Thursday is Purse Day - Elephant Tote

I went to The Sewcial Lounge last week to check out their new location and store.  It's easy to get to, parking is right out front, and the store is bright and airy.  

I wanted to pick up a little something I needed to complete a chair project, and she had the exact match that I needed.  Wandering around, admiring everything, I found some beautiful Echino fabric with an elephant on it.  I made a quick decision that it would be perfect for a tote bag to use at Quilt Expo.

Here it is - and it couldn't have been easier or faster.  I made it in just a few hours, and it's even reversible.

Here's what made it so easy - Sara's Sewcial Tote pattern.  I probably could have made a tote bag without it, but why waste all the time and energy trying to figure things out when you can just follow directions?  This pattern has three variations - I made what's called The Simple Tote, which is gusseted.

The other thing that made it easy was I bought webbing for the handle.  Sara has so many varieties that I had a hard time deciding on just the right one. 

This Echino fabric is a nice medium-weight linen.

To fuse the interfacing to the fabric, I cut the interfacing a little larger than the 18" x 18" squares of fabric.  Then I used an applique pressing sheet, made out of a non-stick material.

Lay your pressing sheet on your ironing board.  Then place your fabric on top if it, right side down.  Lastly, lay the interfacing on the fabric, sticky side down, so it adheres to the wrong side of your fabric.

You can see in this picture how much of the interfacing is overlapping the fabric.  I like to leave at least 1/2" all around, to make sure the fabric is completely covered.  When you press this, the gunk on the interfacing goes onto your applique pressing sheet, and not on your ironing board or your iron.

After it cools for a minute, trim to the appropriate size.

 

Here's the other side, also an Echino print.  Totally reversible, nice and sturdy, all ready to go shopping.