Zipper-topped Purse

The winter is a great time to work on longer projects that stretch my sewing skills. A lady in town asked for a copy of a favorite purse. After making a pattern on the computer, I tried to copy the key features of the original bag. The purse has a zipper top, an outside zippered pocket, a slight dip along the top seam and an adjustable strap. I added a lining to the bag and inset the interior zippered pocket into the lining. Waiting until I felt the "sewing mojo" to work on the project was key, and I am pleased with the completed purse.

Hardware Included

My friend G wanted a purse with an adjustable strap. This seemed like a reasonable request. I rummaged around our pile of luggage and duffle bags in the basement to find a sample of a strap to copy. The mechanics of the strap double-backing on itself while feeding through some sort of tension hardware is not obvious to me. When I make another bag with adjustable strap, I'll be back on the floor mocking up the path of the webbing before sewing anything down or (worse yet) cutting anything to a permanent length.

Typewriter

I love, love, love the new fabric line of typewriters and alarm clocks by designer Melody Miller. I bought what I hope to be plenty of the blue and orange typewriter fabric for projects this season. The main image is larger than I expected, but I think it works on the front of a purse. I plan to make a basket next with the print. The pattern for this purse is from the book Bags: The Modern Classics by Sue Kim. I added the coordinating piping because I wanted to see if I could. I can report that it is possible to get passible results from a slight viewing distance. Next time I'll resize the lining of the purse to better fit the exterior with piping. Or, maybe I should just make the thing as the pattern describes.

Clutch Piecing

While surfing pretty pictures on Pinterest.com recently, I came across a strip-pieced purse much like this one. In fact, what made me stop scrolling through images to consider this one closely was noting that I already own one of the fabrics--the Japanese elephants. The original purse was gray and yellow, but I have more green prints, so this purse is gray and green. I also tried the purse with a wristlet handle sewn directly into the bag and a beefier "purse" zipper. I like the look of a more substantial zipper; the handle change is for ease and neatness of construction. Kudos to sewers who have the patience and technique to turn narrow tubes of fabric or install neat sections of reinforcing hand stitching. I am not one of you.

Stash Builders

If you spend any time looking at fabric online, you will note that bundles of smaller pieces of fabric are often sold as "stash builders". The notion seems to be that a well-stocked sewing room contains the fabric needed for projects now and also in the future. Perhaps fabric designs next year won't be as attractive as the ones for sale now. Maybe they will stop making fabric all together! A quality fabric stash is prudent. Of course, the truth is most sewers buy fabric as particular projects come up and also speculatively. Here are some of my new pieces:

Would This Help?

My sons love the Wii as much as I love fabric. They earn "units" of electronics time by completing daily tasks such as homework, piano practice, or picking up a messy room. However, these disciplined routines don't transfer to the way they play the Wii. Remotes get scattered all over, empty game boxes gather dust on the floor right outside the t.v. cabinet while lose Wii game disks take their chances on the couch. I think to myself, maybe there is a fabric solution for this. I will try to teach the kids to keep their video game and DVD materials in baskets. They look both inviting and organized. Maybe I'm the one who will feel like picking up the toys when they can be stored in baskets, but at least the family room will look better.