My week to sew

The tote bag pieces became this:

Front

Back, both front and back pockets are divided into two.

Inside there are an additional 6 pockets. Two front & back with one on each side panel. There is also a key holder. All in all I think it turned out well. After finishings I discovered some of my interfacing was too weak & I’ll use stiffer stuff next time. My topstitching had improved by the end and the things that I’m not too happy with I feel fairly confident that I will improve upon next time I make this pattern.

Speaking of next time, I bought fabric to make another bag – while on a shopping trip with Kathy! Her sister lives not too far from me and when Kathy was here visiting we made time to get together. It was fabulous! 😀

Kathy is such a dear, she brought me gifts.

A huck weaving table runner which I had been rather shamelessly hinting I would love to have. (It’s going to live in my purple! master bedroom – don’t judge) and she also made me a beaded bookmark.

We went to two shops, Needlework Cottage & Quakertown Quilts. From Cottage I brought home St. Basil’s by Dimples Designs, two Halloween charts by The Primitive Needle & a skein of black Prensica floss to try out. At Quakertown I found the fabrics for my next tote bags & a fabric glue pen which came in very handy holding those last seams together on the tote bag while topstitching them. I of course found much more that this rather nice haul – but alas I had cash and was sticking to a budget.  I will admit to feeling very proud of myself for enabling Kathy into buying a Permin chart, I already have it in my stash and one of these years who knows maybe we’ll have a stitch-along.

Today was my son’s 13th birthday, please no “teenager” comments. The hormones hit two years ago, I’ve been dealing with this for what seems more like two decades. If I didn’t love him, I’d kill him. Anyway… I baked a cake! Chocolate & chocolate by request.

It’s the love that makes it lop sided. 😉

More evidence that I have been bitten by the sewing bug hard:

This is the first part of a 5 piece set designed by Bareroots. I cut all (I think) the pattern pieces for each part yesterday and did the assembly & embroidery of the first piece today.

The while felt circle is lightly stuffed with polyfil and makes a little mound to stick pins into.  Isn’t the design darling? If I have time between loads of laundry and general housekeeping tomorrow I’m hoping to finish the needle pocket.