Sommer Poolside Tote

Hello, hello! I made my third Poolside tote over the last few days and I am so excited about it. I saw this great kit on Craftsy and knew I wanted to make this bag with these gorgeous fabrics from Sarah Jane’s Sommer line.

Since I already have my own Poolside Tote that I love and use often, I found a buyer for the finished bag before I started. I made this bag for an old high school friend of mine and I hope she loves it as much as I do. (I actually bought the fabrics from Hawthorne Threads instead of ordering the Craftsy kit since I already had the pattern for the bag. It was a bit of a savings to do it that way, and I got to customize the fabric choices a little bit. I think the only thing I deviated on was the facing that attaches the lining to the exterior.)

The outside of the bag is a lightweight canvas and the lining, handles, and facing are all quilting cotton. I used the interfacing that is recommended in the pattern, Pellon SF101. The bag can’t stand up on it’s own but it’s got more structure than if it was made from all quilting cotton.

I really enjoy making this bag and I know from my own Poolside tote that it’s so fun to use. It’s very roomy and I love the zipper pocket on the outside. I use mine whenever I’m going somewhere with all three of my kids. It easily fits all of the stuff they need. It is also great for the pool or beach, as you’d guess from the name!

I have been a longtime fan of Sarah Jane’s fabrics and I think these Sommer fabrics are wonderful. The colors are so vibrant! The canvas was great to work with and it still looked great after a trip through the washer and dryer. (It was kind of hard to part with this bag, honestly!) I still haven’t branched out with any other Noodlehead patterns since I made my last Poolside tote, but I really want to get into the projects in her book and a few of her sewing patterns. This is a fun pattern to sew and I’d definitely recommend it!

~Teri