My favorite bag shape

This is my favorite bag shape.  I bought a bag last summer at TJ Maxx.  You know I don't buy bags very often, preferring to make my own.  But, sometimes summer bags are hard given my preference for wool.  The bag was the perfect size with a nice, wide gusset to add space inside.  Perfect length handle allowing for shoulder use or just holding in the hand.  I had to duplicate. I drafted a pattern on poster board and I was off and running.

 The outside of this winter bag is alpaca taken from a beautiful coat I bought several years ago at a sidewalk sale.  $400 coat for $75.  I was thrilled and happily wore it for a couple of years.  Then I got a puppy who promptly chewed a hole in it.  The coat was reversible.  Dark charcoal and pale, dove grey.  Gorgeous.  I couldn't just give it to the Goodwill so I cut it up and made this fabulous bag.  The embellishment took FOREVER but what else does one do on a stormy and cold weekend in Ohio?!  I machine stitched the base of the tree and then hand embroidered the veining using hand-dyed embroidery floss that I found in my stash.  The cardinal is a bit of red wool plus some embroidery.  The handle is an old belt attached to some really great, heavy duty hardware from The Buckle Guy.  Lining is from Purl Soho.  Basically the outside of the bag was free stuff from my stash but I spent my whole budget on fabulous lining and hardware.  It's the details...

So here's the bag I just finished from the same pattern.  The fabric is crewel upholstery fabric I got on Ebay an embarrassing number of years ago.  Same drill on lining and hardware -- that's where I spent the money.  The lining is Liberty and was ridiculously overpriced but this bag is for me.  Actually, I made two of them.  One for me and one for a very good friend with a July birthday.  She wears a lot of blue.  Hopefully she doesn't follow my blog or I just ruined the surprise.  Handle is, again, an upcycled belt attached to fab hardware with rivets.  Surprisingly easy and great, professional looking results.  This actual bag is my friend's bag.  Mine has silver-toned hardware because I'm planning to switch out the black belt from my winter bag.  Super smart, right?     Hopefully you find some inspiration from this.  Once you find a style and shape you like, there's nothing wrong with making a closet-full of accessories.  Words to live by.

What's to become of me?

Watch out!  The bags are back in town. 

After many months of gloves and scarves, I'm feeling the itch to make some handbags.  This fab afghan was bought on Etsy last summer.  I was scheming with a lovely lady in Australia to make a couple bags out of it and have some fun.  The afghan is a black base and the squares are refreshingly subtle for a Granny Square blanket.  Sometimes, so garish...

I've ordered some lining fabric and some leather straps for handles.  Stay tuned...

The gift that keeps on giving -- my old sweater yields some cute coin purses!

I just can't keep my hands off that old sweater of mine!  The scraps left after making 3 messenger bags were only big enough for these cute coin purses.  Just big enough to hold credit cards, gift cards, or some change, these would be the perfect little extra for your purse.

I lined these in the same pretty floral as the messenger bags.  Making them was straight-forward except for having to turn the purse right side out after sewing.  Closing that open edge by hand was tricky but top stitching covered up any unevenness in the seam.

What?!! Another purse?!

During the winter months, I live in long-sleeved t-shirts and sweaters.  I have lots of T's but noticed this fall that most of them were too short.  I wish I could say I got taller, but this is not the case.  I think it's a combination of laundry shrinkage and a change in t-shirt styles to a longer silhouette.  Anyway, many of my shirts were a little skimpy in the length.  And, not having the long lean figure of which I have always dreamed, any exposure (either perceived or actual) is definitely not the way I want to go.

So, I replaced a lot of shirts this past fall.  Gap, Target, Kohl's, etc.  And, I went through my drawer and pulled out the offending shirts and stacked them up to go to Goodwill.  That's when I noticed how nicely they all went together.  I had about 6 shirts -- chartreuse, grey, mauve, dusty blue, pale blue, and a soft brown.  What to do...

I did some research on line and on Etsy to see what other people were doing with old shirts.  There are lots of creative people out there making jewelry, clothing, and accessories out of old stuff.  Many are knitting with old shirts.  They cut the body of the shirt in a spiral, creating one long piece of "yarn."  So, I got out my scissors and started spiraling.  That's when I discovered that cutting up a shirt takes a LONG time.  I think it took about 20+  minutes per shirt to get it all done.  And I still have the sleeves and above the armhole pieces!  Still, I perservered and had a large pile of rolled t-shirt yarn.

I did a guage swatch on size 15 needles.  Two stitches to the inch!  Wow!  So, I sketched out a simple bag, cast on, and off I went.  I usually start with the bottom of the bag, knit back and forth.  Then I pick up all the way around and knit a tube for the rest of the purse.  I like shaped bags so I usually decrease a few times before getting to the top.  But, I always leave the top 2 inches straight so it's easier to line the bag.  The photos here show the bag before lining.  I purposely left all the knots and tails to the outside.  It actually looks quite cute!  I'm thinking about stringing some beads on there but the bag is already kind of heavy.  Cotton is not a lightweight fabric!

For the lining, I had the perfect Amy Butler fabric.  I found it in my embroidery/beading cupboard when I was cleaning it out.  I had bought it to go with a project from my sewing group but never did anything with it.  The color match is unbelievable!  So, free yarn from the t-shirts and free fabric from the supply cupboard.  Okay, I had to pay for the initially, but I love using things on hand rather than buying new.  Naturally I had interfacing down in my newly organized Purse Supplies bin.  I also had a cool leather belt purchased at a thrift store.  That would be my handles.

I lined the bag, added the handles and am all done.  Naturally, I have some odds and ends left.  I looked back through my t-shirts and found a couple more that are too short.  Now that I know what I'm doing, I'm going to make a second bag.  A little bigger this time and a little less garter stitch.  I'm thinking all grey and oatmeal on the top half and then all the colors at the bottom.  I'll post pictures when it's done.