I’m so excited to be part of the Warp & Weft Sewing Society’s first ever blog hop this week! We were all given a 6 fat quarter bundle of Lotta Jansdotter’s new (gorgeous!) collections Mormor and Sylvia. The challenge was to make something that celebrates Spring. You can get your hands on some of this amazing fabric by entering the giveaway at the end of this post – 12 Fat Quarters of Lotta Jansdotter goodness! **Update: The giveaway is now closed.
I had so many ideas for this challenge, most involving quilts – but, since many of the other Sewing Society members are talented quilters I supposed I should choose something else! In the end I decided a new spring tote bag was the way to go – because you can never have too many bags! The bright, springy bundle Esmari expertly mixed for me is so light and happy, that I decided to share and make 3 totes. A Mommy and Daughters trio! (This post was getting a bit long, so the Spring Market Tote tutorial is coming up tomorrow! *Update: The Spring Market Tote & Mini Tote Tutorial is here.)
I wanted to make something striped that could feature each of the prints in my fat quarter bundle and was inspired by the beachy rope handled totes I was seeing online. It was great when the prints came together into a tote that is a bit more formal – perfect for shopping! The large size makes a very roomy bag, and I tried to duplicate that by making the girls’ mini totes oversized as well. They were able to fit all of their (self chosen) shopping necessities with them. It was fun to see them excited to feel “all grown up” with their own matching totes!
I had fun trying to find rope that I liked in an appropriate thickness for the totes. With my pre-made options exhausted, I bought some braided cotton at the hardware store and made my own rope! A 4-strand round braid is actually very simple to make and I’m really happy with how it looks. The grommets are fun even though it was momentarily terrifying to cut holes for them in my perfect “finished” bag! They turned out so well I think I’ll have to do it again!
The tote is made with a quilt-as-you-go technique so the outer comes together really quickly. Inspired by my Noodlehead Cargo Duffle I layered quilting cotton, low loft batting and canvas. It holds it’s shape really well, and the interfaced reinforcement strip at the top of the bag folds over to easily install the lining. There is a small pleat on the ends of each oval base, making it simple to fit the outer perfectly to the circumference of the base. And I love how it gives the Spring Market Tote a little more shape.
I would like to thank Esmari especially for choosing the perfect bundle for me! The Slate Blomster is my favorite print in the Mormor collection, my oldest loves pink, and my youngest’s favorite colour is green – so the emerald was perfect for her. Win-win all around. I split up the girls’ totes to accent their favorite colours, while mine includes all of them together – lucky me!
**Update: The Giveaway is now closed. ** You can win 12 Fat Quarters from Lotta Jansdotter’s latest collections, Mormor and Sylvia! In order to enter this Giveaway please follow the Rafflecopter instructions in the widget below and leave a comment on this post. You can obtain 7 entries in total by leaving a comment on each participating blogger’s Lotta Jansdotter Challenge post.
I’m second on the blog hop this week – be sure to check out the kick-off post! The quilt Esmari posted yesterday on the Warp & Weft blog is gorgeous. The fabrics look amazing on a white background with the coloured thread she chose. Carla is coming up tomorrow and her work is impeccable, I’m so excited to see what she’s going to post!
Esmari – Warp & Weft: April 21 ** blog kick-off yesterday!
Sherri – Thread Riding Hood: April 22
Carla – My ½ Dozen Daily: April 23 ** tomorrow’s post!
Shannon – The Finished Garment: April 24
Cathy – Blueberry Patch: April 25
Cynthia – cynthiaf: April 26
Lysa – Lysa Flower: April 27
Winner to be announced here on the Rafflecopter widget: April 28th
I hope you like the totes and come back to check out the tutorial! It’s really simple in its construction – and if you want to get some Lotta to make your own you can find it at the Warp & Weft shop – I know you need a new Spring Tote! Be sure to get all of your entries in by following the blog hop around, I’ll see you at Carla’s tomorrow!
** Please note: This is a sponsored post and the fabric was provided to me at no cost by Warp & Weft. However, as always, all opinions are my own and I will never promote something to you that I do not love myself. **
I love your colorful tote bags. Great use of the fabric.
Awesome tote bags! I especially love the grommets & braided handles.
Oh, I love them!! The rope handles look lovely! That’s a super idea – I think I might need to ‘borrow’ it sometime… 😉
And your pumps are gorgeous! Will have to find out where you got those from too…
These bags are beautiful!
What I like best about the totes is that they are a quilt as you go project, & love that it can be made in two sizes…one for mom & her daughters!
Wonderful totes I love the addition of the ropes , gives them a nautical look !
So cute !!! I love the idea of making these for the little ones. I for sure will look for the tutorial tomorrow. I just have to make these for me and my Granddaughter 🙂
Love your totes! Great idea and beautiful fabric
Sherri, your totes are beautiful, I love the fabric.
oooohh!! Those are just *FABULOUS!! You & your girls are stylin’!! 😉 Great job with this gorgeous bundle! xo
I love that they are beautiful and practical!
love how they turned out! it is so hard to cut into something you’ve worked hard on and don’t want to ruin!!! 🙂
I love the shape of these bags – and the rope handles just add such a cool touch!
This is such a great idea and I love the handmade rope handles – definitely something I will try for summer trips to the pool.
I love your idea of the stripes in a way to incorporate all the beautiful fabrics. I know what you mean about being terrified about the grommets; I made a purse with curtain grommets and was so scared to cut the holes I almost didn’t finish the bag! Your totes turned out wonderfully. I can’t wait to see what Carla comes up with tomorrow.
The fabric colours and designs are gorgeous! Love the totes!
I love how many beautiful fabrics you can incorporate into those totes!
I adore a good tote! I have 2 granddaughters, so ‘matching’ totes would be awesome.
Beautiful bags, I love how springy they look. Perfect for heading to the farmers market and grabbing some fresh produce and bread. I can’t tell you how much I love the matching bags for your daughters, mine loves being ‘twins’ and since she’s only 5 I’m not sure how much longer it will last, and will take advantage of it while I can!!!!
Look forward to the tutorial, ’cause I’m pretty sure I don’t have enough bags ahaha.
Wow, the totes look wonderful! The rope handles are a very nice touch.
Love the totes, can’t wait for the tutorial
awesome job with the bags! I love that you made little mini ones for your girls 🙂
Looking forward to the tutorial tomorrow so i can make one for me and my girl !!!
So much fun, and a wonderful with the rope!
Your totes are just so sweet and modelled to perfections by your daughters!
So cute! You did a great job. Love the colours.
So excited to read the bag tutorial
The shape of this is marvelous, well done! I am definitely going to have to make one-or more!
Love the mommy daughter tote idea. Too cute!
Beautiful.
Great job on the totes, they really say “spring”!
Love your mother and daughters matching bags. And I would LOVE to win the fabric bundle… love Lotta! 🙂
Love your mother and daughters matching bags – the colours are awesome and I like how you decided to make the handles. And I would LOVE to win the fabric bundle… love Lotta! 🙂
What a great way to use these Lotta prints! Your totes are adorable as are your little ones. I’m so inspired, and we are only on Day 2 of this wonderful giveaway. Thank you!
LOVE this! Can’t wait to make a few of my own 🙂
I especially love the fabric choices and the way there are nice bold fabrics that blend well with the lighter more delicate prints.
I love that the totes come in two sizes so my mini-me could have one too!
Love the bags, luv that the 3 match and I really like the pose of the littlest one,what a cutie
Love your totes! The rope handles are so great!
Love the stripes. They really do show off the fabrics.
I love that everyone got their own.
Cute bags!!!! Can’t wait to try it.
Love the rope handles and the colours are gorgeous.
Cute bags. I’ve always wanted to try using grommets.
I look forward to seeing the tutorial.
The totes are great! They’re all three different, yet somehow the same. It was great you made some for your daughters, they so love to be like their Mommies. Can’t wait for the tutorial.
I love the idea for the rope handles and the ‘match but not’ totes.
These are super adorable and the girls look very pleased with their grown-up totes!! I am in love with these prints! I think I’ll check out 4-strand braiding.
These totes are perfection! Love that they are quilt as you go too
Super cute! The totes are gorgeous and so are your girls. :o)
What great totes….love how they look with these beautiful fabrics!
What a cute idea to make the bags in two different sizes! My favourite is the green one with the solid in emerald. I already purchased some of the yellow and grey prints for making a tablerunner. I hope there will be some leftovers, then I’ll try one of these Totes.
I love this project so much. My favourite part is that you made mini oversize totes for your daughters. My little Miss 3 1/2 loves bags and would love to have a bag that matches mine.
These are great bags, love that you made your own handles and the fabric…yum!!!
This tote is so cute! Who couldn’t use a fabulous and functional bag like this?? Very nice!
Super cute! Can’t wait to make one!
“Superfantasic”!!!!
I love that you can arrange the fat quarters in any combination to create your spring bags!
Great idea!
The totes are definitely spring like with the bright colors and stripes. I like the shape of the bag and the fact that they can be made in a sizes to suit my grandson carrying his books to the library!
Your totes are amazing! I would be terrified to put grommets in my finished bag too! I love that you made your little girls totes like mommy’s but in their colors. Very cute pictures!
Love the totes and especially the handles. Very nice
Love the totes – love the handles….very nice
Hi Sherri,
I would obviously use the fabric for some dresses or tops for my daughter!
Love it! I’m always looking for new bags to make, and this one is so fun, and it looks quite sturdy too!
Love the rope handles on your bags!
The grommets! They give the tote a really professional look!
The Spring Market Totes are absolutely adorable! The fabrics are beautiful. I’m sure your girls love their new bags:)
Love the bags, but even more love the 3 of you out shopping together. So adorable!
I must take my little princess out shopping and made/buy some fun bags to match.
Thanks for sharing!!
I really like the rope handles you’ve used on the totes. I’ looking forward to watching your tutorial! Think you.
Love the grommets!!!!!
These totes are so lovely!
I want to run home and make a tote!
SO cute!!! I love the rope handles 🙂
Very cute totes! Can’t wait for the tutorial!
Love the beach bag. Hope I win. Son & DIL are going to Florida in May and she would love to take one with her. Thanks
I think your tote bags are a fantastic way to use the fabric. They are fresh, modern and the perfect size. Thanks for sharing your great ideas 🙂
I love how the fabric perfectly complements the design of the bag. The rope handles are the crowning touch.
Oh my, your bags are so pretty!!!
What I like the most are the rope handles. They are the finishing touch. Thank you for sharing your cute bags.
I love the summery look of this bag and I think it’s the rope handle that really caps it off. I look forward to your tutorial. 🙂
I love quilt as you go and the colors in your bags are fun! The rope handles are the perfect touch 🙂
Great use of the fabrics. I love everything Lotta!!
Love the patterns, prints and awesomeness of the tote!
I like the way there is pattern clash that is actually harmonious.
I love the prints in the fabric. Gorgeous!
Absolutely beautiful tote bags for you and your girls-so cute to make a set for all 3 of you.
Great totes for all sizes 😉 love that!!!!
How sweet are your Mother & Daughter bags! I love them, and this fabric!
I love your totes – but I’m having trouble finding large grommets!
Oh dear Gill. Hmmm… There seem to be some on Amazon. I get mine at Fabricland (similar to Joann’s) and Walmart. Sometimes you can also find them at the hardware store. Hope that helps!
I just love those bags. I am definitely going to get the instructions for them. Thanks!
Love the rope handle detail!
I love how the bags turned out, so fun. I could see my little ladies loving them!
These are lovely totes. I love the rope handles!
Beautiful bags! They look so roomy!
Totebag is awesome and the pictures to show the steps are great.
Fabulous totes! I love the fabric and design!
Beautiful bags. Love the rope handles. It makes it look so Marina/Yacht fashion. Love it.
The colours are gorgeous and I like how you made your own handles.
The girls are so cute with their bags.
The bags are too cute. I love that your girls have a set, too. Nothing like matching mommy.
LOVE the Totes!! Especially soooo cool that you made them for you & your Daughters, to match. SWEET! (you made some grrrreat Heart Memories too)
Very beautiful use of the fabrics. Thanks for the tutorial.
I love that the tote is shown in 3 different colour ways, I always love to see ideas shown with different options.
What a fantastic bag!
You are right. Everyone needs a new tote for spring, and how wonderful to make it a mother/daughters outing. These fabrics are perfect for your project, and I love the rope handles.
I love the rope handles. What a cute touch! :o)
Love the 3 colorways and using the grommets.
The colours are so beautiful!
Tote is fabulous, great pictures of you and the girls with the tote.
Love the totes, great fabric! Thanks for the chance to win!
Love how you used all the fabrics and the selection of different sizes for little people!
Love this bag, so fun and I can tell your girls love it too. Congrats.
I love the Lotta Jansdotter fabric, and this giveaway is such a nice idea. Your totes are so cute (love the rope handles), and I see the tutorial for them too! Thank you.
I love these bags!!
Awesome bags! I love how you solved the handles situation– that rope looks super!
I love this tote. Hope to make it soon.
Love the design of the bags – it’s perfect for summer!
love the bags, but I think I would make one as a beach bag instead of a market tote.
Would love to win a giveaway.
Oops, didn’t get the question before I commented. How about EVERYTHING. The rope handle is what attracted me to the tote. Love the nautical theme.
love the totes… those rope handles! swoon!
Beautiful bags!
Love the totes, fabric and rope handles look great together!