What do you think? Do you like it? It’s a pattern taken from this book
‘Making vintage bags’ by Emma Brennan.
My husband’s cousin asked me to make her a bag as she was going on a cruise to Norway and this is the one she chose.
She’s been soooo... excited. I can’t think how many new outfits she’s been out and bought and how many she’s taken back ….. well, you know how it is with colours. They often look different in daylight as opposed to the artificial light in shops.
I’ve modified it a bit, o.k. a lot. In the original design the back of the bag is an unpleated flat piece with a zip opening in it. The handle is sewn into the top seam. I made the back of the bag the same as the front and placed the opening in the top. It’s a small bag, making it just right for the Captain's table (apparently). I added a divided pocket inside just to help organise bag contents a little.
The pattern recommends drill cotton with a silk corsage but Ann wanted silk – grey silk which wasn’t that easy to find. I was worried that dupion silk wouldn’t have enough ‘body’ to support the pleats nicely but with a bit of interlining I think it worked well. The handle has a strip of black velvet ribbon sewn down the middle. It really adds a touch of ‘vintage’ charm to it and I’m definitely going to use that idea again.
In the pattern the rose corsage is sewn onto the bag front – I made it as a brooch.
Mostly because the fabric flower and leaves seemed heavy and I was worried about it sitting well on the silk. Probably my fault because I made the flower out of cotton and not silk (I couldn’t find any silk polka dot fabric) I covered the sewing on back of the rose with black felt (I hate the idea of raw edges possibly peeping out – I think I was bitten by one once or something.) and sewed on a brooch back.
The main thing was she was really pleased and that makes it all so worth while. She even rang me in the evening to tell me how much she loved it Ahh! And the details of all the outfits it would match ….. argh!
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