Oh you read that right! A Poolside Too, Poolside Tote! I made this Poolside Tote sample using the (now in stores) collection Poolside, Too for Ruby Star Society!

Reasons to Love it

I really love the Poolside for a lot of reasons! Thanking my younger self for making the pattern! I am the type of person who kind of waits until the last minute to pack. I like the way I can fill up the Poolside and be done. It doesn’t have a ton of fancy pockets (on the front or front/back if you wish), but that’s my vibe. I’m not a big fan of interior pockets in my own bags that I use because I tend to forget what is even inside! I am a fan of using zippered pouches however, if you can’t tell.

I also love the scale of the Poolside Tote, gimme a big bag already! You know I’m full of contradictions. I need mini bags, too, but when I want a big bag, the Poolside is it. The other fun part is that I love this bag with and without quilting. It looks great when I use canvas/foam stabilizer like this, and it also looks just as great when I using a quilting-weight cotton and quilt the main panels. I can’t decide what I like better, but I don’t have to, because I can make it both ways (and so can you!).

Project Details:

• Pattern: Poolside Tote (available in PDF and paper in my shop)
• Fabric:
  • Poolside Too Canvas in Storytime by Ruby Star Society
  • Accent is Speckled Canvas in Balmy – Ruby Star Society (normally I use a quilting cotton for this, but the canvas works well, too)
  • Lining is Poolside Too in Peacock (quilting cotton) for Ruby Star Society
• interfacing is byAnnie’s Soft and Stable, basted to the exterior and SF101 fused to the lining and accent pieces
• Notions/Hardware:
  • 10″ metal zipper
  • waxed cord (Candy Pink)

I spent the better part of a week at a sewing retreat last fall and this quilt is one of the projects I worked on – my Theodore Quilt.

The quilt top was a quilt kit that I purchased from Penelope Handmade last summer I think? The Theodore Quilt pattern is also by Penelope Handmade.

Great retreat project!

I love the super traditional look of it. And I really love how the blocks came together! It was very easy to piece. I might even think about making another with a variety of fabrics. I’d say it was a perfect retreat quilt!

For the backing I found this cute almost feedsack-like wideback fabric over at Stash Fabrics. Thanks to my friend Brianne for telling me to check there! They have a great selection of widebacks, so if you’re in the market, I’d recommend checking there (after your local quilt shop of course). It’s called Prairie Flower Wide and it’s by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Fabrics.

Stumped on Binding

And for the binding, oh the binding! I had no idea what to use for this quilt! I auditioned a lot of different options, but finally made myself commit to this yarn dyed something or another I had tucked in my stash. It’s a yarn dyed Essex, but I can’t be sure. To help move the project along, I told myself I could take it off if I didn’t like it once I got it attached. But! I like it, so it stays. I think it frames the quilt nicely.

I can’t say that I know what I’m going to do with the quilt. It’s so so soft and I can imagine once I wash it, it’ll be even softer. I had thought about hanging it on my quilt wall, but it’s a little shorter than the one I currently have hanging there.

Project Details:

• Pattern: Theodore Quilt by Penelope Handmade
• Fabrics were a kit that I purchased from Penelope Handmade (the linked kits are similar to this, but not the same fabrics), but I think they’re French General by Moda
• Backing is Prairie Flower Wide by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Fabrics
• Binding is a yarn dyed Essex
• Quilting is a clamshell pantograph, quilted by my friend @angiebranlhandmade

Hands down my favorite. I like simple, I like minimal. Solid colors for bags is always a yes for me. If you’re ever in doubt, a solid always looks great. This Nuno to Mono Fieldstone Tote was a fun sew!

Why Nuno to Mono? It’s the name of the specific heavyweight canvas that Kokka Fabrics sells. You might be able to find some at your local quilt shop (or ask for it, they might be able to order it for you!). This is a STURDY canvas. It comes in at 13 oz. which is nice and heavy for bag making. I didn’t add any interfacing to this canvas, but you could, just keep it out of the seam allowances and your machine will thank you.

The lining is a woven by Elizabeth Hartman that I purchased a last Spring from Sewtopia (Kitchen Window Wovens). I think it’s harder to find now that it’s a little older, but you might be able to find some with some internet sluething. I did use SF101 on these lining pieces.

And for the handles, I wanted to get a little fancy and I added these leather ones. I finished these by oiling them, finishing the edges, and then rounding the ends with my end punch. I added them at the very end of making my tote. Just skipped sandwiching the handles between the layers and then when I had the tote all done and topstitched, I punched through the Main Exterior and Main Inner Panel on both sides of the tote and attached the handles with rivets. I added about 3″ of length (to the measurement in the pattern) to each handle measurement to account for the placement, but feel free to adjust as you’d like! This type of installation makes it easy to decide because they’re added at the very end!

Project Details:

• Pattern: Fieldstone Tote (View B, Regular size)
• Free VIDEO sew-along on my YouTube channel!
• Fabrics:
  • Nuno to Mono Heavyweight Canvas in Yellow
  • Lining is Kitchen Window Wovens by Elizabeth Hartman
• Interfacing:
  • SF101 on the lining pieces only
• Zipper/zipper pull is from Zipper Valley.
• Leather handles available in my shop (I no longer stock this color, but have Black/Medium Brown/Dark Brown if you’re interested)
• Leather pulls available in my shop.
• Fun labels are from Sarah Hearts (Then Came June collab) and the back label is from Matchy Matchy