beaches and totes

i am headed to the beach in a bit and was on the hunt for the perfect floppy tote. nowhere i went had what i was looking for. probably because there was a bug in the back of my head that kept telling me i should just make my own.

i designated wednesday as a sew in pjs' day with no other distractions and i was able to knock this out.

i am comfortable enough now to not follow a pattern exactly, so this purse is a mash up to say the least. the bottom portion is from an old oh frannson pattern that has been retired. it has a great pleat and a little loop that hooks onto the button and closes up the bag.

i improvised with the back and added a double pocket with snap closures. i am a sucker for a back pocket on a purse - it is perfect to slip your phone into so it doesn't get mixed up with everything else.

the entire purse is stitched from vintage sheets. i also dared to use some binding for the first time and it wasn't nearly as frustrating as i was expecting.

my favorite part is this little hook. it allows me to make the purse be an over the shoulder bag or longer as a cross body tote. i stole this idea from another bag i have and it is perfect for me because i am forever picky about where i want to carry all my stuff.

i just love mash-ups!