Noodlehead's Super Tote

I'm not quite sure how I managed to complete one September goal so quickly but I'm not going to question it!

I made a Noodlehead Super Tote yesterday with Ashleigh!

We went to JoAnn's in the morning, she had to pick out a lining for her bag and I wanted some elastic. We both found these super cute microfiber handles for $5.99 a pair...and then they rang up as $2! I think they are phasing out their bag making supplies at my local shop because they had practically nothing left and everything was on clearance! Woowoo! I love using Clover leather handles on handmade bags but I can't always find them locally and I wanted to work on this bag with Ash!

Together we cut and sewed and watched The Suburban Stitcher podcast (that accent! that sweetness!). And drank absurdly giant RT44 iced teas. I stopped eating sugar (real & artificial) a few months ago and a mango diet green tea was an amazing treat! So good!

Let's talk about this pattern k?

• Super clear directions, illustrations and prints beautifully. That last one is important to me, if it's a pdf and the pattern has you line up pieces and tape them together, nothing is more frustrating than something that doesn't line up. Printing & taping the few pieces in this pattern is a breeze.
• Clever design! As I was making the pleats I kept saying "oh, I LOVE this. LOVE." The pleats allow the top of the bag that sits under your arm to have a slim profile but the bottom remains big so you can cram it full of stuff.
• Sturdy construction!
• Anna offered to help! This is HUGE. While I didn't think I'd need help, I *love* when a designer goes the extra mile and stands by their pattern. Ashleigh & I do this with our patterns and seeing Anna have such a good approach to being available for help with her patterns made my day.

Here are a few of my personal changes and they reflect what I personally like in a handbag!

• I used Pellon fusible fleece as my interfacing and I used it on the lining ONLY. Why? Because the body of my bag is a sturdy 100% wool tweed. It didn't need anything but adding the fleece to the lining gives it a little bit more shape.
• I lined all my pockets rather than just facing them.
• I didn't add the extra gusset pieces for the same reason, thick wool is thick!
• I used commercial handles instead of making my own.
• I did my zipper and pulls slightly differently because I made this on my featherweight with a jacket separating zipper.

Fabrics I used:

• 100% Wool Tweed I had in my stash!
• Fort Firefly for the outer pocket and the top of the recessed zipper!
• Juliana Horner from JoAnn's for the lining, I'm not sure why but this reminds me of my grandmother in a very good way.
• A random orange lace printed fabric also from JoAnn's for the pocket.
• Pellon fusible fleece
• JoAnn's microfiber straps & a Dritz magnetic snap

Can we talk about Fort Firefly for a second? O M G. Ashleigh and I both love Teagan White. She has such an amazing style, some things are so painfully sweet, like this fabric, then she has this completely heart-wrenching macabre side that kills me. Seriously. She's amazing. But the fabric is organic cotton, therefore, expensive. I have mixed feelings about organic cotton, sometimes it's incredible, other times it's quite thin and practically sheer. So we picked out the above fabrics, bought a yard of each and then split the yards in half. I love sharing fabric. ANYWAYS. When I opened the box I almost died, this cotton feels AMAZING! dreamy! perfect! It's absolutely worth the price and the print quality is also phenom! So so so so happy! We spent the day daydreaming of dresses made from these prints too. I couldn't bear to cut any more than I already did, that's saying something. I'm not a fabric hoarder at all but this stuff feels like it should be something special.

One thing I personally am rotten at is knowing the size of things. I just struggle with envisioning numbers. Is it Nordstrom where their purses online have a little key that says "fits water bottle, magazine, etc", I can't remember, BUT I LOVE THAT. SO! Here we go!

What does a Super Tote fit?

• An iPad in a case!
• A knitting bag with a sock (um, also a tutorial by Anna, it's her open wide pouch that I made giant! Did you know I like Anna? Yeah, Lizzy too a ton!)
• A wallet! 
• A cat pouch crammed with girl essentials, a present from my bff.
• Part of a Single Girl Quilt top.
• My camera (not pictured because...you know! I'm using it!)

That is pretty super. Sadly, the pattern doesn't come with a cape. Or a super hero power. But you'll feel pretty pleased with yourself when you finish so that's kind of like a super power, the power to conquer sewing a new cute bag!

Anyways, I had fun and I wholeheartedly suggest this pattern! Now to find my Single Girl pattern so I can finish this top...I was hoping if I pulled it out and took some photos on it, I'd be extra motivated to finish it. ;) success!