Focal and Four Tote Bag - New Quilt Pattern

Yes, you read that title correctly - I have another new quilt pattern! This is my “Focal and Four" bag - a large-sized tote made with four-patch blocks and focal fabrics (perfect for showing off a very favorite fabric!). This versatile tote has two bottom-pointed pockets on the outside (one on each side) and two large pockets inside. It measures 15" W x 15 H x 5" D and has a handle drop of approximately 8". It's the perfect size for a stack of cross stitch project bags, or as a daily tote, or a trip to the farmer's market. The pattern contains comprehensive/detailed instructions with all sorts of color diagrams and a template for the pointed pocket. This 13-page pattern is designed to easily use your favorite fabric collection, is precut friendly, and is good for all skill levels. You can find this new design in my Etsy Shop, in both paper and digital format...

I designed this tote bag several months ago and made my first sample bag with Finding Wonder by Sherri McCulley for Poppie Cotton - you got a sneak peek of this design in March on the Finding Wonder Fabric Tour.  I already have an oversized tote bag pattern (Forty-Five Tote Bag) and a medium-sized tote bag pattern (Mini-Medi Tote Bag) in my current catalog...and this one fits in-between as a large tote. It has a fun shaped pocket on the front and on the back, the perfect size for a cell phone...and has large pockets inside, both measuring 9-inches square. 

The model bag was created with Mushroom Blooms by Jill and Rani for Poppie Cotton (shipping to quilt shops this month). This fabric has a wonderful mushroom print (Shroomies Mint, Shroomies Pink, and Shroomies Yellow) that I knew would be my focal fabric for the tote. This collection also has wonderful florals, dots and stripes. Plus, I knew the color scheme would be perfect for this new bag! I had fun creating the patchwork, putting this extremely useful bag together and writing the pattern...and I hope you will add it to your design collection.

I used a fat quarter bundle to create my model, along with 1 1/4 yards of coordinating fabric for handles, pocket and bag linings, and the bag base (Country Confetti - Strawberry Lemonade Light Pink). It also uses 1 3/4 yards of HeatnBond Fusible Fleece, my favorite for a soft, but structured bag! If a fat quarter stack isn't your speed, a 10" precut stack (layer cake) gives you all the variation in fabrics. This bag also works great for scraps - I am hoping to make a scrappy version from my scrap bins soon. I really want to showcase how easy it is to create this pattern in any fabric collection (or scraps!) and how versatile it really is! 

You can still find the pattern in my Etsy Shop in both paper and digital format.
Digital: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1743028230
Paper: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1762265076 

Thank you so much for visiting with me today and checking out my latest quilt pattern. I will be back tomorrow for my turn on the Mushroom Blooms Fabric Tour, where I will show of this tote bag and what I made to put inside of it! Then, stop back on Wednesday to see my latest project for Therm O Web...and it is a beauty...

For now, I am back to the studio...I am scrambling a bit right now to get things done...I have EXCITING news...I will be accompanying my parents on a trip to Paris and London in September. I just found out about the trip a week ago and I was not prepared to travel out of the country for a couple weeks (in a little over a month). I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be going on this trip and my head is swirling! I have a lot to do in a short amount of time. More all about this in a future post...