#handbags – No Idle hands here

Sharing a bag, now that I’ve gifted it.

I told you I’ve been making things, now that this bag has been gifted, I can share.

I love this printed canvas and I had the perfect green in my stash, then to make matters even better I found the perfect green leather handles, they are the exact color of the apple.Sorry the picture is blurry but I just have to prove that yes, I sewed the handles on by hand, with the help of a plier. Waxed linen thread and book binding needles – I did manage to break one of them.I used a zipper pull from my treasure trove of buttons.Made a small pouch for extra goodies.Voila purse and pouch finished, gifted and very well received.

Leah

Caravan Tote

The Caravan Tote pattern is very popular right now. People are making in it all kinds of pretty fabrics.I LOVE owls and these are not the cutesy ones, but nice fierce ones. So this was my starting point, but what fabric to combine it with?I want classy, not crazy quilt. It wasn’t easy finding the fabric. Be open minded, don’t just look at other quilt cottons. So I went to the sale rack at JoAnns and found this faux suede for $5 a yard. Good thing I bought a yard since my attempt at ironing showed me why it’s on the sale table. It is backed with webbing, when ironing, the suede crinkles. So I was very careful to use a warm iron or a seam roller. As a bag, it’s not getting ironed.Details make the bag! The brass zipper and brass snaps. The perfect matching seams of the printed fabric. The red leather handles, with the matching red fabric on the zipper tabs. Ok, I ran out of brass snaps, so used black snap heads on the handles. The handles are too thick to attach, so I sewed them on and punched a hole in which I glued the snap heads, sometimes it’s not functional – just beautiful.

Love how each small detail adds it’s own oomph. Oh and I can’t forget using the beads as a zipper pull.

I played around with lining and pocket fabrics, this is where the quilty fun happens, inside the bag. I very carefully sewed the handles on with topstitching thread and a leather needle. The problem is there is always a mess on the back side. Solution, serge some tabs and glue them over the stitching.The front has both a snap pocket and an internal pocket – so much useful space! And room for more pops of color.An internal pouch, here I reversed the fabrics but used the same zipper pull.And added another fabric for the lining.Loving the nice neat topstitching I get with the new Juki. Probably could get the same with the old Juki, but I am really enjoying getting used to the new machine.LOVE! Sinple shapes, simple fabrics, a very balanced placement of colors.Side by side, while normally the small pouch would be inside the larger one. The tote was designed as a project bag, so I will be putting some basic tools in the pouch. I am using this as my summer bag, but it’s nice and roomy to just include my knitting and not need to bring another bag.Its’ June already but this belongs in memadeMay, the skirt, the shirt and the wonderful bag.

Leah

LAMQG Weekender part 1

My quilt guild is having a sew along for Quilt Con, we are making Amy Butler’s Weekender bag, using Elizabeth Hartman’s quilt as you go technique. Elizabeth will then judge our bags, choose a winner and offer a prize! Here are the fabrics I started out with.This has been a group project, we have worked on this at our weekend sew. This was my bag panel, the large section will be covered with a pocket. But then I went home and I felt it just was too messy. So back to the drawing board.I decided to be more structured with my patches. It also just sort of happened one side is green/yellow and the other purple/orange. P1050698 With front pockets and straps attached. The pattern is the same, the colors are different.

One problem I notices is that the front pockets gape. Maybe when the bag is assembled this isn’t a problem, but I didn’t want to take any chances.I had these magnets from a quilt show. Much thiner than the metal prong kind. They are available online here StudioKat Designs For the top/side straps I made one to match each side of the bag.The two side pockets are identical. And now, on to the lining and putting it all together.

Leah

A friend is having a big birthday this month, one of those ending with a zero. She spins fiber into yarn so she falls into the category of ‘handmade worthy’, someone who appreciates a well crafted item.

There is a wonderful pattern out called Sew Together Bag, available over at Craftsy.You can see I’m a quilter, I have a lot of fabric on hand that at first glance looks like it clashes, but will work together beautifully.

This is a fun multi pouch bag, anyone can find a use for this. Come on women, we always need another fun storage item!
As you can see, three inner zippered pouches with a nice surprise when you open them.A pop of bright red inside.

The instructions were very good and clear, I like how the raw edges are enclosed with binding.

I also love the way the zipper frames the bag and can be used as handles.I know I’ll be making many more of these.Birthday girl was so thrilled with her present. She immediately turned around and gave me one.Some of her incredible handspun two ply yarn. The black has silk in it, the brown in 100% wool. Both soft and lovely. I think this will become a hat for Joel.

Leah

Handmade handbag

I tend to use one handbag for a season, changing only between winter and summer. Once I started making bags, that changed somewhat. I am particular, I don’t want the loving hands at home look, or even just another quilted bag.. The finishing details matter. At a quilt show last year I found this patternSince they were also selling the hardware, I bought this Korean pattern. Don’t you just love name: bag bostonian. When I travel I like to buy fabric and yarn as mementos, that way when I am working or enjoying a completed project – it reminds of the trip. I found this charm pack of fabrics in Oregon. The instructions were wonky, but other people have made this bag, thank God for the internet. I used not only batting but a layer of canvas as well as the lining fabric. This bag had good body and doesn’t flop around. I also like the combination of simple squares with circular quilting.Unclipped the bag is very spacious, I probably won’t use it often like this.When piecing the fabric, one never knows for sure if the conversation piece will be in the correct location. Luckily it worked out for these typewriter keys.A final touch was these little feet. But something was missing, I had used a sturdy zipper, but the pull was typical, small and not easy to use. Back when I was making Jewelry, I wire wrapped this fish. The necklace came apart long ago, but I held onto the fish. Perfect, now it has found it’s new home.And final shot, looks very good in action.

Leah