You Sew Girl! Large Tote 01

The first time I used my YSG! Large Tote 01 was at our regular family lunch at my sister-in-law’s. One of my darling nieces couldn’t stop admiring it, and I just love her so much that I said, “Great, it’s yours! Just let me go home and empty it out, and I’ll give it to you next time I see you.” It was so worth it, just to see her face light up that way. She was just so crazy in love with it, I reckoned it should belong to her. She told me later on how everyone at work admired it, and how proudly she said to them, “My Aunty Helene made it.” Ach! So worth it. I adore her.

Anyway, so now I don’t have a nice-sized bag to haul all my stuff in, and what with my trip to Israel coming up at the end of May, and my new iPad and all, I really do need to make myself another one.

Every few days, I stand in front of my fabric cupboard and ponder. What fabric should I use for this bag? Then I take out some possible contenders, play with them a little. And then put them back in the cupboard. Nup. Not it yet. Hmm. Look online some more for inspiration. You know the routine, right?

Anyway, I finally today settled on my fabrics. I wanted something darkish. Something that wouldn’t show the dirt so much as I lug it around the globe. I’d crossed out the gorgeous Ink & Spindle fabric

ink & spindle – acacia

I’d bought (expressly for this project), mainly because I think it’s too gorgeous and has too many light-coloured areas, and I thought it might come back a bit shabby, and I’d never forgive myself. A two-week period is much to short a bag-life for such gorgeous fabric.

kristen doran – winter nest

Similarly, I dismissed the beautiful panel I’d bought from Kristen Doran. Again, expressly for this purpose. Again, too precious, and too light.

But I do really like this fabric. It fulfils all my criteria. It’s dark, so it won’t show the dirt so much. It’s cost-effective (compared to the organic pieces above). It’ll look really great, and I don’t have to spend more money on getting extra fabric to match for the main part of the bag, and the lining and all.

I do have a couple of decisions to make still. Like, which fabric will I use for the main part of the bag, and which for the panel on the flap? And which of the lighter fabrics will I use for which part of the lining, and pockets? Still, I reckon that’ll sort itself out pretty quickly. It might be as simple as which fabric I have enough of.

beautiful, stylish, and very multi-purpose, David Walker’s Curious Nature fabrics

I also have to decide on what features I want to include. So far, here’s my list:

• front flap in a contrast fabric
• key finder tab
• metal bag feet – I need to find them still, anyone have a source in Melbourne?
• adjustable strap for either across-body or shoulder wearage (is that even a word?)
• magnetic closure for the flap, possible with a mock belt buckle on top
• large zippered pocket on one side of the lining
• open divided pockets on the other side of the lining
• pocket on the front of the bag, under the flap, for easy access for my mobile phone
• zippered pocket on the outside back of the bag, just for extra things like my passport and tickets

OK, that’s about it for now I think. Should be good as a travel bag, don’t you think? Hopefully I can even fit a spare pair of undies and other essentials in there somewhere, just in case my plane gets delayed, or my luggage disappears for a bit.

So, what do you think? Sound good? Have I forgotten anything? Or mis-thought something? Would love to hear your thoughts.