Storage find

Today while out shopping for a new cookie cutter I came across these clear boxes.

They are acrylic, not too stiff and best of all inexpensive.  I found them at the chain store AC Moore for $4.99 and used a 40% off coupon.  (They only accept one at a time)

When I spotted them the first thing I thought of was storage for my "fabrics in waiting".  I purchase fabrics with coupons I like and hold them until I have all the fabrics I want for the quilt project. Stacked in my double ottoman sorted by project.  With this method they can get dusty.  One of the boxes I will be using for extra cut fabric squares from my green quilt.  I have made this one 3x's its popular.

They are 12x12 so my layer cakes fit perfectly plus a couple strip packs.  They also have bubbles in each corner so the lock together when stacked

I love a good find, when I am in the area again I will get another -print those coupons!

It has taken up to a year to find the perfect fabrics with the perfect pattern. Does it mean I sometimes have extra fabric after a project? Absolutely, that's what scrappy quilts are for, and zipper bags, and purses and applique and and and :)

Riley Blake Challenge

I have always been a huge fan of designer Riley Blake and have several of her fabric lines.  When the MQG said as members we could participate in a challenge I thought, this could be fun.  When I received the fabrics, a fat 8th of 6 fabrics my heart sank a little but knew something would come to me. Individually they were beautiful but together I just wasn't feeling it. 

On New Year's Day Craftsy.com advertised free patterns on FB and I liked some of the paper piecing ones. I wanted to try it this year anyway so I downloaded a few.

The challenge rules say you don't have to use all the fabrics and you can add other Riley Blake fabrics or any solids.  Since this really isn't much fabric I knew I was adding and I now knew what it was going to be.

I started with the paper piecing square and when I was done I was seeing it as the front for a tote for an upcoming Caribbean vacation.  These are the summer colors I love. 

I liked the back of the quilting so much I mimicked the paper piecing pattern from the front as the quilting on the back.  

Blue on Blue Quilting 

Both the front and back have outside pockets

I added a zipper pocket inside using 2 of the challenge fabrics 

I enjoyed this challenge and cant wait to use my new tote on vacation.  Paper piecing is a new love, I will do many more.  Thanks Riley Blake!