Clutch Bag and Coin Purse

I completed the matching coin purse to go with the clutch bag. What I like most about this little purse is that it has both a zippered compartment for coins and a little section to put your credit cards and notes - very handy.

It was quite quick and easy to make - although I did break a needle on my sewing machine sewing through some of the thicker parts.

It went together with this clutch as a little farewell present for J's pre-school teacher who is going off on extended leave for 6 or 7 months.

It's the first handbag I have given or even really shown anyone so I was interested in seeing the teacher's expressions. Unfortunately I don't think she was that impressed as she didn't really look at the clutch at all - so she didn't see the polka dot lining and because she didn't open the bag, I don't think she even knew there was a matching coin purse in there as well. Of course she was gracious and said "Thank you, you really didn't have to buy me a gift' and then she just put it away.

Maybe zebra print just isn't her style?

Bags, bags and another bag

I know I haven't blogged for a week or so but I have been busy sewing and designing. Little clutch bags for a change.

I started off using the scraps from my snakeskin and chocolate linen but decided before I even finished the bag that it was just too small and that linen really isn't suited to handbag magnetic snaps - interfaced or not. The wonderful Sue from http://scrap-art-sue.blogspot.com/ gave me some tips and I decided to start again. As you can see, I didn't even bother to finish this one.

Second attempt and I just enlarged the pattern from the bag above. I love the zebra print and pink lining but I was not happy with the flap, it just didn't sit right. I used a medium weight interfacing but no pellon and I think it definitely needs the pellon as well to sit right.

Third time lucky ..... so I hoped. I enlarged the base of the bag and extra inch deep, changed the flap to a triangular flap and added a decorative button. Initially I was really disappointed because the flap - despite being the same length at the base as the bag when I cut it out, didn't cover the edges of the bag, but after looking at it for a couple of days now , I think I really like this aspect of it.

The bag is meant to be a gift to J's pre-school teacher who is leaving so I'm hoping she will like it. I am also going to make a matching coin purse that I saw on http://threadsofus.blogspot.com/2010/05/finally-something-for-me.html . I haven't really given anyone home made gifts before and I am not too sure how this will be received - what do you think - it is ok or does it look too homemade?

Well, I ran out of the pellon and couldn't do a fourth attempt until I re-stock. So I thought I would whip J up another one of these zippered pouches

I am determined to master this clutch bag and I will be back ......

Snakeskin Bag for me

Well I finished it! My very first bag - not that I needed anymore handbags but can you ever really have enough?

I thought I would choose a simple pattern for the first bag - this one was a freebie when I bought a baby shoe pattern from this site - http://ithinksew.com/ (no 31 Shouder Bag). It is one pattern piece cut twice for the exterior and twice for the lining and then the little flap piece. So I thought I couldn't go too wrong. I used a pellon interfacing which was quite thick and combined with the snakeskin print gives the bag texture .

The bag uses magnetic bag snaps to close and unfortunately every time I try to open the bag it is slightly ripping the linen lining it is attached to open - if anyone has any suggestions on how to lower the magnetic attraction I am listening ..... I installed the magnetic clip on the flap on the wrong side - it is supposed to be on the exterior fabric side and the lining becomes the exterior for the flap for a contrast - which would of course look a little better but once I had put that clip in there was no going back.

The only part of the bag I am not that keen on is the straps tie at the top and I find bags with tie straps really uncomfortable to wear. For this bag I am thinking of putting a button and buttonhole to attach them at the top. For the next one I think I would just sew them together before I turned it out.




I used a chocolate linen for the lining which I was going to use to make N some matching shorts as J (see earlier posts).

All up the bag took me about 3 hours to make and would be much quicker now I know what I am doing. And as it only uses about 70cm of each material it is pretty economical. I would definitely make it again. The website also gave me a free clutch pattern (no 45 clutch) so I am keen to see if I can use the scraps from this project to make that one.