craftgrrl | My fingers hurt.

I never post in here, so please forgive the long entry.

I have spent the better part of the last two days making a bag for a friend.

This was the inspiration:

This is the end product:

Front.

Back.

Everything, except the tote bag was sewn by hand.

I drew Mr. Gator:

Then I painted him in:

Then I made a lining:

(Turned inside-out so it's easier to see what it should look like and the secret bag.)

Some stitching detail:

I ♥ backstitching.

This is after I added the first pink stripe bit, but nothing else:

Shot of the lining after everything was put together:

I decided the straps the tote originally came with had to come out at one point so I could sew the pink stripes on, so I made a pink pair of straps as replacement. I think I like this better.

This was a lot of work, I think, but a lot of fun, too.

I'm thinking of writing "Tilly & The Wall" on it somewhere, but I'm not sure where yet. I considered writing it, or stitching it, along the gator...or along the pink stripe on the front. We'll see.

Woo for spring break crafting.