Welcome back!
Okay, it’s winter in Wisconsin! Our weather decided it’s been nice for long enough. A sudden dip to below normal temperatures is jarring us into realizing it’s December. I guess that helps us remember that with our late Thanksgiving, Christmas is right around the corner!
How are you doing with your Christmas preparation? If you’re like me, you’ve been making some purchases, have at least one quilting project to finish and have packages arriving at the door from your Black Friday shopping.
Names are getting checked off the gift giving list … good! But next comes … the wrapping! All that paper and ribbon precisely cut, folded and taped … only to be ripped off in seconds and crammed into a garbage bag.
Ever think of breaking that cycle? What about giving at least some of your gifts in lovingly created, wonderfully reusable, longarm quilted bags or boxes? Interested? If so, I’ve got a few ideas and resources to share with you today.
Gift Wrapping with Quilted Bags
There are tons of patterns available in quilt shops, online and via video for making bags that can be used for ‘wrapping’ your gifts. But I’ve done a little looking and found a few that lend themselves nicely to being quilted on the longarm! Let’s start with …
A Quilted Drawstring Bag
A simple drawstring bag makes a wonderful gift covering that can go on to serve other purposes. It can also be easily resized to fit whatever you’re “wrapping.”
Joanna Figueroa, Fig Tree and Company, offers a free pattern for a sweet patchwork drawstring bag on her website’s February 19, 2024 blog post.
Her sample is a patchwork of left over pieces from a previous project, but you can simplify the process by using a single cut of fabric. And while the pattern doesn’t go into detail about how to quilt your bag, that’s your first step.
Choose your favorite quilting method: free-motion, pantograph or computerized. Then experiment with thread color and type! Free-float your top and batting on whatever fabric you’ve chosen for your bag lining. And consider quilting enough fabric for multiple bags!
Following Joanna’s pattern, the bag finishes at approximately 12” by 18.” Adjust the fabric size to fit your needs.
A Quilted Project Bag
Another style of bag that’s helpful for “wrapping” a flatter gift such as a book or an assortment of crafting supplies is a project bag.
Heather Briggs, My Sew Quilty Life, offers a YouTube tutorial demonstrating how she makes a quilted project bag that her customers rave about. The video, Quilted Project Bag Tutorial, plays for 40:33 minutes.
As you can see in the picture, this bag also uses quilted fabric. And again, you don’t have to use pieced fabric for the front. If you prefer, simply choose a cut of fabric that compliments the top edge.
A Quilted Tote Bag
Does “wrapping” your holiday gift require a bigger bag? Check out my two-part Angie’s Answers YouTube video that shows you how to make a full-sized tote with carrying straps. This project is made completely on the longarm!
To learn how to make this fun tote, see Angie’s Answers videos Part 1: How to make a Tote Bag on a Handi Quilter longarm quilting machine (46:58) and Part 2: How to make a Tote Bag on a Handi Quilter longarm quilting machine (47:02).
No matter which bag you choose to make, you’re adding your own personal touch plus taking a reusable approach to wrapping. Plus any one of the bags becomes a wonderful second gift!
Gift Wrapping with a Quilted Box
Maybe a bag won’t work for the gift you’re “wrapping.” Would an open cube or bin be a better fit?
Again, there are many patterns available in stores and online for fabric boxes and bins, but what makes this particular project fun is that its quilting is done on the longarm!
A Quilted Cube
I actually found two sources to share for this one project.
The first video was produced by Helen Wycherley, Sassenach Quilts @ The Cloth House. Made earlier this year, shortly after getting her Handi Quilter Moxie XL, Helen shares the results of her very first longarm/Pro-Stitcher Lite project.
She openly shares her successes and what she’s learned from her experience, then goes on to show how she completes her quilted box. Helen only uses her Moxie for the quilted designs on the sides and bottom of the cube. She assembles it on her domestic machine.
Helen’s YouTube video, Handi Quilter Moxie XL – How to make a Quilted Box runs for 31:11 minutes.
She also refers to Adam Sew Fun’s introduction of the Pro-Stitcher Premium project: KX Organizer Bins … the project that inspired her quilted box.
So, the second video … actually series of videos … you’ll want to watch come from Adam Sew Fun’s YouTube channel.
His videos walk you through how to use Pro-Stitcher Premium to make the Kallax organizer bin. This project is completely done on the longarm. Adam’s videos are:
- Kallax Organizer Part 1 which plays for 40:47 minutes,
- Kallax Organizer Part 1 5 which plays for 6:04 minutes, and
- Kallax Organizer Part 2 which plays for 31:41 minutes.
Okay, have you found a bag or box that you want to incorporate into your holiday “wrapping” this year? I’ve got one more project to share, and you can use it either as “wrapping” for a gift card or as a gift tag to identify who your gift is for.
Adding a Quilted Gift Tag as a Finishing Touch
This small, simple project lends itself to being made in quantity. And if you choose, you can tweak the size of the back pocket a bit to create some unique gift card holders to be placed on or under your tree.
TJ Wright, a guest quilter for the Quilters Candy blog, offers the tutorial “Creative Gift Tags Using Mini Art Quilts.”
Don’t let the “Mini Art Quilts” throw you. TJ’s instructions suggest using a 16-inch square orphan quilt block to create the top side of your gift tags. Actually, you can use any size pieced project or single cut of fabric meeting your color choice.
To start, determine how much fabric you need to get the number of gift tags you want. Then pick a block, pieced project or fabric of that size along with a matching backing fabric to go on your longarm frame. Free-float your fabric on top of some lightweight batting and quilt!
Once your gift tag fabric is quilted, continue following TJ’s instructions for cutting the tags, finishing the edges, preparing the back pocket and attaching it along with the tag string.
As you can see from the picture, TJ’s back pocket is the same color as the backing fabric she used to quilt her gift tags. I think it would be fun to use different colors for the two … maybe even a fun holiday print. What do you think? Be creative and have fun!
Before you get carried away with your gift wrapping plans, let me finish up by sharing The Quilting Connection’s special event and sales updates.
Online Special Event!
You may remember that in the last couple of posts, I shared information about a new hands-on event being offered at The Quilting Connection … the Superior Threads Class with Micki!
Well, the in-person events were held on November 22nd in Appleton and November 23rd in Elkhorn. And the response was fantastic!
Micki gave everyone a wealth of thread related information. Then everyone played with several different types of thread on their own domestic machines. So many oohs and ahs! Lots of learning! NO FEAR and fun was had by all!
While we’re hoping to schedule another round of live classes in the future, we were able to livestream the class held in Elkhorn … and access to that livestream is still available!
Go to The Quilting Connection’s Facebook page.
Click on Featured – Superior Thread-ology Class LIVE
pinned at the top of our page.
Access should be available through December 22nd.
Current Sales
The Quilting Connection, APQS and Handi Quilter all have sales going on. Read on for details!
The Thread-A-Palooza Sale!
Purchase online, use coupon code “thread” to receive 15% off.
NOTE: Discounts can’t be combined. If you use “thread”, you cannot use “FreeShip”.
The Quilting Connection Inventory Reduction Sale
We have several used and floor model longarm machines available at prices geared to meet your budget!
Our current inventory includes:
- Infinity with Pro-Stitcher Premium on a 12-foot frame,
- Amara 20 with Pro-Stitcher Premium on a 12-foot frame,
- Avante with Pro-Stitcher Premium on a 12-foot frame,
- Simply Sixteen with Pro-Stitcher Premium on a 10-foot frame,
- Moxie 15 with Pro-Stitcher Lite on a 8-foot frame,
- Simply Sixteen on a 5-foot frame,
- Capri 18 on InSight Table with extension, and
- Capri 18 on InSight Table (x2).
Be sure to check our website for the latest availability!
The APQS Merry Millie Christmas Sale
If you’ve been dreaming about owning a Millie with the Quilt Path computerized quilting option, this may be your chance!
This sale runs through December 31st!
Please contact us for more information.
Call (262) 723-6775 or email us at info@QuiltingConnection.com.
Handi Quilter Machine Specials
Be watching for this one!
Handi Quilter will be offering some machine specials from
December 7th through December 20th!
One final note:
The Quilting Connection will be observing
special holiday hours.
Both the Appleton and Elkhorn stores will be
closed from December 23rd through January 2nd.
We appreciate your understanding.
You can email us with any questions or concerns while the shops are closed!
That’s everything for now.
Please remember, if you ever have ANY questions or want additional information about ANY of the products and services we offer, please call us at (262) 723-6775 or email us at info@QuiltingConnection.com.
You can also visit us online at QuiltingConnection.com or in person at 21 Adams Street in Elkhorn, WI (usually M-F 9-4, please call to confirm we’re open) or 1017 W. Northland in Appleton, WI (W, Th & F 10-4, S 10-3).
Finally, check out our blog at QuiltingConnection.com/blog and our Facebook posts.
And please share your thoughts and questions. I’d love to hear from you!
Angie