Tote Worthy

The concealed zipper pocket on the front of the tote offers secure storage for any valuables I'm carrying, while being easily accessible. 

 Yesterday, I spent a satisfying afternoon sewing a lovely new tote bag for myself, from a design by Svetlana Sotak, from her book: That Handmade Touch.

Love that cute button print I selected for all the pockets on this tote!

Can you believe that this tote has been cut out and waiting since Spring? My sewing mojo has gone into hiding over the summer.  Thank goodness I thought to label all the pieces at the time - it made sewing it all together less confusing because of the lapse between cutting and sewing.

That being said, it's a delightful and simple design that has some lovely details - such as the front concealed zipper pocket (can you see the zipper pull peeking out?).  So clever and stylish!

I selected some of my stashed favourite cotton prints to pair with some medium weight denim (a thrift store score) to sew a durable and charming version - in colours that shouldn't show wear & tear easily.  Totes are a staple for me and I like to use dark colours for the exteriors as they are less likely to show soiling from continual use.  Lighter colours for the interior work are my preference as they allow me to see the contents in my bag, when I am out and about.

I opted for a single divided pocket for the tote's interior.

The directions in the pattern are easy to follow and for the most part I stuck to Svetlana's original design.  I did however, modify the interior pocket by adding a lining that I purposely included a rollover top edge to mirror the binding on the top edge of the exterior pocket on the back of the tote.

I skipped adding a magnetic snap closure to the tote's top opening. The other personal choice variation I made, was to cover the one inch wide webbing straps, with quilting weight fabric (because it adds to the overall aesthetic while being very durable).

The tote is not as large as others I have made and have in rotation of use, but I think this mid size one will be just right for keeping things like my water bottle and notebook on hand when I am running errands.