the bindings look just fine, Preeti, and the three look great! I like that they can be stored one inside the other, too (when empty). Yay for you - sticking with this tricky project!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome project to make these great bags. Lots of work and they turned out great for your storage solutions.
ReplyDelete