For Those Who Want The Color But Not the Bold

Well, I finished my second of many Totes Ma Tote Bags over the weekend and it just reinforced how much I love this pattern by Janelle at Emmaline Bags.  You can find it here.  This bag is for someone who likes color but doesn't like the bold.  My last Totes Ma Tote bag was long on the color and long on the bold!

This is the front of the bag.  Even though I used a red quilting cotton, I stayed calm  on the pattern of the fabric...just some lighter red and black muted circles.   It was still enough to use my black faux leather for the handles...

and the side trim...

I liked the double zip zipper on my first bag so much that I duplicated it on this bag...

And, I left all of the craziness on the inside with a fun print for the lining...

I can't wait to make this bag again.  If not this week, then next week.  It's too bad the richness of the fabric doesn't show up as well as it could have.  Red always seems to be a hard color to photograph.  Anyone else find that??

Featured, Interviewed and Scheduling While Sewing

I have had an eventful week in my sewing room.  After finishing my Convertible Bag, I decided to do another Totes Ma Tote Bag from Janelle at Emmaline Bags found here.  Since it is not quite done, all I can show you is the fabric.

The fabric with circles is the outside, the zig zag is the lining and the faux leather is the straps and side trim.

I worked this week on scheduling some new shows.  Since my Etsy store is still on hold, I decided to book an event for August.  I submitted pictures of my work, my blog and all of the necessary paperwork and fees.  You must be approved to participate in this festival.  I found out a couple of days later that I was approved and I will be at the18th Annual North Canton Main Street Festival in North Canton, Ohio on Aug 16 and 17.  This will be my first time participating in this fair where they close down part of Main Street in the heart of town for all of the booths of food, crafts, and fun.  Yesterday, I was contacted by a local paper that wants to do an interview with me with pictures of some of my bags for an article they are doing about the fair.Won't that be fun!

This morning, while sifting through all of the blogs that I follow, I found out that my first Totes Ma Tote Bag was featured on the Sew Can She blog.  It got the most hits from last week's linky party. You can see that below and on their blog here.

Well, back to work so I can show you the new bag soon.

Convertible Bag 3.0

I love the Convertible Bag, one of the bags from the Bag of the Month Club.  This bag is from Samantha at At Home With Mrs H.  She just recently made this pattern available on her Etsy store here.  It is a great sized bag that can be carried as a cross body bag or by rearranging the straps, can turn into a backpack.  So cute!!  So cute in fact that this bag is the third one I have made.  Look at the other two Convertible Bags I have made down the left hand side of my blog under the March Bags of the Month.

I purchased these fabrics a while back when I was thinking about making a set of matching bags.  I never did make those bags but I still wanted to be able to use these in some bag where both fabrics could be shown on the front.  This bag was a great choice.

I recently purchased a lot of these thumb catches and really like the look of them.  If you haven't tried them before, don't be afraid of them.  They go in as easily as magnetic snaps (if you haven't tried magnetic snaps yet...then you really have some catching up to do!!!!).  The best part is that you don't have to cut a big hole in your bag like you do with turn locks (but I like them a lot, too).  The contrasting fabric on the front is a nice large pocket that is protected by the front flap.

The back of the bag features an outside zippered pocket.

The inside of this bag features two slip pockets on one side and another zippered pocket on the other side.

I'm sure that I will make many more of these.  They are fun to make and I just love the results.

Rosie Midtown Messenger

I loved the April Bag of the Month, the Midtown Messenger by Betz White.  If you weren't a part of the club, you can now get this pattern in her Etsy store here.   I had this black and grey upholstery fabric that I had used on an evening bag and thought it would look good paired with a black suede.  I love the roses all over this fabric. 

The front of the bag has a divided secure pocket under the flap.  The back has a large slip pocket.

The top is closed with a recessed zipper.

The inside has a large tablet pocket.  Yes...and those black and white polka dots again (get used to seeing them).

This is a great bag to use as a purse or as a work briefcase.  It measures 10" x 13 1/2" x 2 1/2".

The New Totes Ma Tote Bag

It probably looks like I haven't been doing anything but I just finished a bag that will be part of a blog hop at the end of the month.  I can't wait to show you this unique bag.  I have also been trying to get my Etsy store up  and running but I hit a snag.  I'll share more when things are straightened out.

Today, though, I am excited to finally share a bag that I was a tester for, The Totes Ma Tote Bag from Janelle at Emmaline Bags.  She released the pattern today.

I love the look of this bag.  It is a great size at 17" wide at the top, 13" wide at the bottom, 12" high and 4" deep.  Made with quilting cottons, this bag stands up on its own when using by Annie's Soft and Stable.  I have used other things but the result is just not the same.  This is such a professional looking bag that went together easily.  What fabrics you use change the look of this bag tremendously.  See all of the other bag testers' bags here.

The straps are so cute!  They are inserted through the bag through oval grommets and buckled.

The bag is closed on top with a recessed zipper.  I used a zipper with double zips to make it even easier to open all of the way.

Look at these cool racing stripes down the sides!

 

Here is the interior.  There are 2 slip pockets and 1 zippered pocket on 1 side and a large pocket on the other side for a tablet with a magnetic snap tab to keep it secure.

 

 

 

 

 

The bag is finished off with 6 bag feet on the bottom.

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for a bag that says shades of BOLD all over it, this might be the one.  What can I say???  Bright bags make me happy!!!