Tote Bag Ta-Dah!!!

So after working away on Wednesday I finished the tote bag for my friends birthday!!

I have seen these bags popping up all over blogland due to the Mouthy Stitches swap and I fell in love with one that Liz over at Dandelion Daydreams had made several weeks ago using the Japanese + and x block. So using this super easy tutorial I made this bag!

It came together really quickly, the longest part was picking the fabrics and I made sure that I used lots of favourites in there from my scrap bag. I used Weave in Black from Summersville for the main body of the bag and Circle Dots in Lime from Modern Whimsy with more Weave for the lining. 

I added a small pocket, but I do wished I'd thought of putting a magnetic snap in it! But oh well! My friend loved it and was pleased to receive a homemade present. I always think it's so hard to give handmade presents, I worry I'll look like I'm being tight or trying to show off! Which couldn't be further from the truth. Also, my friend was an amazing textile student when we were at school so I was a bit worried she would see any fudged bits. 

But, it came out so well, I'm already thinking of making some unquilted ones to use as gift bags for christmas presents. You can make them any size to fit larger presents, or to group families presents for traveling. I've got loads of Ikea Christmas fabric left over from last year already in mind! 

Right, I've vowed not to start anything new until I tackle some of my wip's!! So I'm off to bury myself in unfinished projects!!