The Perfect Bag: A Rifle Paper Co. Super Tote

Over the past month or so I've been working on the world's most beautiful, perfect Super Tote (a pattern by Noodlehead). I say it is the most beautiful because the main fabric is by one of my hands-down favorite designers, Rifle Paper Co.

They are primarily known for their stationary, but they've been branching out the last few years to put their patterns on a variety of things. Most recently, they launched a line of fabric with Cotton + Steel, and I basically lost my mind over it. It's so very very beautiful.

Even the selvedges are beautiful!

I own one other RPC collaboration... a dress from Paper Crown (of Lauren Conrad fame). Here I am wearing it while feeding a newborn calf... as one does.

Farming attire?

So when the fabirc came out, I was all, "AWESOME! Now I can have an entire CLOSET full of floral magicalness without completely busting my wallet!" So I started with a bag. This is my second Super Tote. I made the first with some of my block printed fabric.

Now a diaper bag.

Making the second one was great because I got to make several adjustments to things I didn't love about the first. For example, I ditched the recessed zipper (always gets in my way). I fully lined the exterior pocket plus added a Velcro closure (so that it doesn't gape open and when it does it looks fabulous). I also segmented the interior pocket into two... something I neglected in the first bag for some reason.

Finally, the straps are a bit shorter, but that was my fault because I used linen I already had... and of course didn't actually measure to make sure I had enough. But, whatever, it works.

Out of sequence, in progress short... look at those short handles.

So I can't finish this post without talking about that lining fabric. When I got the  Rifle Paper Co. fabric, I thought about using some leftover cotton for the lining... but they just didn't match and I wanted this bag to BE PERFECT. I ran to G Street Fabrics to grab something new, and I was in a hurry... I wanted to take it up a notch, so I grabbed fuchsia linen that looked amazing (of course not really looking at the price tag).

As the lady was cutting it for me, she asked what I was making... a nice blouse or skirt? "Nope, it's for a bag," I said proudly, showing her my swatch of the floral. "A BAG?!" she said incredulously. "And this is going INSIDE the BAG??? THIS is FINE ITALIAN LINEN (dummy)." (I added that subtext). "Um, a really nice bag?" I tried.

Oooooo, luxury.

So yeah, here's my fabulous bag, with the disproportionately expensive lining. I think it totally makes it ;o)