totes emosh

tote bag and my lovely vintage sewing machine

I don’t know about you makers out there but one of the reasons I got into making was to get those items that eluded me on the high street, be it clothes, house items, accessories or gifts.

getting the colours sorted

When I first moved to London at 17 and was desperate to follow the trends, I was only earning £25 per week. That left little for luxuries, let alone the latest ‘must have’ fashion item so I made most of my own clothes.  I was always getting kicked out of Miss Selfridges fitting rooms for sitting on the floor drawing what I had just tried on so I could rush home and recreate it myself.

attaching the handles

Invariably there were tweaks to suit my tastes, my shape or my skills but I was rarely without a pretty up to the minute wardrobe.  If it wasn’t clothes I was making, I would be knitting or sewing christmas gifts for my family and friends.  My grandparents LOVED my efforts more than anyone.  I suppose they saw them as personal and thoughtful gifts. They were certainly personal and selfishly, I thoroughly enjoyed making them.

fastening the handle below the top edge makes finishing off easier

I haven’t had any free time to make lately but one thing that has been on my mind to create is the ultimate handy tote bag. It seems ever elusive so I decided, after a quick stint in the garden this morning, to make a pattern and then make the tote bag this afternoon.

I have a mighty collection of bags at home, some are brilliant and really hit the mark but some are just not quite right.  Not one single tote I have gets it right for me.

junction detail and securing handles

I am very pleased with my efforts and the pattern is perfect for A4 folders and document whether you put them in as portrait or landscape.  It has depth so will take quite a lot as well as shopping and anything else that you would care to put in it.

lined and with and inside pocket

There are lots of totes out there but the lack of pockets, detail and colour were my issued.  I wanted something that had the detail, features and colour without being expensive!

All the materials are remnants, repurposed or vintage bits that I have come by (right down to the threads used) so it couldn’t have been less expensive to make and I love it.

the finished product

What’s more it is so easy to make!!

re-usable bags

The concept of a re-usable bag is a relatively new one really.

If you asked my mum or gran what a re-usable bag was in days gone by, they wouldn’t have understood.  A bag was either a shopping bag or a handbag (or shoulder bags in the 70s!), all re-usable and only replaced when absolutely essential.

The idea of a disposable carrier bag or plastic bag must have been quite alien but we have become accustomed to them and they are even being reused themselves now and turned into iconic accessories (to your left)

No matter how hard you try, you always end up with and odd carrier bag from shopping but I have become quite committed to my re-usable bags.  I have collected quite a few in the hunt for the perfect solution.  I have the large supermarket ones that are great but really only for the supermarket and aren’t very easy to pop into your handbag to be on hand all the time.

I have a couple of the folding ones that are a bit better for carrying around and my Sis has a gorgeous hot pink string bag that she loves.  All great in their own way (and they are re-usable afterall) but they just never seem to be quite the ticket for me.

The closest I got was one that JC put in my stocking at Christmas (convinced he would be dumped as a result of it) which I love and is just about perfect. But not quite…..