When I heard @Abbeeroad’s awesome idea for an Challenge in honor of Lettuce Craft’s Fifth Anniversary, I knew what material I’d like to use for my entry. Fabric. Specifically the fabric of the LC Critters & Logo that I had printed up for the Midwest Meetup in 2023. Easy peasy decision. My wrist wasn’t working right yet, but I figured I could dig out the fabric and see what I had left, and start planning. Good thing I tried to pull it out all those weeks ago, because it turns out, it was all gone. I realized I had put up the last of it as little bundles in the Craft Stars Garage Sale.
I ordered more of the critter print from Spoonflower (which took a while to ship) and started looking for some good coordinates. I found a coral scissor print that I thought it was a deeper coral pink, like our logo. Oh well. I then found the light turquoise, with a design of “hand stitching”, and the deeper turquoise which has a scattering of safety pins on it. Those led me to the last print, the super cute scissors, buttons and stitching print on a white background. I now had FIVE awesome fabrics to work with!
For anyone curious, the prints are:
Scissors in Blush Pink from the Make Time Collection by Moda
Stitch in Time in Soft Aqua from Sew Wonderful by Paper + Cloth for Moda
Pin It Up in Aqua from Sew Wonderful by Paper + Cloth for Moda
Cut It Out in Powder from Sew Wonderful by Paper + Cloth for Moda
Since the critters were 5" squares, I went looking for good quilt blocks that use 5" squares; things like Sawtooth Stars. But I bumped into a suggestion of using them in Disappearing 9 Patch, and that just clicked. It would allow me to use more of the critters per side of the bag, without the whole thing becoming the size of a house. And would allow for a more patchwork feel.
It was pretty cute as a 4x4 layout, but it felt too narrow for a tote bag, so I used some of the white print to make an extra 9-Patch, and mixed those squares in too. Once laid out, and paired with the contrast print for the bottom, they felt much more balanced.
I used an all over stippling quilting for most of the bag panels, but I did something fun around each critter; wavy lines, flower petal like half circles, scribble loops, etc. The handles are a natural cotton webbing.
I had just made another tote last week, so I went with mostly the same pattern/tutorial, which called for a long inner pocket, stitched to divide it up. I did that one in the safety pin print, with divisions for pens, a smaller rectangle, and a larger one.
Then I added an extra pocket on the other side, out of the coral scissors. Just for fun, I lined it up with one of the small scissors in the lining, so they look like they continue up.
The tote is pretty big. 15" tall x 18" sides, with boxed corners that make it 5" wide. I loaded it up with two HUGE craft books, markers, small notebook, skein of yarn, etc, and it wasn’t full.
And guess what?!? Since it was inspired by our lovely little community, it’s going to a member of our community! I’ll be putting it up for sale in the next Craft Stars Garage Sale Fundraiser. I’m not certain yet, when that will be. Not before the holiday season, so probably in the spring of 2026. I hope whomever gets it, loves it, and gives it lots and lots of use.