Tote Bags

Sometimes I just have to make a tote bag.  

You have that problem, too, right?  :)  

For me, tote bags are the perfect instant gratification project.  You can make one, start to finish, in a couple of hours with no prior planning.  Nothing fancy, nothing challenging, just cut some squares, sew them together (with or without batting in the middle), make some straps, done. 

With the addition of these two bags to my arsenal I think I have finally eradicated all the old gross freebie-from-stores ''el-cheap-oh'' bags in the house.  I now have handmade bags for Sunday School teacher stuff, Bible study stuff (these are both used weekly nine months out of the year - totally worth a handmade bag, right?) and now a third for yarny projects I want to carry around town.  I'm sure I'll make more when another urge for instant success comes around but for now I'll enjoy using these.  

The mint bag had a secondary purpose - I wanted to try some of that foam stabilizer I've read about so much on blogs.  Eh - its okay.  I don't love it but I don't hate it either.  It certainly gives the bag structure but the added thickness makes for tricky sewing in some spots.  Now that I've used it once I have a better idea of how and where to use it next time.

Mint, white, and a bit of lace...

... pockets for pens and whatnot.

The second one is one layer of quilt batting between two layers of cotton.  Nice and soft and squishy.   The gray knit-print fabric and the navy lining are leftover from 2015 quilt projects.   I curved the top of the bag just a tad on this one.

Here it is flipped inside out - a fun 'stitchy' lining print.  

I've been using it carry around my current crochet project.  

Alright!  I'm almost caught up on blogging recent projects - just one dress left to share but I don't have pictures yet.  Soon, though...  

Happy sewing to all!