Sewing

Corduroy Pepin Tote

Hey! It’s finally feeling like spring here lately! I made this corduroy Pepin Tote and coordinating zippered pouch! I had grabbed this corduroy from my stash over the winter and had it mostly finished and then it sat around waiting to be finished.

Corduroy Pepin Tote

Of course I tried to finish it in a hurry one day, but that didn’t work out when I accidentally grabbed both the lining pieces together and sewed and riveted through them! Needless to say, I ended up cutting a new lining fabric (liked it way better! isn’t it funny how that works out?).

Corduroy Pepin Tote
Corduroy Pepin Tote
Corduroy Pepin Tote

Corduroy fun!

If you were hanging out in the Noodlehead facebook group anytime in the past 2 years or so, you’ll probably have noticed that corduroy was all the rage! For good reason, it’s soft and has great texture. So I wanted to investigate myself a bit and find out what interfacing I preferred.

Corduroy Pepin Tote

Interfacings I used

I ended up using Pellon Fusible Fleece TP971F and Emmaline Bags medium weight fusible interfacing for the Top Lining pieces. The lining is a dry oilskin type fabric (one I had gotten from Zipper Zoo ages ago) and it was good to go without needing interfacing. Love this combo!

Coordinating Zippered Pouch

This cutie coordinating zippered pouch was something I made before sewing the Pepin. I had some scraps leftover and figured why not! It’s a very basic zippered pouch and I love it. It fits perfectly in the Pepin and I think it’ll be great for all the small things I usually carry around. Let me know if you want more details on the pouch!

Anyway, really pleased that I tried this out. I think the Pepin Tote looks great in corduroy! I did do the recessed zipper option and finished it off with webbing from my shop (Acorn).

Project Details:

Sewing

Salutations Trail Tote

I love a sunshine yellow fabric. As soon as I saw this yellow, I knew a Salutations Trail Tote was in order! Salutations is an upcoming fabric collection by Rashida Coleman Hale for Ruby Star Society.

Salutations Trail Tote
Salutations Trail Tote

It’s always a struggle for me to get through February, so I’m glad it’s March and we’re finally having some sunny warmer days here in Wisconsin. I think that’s why I crave using yellow this time of year.

I made this sample Trail Tote for Sewtopia for QuiltCon, so you may have already seen it there. Amy and the Sewtopia crew are always so incredibly supportive and I’m glad to be able to call them friends. When it came down to making a quick sample of course I said yes!

Salutations Trail Tote

Try it out

I think that’s what’s especially great about the Trail Tote. It’s a quick and relaxing sew. Nothing too complicated. Of course you could leave off the exterior zipper for an even quicker finish, but I think taking the extra time to add it is worth it. If you haven’t made a zippered pocket on a bag before, I would definitely recommend taking the time to practice with some test fabrics and a zip before making the Trail Tote. It’ll help you get a feel for how things go together and give you a boost of confidence when cutting into your fabric.

Coming up

I’m also excited about working on some new projects. I spent the majority of last year working on my fabric collection and the sewn samples in addition to the Plover and Trail Tote patterns. So it definitely feels like a relief to be able to decide what I want to make now! Exciting!!! I have a Pepin Tote that I’ve had sitting half finished since before Christmas, so after that who knows!

Where to buy Salutations fabric

Lastly, Salutations is coming soon to shops. It’s available on pre-order from quite a few, so a quick google search should give you lots of options. Or check your local quilt shop! It’s a beautiful collection of both quilting weight and canvases.

Project Details:

pattern assumes fixed-length zipper and zipper tape width of 1”/2.5cm you can substitute by-the-yard/continuous zipper, you’ll need 7 ½”/9 ½” [19/24 cm] and one pull (per bag)

Sewing

Trail Tote Pattern!

I am so excited to introduce you to my Trail Tote pattern! It’s a great beginner-friendly pattern that’s so versatile! 

Here’s a quick list of the pattern’s features:

  • two sizes to sew! Small and Large
  • piping detail
  • front exterior zippered pocket
  • interior slip pocket
  • adjustable crossbody strap
  • magnetic closure

If you’ve been following along here long enough, you may have already seen the Trail Tote! I designed the Trail Tote back in 2014 as part of a promotional collaboration. Well, a lot has changed since then. I knew it was time to make it into a full-fledged pattern with all the 2025 features you enjoy

  • cutting layouts
  • revised instructions
  • full-size pattern pieces (including rectangles)
  • Large size reduced slightly for a better fabric yield
  • A0 file for printing at a copy shop

I hope you’ll love using the Trail Tote pattern to showcase all your favorite fabrics! 

Today through February 10th only (ends Monday, February 10th at 10 pm CST) pick up your PDF or Paper (yep, printed patterns are available right now!) pattern for 20% off! No code needed!

Need supplies?

Below are some supplies for the Trail Tote that are available in my shop: 

Project Details:

Hope you enjoy sewing up a Trail Tote! Have a great weekend!