In a craft-related moment of clarity, I realized that what this household needs is
not another bed-sized quilt, but rather a few smaller and more utilitarian items, namely:
- a laundry bag for Joseph's room, so he can put away his own dirty clothes and feel that toddler-specific sense of accomplishment in doing things the rest of us consider chores
- a laundry bag for the kitchen, in which to toss used handkerchiefs, rags, towels, and all the other non-disposable items I feel so smug about using, except when they constitute a pile of filth on my counter
- a few bath mats, floor mats, door mats, etc.
- a table runner, coasters, place mats, etc.
With that in mind, I've begun cutting into the pile of fabric I had been hording for various (imaginary) Big Projects.
The first result is this laundry bag for Joseph's room.
I had intended to use most of this fabric to make Joseph his own
roads quilt, but I seriously lack the ambition. There are bikes, jump ropes, boats, and (of course) trucks. The trucks come courtesy of some Japanese fabric I bought from Purl, and which is definitely Kokka or Trefle or something, but which I can't find anymore on their website or anywhere else on the internet. In case you're wondering, scouring the internet for fabric that doesn't seem to exist is a great way to kill 45 minutes and lose your mind at the same time.
The construction: after I assembled the patchwork top (4 inch squares, arranged 5 up and 16 across), I backed it with white cotton canvas and then quilted the crap out of it with horizontal lines 1/4" apart. The canvas and the dense quilting help it keep its shape, which is good because a floppy bag hanging from a door knob is 1) ugly and 2) hard for little hands to reach into.
I'm very pleased with how this turned out. I like the blue and red fabrics paired with linen and the solid gray-blue. I really like the horizontal quilting. This is one of those rare instances where I was able to actually execute my vision. I'm definitely making one for the kitchen, colors TBD.
You are churning out made things so quickly! It's all I can do to maybe iron a shirtsleeve or two. The laundry bags are genius. I have a basket under the sink for the kitchen cloth, but I'm always (justifiably) worried that vermin will forage in it. Off the ground is a much better idea.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cute. We have an ugly floppy bag, but I may have to make something like this to match H's sock monkey quilt.
ReplyDeleteoooh. i love it.
ReplyDeletenow i must make a laundry bag for the kitchen. we have tons of very ugly rags that seem to get left about.
I too am in love with the laundry bag for the kitchen idea!!
ReplyDelete