A Quilt Top Tote

Perfect for a quick run to the farmers market or grocery store. The outside was made in a lovely patchwork of scrap cotton fabrics from favorite dresses and skirts of long ago while the inside is cream cotton.

I think I'd have enough scrap fabric to make one hundred of these. No joke.

Tote in Toile

If you like totes, but are not toting around a little one on your hip you just might like this one! A few years back I made totes for the shop on a regular basis and I've gotten requests to bring them back. After all, the ones for only a dollar or two sold in nearly every grocery store are not sturdy nor do they wash up nice.

Maybe I'm a bit bias, but the ones I make are made out of cotton fabrics (which wash up wonderfully), and often will be made with a home-decor weight fabric which gives them a stiffer body.

If you like blue toile, you'll like this one.

Beatrix Potter Totes for Mama's

Today I spent my day with little critters. Well, not real ones, but the ones that Beatrix Potter made alive in her books for children. Going through my stash I came across some fabrics that I made into children's aprons years ago and there was just enough of each to make into totes for those Mama's out there who find totes helpful and also sweet in style.



Though they were made to compliment each other they were listed separately in the SHOP, but if you'd like to purchase both I'll create a special listing and give you a $5 discount.

An Enormous Tote

With preparing to go to college, at least one tote bag is on my list to bring. This afternoon I went through my stash and found the perfect fabrics to make one up for the shop. After all, I'm not the only one going to school!
A sister happily obliged to show it off in pictures. Like it?

The Dotted Pink Tote

This was the last thing I sewed before I left home. It never sold at the craft show, and now I've finally had time to get is listed in the shop.

My next project is to start taking pictures of the new tatted bookmarks that I've done in my limted spare time, so I can add those to my currently empty shop.

We have some winners!

Okay. I have decided to get rid of all of my totes in the shop!
Randomly selected, the winners are:

Homespun Yo-Yo Tote ~ Denise W.

Old Fashioned Blue Shopper ~ Katie M.

Red, White, and Blue Shopper ~ Christy

...and, I have two Red, White, and Blue Shoppers left, so the first two people to e-mail me will receive them.

If you want to send me your addresses, I'll get them shipped out to you! This was alot of fun to do, and hopefully it won't be so long until I have another giveaway.

In the mean time, check out the two new aprons that I added to the shop last night. They're pretty cute, if I do say so myself!

Tote Bag Giveaway!

I'm ready to see the totes that are in shop GO (you guessed it, for the purpose of a whole new batch of 'em in all shapes and styles!) and so this week I'm offering a giveaway of one of the totes listed in my shop.

All you have to do to enter, is leave a comment with your name (first name and last initial, please) and the name of your favorite tote bag that is in the shop.

You can be entered twice, by posting a link over to this post from your blog/LJ/wordpress, etc, and then leave a second comment (please be sure to leave your blog address too)!

I will randomly choose a winner Friday afternoon, and will post the winner shortly thereafter.

10 Dollar Totes

While this week's work schedule isn't that much different than last week (you would have not wanted to see me last weekend!) I have been able to get in the sewing room a little bit more. Thanks to some brilliant readers out there, I'll be able to get those sashes attached to the 1912 dress and hopefully listed on ebay soon. Or perhaps a reader would like to save me the trouble of doing so, and purchase it directly?

This afternoon I pulled out a prairie blouse that I've had cut out for awhile, and start pieceing the brown calico together. The inspiration to make it came from recently watching the Dr. Quinn series that they did back in the 90's. Our local libraries have most, if not all of the seasons so we've been having fun watching several episodes. Anyhoo...

What was I making this post for? Oh yes! I marked down all the totes in the shop down to $10 each. Considering the amount of yardage, time put into them, AND that they are reversible, that't not to bad. Here's what I've got.

Somebody Stop Me!

I can't seem to stop making totes! At least I'm keeping my word of not making any more hobo sacks for awhile...

Two are up in the SHOP tonight, and another one just like them (except with a red polka dot lining) will be added soon.

Back to Nature Tote

Okay this will be the last of these hobo sacks for awhile, but I just can't stop myself from making them! They are fun to make, in style (or at least in my neck of the woods!), and takes me only a couple hours to put together.
My favorite on this one (other than the colorful linen) is the front pocket that sports the lining fabric and some vintage rack rack.

I added it to the SHOP this morning...

Because the weather doesn't allow me to dig around for weeds in the gardens right now, I think I'll dig around in the kitchen cupboards to see what I can whip up. Hmmm, maybe I'll grind up some rye berries and try out a new recipe for rye bread.

Tote Bag Craze

I was definitely in the sewing mood today (and now don't want to see my machine for the rest of the week!) and spent my time making more hobo sacks. And who said that they had to be made out of weird funky fabrics?

They can be made out of sailor stripes...
...colors of the sea...

...rose gardens...

...vintage florals ...

...and they are all in the shop tonight!

A Funky Striped Tote

I'm having way to much fun with this pattern I made up. I like it even better with some new alterations to the design.

Like it too?

Spring is in the Shop!

I was going to wait until Monday, but I couldn't help myself...

Both of these are in the cottage this evening.

Just One More...

Chocolate & Roses...
...in the shop tonight.

That Ugly Thing?

one of my sisters: What are you going to take pictures of?

me: My new tote bag

the same sister: That ugly thing? ::pause:: Just kidding

Green may not be my personal favorite color, but I think any person who likes green would like this! Or at least I hope so, because it's up in the shop...

Winner of the tote bag!

And our winner is, after using a random number generatror, is...

Kris from Ante Family Agrarians

Congratulations, Kris! And if you'd like to e-mail me with your address, I'll get it shipped off to you!

Tote Bag Giveaway!

It's high time I had another giveway, and looking through my stash pile of finished items, I came across this lovely corduroy tote!
I'd keep it myself, but I already have more than I know what to do with...

My favorite things about this one would be the three yo-yo's and vintage buttons in the front and the pocket on the inside.

All you have to do to enter, is leave a comment with your name (first name and last initial, please).

You can be entered twice, by posting a link over to this post from your blog, and then leave a second comment (please be sure to leave your blog address too)!

I will choose a winner Monday morning, and will post the winner shortly thereafter.

::grins:: Just one more tote bag

Okay, I promise that this is the last tote bag you'll see for awhile. =) I was inspired to make a "Musician's Tote Bag" for my friend, who will also be my violin teacher while I'm in MI.

Using brown corduroy and some more Heather Bailey fabrics, here is what it looks like:

It has the same button & ribbon closure, and instead of using vintage rick-rack on this one, I used a band of some left over fabric from my tote:

Up close detail

Sure hope she doesn't mind jelly beans. The inside is lined with jelly bean fabric! Maybe it will make her smile as it does me.

The Musican Tote Bag - Revisited

Does anyone remember my first attempt at making this "Musician Tote Bag" this past spring? I really liked it except for two things: the really long shoulder strap and the ribbon loop closure that seemed a little ... wacky, maybe?

For a long time now, I have admired this messenger bag pattern, but have never been quite willing to spend $12 for a pattern that I could design myself. So with that thought, I started thinking more, and cutting into fabric,

and wala!!

The inside is just one big pocket to hold many books, with room for lots more!

The front pockets hold my metronome, music flashcards, and other things perfectly!

I love the easy front closure of just wrapping a ribbon around a button. I also LOVE the Heather Bailey fabrics combined with a brown twill. Mmm, just perfectly suited for each other!

Oh yes, and the shoulder strap is a perfect length. I have a feeling that this thing is going to go with me everywhere from now on! =)

No. 4 - Baby Blue Tote

Well, this is my final installment (for now!) of tote bags in the shop! I have peasant shirts and aprons waiting to be sewn along with some Regency gowns and other items.

So without further ado, here is the newest addition:


The rick rack and wooden buttons are my favorite about this tote...



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