The Time I Made a Super Tote

I get on these kicks. You know, where you get hooked on one thing. Like sometimes I get on kicks where I want to eat cheesecake for breakfast, lunch and dinner for about a week straight. Or when I want a dozen pillows in a week. Well, lately (we'll say the last 6 months or so) I've been on a bag kick. This is the 3rd bag I've made myself since the start of the year (I finished another bag earlier this week too, I will share that in another post)

I love Anna's tutorials and have made several zippered pouches and open wide pouches from her free tutorials, so when I saw her version of the Super Tote here, I knew I had to make one. I really wanted to copy it completely but I couldn't find any of the Melody Miller Viewfinder fabric so I gave up on that idea, and decided to do the next best thing, Patchwork!

I had purchased a couple yards of Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in Black a few months ago and had been saving it. At the time I wasn't sure for what, but this was it. I had lots of scraps leftover from my Anna Maria Horner Quilt top and put those together with some low volume text fabrics and came up with this beauty!

Here is the outside, right after I finished it, but before I put the entire bag together. I didn't really change this pattern much, except the patchwork and quilting on the front and back, and I didn't use all the interfacing it called for, mainly because I didn't have it on hand and didn't want to wait. The next time I do one I will probably use more interfacing on the gusset. And I will definitely be making more of these bags! 

Here you can see the awesome leopard print I used for the back of the straps. I used the Period print from Comma by Zen Chic for the piping (I love piping!)

You can also see one of my pillows, from my pillow addiction phase

Every time I make a bag I learn a new trick. I had never done pleats before, and the pleats on the gusset of this bag look so professional! I had also never made bag handles this way before, and I like the way they turned out, next time though I may put a layer of batting in them to make them a little softer, like I did with my Weekender bag. I may also add an inside zipper pocket. I had considered making a front and back pocket, but decided against, mainly because it added a step and used more fabric. This was also the first time I installed magnetic snaps. Anna has a good tutorial for that on her blog too. Oh, and don't forget it was the first time I installed a recessed zipper too! The directions were really clear, and made it really easy to put together. I especially like the pockets with elastic inside. I plan on getting some better pictures to really show it off later (if this darned rain EVER stops! I feel like I should build an ark!) I'm already thinking about making a Birdie Sling. I bought the pattern several months ago and can't find where I put it anywhere! I hate to buy another one because I know as soon as I do, I will find the one I misplaced. Isn't that how it always happens?

Do YOU ever get on kicks and can't stop making something? I'd like to know what it is so I don't feel as crazy!