52 in 1: WEEK 18 - library book tote

I've been feeling a little uninspired lately, crafty/sew-y wise. Not sure why. I have a bunch of sewing books that I've been wanting to dig into, but no time (as in, a stretch of time) to really get into an unfamiliar project. I took the kids to the library for the first time the other day and was blah-ed out by the plastic bags they put the checked out books in. And, a la Raechel, I decided to make a cute bag to carry our library books in. I knew I had a pattern for a sturdy tote bag in one of my books, so I thumbed through them (hello, inspiration, we meet again) and found the perfect tote in this book. I hit my favorite place to drool over buy fabric, and stocked up.

The bag was truly a labor of love... I wanted to throw in the towel many times (and had to use my seam ripper more times than I care to share) but I had promised Brynlee a pretty bag for her library books, so I sewed, ripped, and sewed some more until I triumphed. And until 3 am. I think it looks pretty stinkin good, especially for how impatient I get with long projects like this.

Don't be fooled by the extra-credit fabric strips around the top of the handles... they are a pretty mistake coverup. Fooled you!

And my pretty model showing off our new bag.

Can't help myself... she just melts me.

Sister's library book of choice? Anything Max and Ruby. She loves to laugh at Max's antics, and perhaps she can identify just a bit with Ruby's older sister bossiness? :)