The "Totes Ma Tote" Bag in Jungle Ave Fabric PLUS a Free Sewing Tutorial

I've been spending the last couple of days working with some of the gorgeous prints from the Jungle Ave fabric collection that Sara Lawson from Sew Sweetness sent to me. This fabric is a new, limited edition, collection with Art Gallery Fabrics that will come out this June (2014), and I was lucky enough that Sara asked me to share it with you!

Jungle Ave Collection

I have to admit that Art Gallery Fabrics are hard to find way up here in the cold white North... and I'm hoping that will change soon, because these fabrics feel so good in your hand, and I just love working with these cottons.  It's beautiful stuff! I only used 3 prints out of 8, so make sure you check out the rest of the collection. (There are also 2 knits and 1 voile as well.)

I've got a new bag pattern that is soon to be released, and I thought it would be great to try it in Sara's fabric. The Totes Ma Tote bag is a trendy looking tote, featuring adjustable handbag straps, attached by buckles into 4 shiny grommets that just give the bag that professional look. I've also included instructions on how to add a nice shiny metal bag label of your own. These can be found on my website here. The best thing about this bag is - it's easy and fast to make with BIG results!

The tote pattern actually has a zipper opening, a zipper pocket, slip pockets and a large internal side pocket that will fit an e-reader, tablet, or even just your pesky bills. We need to keep them out of sight ;).   In this version, I just wanted to make it up quickly and tried it with a magnetic snap opening and it works wonderfully.  Stay tuned for the release of the Totes Ma Tote!

 The scraps from the Totes Ma Tote bag, were enough to make something else so I dug out an idea that has been wanting to be a free tutorial on here for quite some time, and finally put it together. It only has one pattern piece, took about 7 minutes to cut fabric, and about 10 minutes to sew, and now I have a great thread and/or scrap basket to take to sewing guild meetings with me, or just keep on my sewing desk. I'm calling it the Scraptastic Basket. Kind of a silly name, but no sillier than "Totes Ma Tote", so it will fit right in.

You can find the complete sewing tutorial,

including a downloadable paper pattern piece, HERE.

Oh and by the way, if you happen to be at International Quilt Market in Pittsburgh this weekend, Sara will be at the AGF booth showing her fabric collection. Way to go, Sara!

Thanks for reading!!  Janelle