Grand Revival Flea Market Bag

Trying to make as many little projects as I can before the baby comes (due date: September 9th), I sewed up the Grand Revival Flea Market Bag last night. It seemed like it would be simple enough, with only 2 pattern pieces. I made several modifications to the instructions, though. I used fusible fleece interfacing for the lining (I used a mid-weight Amy Butler cotton print, Full Moon Sky from the Lotus line, for the interior), and for the exterior used fusible woven interlining (the exterior fabric is Amy Butler Nigella Water Lotus in Spinach). The pattern called for sew-in interlining instead. I also modified the pockets from the instructions.

Overall, this pattern would be easy enough for someone beginning at sewing. The instructions were clear. However, I found it slightly awkward to finish the raw edges of the handles and corners of the bag at the very end. I would rather have sewn the handles right sides together somewhere in the middle of finishing the bag, instead of pressing them under 1/2 inch at the end and just topstitching them. Maybe that's just me.

I would definitely use this sewing pattern again, perhaps to make the smaller bag, as this patterns allows for 4 different styles of bag (8 in all, if you count that it can also be made with petal/tied straps).

Amy Butler Birdie Sling

I decided to make a bag the other night. I had read some reviews on-line about Amy Butler's Birdie Sling sewing pattern. I liked the look of the bag, but the reviews from other sewers all said that the bag was too big. Since I was just looking for a new purse, and not a diaper bag or beach bag, I decided to make my bag smaller. So I reduced the pattern pieces to 75% on a copy machine before I began.

I appreciated the ease of the directions, and I thought the interlinings that the pattern called for worked well for this type of bag. However, the way the instructions tell you to cut out your fabrics, is a way which wastes a lot of fabric. I used at least half of the amount called for (also taking into consideration that I was working with smaller pattern pieces) by cutting out my pieces differently than instructed.

I used 2 fabrics from Anna Maria Horner's Chocolate Lollipop, and for the inside of the bag I used Alexander Henry's Hot Dot in Ice Blue. The bag took approximately 5 hours to make from start to finish. Initially I began putting a snap closure in, but took it out because I like the way the bag lays without a closure. I'm really happy with how it turned out! What do you think?

Despite the full-sized pattern making a very large bag, I think I will try one next time, that I can use for a diaper bag or day bag!