Fruit Punch Tote Is Ready to Party!

The lining is sewn in and my Fruit Punch Tote project is 99.9% finished.

The only thing remaining to do is add buttons to reinforce the handles. 

 I'll have to go to Joann's Fabric to purchase the buttons. 

 I think I will need coat buttons.

Here's another look inside at my Hawaiian Butterfly fabric lining. 

 I love all the side pockets.

This was a fun project. 

 The first tote I have crocheted too.

Thanks for coming along with me on my tote journey!

Send me an email, if you haven't already, if you want the pattern.

(Source: Pinterest)

I think these guys like each other!  

LOL !

Have a lovey day!

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Fruit Punch Tote Lining Time

The last two days I've been working on the lining for my Fruit Punch Tote.

I pinned my pattern pieces to my Hawaiian Butterfly fabric and marked all the cutting lines on the wrong side of the fabric. 

 I had just enough fabric to complete the two-sided lining.

I made a few mistakes along the way and was able to correct all except for one that won't show... so I left it as is.  

I think it turned out pretty good considering I've never sewed a lining in a tote before.

The handles are sewn into the lining.

Now I just have to insert the lining into the tote.

I added a Velcro closure along the top edges - because I had velcro in my stash. 

 I sewed lots of different size pockets on the interior sides.

I'm hand-sewing the liner into the crocheted tote now. 

 The last step I will fasten buttons to the handles inside and out to more firmly attach the handles to the tote.

Isn't this guy cute? 

 An adorable baby gorilla reacting to a very COLD stethoscope. 

(Source - Pinterest)

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Handles Done...

The handles are done on my Fruit Punch Tote - just two single crochet rows in all colors. 

 I even added one row of green. 

 The foundation chain is 111 stitches which is longer than the pattern because I like shoulder totes.

I made a paper pattern for the lining but I want to embellish it further by adding some inside pockets and either a zipper or Velcro closure.

The closure depends on what I have in my stash.

Thanks for your suggestions on which fabric to use for the lining. 

 I'm going with the Hawaiian butterfly fabric but the crazy quilt piece was a close second.

This is all the yarn left over. 

 Just a teeny tiny piece of green is left. 

I'm so glad I had enough to add a row of green in the handles and edge the top of the tote.

Now I have to figure out how I want to do the lining with a closure. 

 That may take a couple days so you'll have to wait to see the final results.

Source: Pinterest

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Check Off Edging

I'm whipping up the border/edging of the Fruit Punch Tote in four colors.

All four color rounds are mostly finished with half double crochet (2TOG).

The first round (watermelon color) is half double crochet (2TOG) into the green yarn below and then four half double crochet around the open chain space repeated around.

I decreased slightly so the tote comes together nicely. 

 The handles will also be in the four colors and long enough in length to be a shoulder tote.

Now what to line it with...I pulled three possible fabrics from my stash. 

 The one on the left is a crazy quilt pieced together from fabrics used in clothing sewn many years ago. The center fabric and the fabric on the right I bought on a trip to Hawaii in 1991. 

 I'm leaning towards using the middle Hawaiian butterfly fabric in the lining. 

 The colors are perfect and what goes better with flowers than butterflies!

Hope you're not sick of seeing this project in such detail.  

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Sewn Together

Late last night I finished all the popcorn flower squares and started sewing them together with the green yarn.

I'm using the same join stitch I used on the Granny Rose pillow covers.  

Single crochet into space then four chains and single crochet into next space repeated all the way around corners are single crochet into each space.  

Before sewing up the sides I laid the squares out flat to make a paper pattern for the fabric lining.

More dreaded ends to sew in again. I have the border to crochet and the handles. 

 I think I will use the four colors instead of solid green for the border edging and handles. 

 I'm running out of green but have lots yarn left in the other colors.

It's time for lunch here. After lunch I have another physical therapy session for my hip and neck. And yes, I'm feeling much better.

I've had quite a few requests for the Fruit Punch Tote pattern. 

 If you make it, I would love to see your results.  

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The Last Round...Up

Fruit Punch Tote

We all dread sewing the ends in...but I knew I would feel better once that was done. 

 I sat last night watching TV for several HOURS and finally finished that task.

It's the price I pay to have lots of color.

Doesn't my ripple throw,"Spring Time," look delicious as a background for the squares? 

 The ripple throw has many of the same yarn colors in it.

Today I'm going to look through my fabric stash to see if I have any fabric that would make a nice lining for the tote.

If not, I'll have to make a trip to Joann's Fabrics. 

 What a sacrifice !

Wish there was something I could do with all these ends of yarn. 

 I put some out for the birds this past spring but I don't think they found it.

With all this heat we've been spending our time indoors working on projects.  I've had to rest more to treat my bursitis in my right hip with ice packs which means I haven't been able to keep up with weeding in our front landscaped area.  Hubby just knocked on the french doors to show me a 3 foot weed he cut down in the front.  Unfortunately it's just one of many.  It seems we can't stop those darn weeds from taking over.  It's so frustrating.

Enough of that weed crap...I'm actually feeling a tad better.  I even had moments over the weekend I didn't even think about my hip (bursitis).  I guess the physical therapy is working.  I've scheduled three PT treatments this week and next.  We were planning to take an RV van trip out to Colorado towards the end of August so I'm hoping I can be well by then and out of discomfort and pain.   I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  

Have a lovely day and thanks for stopping by!

         

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Working Clusters

I don't know what is wrong with me (duh...) I just couldn't follow the pattern for the cluster round (green leaves). 

 It never looked right - too many "yarn overs" for me - so I referenced Jan Eaton's book, "The Encyclopedia of Crochet Techniques", again.  Love Jan's book.  The diagrams are wonderful.

 Finally after practicing to see what looked good to me,  I made a cluster of three double crochets for each leaf. 

 I liked the results and that's what I ended up stitching for this round. 

 I think it's neat the way the green round is a circle.

I just had to see how the completed squares would look like so I crocheted the four color combinations last night.

Just two more flower colors to put the leaves on.

I'm in LOVE !

Anymore of you crocheters out there that want this cute pattern to make your own... 

Fruit Punch Tote

...click on Fruit Punch Tote above to download pdf file (pattern).  

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Working Popcorns

Last night while watching (DVR'd) the cute little flying squirrel Gabby Douglas win Olympic USA gold in the women's gymnastics  all-around (all the girls were great - wish they all could win a medal for all their hard work), I whipped up all the centers of the flowers.

 The only change I made to the pattern was to start with a magic circle instead of a chain.  I like using magic circles because it is easier to crochet into them and I never have any problem closing up the magic circle as tight as I wish.

I definitely improved the popcorn rounds from my first try. 

 I referenced Jan Eaton's fantastic book, "The Encyclopedia Crochet Techniques" to see how to do the Popcorns. 

VERY Easy to do once I could see the drawings.

I'm loving the colors I chose. 

 I have the pattern downloaded as a PDF file - send me an email if you wish a copy.

The next step is the leaves round in clusters. 

 I'll be sharing that with you too. 

 So stick around for more on my Fruit Punch Tote.

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One Down...34 Squares To Go

First try making the square for the Fruit Punch Tote. 

 Not perfect but ok. 

 If I get better I may replace this one.

This is the first color combination of three. 

 I have eight more of this color combination to make.

I couldn't find any of the free patterns on the Joann.com website so here's a copy of the pattern if you are interested.

(Oops...the photo isn't too clear.  I'll have Hubby scan the pattern into a PDF file for me.  If anyone is interested in having it just send me an email.) 

I think I will line this tote with fabric. 

 That would make it even more interesting.

I forgot to mention while in Michael's this week I couldn't pass up their yarn on sale - even if it was Christmas yarn. 

 Can't have too much Christmas yarn!

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Next order - Fruit Punch Tote

A brand new Jo-Ann's Fabric store opened near us last Friday. 

 Hubby drove me over there after my physical therapy session today. 

 It's a nice huge store - half is devoted to sewing and the other half is for crafts.

While wandering through their yarn section I spotted this adorable free pattern, Fruit Punch Tote, in such yummy colors it made my heart sing.

I immediately tore off a pattern and stuffed it into my purse to bring home. 

 After supper I kept thinking about the tote while watching TV. 

Lordy... I couldn't stand it any longer and went upstairs to look at my yarn selection.

I finally chose these five colors from my yarn stash:

-Caron Simply Soft - in watermelon and sunshine;

-Loops & Threads Silky Soft in orange blossom;

-Caron Simply Soft in soft blue and limelight.

I hope I haven't jumped the gun by showing you my next project. 

 It would be VERY embarrassing if I couldn't figure out the stitches in the pattern. 

 LOL !

Well...duh...I guess I better get busy and try working up one of the squares.

Bye!

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