I sure wish I had kept that jeans purse I made in junior high. I think it would receive icon status, just for the “what the hell were you thinking?” reactions it would surely elicit. I know I wasn’t the only one who made one of those bags. Cut the legs off a pair of jeans. Sew across the bottom. Use one of the legs to cut a shoulder strap. Line it with horrific floral fabric. Take it to school and pretend that it makes you look cool.
Let’s just say that I like this bag way better than that any of my 1970’s creations. I got all inspired to make a cute bag by reading all the posts on blogs about Purse Palooza 2014. It’s all about sewing and it includes the word palooza. What more could a gal want?
My challenge was finding a bag that was more structured than slouchy. Although my posture may be slouchy, I prefer my bags to stand on their own. Upright and proud. I found it on Sew Mama Sew, the Blossom Handbag by Amy Butler. http://www.sewmamasew.com/2010/09/free-amy-butler-pattern-blossom-handbagshoulder-bag/
I found some really cute home dec fabric, and scoured my local (limited) resources for coordinates. I love the fabrics I used! I don’t think anyone here is looking for a pattern review, so the one thing I will say is that it is well written. My challenge came from a much different source: bulk. Bulky fabric, layers of interfacing, and then layers of that all folded up! My Viking is just a regular home sewing machine. If I were to take up serious bag-making, I would need a heavy-duty workhorse machine for the thick parts.
When those uncooperative bits came along, I just turned off my machine and walked away for a while. Like a day or so. Then I would get all excited again and force-feed the pieces through my machine. More than once I had to remind myself that finished is better than perfect. Mainly because I knew that with this machine, certain parts of this bag could never be perfect.
Now I’m going to show this puppy off! On Facebook, here on my unknown blog, out around town. Woo hoo, look what I made!
Stay crafty, my friends.
handmade by Carole Carr 
Love the bag Carole – you did a fantastic job – And I’m thoroughly amused with your blogging style — just love it! Thanks for sharing your whimsy with us. Karen
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You are so cute!
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I’ve been meaning to make this bag myself forever! I adore the color palette you chose. The exterior fabric is amazing. And I can commiserate about all that bulk. Sometimes I throw my walking foot on my Janome when I’m working with lots of layers; it can help.
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My walking foot has been doing some traveling lately! Still on my purse kick, and I’ve gone through more than one bolt of interfacing!
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OH – it’s got the middle pockets that I love!! I’ve looked at this pattern before (but not in detail), even almost made it but backed out because it was bigger than I usually make, and it had feet. I haven’t done feet and got cold ___ well, you get the picture. 😆 I love this! Now I might have to give it a shot after all, since I’ve seen a finished product. I’m thinking my machine might throw a fit or two about the bulk too.
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There is no trick whatsoever to adding feet. Just punch a little hole, and the rest is like adding half of a magnetic snap. The bulkiness is the only drawback. Just go into it knowing that it will be slower than it should be, your machine will be cranky, and your arms might get a little weary from trying to force too much fabric under the presser foot. But it turns out to be an honest-to-goodness purse!
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Super awesome bag! I love the flower print and the zippers inside makes it most handy. Applause
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