my first quilted tote bag

After seeing a tote bag tutorial on Suzy Quilts, I became obsessed with making one of my own, but with a few modifications. I love a good tote , but I wanted something with enhanced functionality - inner pockets, a top that closes, and a shape a bit beyond the classic rectangle. After browsing around and reading a few books about bag making, I finally sat down and designed this rounded tote with a drawstring top.

The bag includes an inner pocket, enough to hold a few cards, a phone, and a lip balm.  My favorite detail is a key fob lanyard so I never have to dig around for my keys.  I really loved the half-rectangle star patchwork on Suzy's original tote design, and I added my own details to the block and recreated it as a  10" foundation paper pieced block for the front of this bag. 

The round shape is supported by a 4-inch gusset that runs around the entire bag, which offers great versatility.  It lays flat when empty but expands to hold quite a lot when needed. For the quilting, I used a 7-per-inch canvas grid to mark my lines. While the quilting went pretty quickly with that stitch length, it was quite extensive, covering the entire front, back, and around the gusset. I usually prefer smaller quilt stitches, but I like how the stitching shows clearly, even from a distance. 

The lining fabric was a piece I bought on sale long ago.  I remember being drawn to the whimsical unicorn and princess design paired with with modern colors and style, but I never seemed to have the right project for it. It felt especially satisfying to finally give it the perfect home in this bag. 

After these photos were taken, I ended up removing the lining and installing two D-rings at each side of the bag to attach a shoulder strap. The strap itself is a 1.5-inch adjustable nylon strap with lobster clasps that I bought online, and it turned out to be a life saver.  I used this bag during a weekend trip to DC with friends, and it worked great as a cross-body carry-all for snacks and sundries as we shopped, ate, and wandered around.

For the next version, I plan to raise the handles up to the edge to prevent their pulling at the top, and I will try a slightly heavier interfacing than the medium non-woven fusible I had on hand. ​This bag was a first for me on a few levels - my first bag, and my first self-drafted pattern created in a vector graphics program, so I have a lot to be proud of!