Tweed Tote Bag.
The Knitting and Stitching show was on in Dublin last week. There is no place like it for stocking up on crafting materials, especially the ones you didn’t know you needed!
I should take a list, write down all the projects i’d like to do and what I will need to make them. That would be sensible. However, by the time it comes around I’m a bit lacking in enthusiasm. The inspiration of last years show has worn off. What happens then is I go in thinking, “well, I need glue…. and maybe some Bondaweb”. But then you get freshly inspired by all of the products.
All the things you could make!
That leads from a hundred project ideas to getting totally overwhelmed, and being back to just getting glue.
So what did I buy?
This year I came home with fabric – lots of fabric! Some of it was for my Mum, but the rest was all mine.
Usually, I get lots of cotton fat quarters for quilting. I’m not very good at quilting, my seams never meet neatly. But they’re fun to make. Last year I got some gorgeous Tilda fabrics from The Crafty Fox stand. I have yet to cut into them so I’m on a self imposed ban – no more until I use what I have.
This year I was tempted by this grey heavy flannel and a tweed. What will I make with it?, I asked myself, A tote bag? Why not? Experience has taught me that if I don’t make it in the week after the show it won’t get made (which explains the quilt) so believe it or not, here it is!
(Finished bag size is 18″ x 15″ x 7″)
There are endless Youtube tutorials on how to do this, I used this one (without the patchwork bits obviously). My measurements were different to hers, but the process is the same.
If you are going to make this then here is a word of advice. Make your handles the same fabric on both sides. I wanted grey on the inside and tweed facing out. Seems simple enough doesn’t it?
It’s not!
When you make it the whole thing is inside out. For the life of me I couldn’t work out which way round the lay the handles. As you sew over the handles to secure them in place you’re sewing six layers of fabric. Only then, after turning the whole thing through a tiny gap in the seam did I discover my mistake.
No problem, I thought. Just stuff it all back through the gap in the seam, unpick all the sewing and re position the handles. I turned them around and started to re sew the top and broke not one but two sewing machine needles!
There may have been some unpolite expletives muttered……
But I do have a gorgeous bag to show for it. It is fully lined with the flannel which makes it cosy enough for Toby to sleep in. He looks most indignant when I take him out.
If and when I get the quilt finished i’ll post it here. A lovely pale pink velvet came home with me for the backing. I have all I need to make it now, so there is really no excuse……
Have a lovely Halloween weekend,
Felicia xx
