Guest post from my friend Anne: all the tote bags!

Hi everyone - my lovely friend Anne is guest-posting today about all the tote bags she has made using my tutorial.

Hi there! Anne here, one of Adrianne’s quilting friends. I am lucky enough to be in a quilting group (the Ratbags) with five lovely ladies, one of who is Adrianne.  

I am writing a guest post today about the tote bags I have now become obsessed with.  I watched as Adrianne made the first bag with cat fabric I brought back from Tokyo for her.  Then another appeared for Helen (another Ratbag) on her birthday.

I too am lucky enough to have a hand made item by Adrianne (a laptop sleeve made for Anne's birthday last year).  We had a quilting retreat in September and I watched as she whipped up a bag, which was used in the tutorial, and I thought maybe I should make one.  

A few weeks later upon visiting Stitchbird I found some perfect striped webbing for handles and my first bag was made.

This Alexander Henry fabric was perfect with these straps.

Then after another trip to Stitchbird, I found some fabric that had to be made into a bag, this time for my lovely Mum who helps me with my gardening.

Then the wife of one of my wonderful staff members made enough lasagna to feed me for a week - that was another excuse to make a bag!

 

 

While at Wellington Quilters Guild meeting last Thursday, I saw Helen (another Helen!) who blogs at My Inner Thread carrying a bag that looked familiar.  “Is that an Adrianne tote?” I asked.  “Why yes it is” she replied.

Helen made her own straps using the main exterior fabric from the bag.

I have one more tote planned for my non-quilty friend who may or may not like the handmade item.

How can you not like something handmade!?  My non-quilty friend just phoned while I was typing this and demanded I come up with an acronym, as she didn’t like being referred to as a “non-quilty friend”!  Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks Anne!  Anne has the most amazing stash and she's very generous with her fabric and her support.  Seeing all these lovely variations on this simple tote really makes me want to make another one for myself!  If you've made one, let me know - I'd love to see it!  Kiwis, don't forget you can get Soft and Stable from Stitchbird now.