Yep, I said it. This is my yellow Pepin Tote for fall. I’m not sure why exactly, but this yellow always makes me think fall.

I had made this sample during the Pepin Tote Sew-along last November. I never ended up getting final pictures of it, so it’s sat and waited on a hook until now.

Fabric Picks – Yellow Pepin Tote for Fall

This is made with Robert Kaufman’s Big Sur Canvas in Mustard. Of course if you’ve seen much of my work lately, usually if I’m making a bag, it involves at least some Big Sur. I love how versatile it is and the wide variety of colors to choose from.

It is lining with this Surface by Amy van Luijk for Figo Fabrics. It’s such a beautiful substrate (a cotton-linen blend) and works really well for this lining and of course it works great for an exterior fabric choice, too (see my Hillside Tote)!

This has the optional zippered closure which is really quite fun. I know that a lot of folks need a zippered closure and I think that’s why I love the Pepin Tote so much. You can make it with or without! I fall in latter category (preferring a simpler tote without a ton of pockets or zippers for most occasions). But when you sew it, YOU get to pick!

I’m hoping to get back in the swing of things here in the next few weeks. Lots of things happening in the background!!! School starting for my daughters will be a nice routine for everyone to get back into. We also have been building a new house this summer! We’re getting ready to move, but first we’ll be making a temporary move to live with some family for about a month while the new house gets finished up. It’s been a lot of work, and has taken a lot of my creative energy (in a good way!). I’ve been enjoying it so much, but am ready for watching all the finishing details come together and then of course to get back to more creative time for sewing patterns and fabric designing!

Shop Updates

Thanks for joining along with me here! I’ve been slowing adding a few more things to my shop. If you’re not a newsletter subscriber, you can subscribe here. I recently added some chicago screw sets (comes in a pack of four screw sets) and NEW colors of drawstring cord – both finishing touches for your Firefly Tote!

When I first start developing a pattern (like the Firefly Tote pattern shown here), I grab a few solids and start cutting. I typically use a solid for the initial samples (usually a less precious fabric for the very first attempts). These single-fabric Firefly Totes were both made when things were getting pretty close to the final dimensions (there were a few minor tweaks after I made these samples even!).

Believe me that there were so many iterations of this Tote before I finally landed on this design and these sizes. Whew! My studio was looking like a bag making factory! I had so many ideas on how this tote should look and when I finally came to this combination of pockets/zipper placement, etc. I knew it was the one.

Single-fabric Firefly Totes: modification

These both are made using a solid fabric for the entire exterior. I know you’re probably thinking, “But the pattern uses an accent fabric for the front pocket!”. Well, that’s true, but of course you can cut whatever pieces from any fabric you choose. So if you’d like to make a Firefly using a single fabric exterior (hey! it doesn’t have to be a solid!) you’ll need 1 yd of both exterior and lining fabrics {2/3 yd of each for the Project size} and then the drawstring closure can be cut out of a 1/2 yd {1/3 yd for the Project size}. See? Not too bad!

We’re heading into Week 3 of the Firefly Tote sew-along in about 6 days. If you haven’t signed up, you still can, click here to enter your name and email! The next weekly email will go out on Tuesday, July 6th (about 6:25 am CST here in the US). Each week’s email will have links for the previous sew-along emails, so no need to worry, you won’t have missed anything!

Project Details

• Pattern: Firefly Tote Pattern (shown here in both the “Tote” and “Project” sizes, both sizes are included in the pattern)
• Fabrics:
  • “Tote” size: Dark Agave waxed canvas from Fabric Funhouse, Perennial by Sarah Golden purchased from Home Ec Workshop (Iowa).
  • “Project” size: dry oilskin in Grey purchased from Bijou Lovely, Perennial by Sarah Golden purchased from Home Ec Workshop (Iowa).
• Zippers and leather handles available in my shop!

Oh and if you’re looking for a full kit for the Firefly, Sewtopia put a bunch together, maybe you could snag one of those?