Tote Bag

I am undertaking a bit of 'for fun' study in my free time (What is that I hear you ask?).  I'm studying, if you can call it that, a Certificate in Dressmaking and Pattern Cutting though Open Colleges.  Well its partly for fun, partly for my Olave Baden Powell Award with Guides.  Anyway I recently submitted my first assessment, a tote bag.  I procrastinated about sewing it for ages, who really wants to sew a tote bag anyway?  I was having way too much fun sewing dresses and skirts. One day I sat down and just did it.  It was one of those things that was nowhere near as bad as you thought it would be.  It really didn't take me that long, only a few hours if that and I am pleasantly surprised with the results. 

I used fabric from Spotlight, the bird print I bought years ago when I was working there and the contrast print was a Lisette Drill from the clearance table just before Christmas. 

I'm very happy with how it turned out and hope to get a bit of use from it.

I'm probably even happier with the feedback I received after I had submitted it for grading.

'I love the fabrics that you have chosen and the trim Joining of two different print fabrics is not always an easy task but you have a good eye for co coordinating fabrics and the trim too! The colours harmonise nicely! Thankyou for all the photo’s so that I can assess your work!

Stitching of seams and pressing and preparation have been handled very well.

Constructing of the base corners was very well done.

Handles have been sewn nice. May I suggest that if you were to make this bag again I would also edge stitch down both sides of the handles so that the seam will not roll away from the edge. Lining application has also fitted in well.

Trim has been applied very neatly on the edge and the bow attached in the perfect spot and is the icing on the cake! 

On the whole you have a created a very fashionable bag.

 Great work!'

And I even received a HD!  Yay!

In all honestly I thought about top stitching on the handles, however the instructions were worded a little funny and it wasn't completed on the bag in the instructions.  I'm sure I'll go back and stitch the down if they annoy me. If I was to use this fabric again I would add interfacing to the handles to give them a bit of structure they're lacking

Now if only the second module was released and I could get started!

Maybe I would have got a better mark if I had sent this photo in with my assessment.  I sure do love where I live sometimes!



I feel like I should point out Open Colleges isn't giving me anything to write about them, believe me I've given them enough money!  I'm just here to write about what I' sewing so I'm sure you'll see a bit about them in the future.

Emma