To Market, To Market… via Norway
March 2nd, 2010
One last Olympic/Vancouverage mention. TWO actually. First… I can’t thank everyone enough for all the kind and enthusiastic comments on my Vancouver post! I wanted to email everyone back and thank them, but I messed up my in-box juggling between my laptop and my desktop (a common occurrence in my little corner of chaos). A special thank you to my Canadian commenters… THANK YOU and I was so deeply touched!
Second. Did anyone else drink the Curling Kool-aid? I went nuts over it. NUTS I tell you… NUTS! I even found myself shouting “hard hard hard hard…” as I was Swiffering my kitchen the other day. There’s just something about curling that appeals to me so much.
1. There’s strategy (though I prefer strategery).
2. There’s skill and teamwork involved.
3. You get to play with friends and chit-chat while playing.
4. You get to yell things like “hard, hard, hard, hard…”.
5. Dazzling team uniforms!!!
I got swept up in the Norwegian Men’s Curling team pants… The Pants. Who knew obnoxious golf pants could be cool!
Photo credit: Associated Press/Yahoo Sports
I decided I wanted a piece of the Loudmouth pie - and made a Norwegian Curling Pants Market Bag. I used my Better Homes & Gardens - Quilts and More Fall 2008 “To Market, To Market” bag pattern (page 50 if you have the issue) with a few minor modifications.
The To Market, To Market pattern is available online free at BHG’s All People Quilt. I don’t know if you have to sign up to be a member first… but you’ll want to be a member anyway!
I used Moda’s new Minick & Simpson’s Bar Harbor layer cake “slices” to make my outer bag as well as the liner. I used some yardage from my stash for the casing and strap - which just so happened was some Minick & Simpson Prairie Paisley. Who knew Laurie and Polly’s Americana could also be so Norwegian-ishy… Norwegiacana… Norde-cana.
Grab the pattern/instructions at BH&G’s All People Quilt here.
Modify the 19″ x 15″ x 5″ bag pattern instructions to make a 20″ x 16″x 5″ bag.
+-+-+-+-+-+- Modifications are in bold.-+-+-+-+-+-+
Casings
ORIGINAL:
From blue polka dot, cut:
2) 3½ x 39½” strips
MODIFICATION:
From tan print, cut:
2) 3½ x 41½” strips
—————-
Strap
ORIG:
From brown print, cut:
2) 3 x 26½” strips
MOD:
From tan print, cut:
1) 3½ x 42″ strip
—————-
Outer Bag
ORIG:
From red print, cut:
2) 20½” squares
MOD:
Follow materials needed, cutting and piecing
directions below to make two 21½” quilted bag units.
—————-
Liner
ORIG:
From muslin, cut:
2) 20½” squares
MOD:
Follow materials needed, cutting and piecing
directions below to make two 21½” liner units.
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
MATERIALS:
6 RED PRINT layer cakes/10″ squares (for bag)
7 BLUE PRINT layer cakes/10″ squares (for bag)
8 TAN PRINT layer cakes/10″ squares (for bag)
10 ASSORTED PRINT layer cakes/10″ squares (for liner)
⅜ yard WHITE SOLID
½ yard TAN PRINT
25 x 25″ BATTING (I used Warm & White)
CUTTING:
From 6 RED PRINT layer cakes/10″ squares, cut:
24) 3½” squares
From 7 BLUE PRINT layer cakes/10″ squares, cut:
26) 3½” squares
From 8 TAN PRINT layer cakes/10″ squares, cut:
16) 3½” squares
8) 3⅞” squares - cut diagonally once
1) 4¼” square - cut diagonally twice
From ⅜ yard WHITE SOLID, cut:
16) 3½” squares
8) 3⅞” squares - cut diagonally once
1) 4¼” square - cut diagonally twice
ASSEMBLY:
Assemble pieces as per illustration to make outer bag unit. Make 2.
I quilted in-the-ditch directly on to my batting (with no backing), and then trimmed off excess batting.
LINING
Cut:
8) 10″ squares
8) 10″ x 2½” strips
2) 2½ squares from left over scraps
Make 2 “9-patch” units (as per photo).
A modification from the original pattern, I made the strap shorter so it’s “invisible” and tucked in quietly inside the casing. Just enough room from grabbing as you fill your bag.
Uff da!
Posted in Make Something |

The bag is darling! But I really think you should have made some the pants. Wow - they are something.
March 2nd, 2010you crack me up, and that bag is adorable!
March 2nd, 2010I love the bag!
March 2nd, 2010Love the bag! Much less scary than the pants would have been. You might have ended up on that mean website again!
March 2nd, 2010You crack me up!!
March 2nd, 2010Those pants are something!! I must have missed that! I love your bag commemorating the event. Curling is cool. And your bag is darling. What a great thing to remember such a special world wide event with.
March 2nd, 2010Dude, I didn’t realize those pants were so readily available!! I was trying to figure out how to make my hubby a pair for Halloween this year - maybe I won’t have to now!
March 2nd, 2010I think you should do a whole blog design theme around it… imagine the whole page taken over by pink and turquoise harlequin pants! WOO-HOO!
March 2nd, 2010Oh my that is just too funny…my oldest daughter loves pants like these and always has, I suppose she is ahead of the trend lol…hopefully gonna make that bag this weekend!
March 2nd, 2010I have to admit– the pants were awesome! I’m lovin’ your pants-inspired market tote. Too fun! :)
March 2nd, 2010ohh. emm. gee.
only you dude.
only you.
me loves it.
March 2nd, 2010I will have to link to this post and send it to all my family. Imagine, M&S fabric and curling in the same post (our dad was Canadian). Being so close to Canada, we grew up watching a Windsor Ontario tv station. On Saturday afternoons in the winter there would be curling. It was hypnotic to watch. I couldn’t really understand the nuances of the game, just that it was like “darts on ice”.
Great bag!
March 2nd, 2010Love this bag! Definitely Norwegianishy!!!
March 2nd, 2010i don’t know…i think you need to make the pants to go with the bag for market. i’m just sayin…if you are going to go for it…go all the way. i.dare.you.
March 2nd, 2010Cannot get over your sweet skills.
March 2nd, 2010The pants; somewhere between crazed golfer and M.C. Hammer.
The bag however, fabulous.
And wouldn’t Pam’s straps be darling?
No, I am not a stalker:)
March 2nd, 2010really cool bag. great colors pop on the diagonal.
March 2nd, 2010HOLY COW MY FRIEND.
March 2nd, 2010THAT COULD NOT BE CUTER. Just wait till
Laurie and Polly see it. They love fashion~
Only you could get quilt inspiration from ugly pants. You’re amazing!
March 2nd, 2010Love the bag and love the source of inspiration!
March 2nd, 2010Love the bag. lLve your posts. I’m so glad I’m not the only one with a slightly tilted sense of humor. Haven’t watched men’s curling yet. I’m having sinus surgery this week and will do all my catching up next week.
March 2nd, 2010You are scrumptious.
And incorrigible.
March 2nd, 2010Love the new bag and OMGG I could so wear a pair of those pants. Are they not the coolest??? lolol
March 2nd, 2010I’m glad you had fun Monica. But I think you have fun wherever you may roam.
Have you had to replace the handle on your Swiffer mop yet?
March 2nd, 2010Great inspiration and a super cool bag!
March 2nd, 2010The bag is so cool, but I really loved the curling. My husband and I tried it and it was a lot of fun up until I slipped on the ice and landed on the handle of the rock. I may have cracked a rib, but I definitely got bruised!
March 2nd, 2010Oh how super cute & clever…think I’ll have to make one of these and see if it gets me out of eating lutafisk!
March 2nd, 2010Fabulous bag! Obnoxious is cool, always!
March 2nd, 2010Hehe funny story! And very cute bag. I was wondering how those red fabrics would look combined with eachother and white, now i know :-)
March 3rd, 2010I have one more thing to say.
Pants on the ground! Pants on the ground!
March 3rd, 2010i LOVE
March 3rd, 2010LOVE the bag! Almost as much as I love our great silver curling team. They are so cute in their clown pants :P
Unlike most of the other curling teams in the olympics the Norwegian team are amateurs and without any sponsors. At least the publicity from the pants landed them a sponsor contract :)
Hugs
March 3rd, 2010Helene from Norway :)
Ok so if you made the pants in a crop length maybe you could get by with them…or maybe not!
March 3rd, 2010We watched all the curling here too, just a bunch of Olympic nerds in SoCal.
Your imagination always amazes me! How great to combine Norwegian curling fashion into such a cool, useful tote bag!?!
Thank you once again for your inspiration and for the directions to make our own souvenir of the Olympics;-}
March 3rd, 2010Cute! Love the inspiration :-) John and his younger brother got matching loud pants for the golf invitational here last year. Anything for attention! :-D
March 3rd, 2010Love the bag! And, yeah, I became a Curling Stalker. I tried to look away but I got hooked. Not as hooked as I am on Hockey, but close. Thanks again for your Vancouverage. It was right up there with Colbert’s. You. R O C K!!
March 3rd, 2010You are a smile waiting to happen. I am thrilled at your take on the curling pants . . . cute stuff! You never cease to amaze me . . . thank you for the info so we can make a curling bag as well . . . you continue to be just the best!
March 3rd, 2010Nancy in AZ
We totally got into curling too. My daughter asked every day, “Is the sweeping channel on?” Did you see that segment on how they make the stones? It was really cool!
SUCH a cute bag. :-)
March 3rd, 2010Oh I think I need to make me one of these bags… Being Norwegian and all…. Did you know the curling team presented the King with a pair of “clown pants” of his own? He turned 72 during the Olympics, so it was their birthdaygift to him :-)
March 3rd, 2010OMGorgeous bag!! Mr. ACQ and I LOVED the curling! It’s a mix of sports, relaxing, and funny. The Norwegian pants were awesome. And I see your red mittens! So jealous!!! Can I wear them at lunch? x
March 3rd, 2010Die Tasche ist wunderschön, liebe Monica!!
March 3rd, 2010I love the pattern and the beauriful fabrics you used.
Have a wonderful day,
Sabine
Love it!! Definitely need some of those pants…maybe capris to go w/the bag!! You will be a STAR @ Market!!
March 3rd, 2010LOL! You are truely AMAZING! I can’t believe it!!!!!!! At first I was tickled with your blog about the pants, not bothering to scroll down (interrupted more like), then I came back and scrolled down. OH! MY! GAAAAAAAWD! Was all I could say!!!!!
OK..back to playing dollies. I’m the “Mommy” (go figure!) and I have to change her diapers (aren’t I already past this stage?) and read to her. (:s
March 3rd, 2010Excuse me…I was tickled ARGYLE!
March 3rd, 2010Monica, You totally rock!! You really caught Olympic fever bad. We were also curling junkies here too. Who would have thought those pants would have caused such a stir, much less been the inspiration for such a cute bag?
March 4th, 2010So very cool!!!
March 4th, 2010Monica, that is so FANTASTIC! You amaze me. :-)
March 4th, 2010a bag inspired by pants.. i love it!!!
March 4th, 2010You’re too cute!!!
I love this!
March 5th, 2010Wow, another one! I just made my version of “goldpants-tote” and sent it out to in my newsletter for Northern Quilts (norwegian quilt pattern business). It is a bit bigger than yours (and the pattern will be relaunched in the next newsletter,- (norwegian text only). May I link to your blogpost from my blog?
March 6th, 2010Love the post. You totally crack me up……Keep it comin’ girl!
March 6th, 2010This bag ROCKS, er… CURLs, oh whatever, it’s really, really AWESOME!
March 7th, 2010VERY cute monica.
April 11th, 2010please make mine in black and white. and then add a splash o’ pink. then i can give it to my daughter as one of her christmas presents.. and fill it with a beach towel and some sunscreen!!
:is so excited to have another christmas present out of the way!