241 Tote Bag

I have been in a rut for the past couple of weeks. I haven’t felt like crafting, or trying new recipes, or really doing much of anything in the evenings except catching up on TV and lamenting that I’ve been in a rut.

What finally got me out of that rut was a very pretty tote bag pattern, and some very pretty (and familiar) fabric.

This is the 241 Tote Bag pattern from Noodlehead. I had purchased this pattern a long, long time ago and set it aside until I felt I was ready to make it. This weekend, the timing was right. Saturday I pressed the fabric and cut out all the pattern pieces, and Sunday I sewed it up. I absolutely, positively love it.

I worried that this pattern would be beyond my capabilities, because it required a few skills I hadn’t used before or wasn’t confident about, including:

• Sewing darts
• Sewing curves
• Clipping into curves; and
• Using pattern pieces

Now that I’ve done them, they weren’t hard at all. I just had to remind myself to go slow and take my time, and it all worked out in the end. It also helped that the pattern was very well written with plenty of photographs, so I could follow along step by step.

If the fabrics look familiar, they’re the same ones I used on my Poochie Bag a few weeks ago (Daydream by Cyndi Walker and Full Moon Polka Dots by Amy Butler). I only  had the three fat quarters, but knew I wanted to make a larger bag with the same materials. I scoured Etsy until I found sellers who had a half yard of each. I was planning to make a larger sized Poochie Bag, but I’m glad I waited to make this tote. I love my new spring bag!

 

How about you? Do you ever get in crafting ruts? How do you get out of them?

Filed in: Bags • Sewing