School Bag

This is my school bag. I bought it in Paris a couple of years ago so I could bring back all the goodies I had found there.

I love it. It's so cute with its little Toulouse-Lautrec black cat.

It's roomy and sturdy, and it holds all my "stuff".

It's been carted around everywhere for almost two years.

But lately something bad has started to happen to my school bag.

The lining is disintegrating. I find little specks of black plastic all over everything I put in my bag.

It's also getting to be a bit shabby-looking, with the fabric fraying on the corners.

I decided I needed a new school bag... so I made one!

This is the Mail Sack made with a pattern from Pink Chalk Fabrics.

I used a cheery yellow and white home-dec weight fabric for the outside and a dark grey Kona cotton for the lining. Have I told you how much I love Kona cotton?

The lady at the fabric store suggested a chocolate brown lining - she didn't think grey would look nice with the yellow - but when I got home, I decided the brown was too dull. So, even though I had asked for her opinion (and she was nice enough to give it), I ignored her advice. As usual.

The bag is plenty big. Not as big as my French bag, maybe, but that just means I won't be able to bring home as much marking. haha.

It has one divided inner pocket.

And one lined, zippered inner pocket.

And a lovely long strap that goes across the body (which is how I like to wear my bags).

Forgive the messy hair and clothes. I just got home from kettlebells class and I wanted to show you this right away (because I finished making it right before I went to kettlebells).

But look at my big smile! Je suis très content de mon nouveau sac!

I linked this project for Fabric Tuesday on Quilt Story. Go and take a look!