A beachy kind of tote
Digging through my stash of thrift store finds, I decided to use these placemats for what they were really intended for---a beach bag. This is what they said to me the day I found them, "Hello. please don't put me on your kitchen table where all that food and everything else gooey and soggy will spoil my happy stripes. What I really desire is to go to the beach. Pretty-please?" O.K., wish granted. It's true. Those stripes and colors say nothing but BEACH to me.
As you may imagine, this was a very easy project. Sewing 2 palcemats together is about as simple as it gets. I added a very roomy double pocket on the inside...
and a smaller one on the front, with a little free-form embroidery. My one red petal is a bit sad, but I like to say it just has character ;)
Can someone tell me how to master a french knot? I can not do those to save my life! I practice and practice, with my how-to book right next to me, continually referring to it. What is my problem? Anyway, those tiny spots are my attempt. I just gave up and did a couple of small stitches to give the appearance of a knot....from about 5 feet away.
I tea-stained some cotton cording for the strap and tried my hand at grommets for the first time. Grommets are very beach tote-ish I think.
They were fun. Note to self: hammer grommets in over a hard surface, not the living room carpet, duh. Well, I did at least put a hard cutting board underneath. But man, it worked so much easier when I moved out to the front walkway outside. Now I just need the temperature to go up about 20 degrees and for the wind to stop blowing and I'll be ready to hit the sand.
I've just been making a felt chocolate bunny--inspired by your bunny photo. The tail on the back is lots and lots of little French knots, which I mastered after embroidering a sheep on a bag for my mom. I hold the needle in my right hand and wrap the yarn with my left hand AWAY from me three times around the needle before putting the needle back through the fabric a little ways away from where the thread came up through. This is easier for me than moving the needle around to wrap the thread. Keep the thread held close to the needle, or you'll end up with a lasso-looking knot that's too loose. And practice, practice, practice! It does get easier!
Posted by:Joanne Heim | March 19, 2006 at 06:09 PM
I love the new titlebar! And is that you, that woman in the photo? She's pretty!
Posted by:eireann | March 19, 2006 at 07:40 PM
Cool project! Love the new site look, too... and yes, that woman over there IS pretty. :)
Posted by:denice | March 19, 2006 at 09:21 PM
Personally I hate French Knots. I prefer Colonial Knots any day and they give the same appearance. :)
Great bag, BTW! This is my first visit to your blog and I am in awe!
Melissa
Posted by:Melissa | March 19, 2006 at 09:30 PM
You are the Fairy Godmother of orphaned thrift babes, making all their wishes come true! Wonderful job on the beach bag, cool grommets and tea-dyed handle as well. I do my french knots exactly as Joanne said - a two handed approach with one holding the needle and the other wrapping. The embroidery is adorable anyway!
Posted by:Cassi | March 20, 2006 at 12:57 AM
Fairy Godmother of orphaned thrist babes? Mekes me giggle! Thanks for the laugh Cassi!
I just wrote you an email about french knots. I'm not repeating it here, because I'm relly ashamed of my english today. But I wanted to tell you I like everything here!
Posted by:filambulle | March 20, 2006 at 01:14 AM
MEKES!!!
makes!!!
I told you!
Posted by:filambulle | March 20, 2006 at 01:15 AM
Very beachy and fun! I am sure all tote bags are quite happy now. And what, pray tell, is a "colonial knot"?
Posted by:Luckybeans | March 20, 2006 at 04:15 AM
Love the bag!
I have a couple of placemats laying around here....I wonder what to do with them?!
Posted by:Mirre | March 20, 2006 at 04:32 AM
Very beachy indeed! I like the new look but I also like the old look. The picture of you is just what I imagined you to look like. A big warm smile and sunshine all around you!
Posted by:autum | March 20, 2006 at 04:34 AM
This bag makes me happy!
Posted by:Bessilu | March 20, 2006 at 05:50 AM
Wonderful bags - I always want to make things out of placemats but rarely end up doing it.. I finally mastered french knots and found that the trick is to keep the thread taut, near the needle as you go back in.
Posted by:Melissa | March 20, 2006 at 06:19 AM
I love this tote Toni, I saw it on Flickr, but realized when I read your post that you used placemats, very inspiring "use what you have" project! Those were definitely meant to be carried in the sunshine.
I love that you put your picture up too : )
Posted by:Blair | March 20, 2006 at 06:49 AM
this is so great! i am inspired to try the grommet now! and rope handles are so IN this spring...you're so trendy! love it!
loves!!
Posted by:stephanie | March 20, 2006 at 06:59 AM
Cute tote, and easy too--I love it!
I am going to be writing a weekly article about crafting for homeschoolblogger, do you mind if I link your post and use one of your pics of the tote for the article? The picture would be used as a link to your tutorial. If you would rather me not use a pic, that it OK!
Posted by:Randi | March 20, 2006 at 06:59 AM
Love the bag. Looks like a fantastic weekend project. Beachy grommets indeed.
Posted by:Amy | March 20, 2006 at 07:22 AM
I've been doing cross stitch and embroidery for 14 years and have completed thousands of projects. I still have to hand my stitching over to my husband to do a french knot. It's genetic, you can either french knot, or you can't...
Posted by:Chris Howard | March 20, 2006 at 08:08 AM
Oh, cute cute everything! "Use What You Have" is great, similar to the "Stashalong" going on with knitting bloggers right now. I DO have that much fabric stashed, but not that much yarn stashed. Love the beach tote - I'm sure you'll get lots of tutorial offers about French Knots. I taught my 13yo daughter how to make them last week so I'm sure you can figure it out with good photos or someone showing you. If you seriously don't get any offers, let me know and I'll try to take some photos w/how-to hints. :)
Posted by:Laura | March 20, 2006 at 08:25 AM
OH I forgot to say how much I love the new banner and your photo up there too! Perfectly sweet - perfectly conveys your personal style. :)
Posted by:Laura | March 20, 2006 at 08:27 AM
Lovely!!!! I love the little flower! I have problems with French Knots as well. I could do them when I was younger (I have the embroidery projects to prove it), but somewhere during my growing up, I apparently became a spaz. Ah well. I need to try to be more like the mats. "Please don't put me in the office where all the drama and whiney people will spoil my happy disposition!" Nope, still here. Can't blame a girl for trying, though!
Posted by:scribblesnbits | March 20, 2006 at 08:33 AM
Wow! This bag makes me want to run out and buy some placemats...but wait...after April, right? Great tote! I like everything about it!
Posted by:Dawn | March 20, 2006 at 08:57 AM
I love making placemat bags - I have a whole stash of placemats just for that purpose. Yours certainly looks very "beachy".
Posted by:beki | March 20, 2006 at 09:30 AM
Love it! But just so you know, I am lost on the french knot issue as well. I cannot figure them out for the life of me. If you get some good resources, please share!
Posted by:Amanda | March 20, 2006 at 10:49 AM
That is the best use for two placemats that I have ever seen! Your embroidery looks great. In my humble opinion, I think that it takes a very cute tote and makes it art!
Posted by:vegasandvenice | March 20, 2006 at 10:53 AM
i am in love with this bag...
seriously,
i would like to ask it out on a date...
i would take it out for a casual lunch,
maybe a salad with grilled chicken...
and then we would hit the beach...
teehee...
seriously though.
adorable.
:)
Posted by:gkgirl | March 20, 2006 at 11:07 AM