Friday Finish

a few weeks ago i finally made myself a Super Tote from Noodlehead's pattern.  for the last few months, this bag has been all the rage on Flickr and Instagram and i was starting to feel like the only person who hadn't made one yet!

one of my biggest challenges in making the Super Tote was choosing fabrics.  i think that's the main reason i waited so long!

after i picked out fabrics, i made the bag in three sessions.  during the first session i cut out my pattern and taped the pieces together, picked fabric for each piece, and cut and interfaced my pieces.  the next session i assembled the majority of the bag.  in fact, i only stopped because i had to be somewhere at a specific time!  the third session i attached the lining to the bag, turned and finished things off.  i'd say this bag could easily be made in one saturday or sunday if one was motivated to do so.

two things for next time:  read the instructions carefully!  because i didn't, my straps are only half as wide as the pattern calls for!  also, because of the thickness of the interfacing, as well as the addition of a layer of batting in the outer pocket since i quilted that piece, i'd press the seams around the gusset toward the gusset really well before attaching the lining.  i didn't do that, and as a result, things don't quite lay the way i'd like them to.

the picture at the top shows the side of my bag with the outer pocket.  the pattern calls for a pocket only on one side, but next time i think i'll put a pocket on both sides.

and here's the back of the bag:



the bag has a recessed zipper and interior pockets with elastic, so that they're roomy yet don't gape open:



my mom's coming to visit in a few weeks, and i think i'm going to gift this Super Tote to her.  i've already started picking fabrics for one to keep for myself!