Bag Stories

This cute tote bag is called "Zip and Go" by Random Threadz. It has an ingenious seam finish on the sides, a neat use of a large separating zipper, and nice overlapping pockets. This bag was a commissioned for a friend whose mother is a nurse.

Back in February I made a large tote bag for a friend. I used the same nurse fabric but a different pattern. That bag was a big hit with everyone who saw it.

So, happy to accommodate my friend who wanted a "nurse-y" bag for her mother, I began by looking for the fabric. It's called "Nifty Nurses" by Loralie. This absolutely darling fabric is no longer available. Everyone of my sewing buddies went out on a mission all over the valley. "Nifty Nurses" fabric is not to be had anymore.


The ONLY on-line site that had any of this fabric in stock wanted $20 for a fat quarter!! Can you imagine? $80 a yard - yikes! Well, no way. Can you believe my daughter (not a sewist) suggested that I try to get by using my scraps? Sure enough I squeaked this bag out of the remaining scraps from the previous bags. By combining the black screening and the dotted fabric it all came together. (Note: no leftover fabric!)

Darling - yes! Would I make that pattern again? NO! The bottom was absolutely horrible. It is an oval shape. It must be sewn in after all the sides are finished. Imagine going around a tight curve with screening and layers of fabric involved...non-flexible to say the least. Finally, the binding is turned under and finished by hand. It was nearly impossible to do so without some wrinkles. I have plenty of witnesses to bear this out. Cute but no thanks!

The original "nurse fabric" tote (below, blue) was made in December 2006. Doreen substitutes in two high schools and takes multiple notebooks to each. Everytime I looked at it all loaded up, I feared the staps would give way.


I made Doreen the second bag in Feb 2009 (below - red, same pattern. "The Newport Tote" by Lazy Girl). A different color bag for each school, whew! Less wear and tear on her and the bag!