Other bags of 2015

It turns out I made quite a few bags in 2015...I hadn't made any for a few years and my existing hand made beauties were getting a little shabby.


First up, a bag from Vogue 7701 (published 2003), which I bought years ago, back when everybody was sewing the Hotpattern's Nairobi Bag, inspired by the YSL Mombassa bag.    I made it up in a mid-weight, non-stretch denim.

You can see that this pattern has similar seaming .

I thought that rope handles would complement the denim nicely.  I knotted the rope around the D-rings.

The ends of the rope were sewn into a leather patch.

The top of the bag is zipped.

The bag is lined with silk from a very vintage dress I picked up in the days when I used to op shop.  I suspect it was a 1940's dress and large sections were unable to be salvaged.  The internal pocket is only a patch pocket.  I prefer zippered pockets.

This is the bag being worn, so you can get an idea of the scale.

I actually don't like using this bag much....access in through the top zip is a little cumbersome for me, and I always seem to be in a hurry to find my keys etc.  My daughter has claimed the bag as her own though, which I am pleased about...good that the sewing effort is useful to somebody!

Clutch

I started this clutch about 2 years ago, and even though it is a really simple design (just a zippered pouch, after all), I stalled and then it became a UFO.  I dusted it off and finished it last year, but have not used it.  Clutches look very chic in other people's arms, but I mostly have more stuff to lug about, if I am going anywhere at all.

The bottom half is a fairly hefty leather.  The top half is canvas supported by a plastic-y, fairly hefty interfacing.  The whole thing is about A4 size.

I do like the fabrics and colours, and hopefully will work it into a regular rotation in my wardrobe this year.


Next up, a very simple beach bag.  No pattern used.  No lining.  Big enough to lug lots of towels to and from the beach.  The fabric is leftover  outdoor fabric that I used for director's chairs a few years back.

There is no lining.  I finished the raw edges with Hug Snug Seam Binding.

A zippered pouch pocket was sewn into the folded over edge at the top of the bag and hangs into the bag.  Good for securing keys and phone.  I thought about having another pocket at the base of the bag to hold sunscreen, but actually ran out of fabric.

It is a really big bag, as you can see in the photo below.

I finished the year with a couple more Noodlehead bags.

This is the 241 Tote.  It is a great pattern for combining fabrics and a great little scrap buster.  The bag did not end up as large as I had envisioned.  The side pockets are awesome!  They stick out, which would not be good if you were worried about pickpockets, but they are perfect if you are constantly reaching for your keys whilst trying to carry lots of other things / do lots of other things at the same time.  Because the pockets stick out a bit, you don't even need to look, just snake your hand down there and pull the keys out.

On the inside, I put in a pocket that was held in place by the seams, rather than use the patch pocket piece given with the pattern.

Lastly, a bag from Anna's book, Handmade Style.  This is the zip-top tote, only it is hard to recognise, because it really needs a stiff interfacing to give it structure, and I didn't have any on hand. It was still a useful bag to have on our holidays.

These should last me a while, so probably no more nag making for me this year.