FF: Tote for a Friend.

Friends, there is something about having a list. I feel the immense need to conquer it. Vanquish it, even. When I check something off of it, I feel invincible. And like I pretty much rock. (Because, ahem, I TOTALLY do.)

I present to you, item #1 to be checked off my super awesome (and long) Q1 FAL list, a super awesome 241 tote for my friend Kim. It is a late Christmas present, and while I don't love it quite as much as the 241 tote that I made for me, I was sad to give it away because I would have totally rocked it. You know, when I wasn't rocking mine. Or my Tula raccoon bag. Or my beloved, special-occasion-only Tenshi Neko bag. Or one of the other many awesome bags that I own. (I own a lot of bags.)

This color palette had me singing. (Floral fabric is from Blend Fabrics...Global Bazaar, I think?) The floral was so bright and cheerful, and I don't think I ever would have picked it off the shelf, but when my friend Kim did--I let her help me fabric shop because I knew it would be a late gift--I was so excited about it. We teamed it up with the turquoise print and that navy solid-looking fabric which is actually a blender by Moda called Weave. It looks almost like a shot cotton. And y'all know my thoughts on shot cottons---yummmmmm.

This is the first time I got fancy-pants with this pattern. Kim had seen my bag (and liked it, of course) but mentioned that she would prefer a longer strap. Now...I could have just made a longer strap, but why not make an adjustable one instead? And out of webbing. That way I don't have to make a strap. (I really REALLY hate fusing interfacing, you know?) I used this tutorial, which was super helpful. I could only find webbing and hardware for 1", so that's how wide my strap is. (The pattern strap is a bit wider.) And the store only had gold hardware, which looks okay on this bag, but won't look okay on every bag, so next time, I might be ordering materials online. I also left off the magnetic clasp because the clasp on my bag kinda annoys me. (And by kinda, I mean really a lot.) Looking back, I wish I had made some kind of closure for it, but I'm hoping it won't be a big deal.

The inside lining is hot pink, which makes my pink-deprived heart so happy! I've been working with a lot of yummy blue lately, but it doesn't speak to my heart like pink. I'm happy to report that the bag has been delivered, and its new owner likes it.

I've probably said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again, but I really really love this bag pattern. I recently washed mine because of an unfortunate coffee spill, and the bag held up perfectly in the wash. And I already know who will be the recipient of my next one. (And it will be pink!!)

Items #2 and #3 from my FAL list are already finished, but you'll have to wait a bit for their reveal. One is my secret project of awesome, and the other is (another) late Christmas gift that I just dropped in the mail today. Soon, Friends, I promise.

I'm linking up with Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty for TGIFF. (And she better watch out, or I'm totally going to steal her new Sew Together bag.)