Here are the steps I take to repurpose a damaged vintage quilt into a HUGE tote bag.
Part I: prepping the quilt.
This takes a LOT of time--I cut the quilt to the size I need (in this case 25"w x 39"h). I make a rough cut first (quilts can be shifty), and then I winnow it down to size.
Then, from the remnants, I use what I can to patch the rough spots on the quilt. This quilt had a lot of damage--and some spots were too big to darn--that's why I'm patching it. Since totes get a lot of tough use, the upside to the patch is that it adds some integrity to the body of the tote.
At NextFab (my maker space in North Philly), I have access to this larger rotary cutter (60mm)--I LOVE it. I use a 45mm at home, but for these longer stretches of fabric, the 60mm size is perfect. It's available on Amazon (my affiliate link):
60MM rotary cutter: www.amazon.com/dp/B000YZ5SSU/r...
Replacement blades are critical: www.amazon.com/dp/B0762H5MCM/r...
#vintagequilt #repurposing #totebag #upcycle #projectbags #oldquilt