auction totes

I finally finished the totes for the Bo M. Karlsson Foundation auction next month. I was cutting it close, too - I need to hand them over at an auction planning meeting tomorrow evening! Whew! I have many excuses for neglecting my sewing machine and pile of sewing projects lately - the main one is the fact that we are moving in two weeks and I am overwhelmed with packing. It has been a dreary summer in Seattle, though, and working on these bags yesterday really cheered me up. So, I should make more time for my hobby. More time... I need some of that!

Anyways, here is the first tote. These totes are just like the one I made for my mom for Mother's Day. The bottom panel and clasp are made from denim and the main panel and lining are cotton. I'd been eyeing this black and white Heidi Grace material at JoAnn's for a long time.

I tried to incorporate some notions that reminded me of Nepal (since that is what the fundraiser is all about!), and though this button is not necessarily from Nepal, the design kind of reminded me of handcrafted items I've seen from the country.

The combination of the black and white fabric with the gold fabric is wonderful. Thank you to Anna who found this lining fabric!

Sorry about the poor photo editing here - I totally cut off the bottom of the bag! But, I'm too lazy to snap another photo. Its funny - I wasn't too jazzed about this material, but when it all came together, I actually like this bag better than the first one!

I really like the button closure on these bags. Though they are not practical for every bag, I think they are great for tote bags like these when used for carrying books, knitting, and whatnot.

And this one is lined with a purple polka-dot. I am excited to turn these in tomorrow night, and I'm even more excited to attend and help out at the auction in August!

:) Shelly