Friday, January 08, 2021

Artist Student Tote - Gift Sewing





Next up Erin's Christmas Gift and another bag.  There is a story about one bag which led to another bag
which led to this bag.....


I used to make bags all the time, for my daughters, for their friends, for my friends, for hire, you get the picture.  Just check out all my bags    Erin is a high school math educator and when she began her career,  this fabric came out, so I had to make here a bag with it.  Tutorial for it here


See what I mean about perfect for a math teacher!  Fabric was a collection for Sweetwater


Erin carried things back and forth to school in this bag for years, she wore it out. 

Then came birthday sewing of Weekender bags (Paige not pictured, she received her Weekender when she went to college) Erin is in the middle.  These girls have birthdays three weeks apart, on each side of Christmas.


Erin uses her Weekender bag all the time and it gets packed to overflowing.  I recently repaired the lining, so that got me thinking for her Christmas present.  Yes, a new bag and this bag much bigger.

This led me to Anna Maria Horner's Art Student Tote, which I had seen made up by some quilting friends. This bag is big and perfect for Erin's needs.  This pattern has three options, I made option A but you can go even bigger with option B.  Back view of pattern

I used fabric purchased from Style Maker Fabrics, once again at Sew Expo.  My intention was a jacket but I hadn't made it yet and Erin loves bright colors, so the fabric became a bag and I have enough leftover I can probably make another Artist Student Tote.  Well, let me clarify, I had enough of the fabric for the body of the bag.  I only had a small bit of the contrast but I was able to find more at

I love the details of this bag, the use of d-rings (mine are rectangle, had them in my stash), the pockets inside and out, great straps and fun use of contrasting fabric



Inside pockets, a set on each side.

The pattern calls for two zippers but I had only one that would contrast nicely with the fabric.  I went with just one and an open pocket for the pocket below the zippered one.  This Santa elf was running out of time and just needed to sew!



The straps and d-rings allow for tightening of the bag when you don't have it so full.  Erin's will probably never be tightened.




This pattern was easy to sew and went together surprisingly quickly with all the details.  I did had a bit more interfacing to make the bag a bit more rigid.


After our Christmas was over and the everyone was packing up their gifts, Erin filled this bag to the top.  I know this bag will be well used, too.










4 comments:

  1. Looks like you made the perfect gift for Erin! Cute and functional! I egjoy making bags now and then too :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great bag! You've inspired me - I've not done a lot in bag making beyond basic shopping bags.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous7:08 PM

    Am short of words for the amazing profit you helped me earn in just a week with binary options strategy am so sorry I doubted at the beginning, I invested $200 and earn $2,500 in just one week, and kept on investing more, today I am financially successful, you can contact him via email: tdameritrade077@gmail.com
    Via whatsapp: (+12166263236)
    I advice you shouldn't hesitate. He's great.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My wish right now is that God should continue to bless Dr Emu for his good works towards the life of those people who are heart broken. My name is Michael DeBruin and I am from the USA, it's been a while since my lover's attitude changed from being the caring type she has been to me, but later turned out not to be caring at all. But not long, I later discovered that my lover was having an affair with someone else. and also she told me she doesn't need me after all we pass through then a friend told me about a spell caster. that with the spell I will get back my woman, I took his cell number then called him and also what's-app him which he reply to me and I did some sacrifices to the spell man and he bought the items for me which he used for the sacrifices and later called me that before 48 hours my love will come back to me and now we are more in love with each other than ever. you can reach him on WhatsApp +2347012841542 or reach him via mail ; emutemple@gmail.com , my lover returned back and broke up with the other guy she was having a relationship with... Thank you Dr Emu.
    Https://emutemple.wordpress.com/
    Https://web.facebook.com/Emu-Temple-104891335203341

    ReplyDelete