I recently taught a class on creating a snap bag. But snap bags using tape measure tape as a closure have been around a long time. So since I can’t ever follow the norm and love to give my students a challenge to stretch therir skills and creativity I added a little thread painting, free motion quilting and just some fun non- straight line quilting. We used several different sewing machine feet that most have but had never used. I have to admit it was a bit of an adventure for some. But lucky for me all felt they were in good hands.
I had sample bags for the students to use as suggestions.
And these are just some of the bags my very creative students created.
This was such a fun project, and everyone seemed to enjoy the process. Students learned to listen to their sewing machines and harmonize moving the fabric with their hands, with their foot on the machine foot pedal. Some started out very slowly and learned to get faster and few of the pedal to medal kind of gals learned to slow down and enjoy the process.
Thread painting can be intimidating but it is not hard. We learned to use our sewing machines and thread like others use paint brushes and paint. A comment tat I frequently heard was ‘this is kind of relaxing’.
We made our snap bags with no raw seam allowances exposed on the inside, and they were completely finished by machine. When we machine stitched the last stitches the bags were ready to fill with goodies and use.
It was so much fun to watch students go from being afaid or at least very timid with their machines to being artist using many functions of the machine. I knew I had a winner class when one class turned into three and with requests for more classes.