Hi lovelies,
This season we've been holding a patchwork bag challenge in our British bag making group on facebook and I chose to modify a Fiesta Tote pattern for my bag.
I chose to piece the front using Maureen Cracknell's Herringbone Quilt As You Go method, changing the strips to 1 3/4" tall to match the proportions of the bag, using my scraps from Neptune & the Mermaid by Tokyo Milk for Freespirit Fabrics.
I cut the strips 9" long to make sure they would be long enough to cover the panels I was using and then I stitched the panels together lengthwise matching points.
It's a lot of work to make a 'random' pattern where no two fabrics are next to each other!
I added a zipped bridge and cut my lining in two pieces, the top in faux leather to match the back & recessed zip, and the bottom in 'Sun Tiles' in Lipstick by Gillian Fullard for Michael Miller Fabrics from her Menagerie Collection. The faux leather was from Fabric-Online and it was their non flame retardant in brown.
Instead of following the pattern to create the handles from webbing turned over, I chose to use pre-made faux leather handles. I used pink zip piping around the connectors on the back, but take it from me.... don't do that, it's super hard to sew through and doesn't look perfect!
Inside I added the slip and zip pocket as specified in the pattern, but added a second slip pocket with some of the larger scraps left over from the main panel fabric.
I used an Emmaline Bags label for the front in Antique Brass, it just gives it a little something extra I think!
If you want to make your own Fiesta Tote you can find the pattern here and if you'd like to make a herringbone panel too you'll need 4 strips diagonally pieced 5" x 15" which you can sew together to form a panel large enough to cut your front piece from.
