applique, embroidery, and inexperienced tote bag sewing

I'm working on a tote bag right now and I truly have no idea what I'm doing.  I'm bold like that.

(actually I'm usually afraid to try new things with pretty supplies, but I'm trying to get over that)

I've been wanting to try applique (but not the nice, neatly stitched applique, the raggedy edged, "rustic" applique, because you know "nice and neat" is not my gifting.) and I had these tea towels that I bought on clearance at Target for .74 cents (uh-huh, that's right) so I started thinking,

"Hey, I could make a tote bag out of these and try some applique and embroidery on it."

Oh did I forget to mention that I want to learn to embroider too?

So anyway, ask me if I know how to make a tote bag? 

No. I do not.

And do I like to (or even know *how* to)  follow a sewing pattern?

Um...also no.

But I really want to make a tote bag with applique and embroidery on it.  So here I go. 

Let's re-cap, I don't know how to sew, applique, embroider *or* make a tote-bag.

heh-heh...fun stuff.

I just said a little prayer and started cutting fabric and sewing and trying things...

and it was *so* fun!

It's not nearly as cute as it looked in my head.

But that's ok (I tell my mean, perfectionist side) because I'm *having fun.*

Here's what I have so far:

I need to wash it to get the edges of the letters all fuzzy & cute and it's pretty wrinkly right now, but I'm kinda liking it.

For the embroidery part, I picked the chain stitch to learn first and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

I really like writing with fabric and thread.  There is something so cool about that, especially when you're writing theWord.

(even if it is all crooked and uneven)

Now I have to figure out how to...you know...turn it into a tote bag...

I want to line it and put handles on it

(oh, handles...aug..ugh...my head wants to explode just thinking about it, measuring and ugh...)

and you know do tote-bagish things to it...

And I'm gonna say another prayer and be brave and just try it.

So hopefully that's what I'll be working on this weekend. 

And some Thanksgiving craftiness too.

Hope you have a fun and crafty weekend!

Grace and Peace,

♥ Melissa~
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"I am the LORD your God.  I am holding your hand, so don't be afraid.  I am here to help you."
-Isaiah 41:13