Yay!!! I'm so excited to be a part of Gina Martin's Sanibel Summer Dreamin' Blog Hop!! So marvelous!
These fabrics are so wonderful, luscious and perfect for summer projects (made during the cool spring, right???)
My kiddos are aching for the pool! I'm pretty sure Mr Gorgeous is going to heat it in the next few weeks so they can jump in…
These beautiful fabrics that Gina Martin has gorgeously designed are perfect for pool projects, so I grabbed some towels from Target, three fat quarters of Sanibel, and pool projects commenced!!
Let's decorate a fun towel first!
–Cut 2 strips of 4.5" x WOF for each towel!
–Iron each long edge over 1/4" for small hems on each long side.
–Using a ruler, place your long strip exactly 2" from the bottom of the edge of the towel.
–Pin! Be sure and fold the side edges under before the long edges.
–Sew your beautiful fabric right along the edges of the strip. Do this on the both edges of the towel.
And Voila! You have beautiful towels ready for pool-side!
But how will we carry our towels to the pool or the beach?
A pool tote, of course!!
Grab 7 half yards of these beautiful blue and teal Sanibel fabrics, and let's get to sewing! (you'll have some left over for some fun little beach projects, later…)
1. Cut and piece the outside panels (2) of the bag as per the picture below:
2. Iron the seams toward the bottom of the panels, and top stitch right next to the seam…
3. Cut and piece together two panels (x2) for the inside lining:
5. Set lining aside. Cut 2 interfacing panels 21.5" x 24.5" and iron it onto the wrong side of the outside panels.
6. To make handles, cut two pieces of fabric 3.5" x WOF. Fold each strip right sides together longwise and sew using a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn right side out and press with the seam in the middle of one side.
7. Topstitch along the edge (1/8" inside the edge). Set aside.
*Option: if you like thicker, comfier straps, add thin fusible batting inside your straps before you sew the tube.
8. For the inside pocket, take a piece of fabric and cut two pieces out of it: 6" x 15". Sew them together right sides together leaving a little opening at the bottom for turning right side out. After turning it right side out, sew a top stitched line on the top of the pocket.
9. Pin your pocket evenly on your inside panel. Sew around the edge and reinforce at the top. To make smaller pockets, sew a line from the top of the pocket to the bottom. Place this line 4" from the left side of the pocket. Place another line 4.5" from the right side of the pocket. This should leave you a 6" pocket in the middle!
***Optional piece – a vinyl pocket big enough to hold a wet swimsuit!
To make the pocket…
a. Cut a piece of vinyl 13.5" x 22". Cut two strips 3" x WOF of fabric.
b. Just as you put a binding on a quilt, fold your strip in half longwise, wrong sides together, press and then place raw edges of the strip along one of the 13.5" edges. Sew it on! You will have the vinyl on the bottom, so you can use scotch tape on your throat place and the underside of your foot to ease the vinyl through.
c. Cut any excess vinyl off, fold your fabric over the raw edge and sew. *hint: use wonder clips to hold the fabric while you sew.
d. Do this for both 13.5" tops and fold your vinyl piece in half. Sew the sides of the vinyl, then bind the sides like you did the tops.
e. When putting the strips on the sides, add 3 inches on the top of each side to use to attach the pocket onto the tote!
Back to the tote…
10. Place the tote outside panels right sides together and sew the sides and bottom.
11. Do the same for the lining fabric and leave an opening 4" wide at the bottom!
12. Box both the outside panel corners and the lining corners like this…
13. Sew the box corners at an inch. Trim and turn the outside of the tote right side out.
13. Place the outside piece inside the lining (keep the lining wrong side out) and pin top raw edges all the way around. *Make sure they are right sides together. Place the vinyl pocket in between the two layers and pin the two tabs along the top raw edge. For placement, measure equal distances on either side from the side seams.
14. Sew all the way around the top, reinforcing over the vinyl pocket tabs.
15. Turn the tote right side out through the hole at the bottom of the lining. After you straighten out the corners of the outside and the lining, sew the bottom hole of the lining closed.
16. Push the lining into the bag, top stitch, and get ready to put on your handles.
17. Measure in from each side seam 2" and pin one handle end. Pin the other end of the handle to the same side of the outside 2" in from the other seam. Sew them on. Do the same for the other side of the tote.
You are done! Fill your tote and go swimming!!!
Don't forget your sunscreen!!!
And ALSO!!! Gina has a giveaway for you here on the hop, too!!! Yay!!
A Layer Cake of Sanibel!!
Just leave me a comment here and I'll draw a winner on April 12th! Can't wait to hear from you!!
Thanks for hopping with me here. Here are the other phenomenal bloggers hopping with me!
Such great projects: Full of summer and joy!
What gorgeous fabrics. I love how they brighten up your pool towels, and the tote is just perfect for Summer. Thanks for the great tutorials and for a really fun giveaway.
love the projects. The bag is a must do on my list thanks for sharing
Love what you did with Gina’s fabrics.
oh what fun summery projects!
This is the pretties bundle of fabrics I have seen in a long time! It is just what we need after a bitter cold winter in Iowa—-bright, fun colors! I love your tote and especially, how you added a fabric band to the towel. Now it’s easy to spot it at the pool (in case anyone tries to nab it!).
Love the embellished towels– such a great idea! Loving the fun summer prints!
That is a cute little bag!
Great projects!! I love this fabric collection… the colours and prints are so fun!! Thanks for sharing in the hop.
I really like the idea of the waterproof pocket in the bag. Thank you for the tutorial. x
What fabulous colors and prints!
That fabric is to die for…so bright and colorful. Also thanks for the projects. They look fun!
Love the quilt pattern (looks like candy)! Love those colors, too!
Thanks for these summer projects. The towels will be fun to use. You do nice work, Sally.
HI,such neat projects>love the waterproof bag! Thanks for sharing!
msstitcher1214@gmail.com
Hi Sally, love the projects you created with the Summer Dreamin fabrics. Your projects are always awesome!
I love your towel idea and I LOVE your bag! I will have to make one. Thanks!
I love this fabric and the great projects you made with it! So cheerful and fun. The tutorial is great, I’m a beginner but I am going to try this.
love your projects
I would have never thought to add fabric to towels. Thanks for the excellent tutorial and the chance to win!
Your projects are so much fun! The towels are great!
what happy fabric?|: sunny and carefree!
I love love your pool tote!!
What a great way to spice up a towel for the pool.
Love these fabrics, perfect for the beach tote.
I love your projects. A picnic quilt would be great too.
These fabrics and your projects are super cute! I would love to make a cute bag for summer from them. And a sunglasses case from the print with the sunglasses on it.
Your bag and towels are just so summery and cute! Thanks for the chance to win.
Thank you for the tutorial! Love the bag!
I love how you incorporated a “wet bag” in your tote! Super practical! The Sanibel fabrics are just perfect for playtime, too.
What a gorgeous idea to embellish the towels with a strip of fabric, particluarly such a wonderful one. Thanks for the chance!
Great ideas for the towels and I love your tote bag. Thanks for the great tutorial for the bag and especially the vinyl pocket.
Thanks for the tutorial. The colors in this fabric is awesome.
Wonderful projects here and on the other blog hop stops! Thanks and God bless! ILuvTheEucharist @ aol.com
Your bag is sooo cute!! what a great idea for the beach or pool! tsvande@gmail.com
I love this bag. It is definitely on my list
Great project and the fabric is so fun!
tstanulis@verizon.net
Love the pool tote! It would be perfect for the beach here in Florida.
Thanks.
Looooove ALL your Projects!! This Fabric is sooooo fun! Thanks for chance to win some! 🙂
What a creative use of this fun fabric! I love your projets! Thanks for the chance to win!
Beautiful — I like the idea of trimming towels.
Staycations are the best vacations, just relaxing with no worries. Thanks for the fun!
I love your matching towel and bag combo – thanks for the great tutorial
I love the towel-bag combo. I think I would redo my porch. Great fabric.
I love the beach tote!
I would love to win this fabric bundle!
you have such fabulous ideas with fabric and your colors are amazing.
thanks!
merryorganic@gmail.com
I love the bright colors of this fabric………hope to win and make something cool!!
The towel idea is great. I think I need to make a bunch and sanibel is perfect for them.
What a great idea! Thanks for the tutorial 🙂
Love the tote bag and towels. Sanibel is so perfect for summer projects!
These are gorgeous! Some of my favorite projects on the whole blog tour. Loving Sanibel!
This tutorial is great! When I first saw this collection, a beach tote came immediately to mind – and voilá! Here’s yours! I’d like to have a beach quilt, too – cute fabrics!
Liz
boltonia55@yahoo.com
Awesome projects. Love those bright and cheery prints.
Ahhhh. . .color! Love this – and your projects certainly have me yearning for wam weather and sunshine. Thank you. kathleendotlutzatcomcastdotnet
Thanks for the tutorials. Great projects!!
I love that bag! Beautiful summer fabric…it makes me want to go to the beach!
I love your projects – especially the towels! This is such a lovely fabric line!
Everything is so beautiful and colorful! Thanks for sharing!
Cute, cute, cute idea–especially the vinyl pocket to hold wet bathing suits. Genius!!
Love the projects! Great fabric!
What great projects. Bring on the sun!
Lovely bag. This line is just so bright and fun. I would love to work with it.