In the tote bag business - maybe

In my last post I wrote about the fabric I bought, and the first tote bag I made.  I got so excited about the idea of making bags to sell that I went back to the store and bought more fabric. I have been searching for ideas and patterns online, and I've started experimenting with several styles. I learn something about the process with each bag I make. I have decided to spend the winter making purses and bags, and my plan is to have my own little sale in conjunction with another garage sale in the spring. I am having fun matching fabrics and making my own patterns.  So far my bags are pretty simple, but I am sure that as I get more comfortable with sewing them, I will add more embellishments. Here are some of the bags I've made so far:

What do you think? Do I have a future in this business?

Another DIY Adventure - Tote Bag, Anyone?

Last weekend a friend and I went to Crosslake Days. This special day happens every September, and I like to go because I get so many ideas for crafts and DIY projects. This year, as in the past, I wasn't disappointed. One of the churches had a holiday bazaar, there was a craft fair, a flea market, a chili cook-off, and lots of sidewalk sales. My friend and I decided to go to the church bazaar first. Wow - was there a lot to see! I saw so many things I wanted to buy, some to give as gifts, and some to have as samples.

Here are two samples I picked up that I plan to make for gifts: the reindeer has a candy bar inside and is made from paper and pipe cleaners. (I think I have all the punches I'd need to make this.) The note pad on the right is made on a magnet so it can hang on the fridge (or on any other metal.) All I need to get for that one is the post-it note pad.

I bought some other things to give for Christmas, but I can't show you today or they won't be a surprise for the friends and family who will be receiving them.

Watch future blogs for pictures of some DIY ideas I got....

Later that day we stopped at a home furnishings store, and found out that they had their older fabric samples on sale - 5 for $4. My friend and I spent quite a while looking through the samples and picking out our favorites.

I couldn't wait to get home and start sewing. I wanted to try making some tote/book bags. Or maybe a pillow? However, I didn't have all the supplies I needed... and we live in a small town where there aren't many stores. So I had to wait until I made a trip to Brainerd, where I picked up the things I needed. I spent a couple of evenings on the Internet, looking at tote bags and sewing directions. I finally decided to try making a bag using directions from HGTV here.
Today was a perfect day to spend sewing and crafting. The weather was cloudy, misty, windy and cool - a perfect day to be inside.
I gathered up my sewing machine, iron and ironing board, and all the other sewing supplies and settled in at my dining room table. The directions online were easy to follow, and a couple of hours later my bag was done!

I added the tab with the button to add a bit of decoration and to have something to keep the bag shut. The button is purely decoration. I sewed a piece of Velcro underneath the tab to fasten it shut.

You can see that I bought some contrasting cotton fabric to use for the liner. The hardest part of the process was turning the whole thing right side out. The directions called for interfacing, so I used it. I ironed it to the outside pieces, per the directions. The interfacing made the fabric so stiff that it was hard to pull through the opening I had left between the lining and the outside. I will do a couple of things differently for my next bag. I will not use interfacing. I thing the upholstery fabric is stiff enough. I will also leave a bigger opening for turning. I may also use a big snap instead of Velcro on the tab.

It was fun sewing this bag today - and I can't wait to try making another one.