Dance in Paris

Dance in Paris, designed by Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic, with fabric also designed by her, is one of those quilts you just enjoy from beginning to end. The original pattern name is Spring in Paris, but the fabric I used is her Dance in Paris collection.

I really love piecing hexagons made of 60 degree triangles, and this one is no exception! When I think about what makes a quilt fun to piece, two things come to mind: how much I like the fabric, and how fun the pattern is. Happily, both are true for this quilt.

I wanted to keep the quilting design very simple in the colored fabrics, just some simple geometrics. This is my go-to option for prints.

I am usually a bit intimidated when encountering large swaths of negative space, because they represent so much potential. For this quilt I did something I don't usually do: marking. I marked up all the hexagons so that I could quilt them into the white space as a series of ghost blocks.

I had 3 different quilting designs for this quilt and I actually stared at them for weeks, unsure which one to pick. I finally picked this design because it made the quilt feel the most balanced, and I'm glad I did, because I think the end result is quite beautiful!

Heartland Backpack and Pearce Crossbody Bag

I'm not sure when, but suddenly it seems crossbody mini bags have become trendy. Suddenly, I see them everywhere, and then just as suddenly, I'm seized with the urge to sew one for myself. Or, in this case, two.

The first bag I made is the Heartland Backpack from Sew Sweetness's League of Extraordinary Bagmakers Vol 1. This bag was a bit of a choose-your-own adventure and it had multiple options, and I ended up taking up every single option. If I'm going to put in the effort, I might as well go all out!

As a result, this bag has quite a few pockets, as well as a back pocket that's great for cash or things I want to keep against my body.

The second bag I made is the Pearce Crossbody Bag from the League of Extraordinary Bagmakers Vol 2. I had some leftovers of this gorgeous fabric from my Sky Harbor Tote that I was dying to use up, and it was perfect for this little beauty.

Due to its small size and the many tight curves, this bag was definitely a bit of a challenge, more than Heartland, but I'm so happy with it when it's done!

I really enjoyed making both of these. As usual, some bits toward the end were quite challenging, but when I look at the end result, I'm filled with so much pride and joy, and my next thought is ... more!