Tote-ally Cool!

So here's the finished bag. Amazing how the choice of fabrics can change the look from the pattern's "funky" to something rather more classic.

I used Butterick 5367, View B (size = 15" by 15"), with the breakdown of costs as follows:

• 2 yards, 1/2" cotton piping, (handles) @ $0.49 yard = $0.98


• 3/4 yd. FC Shancey Midnight cotton (main floral print) @ 9.99 yard, less 40% coupon = $4.49


• 3/4 yard black taffeta (lining), red tag table @ $6.00 yard, less 40% coupon = $2.70


• 3/8 yard Picnic Spice Red cotton (front pocket) @ 9.99 yard less 40% coupon = $2.25


• 1/4 yard FC Diana/Onyx cotton (houndstooth side pockets) @ 9.99 yard = $2.50


• 1/4 yard VFF black suede (handles, pocket band) red tag table, 7.00 yard = $1.75


• 1 yard White Pellon 40 interfacing @ $1.99 yard = $1.99


• Red flower pin = $1.97

That's a total of $18.63! Woo hoo. Used black thread on hand, and because I wasn't paying attention, I didn't buy enough interfacing. Pattern called for 1 yard of 45" interfacing, and what I bought was not as wide. Used some from my stash at home. Also used a double layer of fusible Peltex from my stash on the bottom instead of the cardboard it called for.

Pattern called for using same fabric for lining as front. I did that with the pockets, but I lined the inside of the main bag with the black taffeta. There are no pockets on the inside and if I ever do the pattern again, I will probably add some. Pockets on the outside are mostly for show; I think things might fall out of them, especially the side ones. Pattern showed the addition of funky buttons along the front pocket band. I found a cute flower pin in the sale bin in the same rosy red to use in place of the buttons. There is no closure on the bag, so I stitched the top extensions where the handles protrude together about an inch down on each side of the handle. This made the insides a lot more secure and a bit less accessible.

The pattern was easy to cut out, easy to sew. Even the oval bottom went in smoothly. There was no hand sewing required; some top stitching. From cut out to final stitch took a bit under three hours with a couple of small interruptions. Since I just received a JoAnn's coupon for a discount on a total home dec purchase sometime over the next month, I definitely think there's another one of these bags on the horizon . I didn't particularly like the way the handles are sewn into the side seam where the side and front panels come together, and next time will probably sew them into the seam formed at the top of that little rectangular extension rather than into the side seam. But overall it was a great little project!