FOs: Jane Market Bags

For the past few Christmases, I have tried to make a small handmade something for a group of family members. Last year, I made these potholders, which, honestly, feels hard to follow!

This year, I decided to make a small pile of Jane Market Bags.

It is one of my go-to patterns, when I need a fail-safe gift. I have a kept a few, which I use for groceries. It is always fun to come up with fabric combinations, and I used webbing for most of the bags, rather than making my own handles.

I think a good, sturdy tote is always a good gift idea (or wrapping for a gift, in some cases!).

No fair!

I hope you all had a fun weekend. I was off of work yesterday for Memorial Day, which was a lovely treat. There was grilling, sorbet-making (dude, make this recipe post-haste!!), socializing, and sewing!

Saturday, my sister Jill came over to sew with me. She's sewn just a tiny bit before, including one previous visit last year where she made a coaster. This time, though, she had her game face on.

She raided my stash, and proceeded to make two lovely Jane Market Bags. Seriously?

I want to steal the jaguar bag. She used some lovelies from the stash, including that coveted Jaguar Echino print. Luckily, I distracted her long enough to keep some for my own version. I fully intend to copy her choices. I'm out of the lining print she used, which was this Dear Stella print. Expect to see another version of this soon. The Heath fabric really goes with everything! The straps are from Ellen Luckett Baker's Quilt Blocks.

Jill is giving this aqua and pink bag to her boyfriend's aunt, when they visit her in Alaska next month!

Fabrics used in the second bag: Echo (outside aqua), Paula Prass Flights of Fancy Pink Cobblestone (pockets), Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow Herringbone (straps), Jay McCarroll Habitat (lining)

Moral of the story?
Stop hoarding fabrics and use them instead, or you might regret it!
Also, I fully admit that the title of this post is childish. I will always be a big sister.

I have some finished quilt blocks and a very-close-to-finished improv quilt to share soon!!

FOs: Jane Market Bags

This Jane Market Bag pattern is so much fun to make.
The proof? I've made four so far, with promises to make at least another three.

This one is for me, and I used Outside Oslo fabric by Jessica Jones for the exterior and pockets. The interior is Alexander Henry's Dasha, and the straps are Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley.

I also made two similar bags using a Joann's home decor fabric I found on sale last year, as well as some awesome green Echino, and an Anthology balloon print for the lining.

I gave one to my sister and kept one for myself. I couldn't part with the sunglasses (or at least a piece of them).

I just love the green and purple combo!

Choosing the fabric for a project is definitely my favorite part, and I loved coming up with these combinations. The bag comes together very quickly.

I followed the pattern pretty closely, but I did make the straps longer on the last bag.

As written, the straps are not long enough to carry the bag on your shoulder, which I prefer.

Try the pattern for yourself, and you can grocery shop in style!