Finished Purse

I finished this purse this afternoon. I started it two weeks ago, got distracted (moi?) but due to the sun, again, not showing it's face, had to do something inside where it is warm.
This is a second version of Ayumi's Lunchbag. I have been thinking how to add a divider to a purse. You see them in all the retail purses but they are a bit scarce for home sew-ers.

I never think purses, or garments for that matter, have enough pockets. So I added a basic pocket, a zippered pocket and left off sewing the lining when I was trying to decide if I wanted to figure out how to add a zippered pocket to the center divider.
To be honest, I was seriously over-thinking the engineering details and had to take a rest from this project.

Ayumi's Lunchbag features a 'cover' that can be tugged close to keep things inside. I really like my fabric selections for that bag on the right. The main fabrics on both bags is IKEA. Usually offered in a home dec. weight, this fabric helps make the bag stand up.

I added the grommets to my new bag on the right because it was yelling for something to help unify things. There is a tiny bit of orange in the big flower Ikea fabric that I thought I could use to 'band' my pockets but when sewn, it looked lame. The grommets help.

A look back at the lining with inset zipper pocket and basic pocket
before the divider was added.

You can see the divider. It's attached only at the side seams. I sewed the divider as a straight entity when in reality it should have had a trapezoid thing going. I took notes and will incorporate the lesson into the next purse. Because there will another purse to sew.
I still like my idea of bringing purses as part of my thank you gifts for the people I will be staying with on my Sweden/Finland trip. They will pack easily.

Lunch Sewing

I had today off to sew. There's an overwhelming leaning aspect to the sewing room that keeps me out sometimes. I desperately need a little elf to sort and straighten.
After my doctor's appointment, I did go in and came up with fabrics to sew Ayumi's Lunchbag fairly quickly. Ayumi (aka Pink Penguin) has written other tutorials and she is fantastic at piecing together fabrics if she doesn't have enough. And the fabrics she has are beyond cute in the way she mixes them.

This bag reminds me of the chalk bag I sewed for my son. It also incorporates a drawstring closure to keep the contents in/safe/dry. You should also read the comments for this tutorial post. Several sewists dropped by with their links to the bags they made.

Made December 2010

This is a small bag that can be used in many ways. I plan to sew a couple more as part of my trip gifts (summer trip to Sweden & Finland). Along the way, I will change up some details.

1. The bag bottom was two pieces of fabric sewn together. It can be one piece, embellishments can be sewn prior to construction. The seam on the bottom does make it easier to make a precise box corner.

2. I did sew a touch bigger seam on the lining and this worked perfectly. Sometimes when linings are made the same size as the outer bag, you get a lot of waddage hanging around inside instead of a slim fit within the other.

3. You see the pocket I added? Hidden.  I might add a zip pocket or at least a pocket with a flap. All of my bags have tipped over (overloading - moi?) at one time or another so a flap for the hidden pocket would be good.

4. Some exposed seams on the cover which I would turn under one more time so no fraying threads keep sheering off, bugging me, making me twitchy.

5. The linen I used could be stamped on with a word or two. . . .

I love how easy this was to make. It turned out fabulous with ideas on how to take it to the next level percolating.