More sewing! I’m on a roll!
A few years ago I refashioned this conference tote bag* with an old t-shirt. I used it until poor Siouxsie started to get holes. Amazingly, the canvas tote underneath showed practically no wear. I think it might be indestructible.
So I re-refashioned it. I have another black tote and I’m thinking of making a set. I really love this fabric.
*Wow. Did you click on that link? My blog photos have really improved over the past few years!
You knew I was going to turn those capri pants into tote bags, didn’t you? Not just any bags, however, but bags with a purpose: keeping nature out of my pockets and my purse.
I’m sure many of you can relate to this: Mama, can you hold this rock? Here’s a present for you, Mama. It’s a leaf! I’m just going to put this stick in your purse for later. Did you put my feather in your pocket? Later, as you are digging around for latte money, the barista gives you a funny look as random bits of nature fall on to the counter.
I made two of these: one for my daughter and one for her friend. They’re the same except for the lining. Now when we go on walks together, the girls can carry their own bits of nature. There are all kinds of pockets perfect for acorns, rocks, twigs and leaves. The buttoned back pocket is perfect for storing a shovel. You never know when you’ll need to dig for treasure!
I love how these turned out and will be making more. How perfect would they be for a day of garage sailing or thrifting with different compartments for cash, phone, water and a snack! They would also make a cool craft project bag with pockets for all of your notions.
project details: Pants from my closet, lining fabric from my thrifted stash.
Thanks to Sister Diane, I spent more time cleaning than crafting this weekend. She wrote a post about how we crafters just don’t seem to put things away and I looked around my room and thought, “Yep, that’s me!” I figured if I wasn’t brave enough to take a picture of my to-do piles then they needed to go.
I did get a little bit of sewing done, though. I was inspired by a denim tote my daughter received as a gift and decided to make a few for upcoming birthdays. I found this denim in my stash and it was already hemmed at the top (yes!) so all I had to do was serge the sides and make some handles. I used Heat n Bond Ultra Hold for the initials. I made a total of three small and one big, which I think is destined to become a project tote for myself.
font: I used the House Industries Haulnhouse font for the initial caps. You can find a similar, free download of the “Austin Powers” font from about.com. By the way, House Industries occasionally gives away free fonts. You should check them out because they are all pretty awesome.
I know today is usually all about my creative space at the moment, but I’m working on the beach blanket and there isn’t much else to show you except a nice pretty fabric pic like this one. Instead, I’m sharing my third home ec project: a reusable grocery tote.
This project got me thinking about handles. I usually seam up the sides first, fold over and stitch the top hem, then add handles. This project changed the order: top hem, handles, side seams. I can definitely see the wisdom in doing the handles on a flat piece of fabric. It makes a lot of sense. But, I also really like how the top hem hides the side seams when folded over. It’s something to think about. (Yes, I do think about these things.)
I’m planning to make some heavy duty grocery totes for our weekly shopping because I’d like something with a square bottom. I love this for the Farmers’ Market, though. The fabric is totally appropriate!
stash: I’ve been holding on to this fabric for awhile and I can’t remember where I found it. I was saving it for a farmers’ market tote, so now I can cross that off my to-do list!
Sorry about missing Thrifty Thursday yesterday. I was planning to take photos and write my post in the evening, and right before dinner I found a copy of GreenCraft in my mailbox. I knew something was up because I don’t subscribe to the magazine, but I did submit one of my patterns and a sample to the publication many months ago. I was so excited, I completely forgot about my thrifty pictures and post until after dark. Whoops!
I am so thrilled to see my Farmers’ Market tote in GreenCraft magazine! I designed this bag using men’s dress shirts and a terry cloth towel for interfacing. It’s reversible because our Farmers’ Market runs from May to October: one side has Spring colors and the other has Fall colors. If you get a chance, check out the design and instructions in the Autumn 2010 issue!
Thank you everyone for the sweet comments on my giveaway tote. I’ve been overwhelmed by your responses! They’ve inspired me to make some more totes from my upholstery stash. Last night I put together color combinations for three more bags. Now, if I can only find the time to sew them up!
recycle: All of these are thrifted fabrics. Aren’t they lovely?
Congratulations to Vicki for winning the Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway tote bag!
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I’m participating in Sew, Mama, Sew’s giveaway day again. I just love this idea. You can enter my giveaway below and then head over to their website and enter hundreds more! (Yes, hundreds!)
I’m giving away a tote bag. It’s a little smaller than some of my recent bags — the perfect size for knit and crochet, small sewing, and embroidery projects. It would also make a cute purse!
It’s got two big pockets inside and closes with a ribbon tie. The outside and pockets are from a really cute upholstery fabric sample.
How to enter: Leave a comment and tell me how you would use this bag — to hold creative projects? as a purse? something else?
Bonus entry: Subscribe to my rss feed and leave another comment to be entered.
Another bonus entry: “Like” my Facebook page and leave another comment to be entered. (Why did they change that? It sounds even weirder than “Fan.”)
I’ll ship internationally, so everyone has a chance to win! You have until Midnight CT, May 20th to enter. I’ll pick the winner using a random number generator. Good luck!
Now go check out more giveaways over at Sew, Mama, Sew!
recycle: All of the materials for this tote were thrifted (i.e., saved from the landfill).
Confession time: my daughter’s dress wasn’t the only Liberty of Target item I bought last month. I fell in love with this tote on the website and was disappointed when I got to the store and realized it was oil cloth. I almost put it back a few times while I was shopping, but in the end, the print won me over.
After using it a few times as a knitting tote, I wished I hadn’t bought it. The cloth was so stiff that even a small ball of yarn gave it a goofy bump in the middle. Then I thought, I make tote bags. Why don’t I stop complaining and just fix the darn thing?
So I added a four inch gusset and prettied it up with some vintage buttons on the side. It’s still stiff, but much more functional.
I’ve actually started using it for my daily purse, even though it’s kind of big. I still wish it was fabric, but I really do love those little flowers.
future thrifting? I’m wondering if others were as frustrated with this bag. Maybe they’ll start showing up at the thrift stores?
When I posted pics of my Tropical Tablecloth Tote, I received a request for a lunch tote. The bag is a little smaller, but a lot wider to hold lunch containers and a water bottle. I think it’s pretty darn cute!
There are two more totes worth of fabric cut and waiting to be sewn. I admit that I wish I had this idea on my own. Anyone out there looking for the perfect tropical bag? Let me know!
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Thank you for all of the great suggestions on the sweater upcycle. I’m seriously considering pillow cushions now, too!
I’ve got some tough decisions in my creative space today. I was given this beautiful hand-knit sweater from my friend Tana. It’s big. Really big. Too big to be refashioned with my ’80s sweater tutorial. She was thinking I could use it to make a felted tote bag. I can’t bear felting it. The stitch work is so beautiful.
This is what I’m thinking: take apart the seams and make smaller bags out of the front and back each. I would serge the edges to keep them from unraveling. I really like the colorway of the yarn, which is Cascade 220. I think I might unravel the sleeves and use the wool for some granny square scarves.
What do you think? What would you do with it?