Monday, January 24, 2011

Sewing Christmas ~ Birthday Giveaway

A warm welcome to our first "Sewing Christmas" post!  Here in Michigan it is bitter cold and snowy, just the right weather for working on Christmas presents.  This month's project is the "Market Bag" by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree and Co.

Each November I get out my Christmas-themed bag and carry it around through December.  People stop and ask me where I got it.  Mine came from a friend, but it got me thinking that I could make a Christmas-themed bag as a gift, bigger than mine, to hold all kinds of things during the holidays.


I have a ton of Christmas and novelty fabric and it's such a great way to reduce my stash!  This bag uses 24, 5" squares.  You don't have to use Christmas fabrics, the possibilities are endless!


This market bag is one of the simplest I've made.  There is a dart in the front and back and the bottom corners are rounded to add interest.  Buttons could be added for decoration and I thought a fabric flower would be pretty on a spring-themed bag.


The pattern is found in the 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens "Bags, Pillows & Pincushions."  If you don't have this issue, any simple bag pattern would work.


Another pattern that is fabulous is "The Easiest Handbags Ever" and can be purchased through Fig Tree Quilts here.  You can make the same kind of bag and a few other ones as well.

Let's have some fun!
Sign up using the linky below and share your own gift idea,
it doesn't have to be a sewn item, it can be any crafty idea you'd like to share!

AND
don't forget to sign up for my Birthday Giveaway
which is going on until this Friday!



Hugs,

10 comments:

  1. The bag idea is terrific. I'm thinking I could use my Mary Engelbreit embroidery disc with Christmas motifs for some of the squares. Thanks for the "Sewing Christmas" blog.

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  2. What a cute bag. I will definitely by sewing up a couple for Christmas gifts. I go my first project done just under the wire. (Thank goodness for the extra week.) It feels good to be started on Christmas 2011). Thanks for the kick in the pants!

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  3. cute bag. I made a cathedral windows one for christmas and I have a fall themed bag with some stitchery and such.

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  4. Good Morning,
    What a cute bag! You are right the options are endless. A charm pack could even be used. :0)
    Can't wait to talk with you. :0)

    Love, Trish

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  5. That bag is awesome. Love the colors in it.

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  6. I used to make quilts~~STRICTLY~~but then I found the MBS and all the doors were open and I jumped out of my comfort zone and have found out how fun bags are and how many ways you can vary them. I've also gotten into the SPECIAL BAGS, tehe diaper bags so now I make a baby quilt and you get a diaper bag to match. I've post a couple more bags over at my site so pop on over and check them out.

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  7. I love your Christmas bag...what a wonderful idea!

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  8. Love your bag and am so proud of you for starting this Sewing Chritmas. Wish I had done somehing to link to. But I am so inspired to do soething next month. I visited each of the links and got great ideas. Oh and I'm sure I have that BH&G book...now to just find it. Thanks for hosting this great idea.

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  9. Hi Renee, I am soooo sorry that I missed this today. I got hit with a migrain (sp?) this morning and my whole day has been wasted. I am just now starting to feel a little human again. Great Ideas though, and I will be Early next month!!!

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  10. So glad you enjoyed the Market Bag we did for that issue. And thank you for recommending our pattern. It is one of our all time best sellers!

    happy sewing,

    Joanna

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