Alright, so let me tell you about this little project I called my “pink tote mom” adventure. It wasn’t some big, planned-out design marvel, not at all. It started because, honestly, I was just so tired of not having the right bag. You know, the kind that can actually hold all the mom stuff without looking like a sack of potatoes, and I had this very specific shade of pink in my head.
Getting Started – The Vision and The Hunt
So, I decided, why not just make one? How hard could it be, right? Famous last words, I tell ya. First, I went on a hunt for the perfect pink fabric. I didn’t want baby pink, and definitely not that neon stuff. I needed a sturdy, cheerful, but still kinda classy pink. Took me a couple of trips to different craft stores. You’d think pink is just pink, but nope. So many shades!
I finally landed on this really nice, thick cotton canvas. Strong, you know, ’cause it was gonna have to withstand snacks, lost toys, maybe a spilled juice box or two. Then I grabbed some webbing for the straps – something wide and comfy for the shoulder, because my shoulders are already complaining enough. And thread, matching pink, of course. And a new pack of strong needles for my old sewing machine. I had a feeling it was going to be a battle.
The Actual Making – Sweat and (Almost) Tears
Okay, so I got home, all excited, spread everything out on the dining table. My kids thought it was a new game, trying to “help” with the scissors. Chaos, pure chaos for a bit.
Cutting the fabric. That was the first real step. I measured, I re-measured, and then I measured again because I’m like that. Still managed to cut one piece a tiny bit wonky. Just a bit. Had to trim it down, lost about an inch of fabric. Annoying, but not a disaster. Not yet.
Then came the sewing machine. Oh boy. That old thing. We have a love-hate relationship. Mostly hate when it decides to eat the fabric or snap threads for no good reason. I started with the main body of the tote. Simple straight lines, I thought. Well, my machine had other ideas. The tension was off, the stitches looked drunk. I spent a good hour just fiddling with the settings, re-threading the needle like a hundred times. I was close to just chucking the whole pink mess into the bin.
I wanted to add a few pockets inside. One for my phone, a bigger one for wipes and stuff. That meant more cutting, more sewing little fiddly bits. My fingers were sore from pinning. And I definitely sewed one pocket on upside down. Had to get out the seam ripper. My least favorite tool, but a necessary evil.
Putting It All Together and The Mom Test
Once the body and the pockets were somewhat wrestled into submission, it was time for the straps. This part I was actually a bit nervous about. They needed to be super secure. I mean, this is the “mom tote,” it’s going to be carrying weight. So, I reinforced the stitching like crazy. Went over it forwards, backwards, then forwards again. Probably overkill, but better safe than sorry.
I decided against a zipper top. Too complicated for this project, and I wanted easy access. Maybe for the next one. For this “pink tote mom,” open top it was. Easy to just chuck things in.
Finally, after what felt like ages, it was done. I turned it right side out, and you know what? It wasn’t half bad! The pink was perfect. It was big. It stood up on its own, mostly.
- The wonky cut? Barely noticeable.
- The pockets? Actually functional!
- The straps? Solid as a rock.
The real test was loading it up. Wallet, keys, phone, a water bottle, a book (ever optimistic!), a small first-aid kit, a random collection of toy cars, and a half-eaten pack of crackers. It all fit! And it felt good on my shoulder.
So, yeah, that was my “pink tote mom” journey. A bit of a struggle, a few choice words said to my sewing machine, but in the end, I got a bag that’s exactly what I wanted. And I made it. That’s pretty cool, I think. It’s already covered in a fine layer of crumbs, so I’d say it’s officially initiated into mom life.