The Boxy Tote, Part I

I have spent the last two Saturdays sewing up a monstrously complex – and decidedly fun but crazy-making – project.  If it weren’t for Betsy, the able and skilled teacher, I probably would have stopped midway through it.  Besides spending 2 six-hour Saturdays in a classroom at Quilty Pleasures, I also spent about 15 hours quilting the pieces.  Oy oy vay!

This is my first sewing class since I left middle school a century ago.  Then, it was called Home Economics and we learned to sew by making aprons and A-line skirts.  Very simple and basic.  Since then, I have sewn oodles of stuff, but nothing like this.

The “Boxy Tote” is designed by Penny Sturges from Quilts Illustrated.  It’s rather sophisticated and well-designed, but the directions for many people were confusing.  This is where having an instructor who had it figured out was great.  The fun thing is, for me, there are a lot of new sewing gizmos and whatevers that I haven’t used, like fusible foam and fusible batting.  A zipper closes the bag, and arms or something, which you can see in the picture below, are used to pop it open.  There is also a firm flooring or bottom for the base, to keep the shape of the bag, as well as handles which, instead of batting, our instructor used webbing for the insides.

I am going back on this Thursday to finish it up.  Betsy is being kind enough to help us stragglers along, on her own time.  I’ll lug my machine and supplies over there and have a good time altogether.  I’ll probably buy fabric, too, as there is another bag class I’ll (hopefully) be attending in November.  Time to make Christmas presents, you know!

So, here are photos of the bag in different degrees of construction.   Maybe by Friday I’ll have it all together and ready for Part II.

Material for Boxy Tote

Outside End Pockets

Inside End Pockets

Outside Front and Back with Handles

Details of Handles

Inside Front and Back of Boxy Tote