Making an artist tote

I've been wanting to make art totes for...ahem, some people in my family. ;-) I saw some very basic ones in the local art store and had every intention of making something similar. I don't sew too often - usually just to mend things or if there is something that I really want and know that I can sew one quite easily - but it seems that whenever I do sew I get carried away. The other day I dug out some fabric for an art tote and started to draw up a plan. I knew that I wanted a front pocket with channels sewn in that would hold pencils. Another pocket might be nice. A nice long strap. Contrasting fabrics? Hmmm, why not line it while I'm at it?

Before you know it I have managed to turn a very simple idea into...A Project!! All the ideas seemed so great that I thought it would also be fun to make one as a gift for a young friend. A quick trip to the thrift store to find some fun fabric and then onto cutting out a template. It has gone pretty well this morning with only a few small oopsies. (important to think before every seam and remember that everything will be lined and then turned inside out. I've never made anything fully lined before). Along the way I fell in love with the fabric and the bag design. I am almost done the first one and it just needs a strap. Unfortunately (hee hee) it turned out to be just a little bit too big for a 7 year old so I really think that I will have to keep this one for myself and make a scaled down version for our friend. Now I really better get busy because I still have to get to the boys' solstice and Christmas gifts and there is less than a month to go. Eep!

So many projects, so little time. :-)