I couldn't help myself with that cheesy title. I was trying to think of a name for this tote that encapsulated what it is, with it's sparkle and it's color. I was thinking about some sort of beach tote and clam digging came to mind and with all the sparkly gold I went straight to Glam Digging! It is very tough to photograph and capture all the gorgeous sparkly beauty in this new fabric by Robert Kaufman called Manchester Metallics. Here is a better shot of it under my studio lights:

This is the Eggshell color way which has beautiful gold strands running through it. The mix of the fibers gives it a more subtle sparkly shimmer that is definitely full of sparkle but not overpowering. This fabric sews beautifully. I wasn't sure what to expect knowing it had the metallic threads running through it but it has a nice soft hand and presses well too. I could see this used for so many things. It would be perfect for quilts or garment sewing too. I love the way the sparkle elevates the quilting cotton it is sewn with.

sewmamasew.com organized a fantastic bag challenge and this Sunset Beach Tote is my answer to that challenge. This bag is so many things I love; it is sparkly, it is sturdy and good sized, it has little embroidered details and luscious color and is finished of with pom poms. Overall a happy tote for a happy time of year. If you want to make your own, here is a link!

Sunset Beach Tote

you can see some of the sparkle a little better here.

This was a fun tote to make and really doesn't take too long. The center panel is a simple paper pieced pattern (it's a great beginner paper piecing project if you have been curious to try paper piecing!) It works well to arrange your color stripes symmetrically and works equally well if you want to be a little more spontaneous...

a different more spontaneous arrangement of colors and blocking.

I can hardly wait to go and see what the other people have created in this Manchester Metallics Bag Challenge. You can go check all the bags out at these sites:

The Driftwood Thimble