Toots Totes
  • Home
  • About
  • Gallery
  • Store
  • Bespoke Contact
  • Bag shapes
  • Fabrics
  • Blog
  • Happy Clients
  • Vesta Instruction Manual

Birds in flight...

24/2/2015

0 Comments

 
At last the chance to make myself a bag. I found a lovely interiors fabric designed by Heather Moore of Skinny Laminx in South Africa. It's my current favourite motif of birds in flight, called Cloud Bird. It's the first in the collection below-I have it in grey and will accessorise in deep red. These designs are so fresh and vibrant -  I love the tones she uses and the seemingly simplistic but very clever designs. It's difficult to source in the UK and prohibitively expensive to import. I was lucky with my piece...watch this space.
Picture
0 Comments

Touchy Feely Beaujangle

20/2/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Lots of lovely textile textures in this latest custom Beaujangle: silky soft aubergine cotton velvet partnered with a complementary embroidered tweedy wool. A bit of beading highlighted the central motif  and a funky  button bought at a vintage fair matches the lilac silk dupion lining. A beaded appliqued motif added some extra bling.
P.S Beaujangle so called, as it is an angular version of Beau Bag.
0 Comments

Betty & Minnie's sister...

17/2/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Now I can reveal the finished bag, made in the client's choice of a monochrome swirly patterned cotton. with a lovely bright green contrast lining. It had to be suitable for everyday use, roomy, with pockets front and back, a cross body strap and some funky buttons. I think it fits the bill!
0 Comments

Betty Boop or Minnie Mouse-which one?

6/2/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Featuring an adjustable strap, a front pocket and a flap with magnetic fastening, my favourite buckle and loops and a red wooden bead zip pull.
Picture
Shows fabulous daisy gingham interior.
Picture
Back pocket with contrast daisy gingham lining.
Picture
Little red daisy square Fimo bead zip pull. One zipped pocket and two open pockets.
Picture
I had to try out a design before I committed myself to cutting up the fabric the client had chosen. This bright red jumbo spot fabric jumped out of my stash as  ideal for the task in hand. It's come out ok , but I will tweak it slightly, for the next one. 
In the meantime this one's up for grabs at a snip for £45. Any Betty or Minnie fans out there?
0 Comments

    Author

    Hello, I'm Ruth Overton. My nickname as a child was 'Ruthie Toots' which is how the name 
    Toots Totes'
    came about!
    I come from a family of artists and artisans and the creative gene has resulted in a desire to make stuff. There's nothing I love more, than to sit at my old treadle  machine, sewing. It was handed down to me, through the family having been bought by my Grandad for Grandma in the 1930's. (See my blogs about the machine here.)
    More recently I have turned my attention to designing and creating bags and 'Toots Totes' began. 
    I'm going to blog about how ideas for bags come about and how things happen in the sewing room, so join me there if you want to, or bypass this to go to the store or the gallery, if you prefer - I won't mind!

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    A Little Bit About Me!
    Baby Bags
    Bag Designs
    Emma Bridgewater Fabrics
    Finding Fabrics
    Here's How I Do It!
    Here's One I Made Earlier
    Repurposing Preloved Fabrics
    Sustainability
    The Henry Moore Foundation
    Tools Of The Trade
    Vintage Inspiration
    William Morris

    RSS Feed