Handbag fit for Royalty!

My invitation to the Royal Wedding must have been lost in the mail, but that is OK because I have had this bag to keep me occupied!  With all the charming details, I think this bag is fit for Royalty! Scroll down the page and listen to some Royal Wedding Music, as you enjoy this post!  I have made a couple bags recently, and I think I have found a new addiction! I live in an area that is saturated with amazing women who can sew! A couple of my friends, a mother daughter duo created a pattern business called Pie Plate Patterns, they are pretty amazing, go check them out! A couple weekends ago, I had the opportunity, to take a couple classes at the Pie Plates Pattern sewing Retreat! Since I am a local, I did not stay for the entire retreat, but the classes I went to were a blast, I did not know sewing could be so much fun!

For one of the classes I took the 'My Favorite Bag', bag class. This was a great class, unfortunately the teacher has not published the pattern for this bag yet, if she does I will definitely link it up! I thought I would show you how to make the flower embellishment which really makes the bag!!

First, you will need to make a simple flower pattern, really you can not go wrong with the shape, just keep it fairly circular, my flower is a simple five flower leaf design. You will need to cut out 4 large flowers, 4 medium flowers, and 4 small flowers. You should have twelve flowers.

Fold all of the flowers in quarters. Simply fold the flower in half, and then in half again. Press.

Sew like size flowers together. You can hand stitch them, or use a zig zag stitch on your sewing machine. I chose to use my sewing machine. Just sew from the center out, ending at half an inch, from the edge of the petals. Complete for all four flowers. I accidently did not make my red flower small enough, so I had to trim it down.

Place the small flower on the medium flower, and the medium flower on the large flour. Tack your flowers together, so you have a three layer flower. Put an embellishment in the middle. I found an old earring, that is missing its pair, so I used that to embellish the center. I safety pinned the flower to the bag, so I could take it off to wash, etc.

I just love all of the detail in the bag! The detailed ruche fabric in the band, and in the strap, is my favorite part!

Want to take a peek inside, well I will show you! I made a special pocket for my iPod touch, I also love LOVE the key fob!

One last look at the finished bag, And on a happy note, it stopped snowing, so you get outside pictures yeah..

So do you think this bag is good enough for say Royalty (like my subtle introduction)? Well at my house we have been super excited for the Royal Wedding. My dad is a little obsessed into the whole royal wedding scene. He lived in London when Prince Charles and Princess Diane were wed. I have mentioned before that I come from a family of rockstars, my Dad wrote this song to commemorate the big event. I really like it, and hope you do to!

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I Heart Naptime

Sassy Coin Purse with Tape Measure Snap!

My sister is in love with zebra print, when I saw these prints had the fabric store, I knew I had to make her something fun! I also have been wanting to do a tape measure project for quite a while so here we go!

This is a great project to use up your scraps, here is what you need:

Bag

• (2) 5" x 4.5" square of fabric for main fabric
  
• (2) 5" x 4.5" square of fabric for lining fabric
• (2) 5" x 4.5" square of fusible fleece
  
• Metal Tape Measure (One you don't care about too deeply)
  
• Tin Snips, to cut Tape Measure

Embellishment (Borders and Ruffly)

• (1) 5" x 3.5" piece of fabric for border
  
• (1) 3" x 15" piece of fabric for ruffly
  

Strap

• (1) 14" x 1.5" piece of fabric for strap

Note: I used 1/4" seam allowances on this project
Step 1: Make strap (Pic is taken from a different tutorial)

a) Press (Iron) the 14" by 1.5" piece of fabric in half lengthwise, to make a seam.
b) Open up fabric, and fold one edge of the fabric into the seam you created in the first step and press.
c) Fold the other edge of the fabric into the seam, and press.
d) Fold the fabric down the seam you made in the first step with folded edges together.
e) Sew down the sides of the straps about 1/8" in, I used my stitch in the ditch edge foot on my sewing machine because I am lucky enough to have one!
f) This is what your finished strap should look like, set aside.

Step 2: Making Bag Panels
1. Iron fusible fleece to the main outside fabric.

2. With right sides together, sew one of the 5" sides of the main fabric and the lining. This will be the top of your bag.

3. Press Down.

4. Top stitch the top layers of the bag, and from there make casing for the tape measure snap. My tape measure is 1" wide, so I made my casing just bigger, by making another strait seam about 1 1/4" from the top stitching.

You should have two panels that look like this after completing step 2!

Step 3: Embellishment
This is how I chose to embellish my Bag, but be as creative as you would like.
1. Make border, by folding your 5"x 3.5" fabric, right sides together, and sew a seam along non-folded edge.

2. Turn right side out, and press, so the seem is in the middle.

3. Top stitch the border to the front of your bag.

4. Now make the ruffle. Fold long sides of your 3" x 15" piece of fabric, right side together, and sew a strait seam on the non folded side, to make a tube.

5. Turn tube right-side out. I cheat a little and sew one of the sides closed to make it easier to turn with a dowel. When I am finished I simply cut the short sewn side, so I still have a tube.

6. Press tube, with seam in the middle.

7. Sew a gathering stitch along each side of the tube.

8. Gently pull strings to make a ruffle on each side.

9. Top stitch the ruffle on the border. I intentionally made the ruffle a little long, so you can just trim off the excess ruffle. Take out gathering seams.

Step 4: Putting it together

1. Using your tin snips, cut two 4" pieces of tape measure. Round the corners, so they don't poke through your bag and cut you. Make sure to have some duct tape or something to put over the tape measure, to stop it from sliding all the way into the hole. (Don't ask me how I know of this!)

2. Slide tape measure pieces in casing. Make sure the numbers are facing the outside of the bag, so it will snap. In the front and the back!

3. Tack your strap to the top of bag.

3. Put right side of bag panels together, and make a 1/4" seam around the edges.

4. Zig-zag around the edges to prevent excess fraying.

5. Turn right-side out! You are done!

I think it turned out so cute, I know my sister will love it... if I don't keep it for myself!

I also made one to match a purse I made a while back!

Sorry, I feel like this post is as long as the Bible! I am just learning how to make tutorials, if you have any suggestions, on how I can improve, please let me know. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask, my email is ladybirdln10@gmail.com, or ask in the comment section, with a way for me to get back to you.

Click HERE to find out how you could WIN a tape measure purse of your own!

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Goodie Bags

I promise I do not only make things with vinyl, but I am kind of on a vinyl kick right now. I thought it would be so fun and easy to make some Valentine Goodie bags out of my left over vinyl. I think they turned out pretty cute, and they were super easy!

Items Needed

• vinyl covering
  
• ribbon
  
• vinyl tubing
  
• wire
  
• scissors
  
• hole-punch
  
• bling to decorate your pouch.

a) Cut two same-size rectangles out of vinyl covering.
b) Place the two rectangle vinyl pieces on top of each other. Trim the sides up as needed so that they match up well.
c) With rectangles still together. Fold rectangles with the ends meeting. Punch holes about 1/2 inch around the edges. You should be punching through four layers of vinyl.
d) Cut a long piece of ribbon. Knot one end of the ribbon, and put tape on the other. Weave ribbon in and out of holes, until you reach the top of the bag. Loop the ribbon around the top of the bag to give it more support.
e) Cut vinyl tubing to desired length for the handle. Connect ribbon to a long sturdy piece of wire.
f) Pull ribbon through the vinyl tubing.
g) Loop the ribbon around the top of the bag again to help give the handle more stability. Pull excess slack through.
h) Weave the ribbon through the remainder of your bag. Tie with a double square knot.

Decorate your bag as desired. I found it helpful to put a clear piece of tape over the pockets with the decorations, so they will not fall out.

Enjoy, Carlee

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Vinyl Purse

I had some scraps left over from my Valentines Day Chairbackers, so I thought I would play with vinyl some more! Savvy loves her chairbacker, she wants to carry it around everywhere so I decide to make her a purse!

It is a smaller version of the Valentines Day chairbacker! For a complete tutorial go here.

Since I know this purse will receive some abuse from my daughter, I thought I might need to beef up the handle... So here is what I did:

a) Punch two holes above the pocket on each side. Also cut your vinyl tubing to the desired handle length, and cut out a long piece of ribbon. (We will double the ribbon.)
b) Lace long piece of ribbon through the hole you just made and through one of the holes in the binding. Even up the sides, so you have two equal lengths of ribbon.
c) Tie the ends of the ribbon with a piece of wire, pull through the handle.
d)Put one length of ribbon through the hole you made in step a, and the other length of ribbon through a binding hole. Pull ribbon tight to remove any slack.
e) Tie the ends of the ribbon in a double square not.
f) Your finished handle.

Savvy loves it! I might need to make one for her older sister as well!

Enjoy, Carlee

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