Monogrammed Totes

In an effort to give the teachers something handmade this week and simultaneously make room for new fabric, I decided to make all four of my boys teachers plus the headmistress & her assistant (headmistress sounds pretty fancy for pre-school, huh?) some tote bags.

I used my Tote Bag 101 tutorial, but slightly shrinked down to 14" x 16" and added a first name letter monogram.  I used heat n' bond for the letter in the lining fabric and did a simple zig zag stitch around it.

Some fabrics were busy, like these Melody Miller and Anna Maria Horner prints.

Some more plain, in a chambray from the Lisette collection at JoAnn's.

This one is in a yellow & white canvas remnant I got at Ikea.  I love the ikat print from Amy Butler I used on the lining & letter (Kasbah in Midnight).

I had visions of photographing them all hung up together on my kitchen cabinets, but that did not work at all!

I'm just glad I finished in time. I  definitely had the method down pat by the sixth one.   I hope they have a nice Teacher Appreciation Week, they certainly deserve it!