This week’s Guest Designer Profile brings you a brand new paper pieced designer. So far, sewhooked only hosts one of Mary’s designs, but it’s lovely, as I’m sure you’ll agree!
Name and where you’re from:
I am Mary Groesbeck. I am from Louisiana (just the first 20 years). Does that make me sound old? I now have two homes. We live in Las Vegas on school days and in a 120-year old farm in Minnesota the rest of the time. No website, store, or anywhere else (except I like to put my photos on my facebook).
How long have you been paper piecing and/or quilting?
I made my first quilt in high school (a very large cathedral window made entirely by hand). I first paper-pieced about 12 years ago, and havemade entire queen-size quilts from paper-piecing, but nothing like the HP one I’m working on.
What do you use own your block designs for?
I am making two (yes, two) identical king-size quilts for my daughters. BTW, nobody tell my youngest that there are Twilight squares! Some are my own design, most are from sewhooked, and some are appliqued. I put my daughters on the Hogwart’s Express with Harry, and each quilt with have the initials “HP” along with my daughter’s initials.
When did you start designing?
Although I have designed quilts before, I never “designed” my own paper-pieced pattern until a few weeks ago. I have done really diverse paper-piecing, from large pictorials with tiny pieces to very simply blocks. But, Jennifer’s tutorial inspired me, and I thought, “I have a coloring book site, I have Photoshop, why not?” BTW, I am a digital scrapbooker also, so Photoshop comes naturally.
Was there a particular inspiration to draw your first pattern? Do you remember what your first design was? Do you have a favorite among your own designs?
My first paper-pieced design was the Engine of the Hogwart’s Express. Then the passenger car. Then Crookshanks. I’m on a roll now. My favorite so far is Crookshanks, mainly because I’m really a cat person.
How has the online community changed the way you craft/quilt/design, etc.?
I have one hour to myself every morning. I either quilt or scrap. Since I joined this community [Harry Potter Paper Piecing], I haven’t made ONE page for my scrapbook! My goal is either one page for the scrapbook or one quilt square per day.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I do have a full-time job, second to being a mom. If I could just quilt all day, I would be in heaven. I have a husband (21 years) and two daughters (16 and 13), who both play competitive volleyball and hope to be in the olympics (preferably before I die or run out of training money). I have a long-arm quilting machine at the farm that I’ve practiced on but never really had to guts to use–but still believe I will any day now.
I love the feeling of creating something. I very seldom just make something as designed. I like adding my personal touch (often so subtle that no one notices). For instance, on my Hedwig, the white-on-white fabric for her wings has a snowflake pattern–because she’s a snow owl. This makes me happy, even if no on else knows. My knight bus has tractor wheels….to bring a little of the farm to it….just for fun, not because a knight bus particularly needs tractor wheels.
Just over a year ago, I made a Monk’s Bag from Purl Bee’s tutorial (sadly Purl Bee no longer exists as of 2023).
I used the heck out of that bag, so much so that the strap and bottom of the bag frayed through in places.
What I discovered over the course of the year I carried this bag was that I loved the shape and the length of the strap but that I needed a bit more. I need a bigger bag with more pockets. I also need a sturdier bag that holds its shape a bit better without the fabric wearing through.
When my daughter asked for a school bag to carry her supplies in that could do double duty as a purse, I once again turned to the Monk’s Bag pattern. This time, I made changes to the bag so it would hold up to her day-to-day life as a high school student. She also needed a bigger, sturdier bag, so I plotted changes that would work for both of us.
The construction of the Monk’s Bag is ideal for pockets that are built right into the lining, which is what I do here. I think you’ll find these pockets both easy to add and very sturdy! I’ve also added interfacing to the outside bag pieces, which gives the bag more body and will (hopefully!) help avoid the wear that developed in my original Monk’s Bag.
The basic idea of this tutorial is the same as the Purl Bee bag, but there are quite a few additional steps as well as a number of construction changes.
The words below are all my own, but in an effort to make this easy to understand without disrespecting the original tutorial, I’ll mark any instruction or supplies that I have not changed with an asterisk*.
You will need:
rotary cutter & ruler
coordinating thread
iron & ironing board
stencil & paint (optional)
pins
fabric marking pencil, pen or chalk
Fabric 1: 1 yard, cut in the following pieces(in the sample, this is the golden brown fabric)
2 – 11″ x 14″ (outside center panel). OPTIONAL – Stencil a coordinating design on one of the outside center panels. More on that in the instructions.
2 – 6.5″ x 34″ (inside handles)*
2 – 11″ x 21″ (inside center panel pockets)
1 – 2.5″ x 6.5″ (inside side loop)
Fabric 2:1 yard , cut in the following pieces (in the sample, this is the black patterned batik)
2 – 11″ x 14″ (inside center panel)
2 – 6.5″ x 34″ (outside handles)*
1 – 6.5″ x 21″ (inside handle pocket 1)
1 – 6.5″ x 15″ (inside handle pocket 2)
Lightweight Fusible Interfacing:
2 – 11″ x 14″ (outside center panel)
2 – 6.5″ x 34″ (outside handles)
1 – 6″ x 6″ (inside side loop reinforcement)
All seam allowances are 1/2″ except where noted.*
Fold and press the 2.5″ x 6.5″ (inside side loop) in half. Fold in the two sides in to the center and press again. It should look like what you see above.
Use a decorative or heavy stitch and stitch down the length of the fabric at least three times. This is a loop to hang keys and pens from, so it’s important that it be sturdy. I use a triple straight stitch in the example.
If you’d like to stencil a design on the front of your bag, it’s easier to do it before assembly. I took a photo of the pattern on the black batik, then increased the size slightly and printed that onto the matte side of a piece of freezer paper. For more on freezer paper stenciling see this text tutorial or this video.
Collect your bag pieces and sort them into outside and lining pieces.
Iron the 6.5″ x 34″ (outside handles) pieces of interfacing to the 2 – 6.5″ x 34″ (outside handles) pieces of fabric. Interfacing tends to be less wide than fabric, so piece it if necessary to get the correct length.
Repeat the process for the outside center panel pieces. You should have seam allowance outside the interfacing on the side edges of of the center pieces, but not on the top and bottom.
Pin one handle to each side of the center panel. Mark 1/2″ at the top of each side. Stitch down each side, taking care not to stitch past the 1/2″ mark on the top of each center panel.
Press the seam allowance toward the bag handles. Press a 1/2″ seam allowance on the inside of the handles and along the center panel. I find this much easier to do at this step than after the bag is assembled.
Attach handles to opposite center panel, also marking 1/2″ from the top. Repeat pressing seam allowance along handles and top of center panel.
Fold the bag in half with center panels matching. Stitch across the bottom of the bag.*
Unfold seam allowance on end of handles. Pin together and stitch.*
Press the center open, then re-press 1/2″ seam allowance.
The outside of the bag is complete! Now, on to the lining, which is a bit more involved.
Collect your inside pocket pieces.
Fold each pocket piece in half across the width of the pocket. Press and stitch across the top. I used a combination of stitches just for fun!
Place the center panel pocked on the right side of the inside center panel. Pin and baste with a 1/4″ seam allowance along the raw edges. If desired, you can add additional stitching lines to break up the pocket. I left one full size and put a center stitching line down the other. The full sized pocket is great for magazines or papers and the split pocket is great for my checkbook, calendar, cell phone, camera, etc.
Repeat the process with inside handle pocket 1 and 2. Position the inside side loop even with the top of handle pocket 1. Pin each side. I use the longer pocket to carry my glasses case and the smaller pocket for gum and miscellaneous small items.
Baste pockets and loop in place.
Iron 6″x6″ fusible interfacing to the back of the loop. On the front side, secure on each side approximately 2″ from the outside edges.
Inside pieces, all basted and ready to go.
The inside is assembled identically to the outside. You can see here that after the handles are attached to the inside center panel, the sides of the pockets have been secured in place.
Repeat all steps for bag assembly using a 1/2″ seam allowance on all pieces except for joining the two straps. Use a 5/8″ seam allowance there. Remember to press the straps and top of the center panel in 1/2″, just like on the outside of the bag.
Here’s the lining all assembled. You can see that the bag could easily be reversible!
Place the lining inside the bag, with wrong sides matching. I wanted the loop inside the bag to be towards the front side when I carry it so I could easily hook my keys on it, so I put the bag on my preferred shoulder for bag carrying to make sure the loop was just where I wanted it.
Match all seams and pin, pin, pin! Top stitch close to the edge. I tried to stay about 1/8″ in. Remove the pins and you’re done!
My finished Monk’s Bag 2.0. This is the third Monk’s bag I’ve made and I carry it every day. I’m constantly getting compliments and questions about the bag, which makes it even more awesome to carry!
Action shot! Can I just tell you, I love the heck out of that loop for my keys! It’s easy to reach and I never lose them anymore. I liberated the hook from one of my kids old backpacks. You can also find them in all sizes in the rope section of any hardware store.
My bag (L) and my daughter’s bag (R). What a difference fabric makes!
Thank you Purl Bee for the awesome original bag tutorial! I hope you take this tut in homage, as it’s intended. 🙂
Posts on this blog may contain affiliate links to help cover the cost of my website. I thank you for your generous support. ♥
This past Saturday, the first donations from around the world went out to kids all over the Austin area (read the Linus Blog here).
Many of the the wonderful online crafters that have been participating have sent individual quilt and crochet blocks, but I’ve also received completed quilt tops and entire afghans, fabric yardage and yarn!
Made by Mary. Mary also sent oodles of granny squares which are currently being turned into afghans. She also participating in the Starknuts Community blanket.
made by Marissa from my Oh Wavy Baby pattern! Marissa also made a Spiderman quilt, which you can see below.
Made (and designed!) by Amber of Amber’s Originals, one of three teen-sized afghans she donated!
The Starknuts Community Blanket. You can read more about this one here. And no, I have no explanation for the look on my face!
Top donated by Laci of Orange Blossom Boutique. This one will be quilted and go out with next month’s deliveries.
Each blanket receives a stitch on label, so the child that receives it will know just where it came from. There’s also a paper label that includes the first name of the blanket maker as well as a poem about the making of the blanket.
* * *
This month’s challenge for me will be to start turning the individual blocks received into quilt tops. I will likely quilt those myself, the sooner to have them go out to kids in need. Shae, your quilt top is still at the quilters and I will post photos as soon as I can!
We were still short on larger blankets because so many of the facilities that we donate to request them, but the numbers were better than last month, in part thanks to my wonderful online friends and the crafting community!
I have HUGE hugs for every single one of you…someday!
I will continue to accept donations until the end of March. If you still have something you’d like to share with Linus, please contact me for my mailing address.
This week’s Guest Designer is one I’ve only just become acquainted with. Schenley just started designing recently, but jumped in with both feet and has already made some amazing new designs!
Name and where you’re from:
Schenley Pilgram
My hometown is Philipsburg, PA. I’m currently living in Grove City, PA.
Website/blog/online store or other place where your patterns or photos of your work can be found?
How long have you been paper piecing and/or quilting?
I started sewing when I bought a heart-shaped yo-yo maker in August ’08, intending to make a gift for my mom, who LOVES quilts (and has made a few herself). I ended up making multiple yo-yo gifts, both with hearts and circles. My best friend remarked that the circles reminded her of hydrangeas, which we both love. The idea of making her a hydrangea pillow was born. I used multiple sizes of circles, and appliqued the leaves.
I had stumbled upon sewhooked.org months earlier because of the Legend of Zelda blocks. I absolutely adored them (and all the HP designs, of course!). I figured if the internet could teach me to applique and make a pillow (complete with piping), I could give the Triforce a try. Obviously, I was hooked.
What do you use own your block designs for?
I have made a few pillows, and my second original design was for a wall hanging. I am currently working on a Harry Potter quilt.
When did you start designing?
December 2009.
Was there a particular inspiration to draw your first pattern?
After I made the yo-yo hydrangea pillow, I wanted to make a pillow for my other best friend. I decided to do a paper-pieced version of her Welsh Corgi, Habibi. I couldn’t find anything even close online, so I thought I might as well try designing it myself.
Do you remember what your first design was?
Habibi the Corgi. My first Harry Potter design was Dumbledore’s Deluminator. I was trying to think of magical items that had not been done yet, and that was the easiest one to conceptualize and make quickly.
Do you have a favorite among your own designs?
Probably the wall hanging I did of Aslan, because that was a big undertaking (and only my second attempt at paper piecing!). My favorite Harry Potter block so far is my most recent, Harry’s Patronus.
What do you use to design your patterns? Paper and pencil, a specific software, etc.
I use Photoshop Elements – typically I have a photo, illustration or composite that I use as a guide to draw the lines and begin the pattern.
How has the online community changed the way you craft/quilt/design, etc.?
I have long used Photoshop for my photography and the occasional graphic design (I have items for sale on Zazzle that my sister and I designed), and I am loving being able to apply that to my new hobby. I’ve grown up surrounded by quilts, but thought quilting would be too frustrating because I’m a perfectionist. If it were not for this community I would never have experienced the joy and pride that comes from sewing and designing these blocks!
Anything else you’d like to add?
My best friend wants me to start designing Lord of the Rings blocks – she said it would get her to actually try paper piecing!
The photo shows my two house rabbits, Luke and Leia.
Do you have a favorite among your own designs?
Probably the wall hanging I did of Aslan, because that was a big undertaking (and only my second attempt at paper piecing!). My favorite Harry Potter block so far is my most recent, Harry’s Patronus.
I really don’t need a reason to tell my husband how much he means to me. Even so, any excuse to make his day a little brighter is one I’ll take. He loves brownies and homemade ones are extremely easy to make and much yummier (in my opinion!) than the store bought variety. Baking brownies make the whole house smell like chocolate, which is an added bonus.
This year I thought I’d combine two of my favorite things, baking and stenciling, and make a Valentine’s treat fit for the sweetest of the sweet, my own True Love.
I think the original brownie recipe is my Mom’s but it’s in my handwriting in my recipe collection, and I’ve been making them this way as long as I can remember, so I’m not entirely sure. Mom, let me know if it’s yours and I’ll give you credit!
Stenciled Chocolate Brownies
1/2 cup butter, room temp or slightly melted in the microwave (~40 seconds) *note – for a moister, chewier brownie, you can use shortening instead*
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
6 TBS baking cocoa
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
wax, parchment or clean wax paper, trimmed to fit inside a 9″x13″ baking pan
powdered sugar
You can make this recipe with or without a mixer.
Preheat oven to 350°F. With non-stick baking spray, coat the bottom only of a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. Cream together butter and sugar, adding eggs one at a time. Sift together flour, baking powder and cocoa. Add to sugar mixture, stirring well. Mix in nuts and vanilla. Stir by hand. Spread into prepared pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. If you like chewier brownies, stay closer to 20 minutes. Allow to cool at least fifteen minutes before stenciling.
Stencil: Fold prepared wax paper in random lines vertically along the length of the paper. Cut hearts out of the paper along the lines. The amount and size of your hearts is completely up to you. Completed stencil. Place stencil on top of brownies. Trim if necessary to make sure it fits snugly as possible.
Sift on powdered sugar. Carefully remove stencil onto another sheet of wax paper and admire your Sweetheart Brownies!
If you’re handy with an Exact-O Knife and have the time, you can get much more creative with the stencil. Share your fandom love, write birthday wishes, admissions of undying love or maybe even a marriage proposal! This same technique will also work on an unfrosted cake.
A simpler version, made with store bought brownie mix.
These were for a school party. They were cooled completely, cut and then stenciled.
designed by Jennifer Tanner click on image for pattern
After a long time without a Guest Designer Spotlight, I’m proud to say that I have a brand new sewhooked Guest Designer to introduce: Jennifer Tanner! Jennifer answered some questions about herself for us so fans of her patterns can get to know her a little better.
First name and where you’re from: Jennifer Tanner; Zimmerman, Minnesota
Website/blog/online store or other place where your patterns or photos of your work can be found? I do not have a website & I hardly think you could call my Live Journal account a blog! But I am going to do my best to learn how to use it. I will keep passing on new designs to Jennifer though, so you can always find them at www.sewhooked.org on the Guest designer page! (Many thanks to Jennifer for creating this part of her website!)
How long have you been paper piecing and/or quilting? The first quilt I made was a baby quilt for my husband’s cousin. I do not remember the exact year but I think it was somewhere in 2001 – 2003. I didn’t start paper piecing until November of this past year (2009). I decided that I was going to get going on the Harry Potter quilt I had wanted to make since 2001. I started to get pretty downhearted when looking for Harry Potter material because it was OUTRAGEOUSLY priced on eBay. I then did a Google search & found Jennifer’s website. (HURRAY!) I had only heard of paper piecing once before so I wasn’t sure this would work either. With the help of Jen’s tutorial & another gal’s YouTube video, I gave it a whirl. Needless to say, I loved it!
What do you use own your blocks for? I am using my HP themed blocks for my Harry Potter quilt top. I designed a Christmas tree for a table runner, a Mickey Mouse outline for a pillow for my son, & a pirate square that hasn’t been tested yet. Once I am done with my HP quilt I would like to make a book bag using some of the HP patterns.
click image for pattern
When did you start designing? I designed my first block December 2009.
Was there a particular inspiration to draw your first pattern? Do you remember what your first design was? Seeing the fulfillment Jennifer got from her own designs inspired me to just go for it. My first block was a Christmas tree. My next block was a train engine that I drew up for my sister after not being able to find a pattern I liked online. That is what led me to design my Hogwarts Express. I just kept going from there.
Do you have a favorite among your own designs? I am equally in love with my Hogwarts Castle & Durmstrang ship. The ship is available for download on Jennifer’s website, www.sewhooked.org, but I decided to keep the castle as my own block.
How has the online community changed the way you craft/quilt/design, etc.? Where do I begin!?!God just blessed me with the crafty online community this fall & it has helped me so much! I would not be designing today if I had not discovered this community. Not to mention I probably would not be making my HP quilt right now either! I can go to YouTube & watch tutorials if I’m stuck on something; Jennifer has been amazing in answering so many questions that I’ve had about paper piecing & designing. The compliments people share with each other is so encouraging. It has inspired me to be a better crafter. I enjoy being able to share something I love with others who share the same passion! And I’m so happy to have found paper piecing. 🙂
What do you use to design your patterns? Paper and pencil, a specific software, etc. I hand draw all of my patterns using pencil & a ruler. I’ve tried & tried to get the computer drawing down. I can get the picture drawn, but can’t figure out how to get the seam allowance in there so old fashioned drawing it is for me!
Sewhooked 
