Creative Embroidery Helps Market Tote Shine!

Now that September is here, my thoughts turn to the old neighborhood of my childhood. Almost all our neighbors were Italian. Once September rolled around, the weekend air was fragrant with the aroma of onions, garlic and various herbs involved in making the pasta sauce that would enhance many meals over the winter.

This was not a spectator sport. I was often pressed into service to mind the small children as bushels of tomatoes were loaded into a contraption that would separate the tomatoes from their juice and pulp. I did this in exchange for some jars of sauce.

This was also the first time I had even seen a mezzaluna in operation in the practiced hands of zia (aunt) and nonna (grandmother). This half moon shaped cutting device made short and minced work of the mountains basil, garlic, onions and fresh oregano that were added to the mashed tomatoes as it all simmered to saucy perfection. Nothing made the neighborhood smell better than the giant pots cooking away on propane fired hotplates, strategically positioned on driveways up and down the street.

The Mezzaluna Market Tote is dedicated to those talented rustic cooks who knew a thing or two about shopping and creating magic from simple ingredients.

This week, we’re going to use some creative machine embroidery and some other little goodies to create this stylish shopper, that is named in honor of an effective chopper.

Wash and dry all the fabrics before you begin this project.

You will need:
decorator weight linen 1 yard
canvas/cotton duck 1/2 yard
quilting cotton 1 yard
muslin 1 yard
quilt batting
light weight fusible interfacing
sewing thread
machine embroidery thread
machine embroidery needles
assorted fabric scraps
fabric stabilizers
bag handles
hook and loop tape

Download the template. Enlarge it by 175 per cent.

I know, it’s a pain to go the copy store when you just want to sew. I promise, it’s worth it. Here’s a helpful hint: it will fit onto an 11×17 sheet.

You’ll be cutting:

1. two on the folds of the linen
2. two on the folds of the quilting cotton
3. two of the light-weight interfacing
4. two of muslin and two pieces of quilt batting

Iron the fusible interfacing onto the linen pieces.This stuff is wonderful to work with, but it can shift and twist. The interfacing creates a wonderful blank canvas for your bag.

Across the WOF (from one selvedge edge to the other), cut a four inch wide strip of fabric for the gusset. The canvas I used was not wide enough, so I ended up joining two of these strips together.
Cut a matching length of interfacing, quilt and muslin. Interface the gusset piece. Cut the lining pieces in the same manner as the mezzaluna market tote pieces.

Join us tomorrow when creative machine embroidery turns the mezzaluna market tote into a personal expression of style.