Round Tote Bag with Drawstring Top, Handles and Pockets.

I wanted to make a large bag with a drawstring top closure. I needed handles to carry the bag and pockets both inside and out. I had a bag pattern for the basic shape (Absolute Bag), but I added all the things I just mentioned and more. 

I also had a couple of printed fabric pieces that I wanted to use for the pockets on the exterior of the bag and so I based the pocket size on the panel size of these prints. The Spider Woman spinning her web sort of looked like a woman knitting and I wanted to make this a knitting bag. It also has a Halloween feeling to it too. I chose the exterior fabric colors based on the colors in the pocket panels, and a light interior fabric print, since the exterior is dark.

I wasn't entirely sure about the measurements for the drawstring top, so I guesstimated on the cutting size and it worked out just right, whew, becuase I didn't have much more fabric left.

I could have made the handles longer, but they are fine for carrying in my hand, just not over the shoulder; however I can make an adjustable strap that I can clip onto the rings with swivel hooks if I want to carry it on my shoulder or across my body. I will wait and see if I want to add that strap or not.

I interfaced everything and added foam for the structure of the bag so it stand up nicely too.

The main fabric is batik, the handles are a grunge fabric, the pockets are printed panels.

I added strap connectors with rings and rivets for extra strength as well as bling.

 I love that full moon with the Spider Woman spinning her web. The moon just glows.

Side view look at the bag.

I quilted the bottom of the bag and added purse feet.

Looking down on the drawstring closure. I added long orange colored wooden beads at the drawstring ends.

Drawstring closure closeup.

Interior slip pocket the you look beautiful label.

Interior zipper pocket and my label.

This interior fabric is a Tim Holtz print. The zipper pocket and the slip pocket are opposite each other inside the bag and do not back up to the exterior pockets, so that way the contents of the pockets are not back to back, but spread out. 

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The Absolute Bag

A good friend of mine gave me a bag pattern, batik sunflower fabric and Soft and Stable already cut to size to make the Absolute Bag. The pattern was designed by Marilyn Forestell, who is the owner of QuiltWorks, a quilt shop located in Bend, Oregon. This bag is a large bucket-style tote bag which holds a lot. Marilyn says you can wear it as a backpack and shows a photo on the back of the pattern worn like this, but I would be afraid small items would tend to fall out of the bag if worn that way, so I would just carry it by the handles or on my shoulder. It's a fun and easy to sew bag.

The Absolute bag, with changes I made to the bag.

This is the Absolute Bag photo on the cover of the pattern. See the handles sewn to the top of the bag? Then look at how I changed this and sewed the handles to my bag differently.  

I like to make changes in bags that I make to suit my taste and needs. The only thing about the Absolute Bag that I didn't care for was sewing the straps to the top edge of the bag. If you are carrying something heavy that would put a lot of stress on the bag straps. I prefer tote style bags to have straps that are sewn the full height of the bag because it reduces the stress on the bag and it also gives you the perfect place to add a pocket in between the straps and having extra pockets is always a plus in my book! So that's one of the changes that I made was I lengthened my straps and added a pocket in between each strap.

I have small hands and grabbing a strap that is too wide will crunch the strap in my hand, so I also folded the strap in the center and sewed it, making the strap narrower in the center and easier to hold and also by doubling it over adds more cushioning.

Interior of bag with slip pocket. You can see the lining is a bit saggy on the right side.

This bag pattern did not call for interfacing, but knowing that I do add interfacing to all my other bags that I make, I did fuse Pellon SF 101 interfacing to both the exterior and lining fabrics and the pockets and straps too. I also quilted the exterior and bottom of the bag. If I were to make this bag again, I think I might quilt the lining and exterior fabrics together to avoid having a saggy lining and then add the pockets and straps.

The bottom of the bag I quilted to hold the layers together better. This is the lining view.

You can see the handles at the center top where I folded over and stitched to give me a smaller and more cushioned place to grab and hold.

You can see here how the bag is a round bucket shape.

All in all I am pleased with how this bag looks and it was an easy sew too.
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