when i first laid eyes on the fpp coneflower blocks on instagram (and then later in love patchwork and quilting magazine), i knew it was the perfet starting point for gifts for hazel’s two wonderful fourth grade teachers. i did some research on their “favorites” lists from the beginning of the year and dove right in. her main teacher loves blues and greens and her math teacher loves purples and yellows. soooo…
from there, i didn’t really have a plan. i decided on tote bags. what teacher doesn’t love a tote? and then, since they are avid readers, i thought maybe i could put some book blocks on the other side. so, i made book blocks, with fabric selected to match each teacher’s interest. the only problem then was, the side with the books was way bigger than the flower. so, i added a half square triangle border around the flowers. and finally, i was ready to construct these GINORMOUS totes.
i was really winging it with these. i made a bunch of very scrappy quilted panels and bindings and the straps and sort of figured it out as i went. they took forever, but turned out better than i ever envisioned.
first up. the one for mrs. boone. the math teacher. hazel’s favorite of all time. beloved.
for her books, i chose a female scientist fabric, a yellow and purple(is) flower, harry potter!!, and a frida kahlo fabric. i snuck in all sorts of little purple and yellow fussy cuts in the scrappy front. and hit up the shop for more perfectly coordinated colors for the inside.
for her main teacher, mrs. gaillard, blues and greens were in order, which i have in abundance and i found so many perfect fussy cuts.
for the book covers, i used a blue flower print, as she’s an avid gardener, another female scientist, a north and south carolina fabric, to represent her home and current state, and a baking themed fabric, because she loves to cook. (i’m a little short on “cooking” options, so baking had to do).
i love love love these so much. and they did too. when i delivered them, they both said they had seen my instagram when i posted some stories about the flowers and had hoped that maybe i would make something for them. i hope they get great use out of them and think of my hazelnut often. she had such a great year in fourth grade and i was so happy to make these for the ladies that made it wonderful.