My perfect quilted tote

Yes! A finish! As I hoped, I finished my perfect quilted tote (pattern here by Elizabeth Hartman) in time for our weekend trip to Milwaukee last weekend. (If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed it in one of the action shots.)

Can I tell you how much I love this bag? First, no surprise here, but Elizabeth's pattern is extremely well written, and the finishes -- the facing, the magnetic snap, the zipper pocket -- create a really professional looking bag.

It felt great to finally break into my hoarded Melody Miller typewriters and feature one on the front patchwork. The rest of the patchwork fabrics include many beloved navies and teals from all over my stash.

 

I used white thread for the quilting. On the inside, I decided against the solid fabric the pattern suggests and instead lined it with Sealing Wax in Clear from AMH's True Colors collection (one of my favorite basics -- heck, fabrics -- ever. I have got to go pick up some more, as I used up all but a few scraps on this bag.). For the pockets, I combined a bit more of the Sealing Wax print with a Cotton and Steel basic, XOXO in Night Owl. The textured solid used on the outside, facing, and straps is Essex Yarn-Dyed in Indigo.

 

I will say it has taken a little getting used to switching over to this tote from my Go Anywhere Bag, which I've been using non-stop for the last year or so. I love, love, love all of the pockets on that bag, especially on the outside, and it's hard letting that feature go, but the new tote has so many other features to recommend it, I'm sure I'll forget about those pockets in no time. Now, I've got a quilt to get back to...