Tote Bag fun!

I've previously mentioned that I have the pattern for Amy Butler's weekender bag sitting in my "projects waiting" stack, and you know I've made bunches of pouches.  Even so, my bag thirst was not quenched and ever since travel handmade I've been wanting to sew a tote bag, but had a hard time justifying it.  I mean, who needs another tote bag- I have a whole car full of the cheap ugly ones that I use to carry groceries (when I remember to take them in) and two or three cute ones I use to haul general stuff.  However, I've been crocheting quite a bit lately and didn't really have anything for all my yarn and projects and needles, so I thought I could make a cute bag for that stuff.

Then last weekend I went to Dallas to visit my sister and we stopped at a quilt store in McKinney while out and about.  I was supposed to be stash building- looking for tone-on-tones in the sale fabric section.  Alas, this gorgeous fabric caught my eye and I could. not. resist.   I loved the raspberry, pink, orange, and white on the khaki colored background and the giant flowers were just stunning.  Sorry, I have no idea what it's called or whose line it is, if anyone knows, please chime in!

I decided therefore to make my tote bag.  I just wanted a basic sort of bag with one big inside pocket for patterns but otherwise just open.  I didn't really use a pattern or follow a specific tutorial, but was inspired by the look of these (here and here).  Check out travel handmade if you need links to specific guidance, but the assembly was really straightforward, pretty much like any other lined pouch-type-thing.

These are my outside front pieces, I fussy cut flowers from the fabulous focus fabric and pieced around some scraps I had in my bin.  I'm sorry, the pictures don't do the vibrancy of the fabric justice;  the colors in those flowers are really rich and bright.

The sides of the bag are the same focus print and it's lined with some fun Hawaiian fabric I got a few years ago. It's interfaced with flannel because I was out of actual interfacing, and I put some faux piping around the outside edges to give it a little extra color.   I'm really pleased with the way it turned out, now my yarn and crochet accoutrements are very happy, and I get to look at those great colors!

I hope everyone is having a joyful Thanksgiving week!