September Tote Bag Project

The September Tote Bag Project from Stitchin Heaven was a pretty basic tote from the Ellen Medlock line called the Cheri bag. It's a cute tote bag designed to be made with purchased handles. The fabrics sent were not to my taste but I decided to go with the package deal as presented with crystal beaded handles.

Then I went to JoAnn's.

I just stopped in to pick up some additional interfacing.

While I was there I saw this well costumed young woman all dressed in pink and black with striped socks, decorated sneakers, a flouncy skirt, a pink and black twin set and cute cat decorated handbag. She also had a bunch of tattoos and body piercings. Sort of a pink and black goth biker chick.

Then I had an evil thought. What if my pretty standard pink and black tote bag could turn into a pink and black bag that she might be proud to own.

I bought new, black Bamboo handles, found a skull design on a coloring book website, found a little trim in the stash and this is what I came up with:

I think she would have liked it.

Of course, if I don't want to show my weird side to the world I can always show the plain side:

The pattern was well written for three different sizes of bags. I did not use one of the standard sizes... rather one between the medium and large size because that was the size of my largest square ruler. I eliminated the inner pocket and added a little hanging cell phone pocket. I remembered to attach the inner and outer bags at the corners before closing the lining. I can't believe how many times I forget to do this and get irritated when the lining separates from the exterior. I did forget to put in a label and the lavender that I like to put between the layers but you can't remember everything.