When Sew My Style was announced at the beginning of the year, I knew that I would be making the tote that was scheduled for October. A waxed canvas tote has been on my to-do list for a while and this was great motivation to get it done. The pattern this month was the choice between the Klum House Fremont Tote (the one I made) or Portsmith Tote, both are waxed canvas with leather handles but the Fremont has a few more complicated finishes.
I purchased my waxed canvas from A. L. Frances Textiles on Etsy. They’re based locally and I was happy to be able to support a company so close to home, plus each piece is waxed with locally sourced beeswax from Texas.
I chose two yards of fabric, but they offer the opportunity to only buy a half yard cut, one is their Texas Maroon 10oz waxed canvas and the other is their Grey 10oz waxed canvas. The shop offers a variety of different waxed fabrics including some metallic linen that I am dreaming of getting.
A few tips for working with the waxed canvas:
- Use a strong needle: I used a 90/14 and did not have any issues.
- Avoid pinning. Clover Wonder Clips were super helpful for this project, and so was painters tape.
- Do not iron. The wax will melt, simply finger press when you need to press your seams.
If there’s one piece of advice I can give about making this bag, it is: Buy. The. Finishing. Kit. Seriously this was such a time saver because I didn’t have to source each piece of hardware, the leather came pre-cut with the rivet holes punched, plus the hardware pieces were all sorted in their own labeled little baggies! Klum House gives you the option to choose between 3 different leather colors, 3 different hardware finishes, and 6 different zipper colors. They also offer complete kits with fabric too, but they didn’t offer the color option I was interested in using.
The finished bag is absolutely amazing, and I felt like a champion when I finished it in just 2 short days! The multiple handle options are great, and I’ve always loved the ability to have a cross body bag (another reason why I went with the Fremont). The bag hits perfectly right at my tush 😉 I don’t like when a cross body bag is too high on my waist or too low on my thigh. The strap does not have the ability to adjust the length, so take that in consideration if you’re on the taller or shorter side. For reference I’m 5’6″.
Making this bag was the first time I’ve installed rivets and Chicago screws, and my first time using leather handles. Lots of firsts! When it came to installing the hardware I found myself wishing I had an actual leather hole punch. I used a hybrid method of various sized screws, nails, and drill bits to punch the holes, which absolutely killed my hands.
Also I got a good laugh out of my husband when I jokingly asked if we owned a mini anvil… another item I might invest in since jeans are at the top of my sewing list so I’ll be installing more rivets in the future. The Chicago screws are what had me cussing because there are so many layers of fabric you need to punch a hole through in order to get them installed into the bag.
Thankfully the Klum House tutorials were a big help when installing the hardware. They have several picture and video tutorials available on their website and I loved being able to watch someone install the hardware since it was a new skill I needed to learn.
Another change I would make is interfacing my lining fabric. I used Rifle Paper Co. Wonderland Canvas/Linen for the lining of my bag, and I love the fabric but find myself wishing it was a bit heftier. Klum House recommends a 12oz canvas for the lining of the bag, and the Cotton+Steel canvas fabrics are all on the lighter side (I even made a pinafore out of it).
It’s not a mom purse without boogie wipes and hand sanitizer. 😉 Ultimately, despite the couple of fights I had with this bag, I would totally make it again! Once again I am so thankful to Sew My Style for challenging me to get something done and introducing me to a new pattern. I also snagged the Portsmith pattern, and I’m tempted to stitch that one up as well.
Are you making this months Sew My Style project?
