I whipped this bag up, as a Christmas gift, for our youngest grand-daughter, Amelia. Her family recently took up camping and you know, if you have ever camped, you can never have enough tote bags. Well, if you travel with young ones, you know you can never have enough tote bags, as well!

Poolside Tote by Noodlehead was super easy and quick to make. I used Cotton and Steel’s, All the States, canvas fabric. I used car headliner fabric as the inner liner. It is so easy to use and makes a tote stand up beautifully. It is a bargain at between $10-12 a yard (36″ x 56″) when compared to some of the fancy products sold for about the same money, in a much smaller quantity, (18″ x 54″), for the same purpose. I have to say I have never used this other product, but I have handled it and it has almost the same feel except headliner doesn’t get creases. I buy headliner locally and usually buy 10 yards at a time. It comes in handy for all purses, computer bags, travel bags, weekenders… Pretty much anything you want to hold a pliable shape. This was my first time using Zippers by The Yard, the “cut to length” “add the zipper pull yourself” type zippers. It was pretty easy once I googled how to do it. The only reason I bought this style, as opposed to just a regular zipper, the correct length, or cutting even shortening it to fit, is because I wanted the big pull that came with this style. Normally you would have to buy a zipper meant for a coat, with larger teeth, to get the larger pull (and run all over town trying to find the right color one at that). I am probably more particular to finding the exact zipper for the job, but that’s just me…. Learned something new when I did it this way, I learned I could get it all in one zipper and get it at the same store I bought my fabric! I added a second exterior pocket, between the straps, on the flip side. I may have matched the fabric up a little too well to make it easily spotted, but it is there, perfect for something you need to easily grab, without digging. I love the All the States fabric when combined with the linen Mochi Dots, as the accent fabric. I like how the inside is faced, it makes for much easier and neater a finish as opposed to some other methods. Then I chose Moonshine by Tula Pink, (aka Forest Frivolity in Sky by Freespirit), a camping theme fabric, as the lining. What could be a more perfect coordinate? I’ll have to get back with you on whose fabric line that is, it has slipped my mind. I couldn’t have been happier that I was able to pull this together in our small, local, newish fabric store! Love shopping local! When I first started reading about this bag, I kept reading/hearing how HUGE is was. Six large beach towels…. Enough for a family of four….. Yadda, yadda, yadda…. I have to say, it is not as big as I imagined, based on what I was reading, and that is a good thing. It is just a nice sized bag. It is the perfect size for an 18 month old’s  weekend at Grandma’s. Even plenty of room for the tennis ball she plans to take home with her. I love how she just snatched it up and claimed it as her own, as she was packing up for home!! Linking up with: TGIFF LAFF Crazy Mom Quilts Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Weekend Retreat Behind the Seams