Make It Modern: Personalized Project Bags with a Twist

When it comes to handmade gifts, I love adding a little extra to every make. This holiday season, I made a colorful set of Project Bags 2.0 by ByAnnie for my niece. A creative preteen who loves color and craft supplies almost as much as I do!

Adding a Personal Touch with FPP Details

Hey there, Kelly Renay here! If you know me, you know I can’t resist sneaking a bit of patchwork personality into any project. To make these bags extra special, I added some fun foundation paper pieced (FPP) designs to the front and back panels. These little details gave each bag its own spark of personality and turned a simple sewing project into something truly one-of-a-kind.

For the large bag, I used three adorable mini patterns by Quilty Pie Handmade; the Rainbow and Heart, 5 Point Star Block, and Tiny Heart Block. I scaled the star and heart down to 50% so they’d fit perfectly across the bottom border. On the back, I pieced the Simple Celestial Block by From Blank Pages, a dreamy 12″ design that felt just right for a star loving girl.

Letters, Love, and Little Surprises

Inside the smaller bag, I added my niece’s initials using the My ABC’s pattern, also by From Blank Pages. It was the perfect personalized touch for tucking in art pens and small treasures. The kind of detail that makes handmade gifts feel extra special.

A Bright Mix of Dots, Solids, and Stripes

To keep things bright and modern, I pulled together some of my favorite Riley Blake Designs basics… Dapple Dot in Black, Swiss Dot on White Black, and a cheerful lineup of Confetti Cottons in Riley Fuchsia, Riley Raspberry, Bubblegum, Passion, Papaya, Citron, Riley Teal, and Poolside. I also added a pop of 1/8″ Black and White Stripe fabric, because every good project deserves a little stripe moment. The mix of dots, solids, and stripes give a graphic boldness while also keeping the bags feeling fresh and fun.

Modern Color Meets Meaningful Making

Whether you’re making a set of bags for a young maker or adding some quilty flair to your own storage, this project is such a great way to play with color, practice FPP, and make something practical with personality.

Project Summary

Pattern: Project Bags 2.0 by ByAnnie
Additional FPP Patterns:

• Quilty Pie Handmade
  • Rainbow and Heart
  • 5 Point Star Block
  • Tiny Heart Block
• From Blank Pages
  • Simple Celestial 12” Block
  • My ABC’s 3″

Fabrics Used:

• Dapple Dot in Black
• Swiss Dot on White Black
• 1/8″ Stripe Black and White
• Confetti Cottons: Riley Fuchsia, Riley Raspberry, Bubblegum, Passion, Papaya, Citron, Riley Teal, Poolside