October 2022 "It's In The Bag" Challenge with Patterns By Annie and Island Batik

 This month's challenge with Island Batik's Brand Ambassador Program is a partnership with fellow Utahn Annie Unrein of ByAnnie.com. I picked the Contain Yourself pattern and paired it with the Beehive Buzz Collection by Kathy Engle to create 3 cool containers. *I was harvesting my pumpkin patch and I think there may have been a garden stowaway.

From our partner By Annie -I received the Contain Yourself basket pattern and this generous kit with everything needed to create 3 baskets: Annie's own's Soft and Stable stabilizer, Fusible Interfacing, and Vinyl (for label pockets). And Island Batik sent 3 sets of beautiful Beehive Buzz fabrics. I added interest by choosing some pairs with strong contrast and others without.

 3 Containers - small 2" x 4", medium 6" x 6", large 11" x 11"

Sandra Starley 2022

Contain Yourself Pattern ByAnnie 

Fabrics by Island Batik: (Beehive Buzz Collection)

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles  

                                        Pieced and quilted by Sandra Starley  (I quilted the medium and large main fabrics to add stability - optional step).

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, pattern - stabilizers and vinyl

 from By Annie, thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz. ***

I am pretty new to bag making - haven't made one in years but I found the ByAnnie pattern to be extremely user-friendly and easy to follow.  I made handles and sewed on vinyl, etc. - things outside the regular quilt skills. It is always good to work your brain and learn new things.

And to make things even easier, the pattern included a coupon for a fabulous BONUS; an "Add-On Video Tutorial". This is a series of videos that show you how to create the containers. Here's a pic of me following along with the video (top 1/2 of photo) with my fabric and pattern. 

Annie demos a section of the pattern on the video and then you do that step on your own box and then come back for the next step.  Annie shares lots of great tips to make the process doable for bag newbies like me.  For example: using an edge stitch foot for sewing the faux binding (final seam).

 And using lots of clips when sewing that seam and using your machine in free arm mode.

One more bonus - the pattern not only includes instructions for 3 different sized/shaped containers but directions on making your own custom sized soft sided bins. What a cool pattern! Thanks Annie!

To see more awesome bags and containers from By Annie, visit my fellow 2022 Island Batik Brand Ambassadors for the It's in the Bag Challenge:

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Megan Best ~ Bestquilter
Pamela Boatright ~ Pamelaquilts
Elizabeth DeCroos ~ Epida Studio
Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine
Anorina Morris – sameliasmum.com

Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Gail Renna ~ Quilt Haven Threads
Brianna Roberts ~ Sew Cute And Quirky
Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde

Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Andi Stanfield ~ True Blue Quilts
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt