Totes, transformed! A visual guide to making every type of bag One pattern … infinite looks! With simple tweaks, you can reinvent the basic tote 11 ways, sewing useful projects like a backpack, messenger bag, laundry duffle, and stylish cross-body purse. Create your perfect carryall by adding pockets, leather handles, fabric straps and tabs, O-rings, snap hooks, purse frames, and more for endless variety. A fabric and interfacing guide helps beginners and more experienced sewists choose the right materials every time. Just measure, mark, and cut—no printed patterns needed! • Alter a basic tote 11 ways! Switch up the size, shape, pockets, straps, drawstrings, zippers, and hardware to create bags for many uses • Expert tips on choosing the right fabric and interfacing for sturdy bags that look amazing • Easy, dimensional cutting instructions for fast, professional results A wonderful book to transform totes and bags by picking and mixing, changing size, shape, pockets and more to achieve the bag you want. You'll find expert tips and all you need to know to make that bag yours. Easy cutting instructions for great results. The 11 bags include purses, shoulder bags, drawstring, bottle bag, nested boxes and totes. Learn the basic bag pattern and how to alter it. Divide, shrink, add or decorate to suit your style. Different fabrics can give a very different look. Includes reverse applique, quilting, zips, frame, flaps and pockets. All techniques explained and full step-by-step instructions included with good photos. This is a great book with very usable patterns for all skill levels. ― yarnsandfabrics.co.uk In this beginner-friendly guide, Abreu (Modern Style for Girls) takes a basic square tote pattern and adjusts it in a variety of ways to create a wardrobe of attractive bags in different shapes and styles, from casual and functional to structured and sophisticated. Each of the patterns includes an element, such as a zipper or a gusset, that can be added to the other bags as a customization. The “hacks” are nicely explained and the directions are thorough, giving novices insight into the hows and whys of pattern adjustment. VERDICT Beginning sewists interested in trying out bagmaking, as well as fans of books and patterns by Sara Lawson, will appreciate Abreu's straightforward approach. ― Library Journal This book is presented as 10 variations on a pattern for a basic tote bag, but that seems to undersell it. It's certainly not a book that provides instructions for a huge variety of different bags, but equally, these projects aren't 'just totes' made in different colours and sporting different embellishments: there's much more value here than that. There's some very useful information up front about how to modify a bag pattern (even though that work has been done for you in this book), as well as an overview of different fabrics, interfacings and stabilisers, bag hardware and design elements to use. Instructions are provided for the basic tote bag and the 'hacks,' each of which comes with its own detailed instructions and lots of close-up, step-by-step photographs. The variations include a drawstring backpack, nested boxes, several handbags and two different shoulder bags (including the one above). A terrific book for the beginner bag maker and anyone looking for fairly quick and easy bag projects. ― Homespun Join Abreu as she takes a basic tote bag pattern and transforms it 11 different ways by varying the shape and size of her bags, as well as the detailing such as pockets, handles, and, of course, colour and fabric combinations. By following Mary's tips, you'll create professional-looking bags for yourself and friends. ― Quilter's Companion This isn't just a book about sewing projects, it's book about pattern alteration. Starting with one simple tote bag pattern, Mary Abreu teaches you everything you need to change it up—from size alterations, fabrics, pocket details, and embellishments. Get started hacking with the included projects that range from fabric boxes to handbags, then use what you've learned to create your own unique tote variations. ― Sew News Mary Abreu left the newsroom after an award-winning journalism career to pursue sewing. Today she works as a seamstress for movie productions and teaches sewing, pattern drafting and hacking, and costuming for children. She lives with her family near Atlanta, Georgia. A fabric and interfacing guide helps beginners and more experienced sewing choose the right materials every time Stash by c&t books Softcover, 104 pages