A Prairie Home Quilts

Side note:  In future tutorials, I must remember to use a table cloth that my mother hasn’t starched the heck out of and use my oldest daughter as a hand model. And my apologies for any blurry photos you encounter.  I need to work harder on my photography skills.

Grab your helper and let’s get started!  Hmmm.  Ludo’s idea of helping is to sleep wherever I’m working.  Hopefully your helper is more cooperative.

I used Inklingo to print the Drunkard’s Path templates directly onto my fabric.  If you aren’t using Inklingo, Marti Michell has a set of Drunkard’s Path templates that will also give you a 3″ finished block.  For the Marti Michell templates, the fabric requirements will be different from the sizes I’ve listed below on the Inklingo Printing Chart.

In addition to your normal sewing supplies for either machine or hand piecing, you’ll need the following:
Small pieces of two different fabrics
Batting approximately 5″ x 8″
1/2″ Ribbon – 4 1/2″ piece
Button

For Inklingo, print and cut your fabrics according the following chart:

If you want to make 4 as gifts, see the printing chart at the very end of the tutorial.

For the Marti Michell templates, you’ll need the following pieces:
2- 3″ squares Color 1
2 pie shapes of Color 1

2 “L” shapes of Color 2
4 pie shapes of Color 2

My Inklingo pieces ready to sew.
We will be sewing with 1/4″ seams throughout.
You should be able to click on any photo to enlarge it.

1.  With RST [right sides together], sew the 3″ squares together.

2.  This is the inside of the tea tote.  Set it aside for now.

3.  Clip the concave curve of the arc or “L” shape. For Inklingo templates, you will clip between the cross hairs.

4.  Pin, matching cross hairs and sew Color 1 Shape B (pie shape) to Color 2 Arc (L shape).  Repeat for second arc.

5.  Press seam.

6.  One half of the outside.

7.  Sew these 2 pieces RST.  I sewed mine together going in different directions just because.  You can sew yours however it suits you.

8.  This is the outside of the tea tote.  Set it aside for now.

9.  With RST, sew both sets of Color 2 Shape B (pies) together on the curved edge.

10. Clip the curved edge and turn RSO [right side out].

11. This becomes the inside pocket.

12. Baste the pockets as shown along the bottom edge of the inside of the tea tote.  Set this aside for now.

13. Now it’s time to make the clasp with your ribbon.  I purchased shoe lace ribbon on a spool.  Cut a piece 4 1/2″ long.

14. Fold it as shown.

15. This is the back.

16. You need to sew the folded edge down.  I found using a stillheto helpful.

17. Sew just on the edge of the folded over portion.  Cut 1/4″ off the raw edge.  [For some reason I found it easier to fold and sew this when the ribbon was 4 1/2" long rather than 4" so that's why I'm having you cut the little bit off after it's sewn.]

18. Position your clasp along the righthand edge of the inside of the tea tote so that the opening of the clasp will be centered 1 3/4″ up from the bottom edge.

19. Baste the clasp in place.  Set this aside for now.

20. I hand quilted the outside of my tea tote but it isn’t necessary.  I marked my quilting lines in pencil before I basted the tea tote outside pieces to the batting.  Oh, and I didn’t use any backing fabric–just the tea tote fabric and batting.  If you’re not going to quilt the outside of your tea tote, just baste it to your piece of batting and trim the batting even with the edge.

21. Quilted and batting trimmed.  If you quilt it, you can remove the basting.

22. Lay out your inside and outside pieces as shown. Flip the inside piece up onto the outside piece RST.  Pin.

23. Sew around the edge leaving a 1 1/2″ to 2″ opening at the top to turn.  Clip the corners on the diagonal close to the stitching.  Turn tea tote right side out.

24. Using a pointy–but not sharp–object like a wooden pressing tool or knitting needle, gently push the corners out until they are nice and square.

[Note:  If you're right handed, scroll down towards the end of the tutorial to see the right-handed version of the next 10 photos.]

25. Now it’s time to sew the opening closed.  If you already know how to do this, you can skip through this part to #35.

26. Fold the seam allowance inside and pin the opening closed.

27. This is my explanation for how to sew an opening closed — doesn’t mean it’s correct or the only way.  Do what works for you.  I knot my thread and bring my needle in from the opposite direction that I’m going to be sewing.  Bring the needle out close to where you are going to begin sewing.

28. Next I turn my piece and start weaving my needle back and forth through the seam allowance.

29. When I have 3 or 4 stitches on my needle, I pull the needle through.

30. Keep weaving your needle back and forth through both sides of your seam allowance until you reach the end.  Remove your pins as you go.

31. Pull your needle out just past the part you’ve sewn.

32. Make an overhand knot with your needle.  Hold your thread with your thumb.

33. Pull tight forming your knot right where your needle came out.

34. Insert your needle right where your thread comes out and bring your needle out about an inch away.  Then pull gently until knot pops through to the inside of your tote.

35. Audition buttons until you find the perfect one.

36. Close the tea tote and bring the ribbon clasp around to the front.  Mark where to sew the button on in between the 2 halves of the clasp with a pencil dot.

37. Pencil dot.

38. Button sewn on.

39. TA DA!  Your finished tea tote.

40. Here’s mine filled with my favorite tea.

The packages of my favorite tea are a little big and stick out over the top edge of the tea tote just a bit but I don’t mind.

Small tea bags fit just fine.  You could also carry tea on one side and sugar or artificial sweetener on the other.

Pictures for Right Handers

25. Now it’s time to sew the opening closed.

26. Fold the seam allowance inside and pin the opening closed.

27. This is my explanation for how to sew an opening closed — doesn’t mean it’s correct or the only way.  Do what works for you.  I knot my thread and bring my needle in from the opposite direction that I’m going to be sewing.  Bring the needle out close to where you are going to begin sewing.

28. Next I turn my piece and start weaving my needle back and forth through the seam allowance.

29. When I have 3 or 4 stitches on my needle, I pull the needle through.

30. Keep weaving your needle back and forth through both sides of your seam allowance until you reach the end.  Remove your pins as you go.

31. Pull your needle out just past the part you’ve sewn.

32. Make an overhand knot with your needle.  Hold your thread with your thumb.

33. Pull tight forming your knot right where your needle came out.

34. Insert your needle right where your thread comes out and bring your needle out about an inch away.  Then pull gently until knot pops through to the inside of your tote.  Now you are done stitching the opening closed, scroll back up to #35 for the part about sewing on the button.

If you’d like to make more as gifts, 2 fat quarters will make 4 tea totes.