Late last week, I decided I could put it off no longer. I wanted to create a tote with my Big Shot to carry my swaps in when I go to convention. My three teenage daughters donated their ripped up and beyond repair blue jeans for my project. The only problem is . . . I don’t sew. Just looking at a sewing machine about gives me the hives so this was not a project I was terribly excited about. BUT . . . I’ve changed my tune!! Just look at what I made!!!

This is the front. As you can see, I used the Scallop Square Die to cut out dark blue and medium blue denim for my tote. The medium blue jeans were pretty faded on the outside, but the inside looked good, so the good side that you see is actually the inside of the jeans. I made the handles pretty long so that I could carry the tote over my shoulder.

This picture shows a side view of my tote. I made it two squares wide so that there would be plenty of room for my swaps. The flower is made from leftover pieces of denim run through the Big Shot with the Flower Folds Die.

This picture shows off the roomie inside . . . so roomie that it actually fits my plastic container that I keep my swap cards in! This container holds 50 – 75 cards and it fits into my new Big Shot Tote just perfectly!!!

Lookie, lookie!! I’m soooo excited about this!! Isn’t it awesome??

Finally, one more picture that shows how the tote looks when I have it full of swap cards.

I know that someone is going to ask me if I am going to teach a class on making this tote and the answer is NO! I think it took me eight hours to figure out how to do this. I spent at least an hour of that time just trying to thread the needle. I never realized just how bad my eyes are . . . just how big and clumsy my fingers are . . . and just how short my patience is!! My kids (all three love to sew) had to come to my rescue many times. Once, when I lost my patience and started yelling (LOUDLY) for someone to come help me, my youngest daughter (who is easily amused) actually had to leave the room because she didn’t want me to see her LAUGHING at me!!  (She was right to leave the room at that moment.)

I will give you the link, however, that helped me create this tote. Thank you to Angie Kennedy Juda and her video on how to make a Rag Quilt Purse.

Have a great day and thank you so much for visiting my blog today. Tomorrow, I will show you the second project I made . . . a Rag Quilt Purse using fat quarters that only took me two hours to make!! Yes, I’m improving! lol!

Tools: Big Shot Machine, Scallop Square Die, Flower Folds Die, Sewing Machine
Other: Denim Fabric (I cut up old blue jeans), Batting, Thread, Jumbo Brad in White, Fabric Scissors, Rotary Cutter, Large Cutting Mat, Acrylic Ruler for cutting fabric

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