Patchwork Batik Quilted Tote

I made a bag like this a few years ago in different batik fabrics and it was for sale in my Payhip Shop and a woman I know (although we haven't met in person) from Sew Powerful purse making bought it. 

A few weeks ago Sew Powerful had a purse making retreat in Texas and a couple dozen or so women got together there at the retreat. The woman who had purchased the patchwork tote from me was there and had her bag with her. Another woman who sat across from her got to chatting with her about the bag and found out I made it and she knew me from the Facebook group so asked about buying the same bag from me. So I made her this bag in colors she mentioned she liked. Funny thing is the woman who purchased this bag from me lived in Washington state in the same city I had lived in before moving to New Mexico. When I saw her address I knew the road she lived on. Small world! She has received this bag and loves it. That make me happy!!!

She likes purple, pink, turquoise, so I chose these batiks. This is the front of the bag showing some of the prints. I set the fabrics in a diagonal, so they don't all show on each side.

This is the back of the bag. I think I should have straightened the photo as it looks like it is tilting to the right. The zipper is straight, but photo make is look like it is leaning right. I added a vinyl zipper overlay to this zipper, which I didn't do on the first bag I made.

Inside the zipper pocket. I thought this fabric made a pretty lining.

One side view.

The other side view.

Inside is a divided slip pocket with pen pocket. I had forgotten to add the magnetic snap, so I had the sew on kind and sewed it on. Good to have those snaps on hand just in case. I guess my label by the snap wasn't placed exactly centered 😜. Too late now. That's a first!

Pen pocket and 2 other pockets.

I included a little wallet and a medium size Portable Pocket too.

Portable Pocket and Little Wallet. 

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MIY Tote in Hot Air Balloon Ripstop Nylon Fabric

Another MIY Tote (Moments by Liz) that I used scraps leftover from hot air balloon making. I had to get creative and sew scraps together to make a front and back large enough to create a tote. The tote measures 17" wide x 15" high x 3 1/2" deep. I love the bright colors.

Here is one side all pieced together.

Liz calls these Danish corners, which show on the outside of the bag.

This is the other side of the tote.

I lined the bag and used the balloon material (ripstop nylon) for a bag facing.

Added a pen pocket on each side of the main pocket.

As I pieced the balloon material together, I topstitched in a variegated thread throughout.

Location shoot around my yard~

I really like how this bag looks and feels with it being lined. It is still so light, but sturdy and makes a great shopping bag or beach bag too. But I need to be careful because it would act as a parachute in a strong wind and get blown away, lol!

I am going to make some more and line them too. The unlined ones I made last year are nice, but the lining just makes it even better.
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Arabesque Bag

I have been wanting to make an Arabesque Bag (from Sew Sweetness) for a long time and finally got around to making this one about a month ago. I prefer to use scraps of fabric (rather than trim like is mentioned in the pattern) and I thought the vertical strips looked better than horizontal strips. With horizontal strips there is too much matching to do at the sides as well as making sure that your horizontal strips stay perfectly horizontal and not slowly veer off into becoming a diagonal, lol! I was very happy how this bag came out with the vertical strips and I like the one horizontal line that goes across the top of the bag to cover up the strap bottoms too. To me and my eye this is a much more balanced looking bag aesthetically. (I sold this bag in mid-November at a small craft show).

This is a free pattern (free is always nice) and the directions are excellent, as Sara's directions always are! I will be making more of these bags because I really enjoyed making this one and love how it looks too. You could of course use one fabric instead of trim or scraps, but it's a great way to use up scraps of fabric to create something beautiful! Thanks for the pattern Sara!

Vertical strips with wavy horizontal quilting.

Side view to show the depth of the bag at the bottom.

The back of the bag looks about the same, only I used a few different fabric strips.

I added a zippered pocket inside to turn the bag.

A slip pocket in the opposite side of the lining with a pen pocket sewn at the side of the pocket.

After making this bag, I decided to reduce the pattern and make another one in a smaller version. I will be posting the smaller one too. Oh yes and I sold the smaller one at the same show, yay! Love the smaller size as well. Definitely will be making more of these bags in both sizes.


Linking to Elm Street Quilts Bag It 2017
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Totes Ma Tote

I tested the new Totes Ma Tote Bag that Janelle from Emmaline Bags designed. I made mine in patchwork. The instructions are very easy to follow, even though I made changes on mine. Without pockets on the outside, I thought this would be a perfect place to make patchwork, applique or embroidery. Don't worry there are plenty of inside pockets. Go here to see over a dozen of these beautiful totes made by the testers.

The side of the bag has an accent strip.

I used orange-brown-green fabrics to create a quilt-as-you-go string chevron patchwork for the front and back of the bag.

The other side of the bag. I didn't have grommets so I made a strap and used pieces of Ultra Suede over the ends of the straps and then stitched a blanket stitch around them. I also didn't use buckles on my straps. One reason I didn't is that I didn't have any buckles and the other reason is as a knitter, I was afraid the prongs of those buckles would snag a knit sweater. Believe me I have caught many a sweater in swivel hooks and buckles before; sometimes I get so caught I cannot get the bag off, LOL!!! Those nicer swivel hooks that most bag makers use don't have those lever thingees sticking out, but I don't have those kind unfortunately and my knitwear gets caught. Something to think about when you are a knitter and a bag maker.

There is a recessed zipper.

Inside is a zippered pocket on one side.

A large pocket on the other side of the bag with tab closure. I used a snap, not a magnetic snap here.

Inside the large pocket is a section of slip pockets. I think I might have been the first tester to complete this bag and the way the directions were written is how I sewed my pocket here, however Janelle meant to have you sew the slip pocket over the the zipper pocket. Well that's the reason we testers test those bag, LOL!!! She corrected the instructions for this, but you could sew these pockets however suited you. I like how the slip pockets are inside the large pockets, so it didn't bother me at all that it wasn't meant to be this way.

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