Sew Crafty Wednesday (I Mean Friday)

'Tis the season to sew until I am cross-eyed and sleep deprived from staying up too late finishing projects. Oh, and did I mention baking? In the end it is all worth it to me because I love to give gifts that have truly come from ME -- gifts that have my planning and thought and love intwined with their very being -- gifts that no one else will receive a twin of this year. Something unique to someone unique.

These totes and I have been spending some late nights together. The hot pink of the ribbon and lining is just not coming out true; the pictures make the ribbon have an orange cast which it definitely does NOT have.

I especially love the main fabric in this bag. It's rather like a Harrington Plaid. I like the unexpected playfulness that hot pink, polka dots, and rickrack bring to the sophisticated, business-like fabric of this bag.

This bag for my sister-in-law is a little more tote-like. It will be a perfect tote for all the things she carries with her to church. I decided to applique her initials on it to give it a special personal touch.

It may not appear as though it is, but the color of the lining and the ribbon are the exactly same. I made several pockets in the inside to hold pens, cell-phone, and note pads.

These bags are just larger versions of the doll tote I showed in my tutorial. Instead of putting the pockets on the outside, I put them on the inside lining. I also added the tabbed closure and button to the first bag above. So you see you can get a lot of diffent looks and sizes from one basic plan.

What have you been creating lately?