Teardrop Bag in Patchwork

I had a custom order for the Teardrop bag from Amy Butler in patchwork and adding a flap and inside zippered pocket. I was up for the challenge! Nellie wanted purples, pinks and blues and so we decided on Heirloom & Ginseng by Joel Dewberry, Innocent Crush by Anna Maria Horner & Flower Power from Jennifer Paganelli.. I cut 4 1/4" squares for the body and 4 1/2" squares for the strap. The trim piece along the top as well as the 'hips' are all Wilflowers fabric. I had a flap pattern I use for my diaper/wipes case and it was the perfect size~ it just needed to be a little longer, so I went with that. I put a magnetic button in the middle of the front pleat and the flap for closure. Inside Nellie wanted a zippered pocket, so I used the Mail Sack pattern~ (one of my all time favorite bag patterns) to construct that. The other side is a patchwork pocket that is divided. I'm really happy with the way it came out & I hope Nellie is too! :)

Sew & Tell Challenge Finished!

Finished the Teardrop Bag from Amy Butler's Style Stitches book for the Sew & Tell Challenge. I thought the pattern was a bit challenging as nothing seemed to fit nicely. I gave up on her way of sewing the strap & reverted to what I always do for straps. She had you leave an opening on the side & use a safety pin attached to the end & pull it through the hole. It wouldn't! I threw out the strap & sewed it on the 2 long sides leaving the 2 ends open, then pulled one end through the other. Perfect! :) I used Josephine Kimberling's Glam Garden for the main bag exterior fabric, Amy B's Coriander for the top edges & 'hips'. The stripe is a Robert Kaufman, inside Pie Basket from Denyse Schmidt, inside pocket Jennifer Paganelli's Kate's Wish in fuschia. I always have to mix up the designers fabrics for the best combo! One down~ 20 something to go in the book! :)
check out all the fun things people made for the challenge: http://www.amylouwho.com/

Sew and Tell Challenge

I decided to participate in Amylouwho's Sew and Tell Challenge using Amy Butler fabrics and/or patterns. I recently bought Amy B's new book Style Stitches that has some really cute bags. I decided to try out the Teardrop bag using fabrics from Amy (of course!)~ cutting into my pink coriander stash!! Also, the main fabric is from Josephine Kimberling's Glam Garden, the inside will be Pie Basket from Hope Valley, Jennifer Paganelli's Kate's Wish for inside pocket & I think the stripe is RJR?? The book rates this bag as intermediate, so I thought it would be a good one to try to stretch out my sewing skills. Here's a link to the Sew & Tell Challenge: (prizes are involved!!) http://www.amylouwho.com/2010/08/amy-butler-sew-tell-challenge.html