Character tote and accessories

My friend recently visited and picked out this fabric for me to make a tote bag for her sister.  I made a tote with a divided, quilted pocket on the front as well as an interior pocket.  I had quite a bit of material left over and wanted to make some accessories to go with the bag.  I always make a matching tissue cozy and then I came across a wallet tutorial at darnkat.wordpress.com  The tutorial at this site is very easy to follow and makes a very functional and durable wallet for everyday use.  I decided to add an elastic and button for the closure instead of a snap but either will work.  The wallet has plenty of credit card slots and two dollar bill sections.  This is by far the best wallet tutorial I have stumbled upon yet and I will be making some more for sure! 

Garden apron

At blueprintcrafts.com you can find the tutorial for this garden apron.  I made use of some home decor weight scrap fabric I had to craft this outdoor accessory.  The apron has three pockets for stowing seed packets, gloves or gardening tools.  There is also a fabric hook to hold a garden rake or shears.  Lastly, a plastic swivel hook handy to hook your keys on while working in the garden.  A cute ensemble for any gardening enthusiast.

Post office bag

If you visit elsiemarley.com be sure to try this easy tutorial.  I used a home decor weight fabric and medium weight interfacing to craft this handy little tote.  I liked the instructions she gave on how to create some heavy duty handles that should stand the test of time.  The handles and bottom of the bag are reinforced by sewing co eccentric rectangles.  I think this is a great post office tote or could be very functional for carrying firewood or vegetables from the garden. 

Not ugly car trash bags

Using instructions from a book called One yard wonders, I created these two not ugly car trash bags as they're called.  I altered the finished product slightly for cost effectiveness.  The original instructions call for a parachute buckle to be used around the straps.  At around $4 a buckle I decided to substitute Velcro instead.  After finding the home decor fabric on sale at hobby lobby the flowery bag cost a total of $3 to create.  I wasn't as lucky with the other, but since I wanted it to appear more masculine I didn't have as many fabric options.  The striped one still only rang in at $5.  And I'll share a secret with anyone wanting to make these...if you cut the fabric carefully each bag really only takes 1/2 yard of fabric with a bit to spare!

Ipad case

My sister-in-law asked me to make a case for her new ipad.  I decided to make a front patchwork pocket for the ipad charger to be stored and a small interior pocket for small gadgets.  The pocket and the interior was lined with tan flannel to protect the ipad screen.  A magnetic snap and cloth tab secures the ipad in the case.  Finally, a handle made of cotton webbing, quilters cotton, and a metal d-ring finishes the ipad case.  The dimensions of this case could easily be changed to create a cell-phone or kindle case as well.

Charm pack tote bag and zipper pouch

This tote bag was made using 16 charm squares and 1 yard of coordinating fabric.  The tutorial can be found at mypatchwork.wordpress.com.  I created the pouch by making two patchwork panels with the leftover charm squares and a 7 inch zipper.  This was a gift for my mother-in-law for mother's day but would make a great gift for any friend or family member.

Gathered clutch

After making this bag I wanted to find a clutch wallet with some gathering detail to match.  The tutorial for this gathered clutch can be found at noodle-head.com.  This cute set was made for my mom for Mother's day.  A great tote bag and clutch for any occasion.

Gathered tote bag

If you're looking to make a medium size tote bag and have some charm squares or scrap fabric to use up, this is a great tutorial.  The tutorial for this tote bag can be found at mypatchwork.wordpress.com  When I first saw a picture of this bag I noticed the patchwork and gathered strip on the bag.  I managed to find both the charm squares and coordinating fabric on clearance which made this bag very affordable...and a great gift to stash for any occasion.

Personalized totes

My little nephew had surgery this week so I made this bag with his name on it that my mother-in-law filled with fun activities for him.  It is a simple bag to make...I usually make the bag between 14-16" wide and tall.  I hand stitch the felt letters on and add a lining.  I also use white rope cording from joann's for the handles.  I made one for my son a while ago which he carries his electronic devices and games in.  A great multipurpose bag for any kid.

Kindle accessories

I made the patchwork kindle case for my sister-in-law using the tutorial at frizzylizzie.blogspot.com.  I used a soft flannel for the lining to protect the kindle screen from scratches and made the exterior out of quilter's cotton.  An easy pattern to customize for any size kindle or tablet.  I made the solid striped kindle cover using the dimensions of the kindle from amazon and fashioning a cardboard kindle for my template.  I then sewed in some elastic on each corner to secure the kindle in place and quilted the outer cover.  After adding a button and elastic for closure the kindle cover was complete.  Made with home decor weight fabric this is sturdier and heavier than the patchwork kindle case above.  I am going to attempt another kindle cover using the tutorial at cloverandviolet.com.  This tutorial involves a detailed quilted top which I love but also has binding which is not my forte.  It looks like a great tutorial if you're interested in making a unique kindle cover.