A friend recently brought me a charm pack of shweshwe fabric. You can read about it here if you’re not familiar with it. I was especially interested because I have a blogging friend in South Africa, where shweshwe fabric comes from. Most of the African fabrics we get here are from other areas of that continent.
After considering for a while, I decided to make tote bags for both of us.
This is a modified version of the Charm Party Tote by Penny Sturges. That pattern may still be available on Etsy, but Noodlehead has lots of good bag patterns and I mostly use hers now.
I used foam batting, which was an oddity to me when I first discovered it, but it works really well in bags.
Do we need to go shopping now that we have tote bags?
Zippy Quilts 
That’s lovely fabric and beautiful bags. I think a shopping trip is very much in order.
A shopping trip is always in order 😀
Many years ago our lovely blogging friend from SA sent me some fabric (back when the postal times in SA were better and I could also send her a gift). I have yet to use it as it is precious to me. Awesome fabrics you got there and sweet tote bags and thoughtful gift for your friend 🙂
I remember that! Maybe now you’ll make a tote bag to use it?
Oh, so cool! I bought a couple of fat quarters of that fabric when I was in France last year at the quilt show, but didn’t know what the name of the fabric was. I couldn’t think of what to do with it because it’s so stiff, but making a bag is a great idea. And yes — that foam batting. It really works well in most uses. Cute bags!