sassy tote for rehearsals

I have been going to a lot of rehearsals. In one symphony in particular I tend to want to take a bunch of things like my heavier instrument stand, a seat cushion (such hard chairs!!), and a stand light. It would be an easy solution to just grab a tote bag out of the stack I use for groceries, but why skip an opportunity to do something handmade? 

The pattern is called Tourist Tote and I discovered it from a YouTube video. It's a long one, but she nicely steps through the entire thing which is useful for a visual learner like me. I have been saving this hip and sassy girl fabric for a rainy day, so to speak, and while the scale vs bag size made it necessary to deliberately cut pieces to feature faces instead of feet, a larger project like this is a good use of a big print like this. I've also used it to back a quilt. 

This musical notation print was among a stack I brought home from my mom's stash this summer and isn't this the perfect use for it. I forget where I got the bright pink corduroy but my goodness it pops. All of the pieces are interfaced except the handle which I used quilt batting scraps instead. I wasn't sure the interfacing called for was thick enough for the type of bag I was envisioning, but it actually worked out just fine. I am glad I used a heavier fabric for the bottom, though. One could probably also do a quilted panel for any of these pieces and it would turn out similarly sturdy or better. 

Along the way I messed up a few measurements while cutting to make the girl fabric work so it is smaller by maybe an inch, no big deal. The musical notations as a lining is perfect - won't show dirt and topically appropriate for use. I initially was not sure about using the black and white on the outside for the handles given the lighter values in the main print, but with the electric pink corduroy as a complement that looks nice with both, I like the way it all works. If I were more adventurous, I could have added things like pockets, zippers, and other fasteners to hold things like a water bottle to organize the inside more. That didn't feel necessary or appealing to me. 

I do wish the handles were a little bit longer, so I may look for a way to extend them without deconstructing the whole thing. Maybe a piece of leather at the top, we'll see what I can find. It's an ideal size for my musical paraphernalia as well as a water bottle and snacks. Sassy and fit to purpose!