bags & purses | With These Hands

More for the fair.

I was actually productive last week. Yay!

To make my rounded corners, I use one of our large cereal bowls to make ‘em all even and nice. Works well.

Lots of love for these sweet totes. Hand embroidered felt hearts are on both sides of bags.

I feel like this fabric reminds me of pimentos olives. And then, martinis, of course.

Modified messenger. I tweaked this tutorial. I like how the gussets give it a sharp, box shape.

Last week we three went up to the civitan community flea market. I kinda still don’t know what civitan is, but the flea market was completely awesome and I really wanted to buy like everything. I settled on just a few items, including these wonderful vintage glass buttons.

More wooden handle purses for the summery summer. I use this great online supplier I found via ebay. They are reasonable, and they ship quick.

And finally, I did 2 more skirt to purse reconstructions. Found these cute skirts on ebay, on the cheap, of course. I wanted to do one with a pink lining, one with a black lining. And so I did.

The before please (there’s Matty’s head over to the right there, ha.)

And the afters:

And together:

Materials used:

canvas
twill
cotton
cotton blends
glass buttons
plastic buttons
interfacing
dmc thread
craft felt
wood/bamboo handles
nickel magnetic snaps

July 9th, 2006 ★ 1 Comment »

Just 3.

Despite the fact that I was accepted into the Arlington County Fair, which is like a huge-ass 4-day event, I’m still dragging when it comes to making more stuff. Arrggh. Last year’s approx. attendance of the fair was 40,000 people and here I’ve made like 3 bags in the last 4 days. And one of them I’m using for myself.

I have a plan though, and that’s a start.
And Mike is taking some time off in July so I can focus on my sewing machine while he takes care of Little Face.

Here are the (measly) threesly.

First, mine.

More necco print. This time with an olive green twill.

This one is a change sorta. I added “tortoise” d-rings and functional exterior pockets. There is one on each side.

And now my polly pocket purse. It’s so cute and friendly.

Materials used:

twill
stretch wool blend
interfacing
cotton
canvas
nickel swivel clip
plastic tortoise d-rings
nickel magnetic snaps

Now I’m going to go through my fabrics. That’ll inspire and motivate me!

June 29th, 2006 ★ No Comments »

Commissioned.

My first foray into something completely different.
Satin and taffeta.
And ribbon.
And fancy-schmancy buttons.

It was a lot harder than I anticipated, but I’m pretty pleased with the outcome.
They look cute and sweet and all bridally.
Big enough for wedding day essentials.
Small enough to not be a focal point of traditional wedding day attire.

Materials used:

satin ribbon
duchesse satin fabric
taffeta (lining)
rhinestone button
rhinestone and shell button
interfacing
silk thread
nickel magnetic snaps

Oh and I made that flower by hand! Woo!

June 27th, 2006 ★ No Comments »

Jodi’s cute new tote.

So flowery!
So summery!
So preetty!

Soon as I ordered this fabric, I knew I would fall in love with it.

Materials used:

cotton
bamboo handles
interfacing
square button

June 23rd, 2006 ★ 2 Comments »

This one is a little less doggie.

For Shar too. But no bones.
Black and blue, er, turquoise.
Kind of a modified messenger.
Pretty.

Materials used:

twill
cotton
interfacing
magnetic snap

June 22nd, 2006 ★ No Comments »

Letters are fun.

Another one!
‘M’ is for Madison, Jill’s niece.
She turns 7 in a few weeks.

Materials used:

denim
printed twill
zippers
interfacing
felt
dmc thread

June 20th, 2006 ★ 1 Comment »

Woof.

Custom just for Shar and Juno.
Pockets and bones and a clip-on treat pouch!
What’s not to love?
This little guy deserves a fabulous bag too, no?

Materials used:

cotton canvas
interfacing
silver nylon
zipper
button
nickel swivel clip and keyring

June 20th, 2006 ★ No Comments »

Summery skirt to summery bag II

I did it again.
It’s the perfect way for me to “fit” into a size 5 skirt.
Well, okay, it’s the only way.
I can fit all my junk in there now. Ha.
This skirt I picked up on eBay for 5 bucks. It was brand new with the tags still on.
Gotta love eBay.

The before:

And now?

I had just a smidge of the waistband and fabric left, so of course I made a happy matchy little wristlet pouch.

Indeed.

Materials used:

recon. cotton skirt
interfacing
cane handles
zipper
turquoise cotton fabric

June 20th, 2006 ★ No Comments »

Latest creations.

Yesterday I was telling Mike, “You know, I don’t just make these bags, I design them too.
So I can totally be considered a designer!”
He graciously concurred with, “Yes, you are DHDC, like DKNY.”
Indeed!

So here are my new designer bags and things. Yeah, I know I’m full of it.

Black and white flower print triangle purse. With it’s own matchin’ keyfob and hairband:

Necco wafer print! Actually, I really hated that candy. I think they had like a violet flavor. Ew. But this fabric is too cute.

I made a few more hairbands too. Definitely a personal favorite, and as it turns out, a bestseller.

I found this print a while ago but still cannot figure out exactly what it is. Are they mystery fruits? Flowers? Weird alien circles? Anyways, it’s pretty and fresh.

Turquoise and stripe tote with wee little matching pouch. Yes, I am a sucker for the little bags. I didn’t purposely make one horizontal and one vertical, but it’s indeed more interesting that way. I like.

Baby blue and circles.

This was the first one I did with the whole circle deal and I totally dig the way it looks. My sewing machine is completely awesome, as the stitching was simple and fast and looks way sharp.

And now the wooden handle “collection”. Big fan of these, as they are completely casual and functional and summery and well, they just make you want to go to like Aruba or something.