The Spectrum Tote Pattern Review

Yet another bag to show you. This one is The Spectrum Tote by Sarah Gido at Cozy Nest Design.

About three days before I was leaving to visit my daughter Sarah asked who would like to test this bag. Too late to start testing a bag so I'm doing a review of the pattern. I did get it finished before I left but that's becasue I wasn't having to check the pattern for any possible errors. Sarah's inspiration came from a set of paint samples.

Here's mine.

As soon as I saw the pattern I fell in love with it. This was the perfect bag for me becasue it was a bag, of course, but it was also pieced like a quilt.

I thought I'd have to measure out all the pieces as in quilting but Sarah took care of everything, each piece had it's own pattern but before I could start cutting out the pieces I had to stick all the pattern sheets together and ended up with this. Quite a lot hey, but then it is a large tote measuring 18W x 15H (26" with handles) x 4"D
There are 33 pages of instructions, pattern sheets and cutting labels so you don't get anything mixed up and if you're worried about doing bias binding for the handle, no need to be becasue Sarah has even included pattern pieces for that too. So nothing to calculate just cut it out and sew it up. Couldn't be easier.

Although Sarah's bag wasn't quilted I decided I wanted to do mine with straight lines. Some of the testers also quilted theirs. I quilted each piece slightly different.

I wanted a smaller hook for the key chain but it was the only one I had. There's no chance of loosing keys in this large tote.

I didn't get good photos of the inside of my bag but there's a large zipper pocket on one side and two really cute rounded slip pockets on the other. I just did the zipper pocket. The bag also has a magnetic snap main closure.

The pattern is really easy to follow with digital diagrams to help you put it together but what I really like about it is there are links to online tutorials showing step by step photos of how to make the zipper pocket, boxing the corners and inserting a magnetic snap.
The testers did a great job of their bags and came up with so many colour and fabric combinations from plain to florals. It's big enough to take shopping to hide your fabric purchases LOLL or can even be used as a beach bag. This bag offers so many opportunities to put your own stamp on it. I definitely recommend making it. This was originally going to be mine but when my daughter saw it, it stayed with her. Good excuse to make another one though.

To see the testers bags go HERE and you can buy the pattern HERE.

You probably think I don't have anything more to post about. Well it's a busy month and tomorrow I'll be showing you yet another bag I made a few days ago. Today I completed another test bag which I'll share as soon as the pattern is releases and I still have to post about my trip away and all the lovely things I bought. So keep checking back.

Thanks to Sarah Gido for letting me do a pattern review and just in case you're wondering I'm not affiliated to Cosy Nest Designs the only thing I get out of it is a free pattern and loads of fun sewing it up.

Happy Sewing

~ Maria ~