What’s in your Hemline Gold Multi-Use Craft Bag?

Recently, I travelled to the East Coast to visit family. As I have so many ideas and never enough time, I knew I had to bring at least one quilting project on vacation with me. What better way to keep oneself busy on a rainy day than by quilting while looking out to sea? I decided to bring everything needed to make a strip quilt, not just an ordinary strip quilt but one with an added fun element. My Hemline Gold Multi-Use Craft Bag made packing easy.

Most of us have attended retreats with cars full of quilting and sewing projects and all the tools and notions needed to complete them. I found packing for my East Coast trip a little different as I would only work on one project and didn’t want to overpack, considering that the space available would be limited.

With careful thinking, here are some of the tools I packed for this trip:

HEMLINE GOLD Multi-Use Craft Bag (28.5cm x 36.5cm x 17.8cm)

HEMLINE GOLD Sewing Kit

HEMLINE GOLD Quilters 4-in-1 Multi-Mat (30cm x 24cm)

HEMLINE GOLD Quilters Clips (Pack of 30)

HEMLINE GOLD Retractable Tape Measure – 150cm/60

OLISO M3Pro Project Iron – Coral

OLFA 45mm RTY-2/DX/MAG Ergonomic Rotary Cutter – Magenta

OLFA RM-MG – 24″ x 36″ Double Sided Rotary Mat

UNIQUE SEWING Sewing Tools Holder

OLFA QR-6×12 – 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler

OLFA QR-6×24 – 6″ x 24″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler

FAIRFIELD Quilter’s 80/20TM Quilt Batting – 229 x 274cm (90″ x 108″)

materials

fabric

·         one full 2½” strip roll (the size of a roll is normally 40 to 42 strips)

·         1½ yds [1.4m] black fabric

·         3½ yds [3.25m] backing fabric

·         one single batting

Today’s work of preparing the strips from the roll will be quick and straightforward. The Hemline Gold Quilters 4-in-1 Multi-Mat is perfect for cutting these strips. Use the OLFA 45mm ergonomic rotary cutter and the OLFA 6″ x 12″ frosted acrylic ruler to help with this task, and cut the selvage ends off each of the strips. I liked the order my strips were in when I opened the roll, so I didn’t mix them up but cut the selvages off in their original order. Next, and very significantly, cut either the first or last strip in half so that you have two pieces measuring roughly 2½” x 20”.

Here are a few reasons I like using strip rolls.

·         So may quilt project possibilities.

·         All the strips are cut and ready to use.

·         The colors are always coordinated with one another.

·         And my favorite, each strip set, no matter the fabric company is cut to 2½” wide.

Even with the precut strips, there’s always a need for the OLFA 45mm ergonomic rotary cutter and the OLFA 6″ x 12″ frosted acrylic ruler. Both these wonderful tools will make easy work of fabric cutting.

I’ve tried many craft bags and boxes over the years and I have to admit that the HEMLINE GOLD Multi-Use Craft Bag is pretty cool. It had enough space for all my smaller tools, fabrics and papers, and I could still close the zipper. I really do like this craft bag!

We’ve gathered our supplies with the help of our Hemline Gold Multi-Use Craft Bag and prepared our strip set. Tomorrow, the sewing starts. Be sure to put a new needle on your sewing machine before starting. I’ll see you then.

This is part 1 of 5 in this series

Go to part 2: OLFA rotary cutter and rulers for quilters on the go | strip piecing quilt