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.

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!

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: Trail Tote (Large size)
• Fabric:
  • Salutations canvas by Rashida Coleman Hale for Ruby Star Society
  • Accent is Essex Yarn Dyed Homespun in Roasted Pecan
  • Lining is Oh Lucky Mini Dot in pink by Alexia Marcelle Abegg
• Get the following supplies from my shop:
  • 6″ zipper* (for Small size)
  • 8″ zipper* (for Large size)
  • cording for making piping
  • strap hardware kit (1″-wide for the Small OR 1.5″-wide for the Large)
  • magnetic snaps OR take it to the next level and use a Loxx fastener
  • waxed cord or leather zipper pulls for that special finishing touch!

* 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)