Handy Market Tote

Can one ever have too many market totes, grocery bags, book totes, etc.?  In my opinion, "No!"  The Handy Market Tote was my project this week for the Patchwork, Please! Sew-along.  It is a great tote.

 It features two large pockets on the outside (one on each side) ...

and a small one on the inside.

This bag is fully lined, and very roomy. Although there are a lot of pieces to the bag, it went together easily.  I love a project like that!

This sew-along is winding down, with only two weeks left to go.  I'm posting my project at A Quilter'sTable.  Check out the many other great market totes posted there.

A walk in the Meadow kind of day... and Patchwork, Please!

Today was one of those days ... cooler air, beautiful sunshine, and the call of the mountains!  A walk in the meadows is always a favorite!  Every season has a different look.  I love the colors in this picture of the golds and greens ... maybe a future project inspiration.

 So ... this week's project was a Vintage Pencil Case.  I started working on this at 6:24 this evening, and estimated it would take about 2 hours.  Despite the tiny paper piecing involved in making the pencil tips, I finished in just over 2 hours!

There are just 4 projects left to go in the Patchwork, Please! Sew-along.  It has been a fun sewing "journey", and to date I've only skipped one project, but I'm ready to bring this to a close and move on to some of my other sewing.

Here's a quick look at last week's project, too.  Somehow I missed posting it here...

A BIG bag!

How about this for a big bag?

 This thing is really BIG.  I think I will be able to fit all my groceries for the week in it!  As usual, I made a few adjustments to the pattern.  Adjustments made for the most part due to not having certain things on hand, and -- yes -- once again waiting until the last minute to start.

 Sadly, my last minute this time was not soon enough for entering my bag in the give-away drawing.  I DID finish it, though, and it's ready to go. Ok -- the changes.   I did not have cotton straps with which to make the handles, so I used a cotton fabric instead.  For the body of the bag I used a painter's drip cloth --unused! (Hmmm...a used paint drip cloth would make an interesting bag!)  I also did not line the bag with laminate fabric or a plastic table cloth as suggested.

I will use it, and see what I think about the size.  I'm still not sure... :)