Craft - completion! Garden tote part 2

This is the finished garden tote, filled with gardening bits and bobs ready to give as a present. I managed to finish it just before midnight, ready to take away with me when I went away the next day.

I really like the finished bag, but found the instructions a bit erratic - the pattern was fine, but a big chunk of instructions seem to be missing which detail how to attach the pockets to the bag. Luckily I managed to work out roughly what to do, but when I googled it I found I wasn't the only person to have this problem. It's the first thing I've made from this book (which I've had for ages) but I don't think it will be the last (I'll just remember to read the instructions very carefully all the way through first in case any bits are missing!)

One of the aspects I'm most pleased about is that it didn't cost me a penny in new materials as I was using fabric from my stash, most of which had been recycled from other items.  I didn't want the bag to feel 'too nice' to use so deliberately planned for it to feel well worn!

Details:

Pattern: Garden Tote from Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter 

Fabric: base + side pockets - denim from an old pair of jeans, exterior of main body + front and back pockets - navy canvas from an old pair of curtains, interior - blue cotton sateen from stash

Craft - garden tote part 1

I am very good at leaving things till the last minute, and this tote bag is no exception. It needs to be ready by tomorrow - hopefully with a bit of a last minute push I can finish it off tonight!

Craft - a new project bag

Oh dear.  I seem to have made plans to start another blanket - the Stylecraft Lily Pond crochet-a-long. In the helpful 'getting ready' instructions we're told that we really must have a project bag to keep everything in - so it was very lucky that I saw this beauty when I was shopping today.

I love these Orla Keily bags from Tesco (and I must have bought around 15 of them over several years and they're all still in good condition and in use). They are cheap (around £4) sturdy, a brilliant size for shopping / carting around sports stuff / beach use / craft projects, and most importantly of all they are very beautiful. My lovely bag is now getting slowly filled with the yarn I'll be using (Stylecraft Special)  - the CAL starts in a couple of weeks and I already have most of the colours, but I may need to do a spot of yarn buying ...