Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Poolside Tote

Image
By

Hi there! I'm sure your world has been turned upside down by Covid-19, just as mine has here in Florida. It is wild how quickly things can change...in a matter of days our house went from being so busy, shuttling kids here and there, to now, we have absolutely nothing on our schedule! It's been very nice to have a forced break, however I know that it is coming at a huge cost.

Seven months ago, my dad passed away in a bicycling accident. Losing someone so quickly and unexpectedly is incredibly hard; that grief has been a tremendous weight that I carry around each day. If I can help prevent someone from having to lose their loved one to Covid-19, I will! Our family has taken the social distancing that the United States has implemented very seriously so that we can help alleviate the demand that has been placed on the hospitals and the medical industry. All that to say, I write this sewing post today, completely aware that there are serious, life altering current events happening worldwide right now and my heart goes out to each and every one of you who is struggling with the changes that our world is facing!


Switching gears completely, let me share a little bit of the sewing that I have been doing in my new found free time. This is the poolside tote by Anna Graham, a pattern that I have sewn numerous times, but never have I sewn one for myself!


When I was shopping for fabric, I originally looked for some linen that I could wax with otterwax and make my bag waterproof. Once I sewed the bag up, though, I loved the way it looked without anything added to it. I love that the bag is very neutral and will go with anything I have on!


The fabric that I used is all out of stock...however peek around Fabric Mart and I'm sure you'll find something similar. Here's a link to their linen page and the accent and lining fabric I used was a cotton chambray The metal zipper I used was also from Fabric Mart.


I'm sure that I will get asked, the Flower Map of the United States that you see behind the bag is from an artist in Saint Augustine, Jenna Alexander.



I hope that you are doing well as we are all hunkering down and doing our best to help get through these ever changing times!

Teresa Behr @dandeliondrift

P.S. Thank you so much Fabric Mart for the great materials to make this bag!

Comments

  1. Pat GottshalkMarch 25, 2020 at 10:42 AM

    Great post. What a wonderful idea to get started on a bag for Summer fun. I looked at Teresa's pics from her IG acct. I am yearning her beautiful borderprint sleeveless shirt.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ann BrodskyMarch 25, 2020 at 12:41 PM

    I'm so sorry to hear about your father, Teresa. Thank you for sharing your experience and your concerns.
    Your bag is beautiful. I love that you kept it simple- it looks very elegant. Take care!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Closing 2025 with a Lined Jacket

By
Hello again, sewing friends! It seems we have arrived yet again in the grandest season for layering, all this oncoming cold weather. I like ending the year with something warm and very useful. Seems based on my past Fabricista posts, I love to sew year-end outerwear, and this round is no different!  I challenged myself with a new lined coat (wait, jacket? Coat? I feel like the presence of wool changes things?). Anyhoo, since the lovely Chalk & Notch Den Jacket has been in my queue, I proceeded ahead. I like the large pockets, the option to line or not, and the extra bodice and sleeve seams for topstitching.  Sewing this coat is not at all difficult, but the many pieces and loads of topstitching will take a bit of time. My version took me a few multiple-hour sessions to complete. I sewed a size 2, which matches my measurements, and I made no alterations. Hint: for a quick size test, just employ the lining pieces.  Gorgeous, muted blue as a soft wool flannel ? This is ...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Sheer Elegance and Everyday Comfort with my Two New Tops

By
Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with my last Fabricista make for 2025. While many sew a special holiday outfit at year’s end, I went in another direction sewing two tops that couldn’t be more different. One is sheer and elegant while the other is easy comfort for everyday wear.  These tops reflect how I dress at this stage of life. As an over-50 sewist, these two tops reflect how I dress at this point in my life.  Sometimes I want something a bit special, other times more basic. Either way, sewing them in beautiful fabrics, custom fit to my body, makes all the difference in how I feel when I wear them. Even though I’m quite pleased with my two tops, my original plan was to sew a jacket with the tropical print stretch twill and pair it with a top sewn from the soutache mesh knit . Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough to get enough of the stretch twill to make a jacket, so a top it was!  You do know you have to act fast when you see something you love on Fabric ...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Chalk and Notch Wren Dress: My Buffet dress for the Christmas season!

By
  I recently sewed the Chalk and Notch Wren dress using a beautifully soft black voile from Fabric Mart, and it turned into such a satisfying, enjoyable project. The pattern itself is very easy to understand and straightforward with clear instructions, intuitive construction, and a relaxed fit that makes the sewing process easy. A buffet dress in the sewing community is a dress that is loose fitting, so you can eat at the buffet without your dress being uncomfortable afterwards, lol! Because the voile I chose is extremely thin and transparent, I opted to line the bodice and first tier. Adding a lining not only provided modesty but also gave the delicate fabric a bit more stability, especially around the neckline and button placket. A helpful tip when sewing a lining into a lightweight bodice is to treat the lining and the main fabric as one. I sewed the bodice as you would for a lined bodice, and the first tier I sewed the pieces together with a basting stitch to make the process...
3 comments
Continue Reading »