Coffee bag patterns are pouring out of me and the "timor" bag is now in my etsy shop! I'm working on a few other designs I'd like to make and put in my shop along with a few java bags.
The material for the timor is Michael Miller's garden tour and the straps and flip close strap are yummy leather. The timor is fully lined with a divided pocket.
p.s. (if you're here for the Tiffany snail lamp giveaway, click here!)
Ok, here's a little overall history. I bought a pair of linen overall shorts about 10 years ago at a little shop that used to be here in town called Timbuktu. They sold strictly linen clothes, and I frequented their little shop enough for them to ask me to model some of their clothes occasionally. When the time came last year to give up the overall shorts (they were pretty short, and now that my body is a little more, um...., mature, I decided it was time to stop wearing them) I couldn't bring myself to take them to the goodwill, so I kept them, with the hopes of using the material for something eventually. The idea hit me the other day to make a messenger-ish bag out of them so this is what I did.
I was at a crossroads in my previous post needing some help and I received so many helpful comments (here and here) but when I read the one LeeAnn left, I knew it had to be. Pin tucks. Bingo. Today I took the flap apart, sewed in some corded pin tucks, and put it back together ONCE AGAIN (and yes, that is velllllvet ric-rac, yummy!). I am in love with it now. I liked it before, but now I love it! Thank you all for your suggestions and candid thoughts!
~Penny
I need feedback please!! I had a pair of linen overalls that I refashioned into this messenger bag. I plan on carrying books and notepads in it to church or whatever casual meetings come up. My question is, are the hemline creases on the flap too distracting (a nice way to put it) or not? Please give me your (honest even if it's not nice) feedback!
~Penny
One of my copies of Cotton & Paint:
has a picture of this bag in it:
I decided to make my own version:
I realized after looking at the photo with morning eyes instead of late night eyes, that I didn't follow the lines of the handle in the original bag at all. I will definately have to adjust this pattern for a remake at some point!
List of materials needed:
Here is the basic pattern I used:
And instructions:
1. cut 2 for outside
2. cut 2 for inside
3. cut pocket from same material as outside of bag (or your preference) as big as you like and sew onto outside front piece
4. sew outside front and back together down the sides and across bottom, right sides together
5. repeat step 4 for inside pieces making sure to leave opening in bottom of these pieces (to pull bag through once completed)
6. pin outside and inside of bag together across top and handles and sew together
7. turn and press
8. use leather to finish off handles or whatever material you desire.
9. chain stitch hemp cord and sew both ends into back seam of bag (I had to unpick the seam here since it was already sewn)
10. attach whatever closing mechanism you prefer onto the outside of the pocket
YOU ARE DONE!
I also saw this bag in the same magazine:
I think I will have to make this one next. It should be a little faster since there is a pattern and how to in the magazine!
~Penny
Could it be a match made in heaven? I bought this olive green wool skirt at the thrift store a couple months ago for another purpose, so really, this skirt has been REpurposed twice by me!! So here is the progression:
I used a tutorial from the creative little daisy website to insert the zippered pocket in the lining. It's my first, I am so proud!!
Now, for the exciting news! Leave a comment on this post between now, Sept 7 and then, Sept 12th, and I will draw names and YOU, yes YOU, could win this handbag!
~Penny
I was recently chastised by a colleague of mine for not carrying business cards for our business. I put my tail between my legs and immediately went home and put some cards in my purse so I would have them at all times. This in turn, inspired me to make my very own business card holder.
The leather is from a thrifted leather coat, and the inside and binding is just from my scrap pile leftover from a Nappy bag I made for a friend who had a baby.
So now, not only do I have business cards on my person at all times, they have their own little safe place in my purse!
I think I would change a few things if I decide to make another, but I think it turned out pretty good for the first time 'round!
~Penny
Shhhh! I have been having a love affair........ with linen fabric. I love the way it hangs, feels and moves. I have a lot of (but not enough, of course) linen clothes hanging in my closet, and a skirt from Ann Taylor is one of my favorites. However, it never quite fit me comfortably as the waistband was too thin, and (now), too tight. My remedy:
BAd WaISTbanD!!!
Good Waistband!
Once again, I wish I would have taken a before shot (and I am not sure what the mental block is with doing this), but maybe next time!
See ya, Penny
A couple three weeks ago, I thrifted a cargo skirt that I didn't necessarily love, but really liked the material. It sat around for a while and I was thinking I would eventually use the fabric for something else, but then a miracle happened! The idea to refashion it instead struck me and so, refashioned it was. I apologize I do not have any before photos, so this description will have to do. The length of the original skirt was to my toes, and there was a slit in the back. Also, it was about 1-2 sizes too big. Here is the end result after slimming it down, sewing the slit in the back, chopping off about 5 inches, and adding ruffles (pink of course) to the bottom and around t
he cargo pocket.
I 
used my serger with a flatlock stitch to add the ruffle around the bottom and pocket. To do this and have the seam show, you place the wrong sides together instead of the right sides. Once you have serged the seam, you open it up and you have the flatlock on the outside and the inside is a ladder stitch. Very cool! (I have since cleaned the mirror I used here, yuck!)
I was totally inspired by the "I'm Pockets" bag from fourty-two roads! I thrifted a pair of cargo pants and a shirt:
Sorry, this is the "after the bag was made" photo of the said materials (hence the BIG HOLE in the pants and the more than half gone shirt)!
*and came up with this shoulder bag!
I cut the shirt back out in bias strips to make the knife-edge pleats at the top of the bag, and used the fronts of the shirt for the inside. If you look really closely, you can see embroidery (which was already on the shirt) at the top of the bag lining. The outside front of the bag is the cargo pocket on the outside of one leg along with the inside of the same leg as the back of the bag. What a treasure!
