Bag making

I've been able to tick off the first item on my FAL list!  I made this bag using a tried and true pattern from my favourite bag book, 'Bags the Modern Classics' by Sue Kim.  It's a Stash Books book and although I've had it a couple of years I recently saw it for sale in Spotlight.  I've made this pattern a few times and it is a fabulous large tote.

The pattern is the Metro Shopping Bag.  It's a very roomy unstructured bag, and makes a shopping tote.  This one is for my niece Evie, she loves moustache themed items and should make a great beach bag.

 The purple chevron lining is a nice contrast to the grey drill main fabric.  I bought both of these at Spotlight, sadly my local store is out of these self patterned chevrons and the self patterned dots that were part of the same range.  I don't usually put pockets in bags but I thought a pocket for a phone and wallet would be handy for a teenager. 

 

An outside photo which is probably more true to the colour of the drill.

I also made my friend Pam a bag for her birthday.  I love the Wonky Chinese Coin pattern, and made a quilt quite some time ago here.  However I found it a pain to make, so many little bits of fabric all over the place and a fair bit of wastage.  I saw a lovely tote in the British magazine Love Patchwork & Quilting which used it as the front of the bag and I couldn't resist making one.

 

I was really happy with the finished bag.  I found the 'Handmade With Love' tin at one of our local coffee shops, Chickpea to include in it.  The background is a linen/cotton, and the lining is an Anna Maria Horner print from her line Field Study.


I made the collage above in PicMonkey.  I thought it would be hard but am so pleased it was quick and easy.

I've give both bags to their owners and they both like them.  I hope they get lots of use!