Charleston Detour + New Personal Burlap Bag

Hello! It's been a bit since I've last updated and a lot has happened! I just returned from a mini vacation to Charleston, SC where my husband and I spent a few days wandering the city and the beaches, celebrating our anniversary.  The weather turned out to be beautiful every day, with only a few drips of rain on our first day there. We were a bit stressed last week, not really sure if we were going to be able to make the trip due to the flooding that occurred in the state earlier in the week. We were lucky because Charleston was mostly flood free.   It is a charming city with a lot of history and great food. It's a good mix of both historical/educational and shopping/culture. I highly recommend a short visit if you haven't been there.

Since I knew that we were going to be heading on vacation, I wanted to sew a new burlap bag that would allow me to keep all of our travel documents, umbrella, tablet, and other items with me as we moved around.  Travel takes a lot of coordination, and I like to keep everything in one place - in a file folder in my bag where it's easy to reach.

I retired the burlap cross-body bag I made for our trip to Philadelphia in the summer for this new, large burlap tote bag you see here. The bottom of the tote is a deep chocolate faux leather fabric and the straps are the same brown leather straps that I used on my old bags here and here. I have used them many times, and they are still in great shape! They do take a bit of time to sew onto the bag as I have to sew them by hand and with thick, black thread. It's totally worth the time as they really make this bag polished.

For the inside of the burlap tote, I used a green and white plaid fabric that I had in my stash. It's a soft, woven fabric that works well with the deep brown and fits with the autumn season as we transition to a darker palette. There is a zipper pocket and two flat pockets in the bag, which are super helpful when reaching for my cell or car keys on the go.

I don't have a specific name for this bag, so let's call it the Charleston burlap tote for good measure and for happy memories that I have made in that city.  If you're looking for a similar bag, check out what's available in our Etsy shop now or contact me at linaandvi at gmail dot com for a custom bag!

I hope you're enjoying your week!
Erica