Clary's Bag!

I finally finished our friend Clair's sweet 16 birthday bag!

I used this Amy Butler pattern, for the first time:

The Birdie Sling

Here is a better look at the pink, gray, black and white fabric:

And here:

It's called "the ghastlies," by The Alexander Henry Fabrics Collection 2009

I bought it at Ben Franklin in Redmond many months ago.

When I saw it I knew exactly what to do with it and for whom.  For this sweet girl, for her 16th birthday:

See!  Isn't she so cute!?  Yes, that's August with her.  This is last spring when Kirsten and I took them both to see Evelyn, Evelyn.  These two have been bffs since Clair was 9 months old and Gus was born.  Awwwwww......

So!  The bag!  Well, when I saw this fabric I just instantly thought of Clair and I had been wanting to try an Amy Butler pattern for a while so here we are.  This pattern calls for the use of fusible fleece.  Yes, fusible fleece.  I hadn't heard of it either!  It's just like fusible interfacing, but super thick.  I wasn't too sure at first.  I thought it might make it too puffy, too floofy, too big.  But it turns out, it's just right!  That clever, clever Amy Butler!  How dare I second guess her!

Here is an example of the lining pieces, interior pockets and 3 grid sizes of pink gingham I used.

The tiny grid black and white gingham I used for the band and handle.

Here is the band attached to an exterior piece.

This is how I did the square corner.  I like what this does to the shape of a bag.  I did a very similar corner on the pagoda oil painting bag, just not so rounded.  The pattern told me to fold the sewn corner like this, measure in 1.5 inches from the corner, and measure out 4 inches on each side, then attach all three points with a gently curved line.  I have tons of old tins in my studio that hold everything from crystals to buttons and this one had the perfect gentle curve.  It worked really well.

Here is the corner trimmed down to 1/2 inch seam.

Once you do this to the inside and outside, you join them together, pull the right side out, finish a seam, and your done.

A glimpse of the interior.  The pattern does not call for any closure device.  No zipper, no snap, no button.  For now I will leave it like this.

I hope Clair likes this sling!

I am going to make a few more now that I have the pattern down.  They take a bit of time but you get a great finished bag in a few hours.  Think of all the fabric combinations you could come up with for the band, handle, exterior and interior.  I am going to try some vintage army canvas cloth and leather too.

I'll post more as they are created.  Stay tuned....

Finishing another pair of pants for Jasper,

xo,

Jennette