PATTERN:  241 TOTE BY NOODLEHEAD

i recently went away to seatlle and bellevue for the weekend for vogue knitting live (was sooo fun but more on that later) and needed a rockin' tote to carry around some of my loot.  i decided to go with the awesome 241 tote pattern from my pal anna from noodlehead.com.  i just adore this bag and love the shape.  i knew it would be perfect to highlight one of my fave prints of the moment - motif madness in vermillion from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics.  i love the bold colors and shapes. it's right up my alley and i knew when the mail carrier brought it home to me that it had to be a bag.

i really enjoyed making the 241 tote.  it's just the right size for a daily tote yet can hold way more than you think.  trust me when i say it really took a beating on my trip. it even needs a day trip to the spa (aka - the washing machine).  i filled this sucker to the maximum and it held on for dear life (my strap may or may not have started to fall apart..shhhh...don't tell).  if you've made a 241 tote before though you may notice my oopsie. yes, i am not a robot and yes, i do make mistakes too.  in my excitement of making the bag and sewing with my tsuru i forgot to make the darling pleats on the bottom side curves.  that tsuru motif madness print is so awesome it blinded me with excitement! ooops!  oh well, i like it anyways and i think it may have given me a tad bit more room to fill the bag which i definitely needed :)


i really enjoy sewing from anna's patterns and not just because she is a friend of mine.  her instructions are always clear and concise and her photos are clear and easy to understand.  i don't often make myself bags but when i do i head to her pattern selection.  remember my envelope clutch from her envelope clutch pattern? i still love that one and use it often. i realized the other day that whenever i go somewhere really exciting on a trip or event i always whip up a new bag. so fun! they all hold special memories for me.

>> PATTERN <<
 - 241 Tote Pattern by Anna Graham of noodlehead.com

>> FABRIC <<
-  OUTER BAG: motif madness in vermillion from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics
- OUTER BAG: robert kaufman yarn-dyed essex linen cotton  
- LINING:  motif madness in ivory from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics
- OUTER BAG & LINING: 1000 cranes in cerulean from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics
- PELLON  931TD fusible midweight white interfacing

>> NOTES <<
- i forgot to make the bottom pleat detail.
- i would use a midweight-heavy weight interfacing on the handle next time.  i wear my bags hard and put them to the limit (bad me) so i would interface the strap next time and maybe add some batting to soften it up when carrying a heavier amount.
- i used a brass toned magnetic snap. can i just say how much i love magnetic snaps? they. are. awesome.

what's your favorite tote of the moment?  do you have a go to bag that you sew up up regularly? have you been sewing with tsuru? do you love it too? i missed you all while i was away so come chat! i'd love to hear your thoughts!