Amy Butler Frenchie Bag: A Summer Project Tote

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I decided I needed a new bag for all my knitting. Something I could toss some yarn, some cross stitch, a book and various other crafty treats in. I was rummaging through my patterns and found my copy of Amy Butler's Frenchie Bag.

This was the first bag I'd ever made from a pattern before, back in 2007, I made one two summers ago and now this one! 3 Frenchies!

I love how FAST this bag is to make. After cutting and interfacing, it's only about an hour of sewing. Hand stitching the handles on and choosing the fabric took me the longest! This is totally a beginner friendly bag for sure.

One thing I forgot? How narrow this bag is! haha! It's SO cute but it doesn't fit nearly as much as I'd hoped! This weekend I had: knitting book, sock, needles, little zip pouch and little notions bento box. It all fit but it was squished! And I left a bunch of little things home >:( It's not that the Frenchie isn't big because it's TALL but I think it needs some gussets or something to give it more DEPTH. I'm going to need to make another bag, this time with Anna's Go Anywhere Bag pattern. That one looks like it has more space & I think I'd love the outer pockets so much for little things like my notions bento and bunny tape measure.

I do like this bag though, I used some of my precious Heather Ross fabric and some amazing Clover Handles. I love, love, love using Japanese handles on bags, I think they just take handmade to a different level of sturdiness and cuteness. It's hard not to like something when it's in all your fav's (actually, speaking of Heather Ross fabric (Snow White?) Was anyone else really excited to see the previews for that new Snow White movie, only to be let down when you saw Kristen Stewart? She is forever making that same mope-y bored face. Lame.)

This is a bag I'd totally make again and probably will soon, I have a few friends with birthdays coming up. But I think in the meantime I'm going to give Anna's pattern a try! I kind of want to hold off until Heather Ross's new line of fabric is available though...those little mice kill me!