Tote Tutorial ~ It’s a Cinch!

April 3, 2012
Posted by tlcinspirations

Our latest sewing tutorial is “A Cinch!” You can make this great tote, with minimal sewing knowledge! It’s a perfect tote bag for books, your laptop, a trip to the beach, or the market. The adjustable cinch ties on both sides allows the tote bag to be adjusted in size, making it appealing and practical. And, best of ALL, it’s handmade, by YOU!

Tote Bag Materials

You’ll need a sewing machine, thread, scissors, and fabric. A light weight to medium weight cotton fabric is suggested. Using a contrast fabric for the lining, underside of straps, and ties adds character. There are 5 parts to the tote bag, and below are the measurements that I used.

The body Cut one 18″ x 36″
The lining Cut one 17.5″ x 36″ (allows lining to lay smoother)
The straps 4.5″ x 32″ Cut 2 from main fabric + 2 from contrast fabric=4 (these can be adjusted to your needs)
The casing Cut two 3″ x 12″ ( this can be altered up to 4″ longer, if you want more “cinch”)
The ties Cut two (I cut mine 1″ x 18″ but if you increase your casing length, you will need to adjust these accordingly, adding length)

Shoulder Tote Bag Video Tutorial

If you need help, feel free to contact me at bonnie@tlcinspirations.com. Happy sewing!

Copyright © 2011-2012 TLC Inspirations. All Rights Reserved. This tote was designed and created by TLC Inspirations. Please feel free to make this tote for your own personal use, but this design and bags created using this design should not be sold, nor should this design ever be claimed as your own.

Sincerely, Bonnie

Forward Motion

July 16, 2011
Posted by tlcinspirations

It has been a little over a month since we set up shop at Happy Delusions, in Renton, WA, sharing this unique venue with many other talented artisans. Mary Clymer is the very charming owner and operator of this thriving little gift shop in downtown Renton, which features many “one of a kind”, handmade designs from an array of arts and crafts. We would like to share with you a few of our items, along with some artisan favorites, although there are too many to show here. We hope that if you visit downtown Renton that you stop in, and check it out for yourself. Our local festival, Renton River Days is coming soon!

And here’s a little preview of our items…TLC Inspirations

We are experiencing many changes this year, most of them positive. Rachel has moved to North Carolina (due to hubby’s job) which has brought a slew of challenges for her and her family. It was an 8 day journey with a moving truck trying to avoid floods and tornados, but they made it! They are currently getting settled in their new home, and new community. Since they have never been anywhere on the east coast, there should be a lot to learn and explore. I miss them, but sometimes moms just need to let go, and let live. We have many ways to stay connected, and continue our TLC Inspirations partnership, thanks to technology.

Since we closed down our online shops temporarily, we have been expanding our crafting into new directions. Rachel has been learning how to machine and needle felt, and she has created some adorable and unique handbags. I, on the other hand, have become more interested in machine embroidery, and trying to implement that beautiful craft into some of my bag designs. We hope to have some of these new creations available to our customers online soon. We will keep you posted.

On another note, we started a YouTube channel a couple of months ago, and will be creating tutorials, so that we can share our experiences, ideas, and knowledge. We hope that you will watch for upcoming tutorials, and visit our YouTube Channel, and subscribe as we add more content.

Find us on FB, Twitter, YouTube, and of course, here on our blog.

Bonnie & Rachel

Twas the Night Before Chrismas…

December 15, 2010
Posted by tlcinspirations

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds…