Improvisational Flamingo Tote Bag

I recently played in my sewing studio creating an improvisational flamingo tote bag all from scraps. My daughter’s friend was having a 12th birthday party and she loves flamingos. I wasn’t directly asked to spend two and a half days creating the flamingo tote, but I had an idea and was also very in the mood to play in the studio.

Using the “Pretty Bird” block from the Sewing Loft as the foundation for the flamingo’s body, I headed off to my pink scrap bin to select fabrics to work with. I used the pattern just for the head and body shape, adding a long neck, long legs, and long beak. Most of the pattern was improv, meaning I just looked at what space needed to be filled and then tried to cut pieces to fill it. This puzzle-style may drive some people mad, but I really enjoy it!

The back of the tote bag was a panel of pinwheels created by my late aunt. I am still working through her pieces as a (less formal) Lana Bates Memorial Quilt Project. The colors were so fun and playful. They went well with the flamingo front to complete another exciting side to the tote bag.

I decided to film the creation of this tote while I worked. If you’re interested in watching it come together and some insights into how I work through improvisational quilt piecing, check out the video below.

Thank you for reading/watching about the Flamingo Tote Bag! Happy stitching, friends! Janice

If you create a flamingo tote bag, please leave a comment below or share a by tagging me on social media @laruedefleurs. I would love to see your project! All written work and photographs are original content and are copyright protected; kindly give due credit by linking back to my website if you use or share.