Fat Quarter Pop-Ups!

Friday night Sue led a sew along at Artistic Artifacts to make a fat quarter (small size) Pop-Up container.  Pop-ups are the creation of Joanne Hillestead, AKA The Fat Quarter Gypsy. 

These collapsible containers are great catch-alls in the studio or to carry along to workshops.

Everyone completed their pop-up, with a few "lessons learned" for next time.  Such as, don't forget to cut the tape on the wire before you stitch the bottom on!  Oops!  (Guess who - yes, teachers make mistakes too!)

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The finished work....ta da!

Patterns are also available for medium, large and extra large pop-ups, though the construction method differs somewhat from the small size.  There are also pop-up partners - designers who have adapted their pieced patterns to fit various size pop-ups.  Check out The Fat Quarter Gypsy site for examples and ideas.

Fat Quarter Pop-Up

We know you've seen these pop-up collapsible containers - they're in quilt shops everywhere! 

They were designed by Joanne Hillestad (aka The Fat Quarter Gypsy) who we met at CABS (Creative Arts Business Summit) last year, and again this year.  Well, after much procrastination Sue finally got around to making one yesterday using a snow-dyed/screen printed piece of fabric.

She used 3 screens that are different versions & sizes of a black eyed Susan, and printed with ProChem opaque textile paint in teal.

This is the small size pop-up, which is 6" tall.  It also comes in medium and large sizes.  You can check the Fat Quarter Gypsy website for a link to find shops near you that carry the pattern.  A piece of elastic is stitched into the seam to hold the pop-up flat when you want to collapse it.

Joanne's instructions are very clear and easy to follow, and her method for inserting the spring is very clever.  What a fun way to showcase some of your own unique screen printed fabric!