Gearing up

Next project up is an IOU Christmas present.  Yeah - late start.  My dates are still out of whack from my sister's quilt.  But it's the last of my promised projects.

It doesn't look like much, but this is a real start.  I've taken dimensions of my nephew's Switch stuff.  I found the leftover foam padding from a laptop bag I made myself.  My sister gave me an old camcorder case.  I've been pulling apart it for hardware (buckles, hooks, strap, handle, mesh, zippers) as well as understanding the construction.  I originally wanted to use the outer zipper pocket, too, but it clashes with the fabric we've picked.

I'm always surprised how much yardage a small basket, bag or pouch takes up.  I had my nephew pick colors he liked, just for an idea of what to make it.  He really latched onto some blue and red fat quarters.  He wanted a gold interior but wasn't as attached to this fabric (he liked the boxes but could do without the flowers).  Turns out three quarters of a yard isn't nearly enough. 

This is why you want a pattern and yardage before you start cutting.  Thank goodness I spent time Saturday creating the pattern.  Clearly there wasn't enough fabric, no matter how I tried laying the pieces over the blue and red.  I need a half yard each for the outside and inside; the quarter yard of red should be enough for the trim.

I bought the fat quarters over a year ago and the selvedges had no printing. Facebook to the rescue!  After failing multiple searches, including a reverse photo lookup,  posting on a quilter's group on Facebook turned up the manufacturer and pattern name (Hopscotch Overlapping Squares).  I'm really glad my nephew liked the blue more than the red.  It's blueberry, but I can't be sure if it's scarlet or wild strawberry for the red.

I found the blue as well as a non-flowery gold online.  And of course, to get free shipping, I ended up buying another fabric that caught my eye and some Kona solids.  Generally I never buy fabric online because I can't touch it.  I am so tactile with my fabric.  But Kona solids are a known quality; besides black, white and beige go with everything.

In between designing this case I am wrapping up the last bit of cleanup quilting.  Another 25 crumb hexies to add to my pile.  I think I'm getting close to laying them all out and stitching them together.  Excellent!