Vacation Totes for Sissie

It all started with a call from my sister wanting to know if I was up for a trip to our local JoAnns.  It has recently been remodled and she hadn't seen it yet.  Me on the other hand was there 3 times last week.  She had to beg for about 3 seconds before I caved.

The store is terrific and as we wandered up and down the isles she found some great prequilted  cheater fabric that she thought would make up into a wonderful vacation tote. 

Now she is my biggest fan and she can sew but chooses not to. She also is not shy about asking me to make something for her  and she always offers to house my finished quilts if they need a home.  So it was not surprising that she wanted me to make her three new bags (totes) with this fabric. I really do love her.  The 2 shown in the following photos weren't even difficult.  We will address the 3rd bag sometime in the not too distant future ( she won't let me forget ).  She wanted 2 very simple totes with very large boxed bottoms.  The bags I made were based on a green grocery type bag that she found with this type of bottom.

This picture is with the sides folded in to match the size of the bottom.

this is the side view

And this view is with the sides opened up.

the width of the bag opened out like this is about 20 inches.  The boxed bottom is about 9.5 x 11. and I think it stands about 15 inches tall.

The first bag took forever. I made a bad judgement call regarding the fabric I cut for the straps and handles.  Wasted a lot of time making the fabric I cut work as opposed to wasting the fabric.

I made the 2nd bag in 1 1/2 hours. Better than half of that time was spent on the staps and handles. It is pretty hard to see the straps in these pictures.  They are the type that go completely around the bag and form the handles at the top.

Well I delivered them to her a little bit ago and she was thrilled.  It's her reaction that makes me do these things for her.  She is just the kind of person it is fun to give things to.  No matter how small the thing  she is happy happy happy.

I now have an empty  evening ahead of me and I need to decide what to do next.  It definetly  won't be a tote.  Maybe something for Christmas or maybe cut some fabric for leaders and enders. Whatever it is I will enjoy myself.