Here we go

I've been diving down the blog bunny hole lately and had a hard time resurfacing. I've also been spending a fair amount of time with my sewing machine and my serger and thinking I should do a better job of chronicling what I am making, and for whom, and why. This way I can remember these things when I am old and senile, like next year.

So I'll start with a handbag I made for a friend's 40th birthday gift. I loved this bag. It was really hard to give it away. The exterior fabric is Michael Miller Bailey Branches (extremely hard to find, by the way), and the interior is from a quilt I made for my mother-in-law's birthday about 6 years ago. It was the last of that fabric from the quilt and I was a little sad to give it up- but it looked perfect for the bag, and my friend picked it out. She is a quilter and has a fabulous eye for color. The pink pocket was my idea though (she can't take ALL the credit).

Props to the lady at JoAnn Fabrics who suggested using Craft Bond for the interfacing instead of my usual stuff. It worked out pretty well. The black bamboo handles are also from JoAnn's. Say what you will about their fabric quality, they have some darned good buys in there, especially with a coupon.

The purse is teeny and really only holds a wallet, checkbook, keys, sunglasses, cellphone. I drafted the pattern myself, and I wanted to add a gusset to the bottom but then it would have been miniscule. Maybe next time. Now that this one is complete, I'm thinking that I need to make one for me!