This solid 241 Tote is one I’ve been meaning to make for a long time. Even though I love mixing fabrics, making the 241 Tote out of one solid fabric instantly makes it classic and timeless.

Fabric Type

I used some Merchant & Mills dry oilskin for this one. I honestly would NOT recommend oilskin for this tote. There are too many great curves and dry oilskin lends itself better to straight lines in my opinion.

I loved this color though, so I forged ahead anyway. I think there are lots of wrinkles that are just unavoidable. They’re not as noticeable in person as they are in pictures! If I were to recommend a beautiful selection of solid fabrics to use for the 241, I would 100% go with an Essex (or Essex Yarn Dyed) by Robert Kaufman Fabrics. It really does sew up so beautifully. And there are so many great colors to choose from!

This is the zippered pocket option, which I love the look of. Of course, it makes it a bit more of a challenge for sewing. But it is totally worth it for the secure pockets and aesthetic. A Petal Pouch would be such a great add-on if you’re making one of these for a gift. The small Petal Pouch would compliment the shape and be a perfect spot for organizing those smaller items!

I designed the 241 Tote back in 2011 if you can believe that. It has consistently been one of my most popular patterns for 13 years! I get in a rut of assuming people are always drawn to everything new, but it just depends on the design – some just keep going!

Project Details:

• Pattern: 241 Tote (zippered pocket view), available in PDF and paper format in my shop
• Fabrics used:
  • Exterior: Dry Oilskin by Merchant & Mills, StyleMaker Fabrics has a great selection of colors here. I’m not sure the color I used is available still? It’s possibly their Nicotine color (again, unless you’re very experienced I wouldn’t recommend this substrate for the 241 Tote). Instead I would recommend Essex in Leather or Essex Yarn Dyed in Roasted Pecan
  • Lining: Essex Yarn Dyed Stripe in Chambray by Robert Kaufman Fabrics
• Zipper by the yard from Sullivan’s Trim (please be sure to read the note in the pattern of how to use zipper-by-the yard on this project)