Summer tote

I have been using my gingham tote non-stop since I made it over a year ago, and it was starting to show it, so I decided I wanted to whip up a new bag before Quilt Market. I wasn't in the mood for anything too fancy or that required a bunch of interfacing or hardware, so I perused my Pinterest boards until I came across the Summer Madras Tote tutorial by Noodlehead. Bingo.

This simple, easy tote went together in just a few hours' time and was just what I was looking for. It's big enough to carry what I need but not too bulky, and those outside pockets are super handy for my phone, keys, and sunglasses.

For the body of the bag, I used the tangerine crosshatch from Carolyn Friedlander's Euclid line. The bag and pocket linings are the orange floor plan print from Carolyn's Friedlander line, and the binding on the pocket is Carolyn's Architextures crosshatch in poppy.

I struggled to find just the right blue for the pocket until I remembered this blue toweling we have in the store where I work. It was just wide enough. It was a bit of a pain to work with (lots of loose threads), but it worked out in the end and gave me the texture and color I was looking for.

The strap is a great coral plus print from One Canoe Two's first fabric line, Tucker Prairie.

And you know what happens when you use prints by the same designer in all.the.things (and embrace your love of orange)? They match. My new tote and my beloved sew-together bag. I'm ready for summer.