Design Wall Monday - 8/31/15

Last fall my hexie group did a fussy cutting challenge. We each bought a FQ of a fabulous red, white & black fabric and had to make a 3 round rosette using 1" hexies. At our December meeting we played a fun variation of a right-left game to exchange the rosettes and were supposed to make something of them by the March meeting.

Red/White/Black fabric in the center & middle round
 is from our fussy cutting challenge.
I lined the bag with the same fabric.

I just finished mine yesterday. LOL. I suppose being the 'lead troublemaker' gets me some leeway sometimes.

My original plan was to convert a cloth bag from the local grocery store but the project just wasn't calling my name. I recently found a youtube link to make a backpack using 4 FQs and this finally sang to me!

Be sure to print out the free pattern listed in the "more" section of the video.

I modified the size of the bag to finish larger based on another backpack I use often. I also used a half-yard piece of the solid red to eliminate one seam.

I gave my rosette a good last press before removing the papers and then spray basted it to the red. I also spray basted a chunk of batting behind the red before machine stitching the layers together and then trimming away the excess batting. It's a little stiffer than I would like but there was no puckering of the rosette and the final bag looks fab.

I stole the cords from a freebie/smaller backpack but I think they need to be a bit longer...next time I get to Joann's I'll buy a bunch of cord so I can make more. I looked at the local Walmart but it's being reorganized which means it's a mess and there are no other local stores w/in 50 miles. And speaking of Walmart - if you want to use grommets for your backcpack, don't get the cheapies at Walmart. Not. Worth. The. Money.