Sew Together

I'm not going to lie, I spent more time socializing than sewing at this year's BostonMQG retreat.  It really is just more fun to sew together;-)

In the end I was able to check off all of my highest priority items...  the things that are really more fun to do with friends.  I quilted Let It Go, basted Spellbound, got started piecing my Briar Rose bundle, and thanks to the awesome Aimee got my maxis hemmed.  Best of all I finished up my Sew Together Bag.

I pulled these fabrics to coordinate with my Sewing Circle Tote.  I did an exhaustive search for tips, most of which boil down to follow the Quilt Barn Sew-A-Long.  Just be cautious before you check out the Flickr group or you'll never be able to choose your fabrics:-)  Seriously, I think that was the hardest part of this project.

This bag does have 4 zippers so if you're phobic after this you'll either be cured or traumatized for life.  I did use Amanda Jean's modifications for the zipper ends.  If I did it again I would finish my zippers to 9" rather than 8 3/4".  I felt there was a little extra room but this adds a polished finish to the bag and is an excuse to sneak one more fabric into the mix.

I was hoping to have this finished in time to take to retreat but only made it thru Step 4.  Lucky for me, this pic was last week's Hawthorne Threads WIP It winner.  Thanks Charlie & Lindsay!!!

For some reason I could not grasp how to assemble the final zipper tabs but with a several experienced Sew Together sewists on hand I was finally able to figure it out and even won at bobbin chicken:-)

I can't wait to go away again so I can put it to good use:-)

Sewing along with this week's Finish it Up Friday by Crazy Mom Quilts and another finish for Q1 of  the 2016 Finish Along.