Out and About clutches

I have had a Vera Bradley clutch for the last several years, and I have carried it everywhere.  I used it as my wallet, and would just toss it in my purse if I needed a bigger bag, or would carry it alone if I were going out for errands.  However, it was a little small– I couldn’t quite fit both my keys and my cellphone in it, and my sunglasses were definitely too big.

I found a couple of tutorials for zippered clutches and became inspired.

The top 2 are the Scrappy Clutch from From an Igloo.  This clutch lives up to it’s name– I got all the fabric from my scrap bin, so these only cost the price of the zipper!  Sweet!  I made the blue one first, and being my first try it didn’t turn out quite right (the side seams didn’t match up), and I wasn’t sure I loved the overall size.  I wanted to try it a little less deep and a little wider, so I made the second one that way.  That one went much smoother and faster!   I also added a pocket for cards inside so I can still use it as a wallet.  I’ve used the blue one for a couple of weeks, and I LOVE it.  I can fit my keys, phone, chapstick, tide to go pen, plus my sunglasses, camera, and / or pager (for work)!

The black one at the bottom is the gathered clutch from Noodlehead.  My friend and I tackled this one together the other afternoon.  It took us a while… partly because we sewed one part on backwards and had to get out our stitch pickers!  The fabric I chose doesn’t show off the gathering too well, but this one is also a really nice size.  Not quite as big as the scrappy clutch– it has more of a wallet feel to it– and so I think it’s a little more formal.  I added a wrist strap to mine.  I carried it with me today and I like it too!

The problem is going to be deciding which clutch to carry which day!  I don’t even have any birthdays to make anything for so for now, I get to make these for myself!!

Travel Bag

Next month we are heading to Florida for vacation and of course that includes Disney.  I needed an excuse to make wanted a bag to be able to carry along for the day.  Obviously I have lots of bags but I was looking for something with pockets to hold sippy cups and that I could also wear across my shoulders as opposed to only on one shoulder so it would be more secure.  I did a little research and design and came up with this:

I felt like was fitting to take this picture outside in the snow since it is my Florida bag.  Warm weather, I am ready for you!

I modeled the bag somewhat after Rae’s Oceana Bag (she has so many great bags that she whips up!!) (by the way, has everyone seen what she and Dana from Made are hosting this month?  I don’t have a boy but what a great idea!).  It’s reversible, like hers, and similar shape.  I like the tie top because I can easily adjust the length of the straps.  I put elastic on the tops of the pockets so they could hold sippy cups without them falling out.  The size of the bag is good for carrying along snacks and (now that we’ve started potty training) a change of pants.

Snow, go away!  Can’t wait until I can carry my new bag around!

Tote Bag! Or, why everything takes me 3 times longer than necessary.

So, I decided I “needed” a new tote bag to carry to work, or to use as a larger purse when I go out with LH (big enough for her little toy bag, a cloth diaper, sippy cup, etc).  I have a Vera Bradley bag that I carry now, and I really like it, but it’s quilted and a little more wintery.  I found a great fabric at JoAnn’s– a home dec fabric– and used some familiar looking leftover fabric for the lining.

Nice summery fabric, right?

When I first put the bag together, I had an idea in my head of about how big I wanted the bag to be, and I cut the fabric generously so that it wouldn’t end up being too small.  In the past when I’ve made tote bags I’ve felt like when I cut the corners down it shrinks the bag more than I expect it to, so I wanted to make sure to avoid that.

The reason it took me 3 times longer than it needed to was because I ended up cutting the fabric way too big, and I had to play around with it for a while to get it the right size.  In the end it is still bigger than I imagined it would be in my head, but I think that is a good thing.

Bonus to whoever can guess where that fabric is from!

I added a cell phone pocket on one side and 2 pockets on the other side.  Plenty of room for bringing my lunch to work, and for carrying around toddler neccessities.

So, now it is official– I have enough bags.  A summer and winter work tote, and a summer and winter non-work (smaller) bag.  Let’s see how long I can go without discovering a need for another bag.

Buttercup Bag!

Rae is one of my sewing heros!  She makes the most amazing things out of her head, without even following a pattern. And she makes her own patterns!  How cool!  I also have a sisterly connection: she is my dear sister in law’s sister.  She provides me inspiration, and also great free patterns on her blog.

I totally love her buttercup bags and was admiring them on her blog for a while before being brave enough to try it myself.  And, I was so pleasantly surprised at how easy it was!  I made a practice version out of some heavy fabric (from a tag sale) and an old sheet, and it took me literally an hour.  Later that same night, I made my real version!  I am thrilled with it!

I did enlarge the pattern a bit.  I used home-decor fabric for the outer and cotton quilting fabric for the lining.  Actually I think the fabric looks kind of funny in the picture but in real life it is cooler.

It’s a great size– plenty of room for my wallet / clutch, phone, random stuff for Little Honey, etc.

Here’s the inside– a small pocket for my phone, and also another larger pocket on the other side.

Don’t you just love it?  Thanks for the pattern Rae!

Happy Birthday L and A!

My 2 nieces recently had birthdays.  A turned one in May, and her sister L turned 3 about 3 weeks later in June.  What little girl doesn’t need her own handbag to carry her sippy cup or crayons or doll?  Bonus that it is monogrammed with her first initial!

L likes purple.

Bright polka dots remind me of A.  I think she has a shirt that almost matches.

Happy birthday L and A!

I used heavier weight home decor fabric for these bags.  They’re just a basic tote unlined with French seams.  I need one for myself!