WIP: Super Totes

For the past four days, while my husband has been out of town, I have been diligently working on two more Super Totes for friends that are pregnant with their second.  I don't get much time during the days, but I do have about two hours every evening to work on them.  I spent the first two evenings ironing, UGH.  Actually, aside from the amount of time it took, it wasn't too bad--I set up my ironing table low so I could sit and watch a movie while I did it (watching a movie is a rare treat around here).  I put interfacing on EVERY piece, except the exterior back and pocket, which are being quilted.  

Double layers of interfacing on the gusset panels (left), and each handle piece (top) has fusible fleece for extra padding--cuz you know mamas carry around a lot of heavy stuff sometimes!  I've carried my large camera + watermelon + all the regular stuff in my (medium) super tote!

For the quilted panels, I decided to use my small batting scraps--leftovers from the edges of quilts mostly.  I cut 20" strips and sewed them together using a large zig-zag stitch.

This bag was overflowing before I started, and I used about half of the bag on 4 panels.  Woo!

Two of the panels, a few minor bumps.

Before quilting the pocket panels, I sewed the front and lining (lining an extra 1/2 inch long, pieces facing) to the batting, then flipped the lining over to create a faux piping (sorry I don't remember which bloggers I originally read that idea from!):

For the purple bag the quilting was easy to choose--just outline those awesome purple damasks!

I used Superior So Fine in black.

Back of the back panel.

Back of the pocket panel.

The orange bag I still have not figured out how to quilt, and I really need to finish it today!  Hopefully inspiration will strike soon!

After the quilting the next step is adding MORE pockets.  Mamas always need more pockets!