Purse/Pouch – Sew Bittersweet Designs

Piccadilly Circus Handbag

11 Comments / Purse Palooza, Purse/Pouch / By Melissa Dunworth

Back at the beginning of October my wonderful friend CeLynn and I decided it was time to make another set of handbags together. We picked another pattern out of Sara Lawson’s book, Big City Bags, and started pulling from our stashes.

I found some great prints that I bought this summer when my mom was visiting but I was completely unsure if I would have enough fabric because I was slightly under the fabric requirements for the pattern. I emailed Sara on a Saturday, and I wasn’t expecting a response for a couple days, after all it was the weekend. I was so excited that she responded almost immediately and told me I should be fine so long as I was very careful with my cutting. I love AWESOME designers like Sara who really do make themselves available to their followers!

I have to say that I absolutely love how this bag turned out. In fact I only made one change and that was using D-Rings instead of actual rings. I couldn’t find any at all at JoAnns and I was too excited to get stitching to order any online and wait. I was so pleased with how the curved corners turned out – if you showed me this pattern 3 years ago I would have scoffed at the idea that I could sew it!

I didn’t have enough of my interior fabric to make the pockets so I grabbed a coordinating Kona. The entire bag, minus the interfacings was made from my stash. Oh how I love stash projects, my husband would be so proud!

I asked Anne to take a picture of me with the bag. When the only person available to take your picture is just under 4 feet tall you end up with some interesting angles. Next time I will have her stand on a foot stool!

I have to say I really love this bag and again I am just so pleased with Sara’s patterns. I am really looking forward to her next book!

And for those who don’t follow me on instagram, today is a certain someone’s fifth birthday. I am crying on the inside!

Wonderland Bag – Craft Book Month

11 Comments / Purse/Pouch / By Melissa Dunworth

For Craft Buds Craft Book Month, I decided I should blog about a project I finished back in April and I don’t think I have ever blogged about it. I have, however, put it on instagram before. Back in March I bought Sara Lawson’s book Big City Bags, and I was determined to sew something out of it. My friend CeLynn helped me make up my mind when she asked me to sew the Wonderland Bag with her. Decision made!

My favorite part of making the bag was when I showed it to my mom and she asked me where I bought it, she was very impressed when I told her I made it! That was awesome.

I was able to use some of my favorite fabrics in making this bag, on the exterior and the interior. I just love the print on the outside. I’m not sure why but it makes me very happy.

There were two parts I struggled with, the piping and finding the right length handles. I will be investing in a piping foot for my machine the next time I decide to make anything that has piping, I think that will simply make life a whole lot easier. The bag handles I think are kind of a crap shoot, though I’m happy with what I ended up getting.

These curves threw me for a loop, but I do love the overall effect. Now I need a reason to use the bag, a place to travel to and show it off maybe…

I love the interior too, I used some Simply Color fabrics that I have been hoarding and waiting to use on a special project. This was definitely the right project.

I love the way that Sara writes her patterns, I think pretty much anybody with enough patience and willingness to slow down could easily put this purse together.

Are you linking up to the Craft Book Month linky party?

Anne’s Last Day of School

9 Comments / Craftsy, Purse/Pouch / By Melissa Dunworth

Tuesday was Anne’s last day of preschool (sort of, she goes to preschool again next year too). I can’t believe how much she has grown! Over 2 inches, and she is just becoming the most amazing little person. I love her so much!

What I love is that after all these months, she is still saying she wants to be a pilot. I need to work on making her dream of flying come true!

Of course I had to make year end teacher gifts too! I ended up going back to the wonderful Craftsy class I took, Beginning Serging and made the awesome pouch from the class – except I made it FIVE times. I really do love this pattern. The best part is I was able to do all 5 pouches entirely from my stash. This fact simply proves that I keep way too many craft supplies on hand because I needed 18″ zippers (5) in varying colors, fusible fleece and fabrics for the inside and out in the teacher’s favorite colors. Go figure I would have everything on hand.

Did you make end of year teacher gifts?

We are off to Anne’s end of year picnic with her school now, have a wonderful afternoon!!!

This was also one of my goals for Q2 of the FAL with Katy from The Littlest Thistle!

These are sponsored links but the opinions and views expressed are mine.

Open Wide Zipped Pouch – Swapped

12 Comments / Finish-A-Long, Purse/Pouch / By Melissa Dunworth

Last quarter I participated in a swap on Facebook for Zippered pouches, this is the one that I made my partner. She said that she liked the colors purple and aqua so I raided my stash. Both sides were different and scrappy. I love a good scrappy pouch.