 |
| Frost Tote Bag |
Learn about the Mister Domestic's Frost Tote Bag: A Geometric Masterpiece!
Whether you're into patchwork or just love attaching basic accessories to your outfits, the Frost Tote Bag is a project you don't want to miss out on. This free sewing pattern was created by creative Mathew Boudreaux (famous for his Mister Domestic line for Art Gallery Fabrics Studio) and it's a perfect blend of vintage quilting and street style. The Nectarine Fusion Collection is a force of citrus and warm, soft creams combined with bright corals and rich peach prints – and this particular project exudes that warm, citrusy goodness as a visual feast on your sewing table.
Smart Strip Piecing and Geometric Play
On a first visit the front panel seems to present a complicated multi-angle mosaic which would have to be cut into individual diamonds. The genius trick however, is streamlined efficiency. The idea is that the design is all strip piecing (sewing long strips of fabric together before cutting into smaller pieces).
The assembly starts with the four strips of fabric, which are 21” x ½”, seamed together with a standard ¼” seam allowance. The secret is in the cutting mat – with the help of your favourite quilting ruler, you slice these strip sets into 1½” wide diagonal strips. When assembled with sixteen star-shaped corner pieces cut from your background fabric, these are arranged together with a diagonal pattern to form eight identical diamond blocks that form a beautiful star burst pattern.
Framing and the Asymmetric Offset Effect
When the blocks are put together to make a main panel, structural background borders are placed on the left side (20” x 5½”) and top margin (25” x 3½”). This will create a canvas large enough to execute the pattern's ‘hallmark' design feature—the dynamic, offset look.
You even make a square template of cardboard 16½” instead of cutting a square square off the grid. It is then hung over the work you have pieced and the template is rotated a little to the left of the work before cutting, which gives the straight lines of the geometric shapes a new, eye-catching, asymmetrical flow. The project concludes with the creation of sturdy 21” handles, achieved by a clever gate-fold technique (folding the outer edges of the raw edges inwards so that they meet exactly in the center, then folding in half). The outer bag is then stitched to the matching 16½” lining, inside out, and finished with a neat, professional top-stitch around all the top opening, 4” around.
Final Thought
Strip piecing can be a simple technique but with directionality added it can transform an average textile design into something special, like the Frost Tote Bag. It will end up being a snug 16" x 16" large enough for grocery shopping, regular shopping, and even to store your existing project blocks! For all modern makers looking to add some fresh color to their creative repertoire and play around with angles, this is a great project to try out of the Nectarine fusion set!
Full Pattern: Frost Tote Bag Free PDF Pattern
