tote-ally excited!

If you haven't noticed yet, I have only been featuring embroidery projects. This is because I have been too terrified to try to use the sewing machine. As soon as I can, I will be signing up for a Sewing 101 class at JoAnn's. However, last weekend, I did finally overcome my fear, attached the sewing arm and started sewing. With some instructions from Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts, I started my first project, a tote. This, ladies and gents, is my homemade tote:

Feeling pretty good about my first project and armed with a selection of remnant fabrics that I have been hoarding, I decided to reduce the dimensions of this tote down to 75% and make a purse for myself and my mom (because even if it turns out looking pitiful, my mother still has to tell me it is wonderful...because she is my mother).

 

I also decided to get a little crazy and I lined these totes:

And yes, I had to go one step further and not just make the totes, but monogram everything. Did you really expect anything else based on the preceding blogs?!?!?

I went on a shopping adventure with my mom this weekend which led to a trip to JoAnn's where more remnant fabric hoarding could occur. I also purchased fusible interface and zippers for my next project, the gathered clutch by noodlehead. Check it out: gathered clutch tutorial. I have been dying to make this, but don't expect to see it anytime soon, I should probably get around to taking that sewing class first!