the Ruby market tote: Stitch & Quilt Along

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Welcome to the Ruby market tote: Stitch & Quilt Along!  Because of the time of year, and maybe because it's what we do best, we're making a market tote for our next Stitch & Quilt Along.  But, since I know many of us have been itching to get our hands on some Ruby, I couldn't resist using it.

The market tote is going to be about the size of a smaller shopping bag, and will be a quilty bag, in our usual style.  One of the things that makes our bags unique is that each has a unique patchwork outer and is finished with a binding, just like a quilt.  I've designed a special embroidery piece for the outside of this bag as well.

Today is the supply list, so here's what you'll need {please bear with me, it's long, but the finished bag is at the end, so at least scroll through!}:

Fabric: 6 printed fat quarters, 1 solid fat quarter, and 1 yard for lining.  I'm using Ruby by Bonnie & Camille for Moda.  We're working with the wonderful ladies at Sew Lux Fabric & Gifts and we've put together a few bundles to help you narrow down the choosing process, if you wish {believe me, it was rough!}.

Photo by Sew Lux Fabric & Gifts

Each kit has the six printed fat quarters, plus a fat quarter of Moda Bella Solid in Gray.  They're available in Sherbet, Aqua, and Ruby.  Please note: the kits do not contain the 1 yard of fabric for lining.  This is the opportunity for you to select a favorite print from the Ruby collection, coordinating solid, or even use something from your stash to make each and every bag unique!  Another option is to select your own fat quarters from Ruby, other collections, or even shop your stash.

Photo by Sew Lux Fabric & Gifts

Thread: We'll be using nine thread colors for this project.  Shown above are the Finca Perle Cotton size 8 that I selected to coordinate with the Ruby line of fabric.  Click here to read my full post on choosing thread types.  If you'd like to use these exact threads {which I highly recommend, they're wonderful!}, sampler kits are available.

Photo by Sew Lux Fabric & Gifts

Each kit contains 10 yards of each color, which should be ample thread for completing the embroidery design.  Note: a 10" embroidery hoop will work best for the size of the embroidery piece.

Other Supplies: In addition to fabric and thread, you'll need 3/4 yard {of 44" wide}of Fusible Fleece {I'm using Pellon 987F Fusible Fleece, but, you're welcome to substitute another interfacing}.  I've chosen to use Fusible Fleece because it will give some shape and texture to the quilting, without making the bag too stiff, so it can still be easily transported when not being used.  In addition, you'll need 1/3 yard of a medium fusible interfacing {I'm using Pellon 880F Sof-Shape}, this will be for the backing on your embroidery piece.  And also a piece of sturdy plastic canvas.

Practice: You also may want to purchase a small amount {one or two hanks} of regular embroidery thread for practicing any new stitches or portions of the design as you feel the need {I like to practice some stitches if they're new or if I haven't done them in a while to get a feel for them before I stitch them on the actual piece.}

More details: Even though we're just making a bag, this Stitch & Quilt Along will be about a month long.  Since the bag will include a large embroidery piece and patchwork, and this is a busy time of year, I'm spreading it out a little bit {sorry to those of you who like to complete your projects fast!}.  You will have a week to gather supplies and the embroidery design will be released Monday, November 7th.  You'll have approximately 2-3 weeks to complete the embroidery while simultaneously working on the bag construction.

Spread the love: Grab one of our buttons and wear it proudly! The button will link back to the most recent Ruby market tote post.  At the top of each post there will also be a link to the index page with will links to each post and our approximate timeline, so you'll always be able to find the info you're looking for.

<center><a href="http://www.cloverandviolet.com/search/label/the%20Ruby%20market%20tote"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sXYq7-tF4U1JiTmxAMvJjASZnBDnyUOJN7ZicvFKRhDIjVL-FnO85Ayzpm74qStshBpfv9qhgvL8CgSIXAURdkgFBg2oGwkE7kFbVxSpTMzlCMAdLtas5Qy1KKO2iCYR4oTQ4CraK6nc/s200/rubybutton.jpg" /></a></center>

Show & Tell: What's the fun of a quilt along if we don't make new friends and see each other's progress? So, please feel free to join the Flickr group! Also, if you write a blog post about your fabric choice, link up below so we can check it out {there will be a linky for each step of the quilt along, but do not feel pressured to blog about it.  But if you do, we'd love to read your posts!}.

Win, win, win: And, because we love to have a giveaway, two people who complete their bag will win a starter kit and pattern of one of our popular bags: the Madeline bag or the Isabella bag.  {Fabrics are still to be determined.}

The Bag: And now that you've made it through this incredibly long post, here's a picture of the finished bag, hope you're excited to get started!

Don't forget to show and tell in our Flickr Group! Did you blog about the quilt along, your fabric selection, or threads? Share your post here {please link only to a specific blog post or Flickr photo}:

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