My two older boys went to college on the opposite side of the country. I missed them, but a silver lining has been the connections they built with our extended family. When we were gathered for my oldest’s graduation, I got a chance to catch up with my sister-in-law, a doctor, mother, and talented knitter! She mentioned an elaborate craft tote she had her eye on, the The Quiltess Ultimate Carry All Bag by Quiltessa Natalie. I wanted a way to show my appreciation for her welcoming my boys to her home for Thanksgivings, and I do love a sewing challenge, so I took on this project!

It is an amazing bag, with tons of clever storage and even an ironing pad, all of which folds up into a medium-sized tote! If you are considering taking on this challenge, be aware that this took me the equivalent of four full days. It would be a bit faster in the future, now that I am familiar with the pattern, but there’s no escaping the fact that there are a ton of pockets and steps! From a difficulty perspective, I found my prior experience with bag-making and sewing made it pretty straightforward, but it does involve a lot of zippers!

I was able to use fabric that I already had, in the blues, pinks, and purples that Joanne likes, but I did need to purchase some specific supplies to complete the project. If you are looking for supplies, here are the items I purchased to make the bag (affiliate links):

• 12″ Separating zipper
• Mixed size zippers – I had these on hand already from making my zipper pouches
• Foldover elastic (called “double fold” in the pattern) in Turquoise
• Mesh fabric in blue – this matched the elastic perfectly!
• Ironing mat – I cut this down to make the ironing pad in the bag
• Zipper pouches in varying sizes
• Snaps and fastener tool

Even the pockets have pockets!

Making this bag was definitely a marathon, but I was fortunate to have a few quiet weekends, and it was very fun to see it all coming together. Joanne received her bag this past weekend, and I’m so glad that she is enjoying it! I’ll need her to pass on a hug to my middle son on Thanksgiving Day.

Grateful for family and creativity!

Julie AKA “Jewels”