Hello friends. I have been a bit distracted and under the weather lately, so please forgive last week's uninspired posts. I promise this week will have more interesting and quilting related items of interest.
This weekend, I cashed in a $25 gift certificate at a lovely quilt shop in Pacific Grove, called The Back Porch. I love shopping at this small, unique and very friendly store whenever I am in the area. Not only can you browse through their eclectic collection of fabric, books and patterns, but look out the window and see the Monterey Bay in all its glory. They offer a plenitude of great classes in one of the nicest classrooms I have seen, and have an ever changing display of quilts and garment art on the walls. There are a number of places to lunch nearby, plus countless places of interest (such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium). It is a destination quilt shop, and you could easily build a most enjoyable day for the whole family around it.
The Back Porch rewards its customers by giving them credits toward a $25 gift certificate after a certain number of dollars have been spent at the store. I had earned my $25 certificate and decided to take the plunge into Tote Bag Land. I picked out a pattern by Amy Butler called The Frenchy Bag. The yardage requirements for the smaller "Hand Bag" size were fairly modest, and included lining fabric as well as interfacing to give the bag and its inner pockets more body. The instructions were simple, and I had no trouble in constructing the bag in around two hours. I will say, if I am to do the bag again (and I will), I will opt for the "Shoulder Bag", a larger size, and I will use a much lighter weight interfacing.
I don't know why I have delayed so long in attempting to construct a bag or a tote, and know that I am now hooked. I any of my blogging friends has a recommendation of a bag or tote they have made with particular success, please do share the information with me. I am definitely interested in making more!
What a cute bag and such fun fabrics! I see more bags in your future!
Posted by: Lisa D. | June 18, 2007 at 11:14 AM
Very, very cute! I'm not surprised that you jumped into "totebag land". You've been hovering there. I'm glad that you dove in and enjoyed it. There are so many totebag patterns out there, you'll soon have a whole wardrobe full. :-)
Did I mention that my birthday is coming up - a new totebag would be great. hint, hint LOL :-)
Posted by: Darlene | June 18, 2007 at 11:19 AM
OOh Darlene, what are your colors?
Posted by: sara, the house of charm | June 18, 2007 at 01:50 PM
Back Porch Fabrics is one of my all time favorite quilt shops! Not only do they carry so much of what I like, they are SO NICE! The shop and building is beautiful too. Love it, love it, love it! And I'm also a fan of the Abeloe sisters!
Your Frenchie bag is SO cute!
Posted by: happy zombie | June 18, 2007 at 02:34 PM
Back Porch is such a fun shop and one of my special treats when I visit my MIL in Carmel. Lucky you!!!
Posted by: Jan Andrews | June 18, 2007 at 03:04 PM
Tres chic! Bags are fun to make. Hope you are back to your old self :-)
Do we get to call you a bag lady now?
Posted by: Leigh | June 18, 2007 at 04:55 PM
What a cute little bag, I love Bareroots tote sewing Tote & Chatelaine, #75, but then I just adore anything with embroidery on it.
Posted by: Linda | June 18, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Very pretty fabric for the bag.
Better be careful though - bags can be addictive - and once you start there is no turning back -LOL
Posted by: Pam | June 18, 2007 at 10:51 PM
Love your bag it is ab fablove the colours hope you are feeling better i havent forgoten about you i have been ill to i missed your birthday hope it was a happy one keep on making your bags.its so cute.
Posted by: Mary Wood | June 18, 2007 at 11:33 PM
Nicole, that is adorable! Love the design!
xo,
Kim
Posted by: Daisy Cottage | June 19, 2007 at 04:10 AM
So glad to see a post from you. I was begining to wonder if all was well. That bag is absolutely lovely. I just love the fabric. Nice background for the shot. Unfortunatly, I couldn't do that in my flower garden, well what's left it. Due this ongoing health saga that has lasted over a year, my gardening as been non existant. My beautiful peonies are intertwined with weeds. sigh. Dh is too busy with his barn to even attempt to pull weeds for me. Who can blame him. Thanks for sharing! I just love that bag!
Posted by: Carole Meier | June 19, 2007 at 05:56 AM
I've become a bit of a bag lady myself of late -- this bag of yours is just darling.
A bag I've made at least a dozen times is Skrappysak; it is huge and fun to make. There is a sister pattern, Skrappysak and Friends, that I've made a couple of times, too. Both are wonderful bags.
http://www.craftconn.com/Main.asp?Task=Custom&Step=Pattern+Details&productID=3005
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=skrappysak&category0=
Posted by: Nancy | June 19, 2007 at 07:08 AM
Oh, that is a super bag--love fabrics/colors! I love making handbags. I make up my own patterns and bags, so I don't really do patterns much. Look forward to seeing your shoulder bag variant of this one you're made. Happy Sewing! :o)
Posted by: Tracy | June 19, 2007 at 07:14 AM
Ohhh, I love the colors in that purse. What a neat purse for your first one.
and oh the joys of going to a great quilt shop and espicially with a great view, ohh, sounds like heaven to me
deb
Posted by: deb | June 19, 2007 at 07:57 AM
Welcome to Toteland!!! One of my favorite lands. In fact, I've been thinking about a few different bags but keep telling myself I must finish certain projects first. I LOVE this bag!! LOVE the colors! Great job.
Posted by: Tami | June 19, 2007 at 12:38 PM
The Back Porch sounds wonderful....ur bag is gorgeous, love the colours and the fabrics...great choice of setting to compliment it as well!!
Posted by: rose | June 20, 2007 at 04:50 AM
Darling bag! I can understand why you liked the pattern, if it only took two hours. I've made one tote, it turned out great, and I retired from tote and bag making. =)
Posted by: Susan | June 20, 2007 at 10:32 AM
Love your new bag. I need to get back in there and make some more. I love making bags.
Hope your feeling better.
Posted by: sharon | June 20, 2007 at 08:30 PM
Bags are definitely addictive! As for pattern suggestions -- check out Lazy Girl Designs and Tammy Tadd Designs for some fun patterns. Also, Penny Sturgis has some quilted/purse goodness!
Posted by: Angela | June 23, 2007 at 12:23 AM
Nicole,
You seem on a roll doing bags now, and you're doing beautifully !
Wanna try another one ? >>>> Go here : http://welshquilter.blogspot.com/
there's a nice tutorial for another beauty !
Hugs & smiles !
NADINE
Posted by: NADINE (Friendship Threads blog) | June 26, 2007 at 04:45 PM