Patchwork Bag

patchwork bag in use

Ah yes, he was wearing a green sweater ... he had to be photographed with the bag. I tried setting him upright sitting in the bag (leaning against something) but the bag is so big he fairly drowned in it and couldn't be seen at all.

patchwork bag, side a

I finally bit the bullet and started sewing the handbags I'd promised as Christmas gifts. This one patchwork bag, side bis for my sister. She'd asked for a slightly larger than usual bag to carry a new wallet, and longer straps to accommodate her winter coat. I think she picked out these fabrics, at least they were the only ones I found set aside for these projects that didn't belong to a different project. I believe she picked two of them ... I added the rest. I love the look of the fabrics together.

Why patchwork? I'm not sure, it just seemed right at that decision making moment. The squares started as 3.25" and are just sewn randomly. I stitched the handbag's body pieces to stiff interfacing and sandwiched flannel between the two to give it a softer quilted look without the thickness of batting.

The straps are bits of patchwork mixed with longer pieces of patchwork bag inside pocketsfabrics used in the body of the bag. They are lined with heavy interfacing also.

The bag has 6 inside pockets, some deeper than others, to carry all sorts of good stuff. My sister had asked for a cell phone pocket, I'm pretty sure one of them will work for that. I also added a key clasp inside. The bag closes with a magnetic snap closure.

I really like this bag but it is huge. I keep most of the dimensions for projects I made repeatedly on a clipboard above my sewing machine. One set of measurements said patchwork bag close-up"bag" so I went ahead and used those measurements, adding a few inches to each direction of the bag and to the straps because that's what my sister had asked me to do. As I was sewing I realized the body was pretty gigantic so I cut it down a little, but not too much since she'd asked for it to be bigger and I was afraid it'd end up the same size as the other bags I've made for her if I cut it down too much. Plus, I like small handbags so "big" to me would probably be smaller than it would be for someone else. Same thing happened patchwork bag strapswith the straps ... they seemed awfully long, but I didn't want to make them too short.

And then I had one of those moments where the lightbulb goes on. Those measurements were not for a handbag at all, they were for kids backpacks ... much larger bag with much longer straps. Unfortunately the bag was almost complete, and as you can see in the picture of it with R., it's pretty dang big.

I've talked to my sister about the size and she says that's fine with her. It's a good tote bag size now, but really too bag to be called a handbag. My hope is that it'll end up being one of those "happy mistakes" that ends up being just right.

My wonderful supermodel, R., didn't cooperate beyond the first photo. Such attitude! Still adorable though!

the model wasn't happy

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2 Comment

  1. That is truly beautiful. You do such wonderful work; I'm sure your sister is going to LOVE it!

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  2. What a sweet baby! Nice bag too!

    ReplyDelete