A special kind of carry bag

This is one of those ideas that brewed in my mind for a long time before I made it happen. It is so gratifying to see one's concept become real!

It started with a pattern I saw at my local quilting shop for a tote bag, called the birdie sling by Amy Butler. Looked like a fun, easy bag I could make, using a beautiful fabric. I tucked the pattern away in my sewing area at home and soon forgot all about it. On one of my purging days many months later, I re-discovered it and put it back in my mental project queue.





I had some IKEA beige fabric sitting around for what I thought were going to be pillow shams for my Euro pillows. Turned out the colour was too dark, but I had 2.3 metres of it. It sat near the sewing machine, waiting for some inspiration to make it pretty.


One of my all-time favourite shops is Smoking Lily. They are known for their locally designed and handsewn (in Victoria) clothes, homewares, and accessories, all silk-screened with funky, quirky, and beautiful images that are incredibly unique, not to mention just plain FUN. The staff are fabulous! Super friendly and helpful, just being in the store is like a tonic. I always leave in a great mood. They print their cool designs on dresses, tees, wallets, skirts, belts, hoodies.....and will even do custom orders on items one may already own. Hmmmm, are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Okay, you get it. 2 + 2 + 2 = silk-screened fabric for bags! :D
I set my plan in motion!


Enough fabric for five bags, I cut out the pieces for the main, outer bag. I took these pieces over to Glenda and Erin at Smoking Lily, and with their help, chose a print and ink colours. There are sooooooo many options, it was difficult to limit myself, but I did it! My order was sent off to the studio in Victoria.

Here they are freshly printed in "Chairs," in two colours. Love love love! I planned on two bags using the blue, and three bags in the pink. Each bag would be printed on both sides (same colour), so I had ten "sides" printed in total. From there I went shopping to select the coordinating fabric for the band and handles of the tote.


For the inside pockets, I looked at my stash of vintage linens, waiting for another go-around of use. I found this, a "hamper" with embroidered pockets! It's hard to see in my photo, but the words on the pockets are "laundry, kerchiefs, and socks." How sweet is that? Completely charmed, I cut it to use in more than one bag, to spread the love around, you know. I used many more bits and pieces of old runners, table cloths, and napkins to make the inside pockets on all the bags.


With all the components now assembled, I set to it! This is the only photo I have while "in sewing process," but as you can see I am pressing the plain coloured lining with vintage pockets added. All the pockets are interfaced and lined, and the bag itself has fleece lining in between the outer bag and fabric lining (constructed according to pattern, with the exception of the pockets - I added more!)

End product happiness! Here's what they look like when they're inside out, so we can see the vintage loveliness:




And outside out!
They turned out great, and the recipients were most pleased with their unique handmade-with-love Christmas presents!