Before I get to the Birthday fun, I wanted to remind you to check out my recent post on Flare Fabrics and make sure you enter the giveaway (FREE fabric is always fun, right?!). Also, if you have missed mygift idea post, I’d love to hear what’s on your wish list after you read mine. 

I’m so excited to be part of the 2nd Birthday Celebration Blog Tour for Radiant Home Studio! Sara asked me to sew up one of her patterns to show you all. I had so much fun choosing. I decided to go with the Water Bottle Tote. Before I share my project, I just want to point out some really cool features on the Radiant Home Studio site. First: the tutorials section on this blog is AMAZING!! Seriously, what a resource! There’s also a variety of sewing patterns available (and on sale now). You can also find Sara’s fabric designs on Spoonflower and some work featured in the upcoming book On The Go Bags.

I chose the Water Bottle Tote because it seemed like such a unique design.

I envisioned using it as a wine tote, and then I remembered I don’t have anywhere to go where I would bring 6 bottles of wine with me, haha! I still think it works really well as a market tote, and could be used for wine, honey, jam, etc. from a farmer’s market. I’m just starting out as a soccer mom, so the water bottles will come, just not yet. I’ve been really wanting to do some selfish sewing and also needed to tidy up my sewing room, so I decided to make myself an organizer for my sewing room! Look at all the stuff I can fit in mine, and so organized!

The pattern includes instructions for strong handles and exterior pockets, but I omitted both for this tote. I will say though, that I found the construction of the handles and pockets pretty clever, so I’ll definitely add them on my next Water Bottle Tote. Sewing the lining and creating the divided sections was fun; I really loved seeing the tote take shape. I did find finishing the top of the bag a bit challenging and I hope you don’t look too closely at my pictures and see my oopsies! Challenges aren’t always a bad thing though, and it wouldn’t prevent me from sewing up this highly functional pattern again.

I liked that the pattern included instructions on how to deal with directional fabric; it was an easy fix, but it allowed me to do no math, which makes me happy!

There’s also a removable insert, so I used it as an opportunity to try out a new interfacing combination, and add a different fabric into the mix.

I used Charley Harper Red Eye Vireo organic canvas from For the Love of Fabric for my exterior. I used Anna Graham’s Rain Walk organic canvas for the lining, and organic cotton for the insert, both fromFabric Spark. For my interfacing, I used Pellon Craft Fuse where fusible interfacing is called for and Stiff Stuff from Funky Monkey for the insert (this is my new favourite interfacing!).

See below for more stops along the blog tour and hop around and check out the other creations. Don’t forget to take advantage of the sale in the Radiant Home Studio pattern shop: all patterns are 20% off until December 11!