Les Fleurs Toddler Backpack

Lottie's been going to a fantastic preschool a few mornings a week since April, so she is long overdue for her own backpack! She doesn't usually see the big kids getting on the bus, but a snow delay this week left her in tears for one of her own. The timing was perfect because I had just cut this one that I've had on my to-do pile for months.

This is Made By Rae's Toddler Backpack, which I also made for Louisa and Leo.

I used Cotton and Steel fabric from the beloved Rifle Paper Co.'s Les Fleurs line (rosa floral canvas in natural), and Rashida Coleman-Hale's Mochi line (canvas in scattered pink). Both are a cotton-linen blend and a little bit lightweight, so I interfaced everything with a medium/heavy weight interfacing.

The lining is also from the Les Fleurs line, Bon Voyage Periwinkle. I liked the travel theme inside because the kids have been using these bags for road trip supplies well beyond toddlerhood. I put her name and my phone number inside with some iron-on transfer printer paper.

The only alteration to the pattern was to add an exterior slip pocket on one side and an elastic pocket on the other.

Poolside Tote in Paper Bandana

I've had the Poolside Tote by Noodlehead on my to-sew list for a long time. I love Anna's patterns and I consider her instructions really well written and illustrated.

I used Cotton and Steel fabrics from Alexia Marcelle Abegg's Paper Bandana collection, all purchased from Hawthorne Threads. The outer fabric is "paper cuts sky" canvas, and the handles are "add it up navy" quilting cotton. The accent fabric is "panda bebe turquoise," also quilting cotton.

Architextures Envelope Clutch

I have always wanted to use Carolyn Friedlander's Architextures line to make something for my dear college friend who is now a landscape architecture professor in St. Louis. She traveled all the way here to become Lottie's godmother, so it was the perfect opportunity.

I made Noodlehead's fabulous envelope clutch, the small size. I put the zipper pocket on one side and the card pockets on the other. Great pattern, very satisfying project.

Cargo Duffle Bag

I am breaking my rather long blog-silence to show off a project I am pretty proud of—my Cargo Duffle Bag! Another great pattern from Noodlehead (free from Robert Kaufman Fabrics).

I used my new favorite fabric line, Tule by Leah Duncan for Art Gallery Fabrics (which I bought from Hawthorne Threads). I love these prints. The main fabric is Meadow Vale in Bright, the pocket and handle accent fabric is Floras Oasis in Naranja, and the lining (both pockets and bag interior) is Terrain in Cactus. The bottom accent and bottom gusset is Essex Yarn Dyed in Denim from Robert Kaufman.

I referenced Anna's tips here, as well as some tips from the sew-along hosted here, and I used skirt as top's lining instructions.

Made by Rae Showoff Bag

This Christmas we travelled to the Dominican Republic with my in-laws for a week. It was my first trip to the Caribbean, my first trip to the beach during winter, and our first time traveling internationally with two small children. It was not easy, but it was really nice to enjoy some sun and warmth during December, and to spend some time with AJ's siblings who all live far away from us.

A few days before we left (while I was scrambling to finish a lot of work, pack, and wrap all our Christmas presents since we weren't returning til the late afternoon on Christmas day), I decided that I really needed a bag to carry. I debated between noodlehead's 241 bag, and her go anywhere bag, but I didn't have all the supplies on hand (the two zippers, the magnet closures) so I ended up deciding on Made by Rae's Showoff Bag.

Ironically the idea behind the bag, according to Rae, was to "show off" some special fabric, and instead I used some old curtain material that my mom just found in the back of a closet she was cleaning out.

Moreover, the top panel and straps are out of an ikea curtain panel that I wasn't using anymore, and I lined it with a thermal curtain from target that I burnt a whole in (trying to keep it pulled back by draping it across a lamp for a few minutes one day).

I downloaded the pattern and printed it at home, had some scraps of heavy-ish interfacing and the small old zipper... so my only cost was the $8 for the pattern itself.

It was pretty quick and easy. I made the zipper pocket with this tutorial that someone else had linked to somewhere.

The only problem was my failure to follow directions (maybe it was the Malarone). Despite Rae's helpful diagrams of suggested topstitching, I somehow missed that step and didn't topstitch around the top of the bag but instead added a second line of stitching down the straps attaching them to the top panels. It looks super messy up close.

But, oh well, I can add the topstitching when I am not feeling lazy, and I might make the bag again and spend more time on my fabric selections and use some even heavier interfacing for the top panels. You definitely need some stiff fabric up there. I thought my curtain panels were heavy enough with the interfacing, but it is still quite floppy.

But the colors were great for the beach and I fit a ton in the bag. The pockets were essential.

I miss the ocean already!

Gathered Clutch

For my oldest friend on her birthday, I made Noodlehead's gathered clutch. I used three different city weekend prints, which I got from Sew Mama Sew. This lady and I have been friend since before we were born (our mothers met in lamaze class). It's a real blessing to have a friend who feels like family.

It was pretty quick and I liked how it came together. I made the card holder pocket but not the divider pocket. I wish I had taken more time to make sure my gathers looked right before I fused the interfacing to it. Some are very crooked and bothering me. Also I was working with a 9" zipper (the tutorial calls for 8"), and I probably should have shortened it a little bit more. The zipper, with its end covers on, really does have to stop a half-inch from each side seam so it comes together right.

I couldn't find the right hardware at Joann to attach a wristlet strap, but I went ahead and sewed the D-ring in so that it is still an option.

Weekend Away Travel Bag

Needing something to put my deodorants in when I give them as gifts, I turned to the Weekend Away Travel Bag from Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing.

The bag was fairly easy to make, and pretty enjoyable except for the final stage of sewing it together. Just about killed my little machine. I had plans of lining future versions with laminated cotton for wipe-ability... I don't think so. The upholstery weight Echino Ni-Co cotton exterior (in Magenta Sunglasses) and a basic quilting cotton lining is about all I think my machine can handle when it comes to rounded corners and 1/4-inch seams through that many layers of fabric. Hand stitching around the zipper when finishing the ends was not the most fun, but it looks nice in the end.

As other reviewers pointed out, Heather forgets to mention in the book that one-way fabrics won't work, because the print is upside down on one side of the bag. I knew this going in, but decided to use the sunglasses fabric anyway because I had some left over from a tote project from last spring, and thought it might look neat with the chunky orange zipper.

This bag is going to my dear friend Christina, mother of Louisa's best pal Dorothy. Christina's birthday is this weekend, and tomorrow their whole crew is joining us for some hot buttered rum before the Crozet Christmas Parade. Yum!

I'll definitely try making this bag again, and hopefully will have better luck with those corners.