Quilted tote bag

Part of the “While I Was Away” series.

Some sewing techniques stay on your wish list for years before you finally find the right moment to try them.

For me, quilting was one of them.

For the longest time, I thought quilting and patchwork were almost the same thing. The more I read about them, the more I realised they were two separate skills. Rather than jumping straight into patchwork, I decided to slow things down and learn quilting first. I wanted to understand how to build the quilt sandwich, how my sewing machine would handle the extra layers, and how the tension behaved before adding the complexity of patchwork.

A tote bag felt like the perfect first project.

With university just around the corner, I wanted something sturdy enough to carry my laptop every day, so instead of buying one, I recreated the dimensions of my favourite leather tote bag. After years of using it almost daily, I knew exactly what worked for me, making it the perfect template for this project.

The fabric came from a little trip to the local genbrug in Assens, close to where I used to live. It wasn’t anything particularly fancy, just a sturdy blue heavyweight denim that immediately felt right for the project. I have always enjoyed working with durable cotton fabrics because they are made to be used, and I knew this one would stand up well to everyday life at university.

One thing I was slightly nervous about was sewing through all those layers. I kept imagining my machine struggling with the thickness, only to remember halfway through that I own a Singer Heavy Duty. It handled everything far better than I had expected, making all my worries feel a little unnecessary.

Since I was already recreating my favourite tote bag, I borrowed a few more details from it. I added a floral lining, a small inside pocket for my phone, and one feature I now wouldn’t want to live without: a little fabric loop to keep my coffee cup upright inside the bag. It might seem like a tiny detail, but it gives me a lot of peace of mind knowing my laptop is a little safer from accidental spills.

Looking back, the bag was never really about having another tote bag.

It was about learning.

For almost two years, patchwork remained patiently on my list while university took over my days. Between lectures, group projects, and what felt like an endless amount of reading, there simply wasn’t the time to explore another technique.

Now that my master’s is finally behind me, those boxes of fabric scraps are quietly waiting for their turn. Maybe they’ll become a quilt. Maybe a few pillow covers. Maybe something completely different.

Either way, thanks to this little tote bag, patchwork doesn’t feel nearly as intimidating as it once did.