Chevron tote

I did it! I made another bag! This one is for my wonderful friend Lisa—it was part birthday gift and part thank-you gift for a recent babysitting favor.

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that I've never been much for sewing three-dimensional items. If it doesn't lie as flat as a quilt, it scares me. But sewing more non-quilty items was one of my goals for 2012. Also, I've been dying to make a bag out of this yellow chevron fabric ever since I saw these Vera totes that Katie made. So I'm really excited that I finished this bag, and that it turned out so cute!

I used Betz White's Isabella Tote pattern (available here or here—I love that the pattern includes an option to make this bag out of a repurposed pillowcase). I wanted my bag to be more structured, so I added the optional interfacing, even though I was already using a heavier upholstery-weight fabric. I also did the optional Timtex-interfaced panel in the bottom of the bag. I would have liked to add a pocket on the inside and maybe a magnetic snap closure, but I ran out of time! (Because, as usual, making this bag was a total last-minute decision.)

The only thing I didn't like about the Isabella pattern is that, because of the way it's constructed, it isn't possible to line the bag in a different print. I would have liked a touch of contrast on the inside. But it's that same construction method that makes it such an easy bag to put together (and makes it possible to use a pillowcase), so I guess I can't complain about it too much.

Anyway, my friend loves it. In fact, she posted it on Facebook and I had several requests from her FB friends to make bags for them as well! What a nice compliment. But I think Lisa's tote will have to remain one-of-a-kind for a while (well, three-of-a-kind, counting Katie's inspirational bags), because I think I need to go back to nice flat quilts now.