Pretty Purses

Well I'm back at last! I just got out of the habit of blogging but I will try to do better and post more often than every six months!

I have a few small projects to share starting with the little purse and glasses case above. I'm demonstrating how to make these at the Bernina Club in Leeds (MKC Services) this week. A while ago Linda brought a purse she had made to one of my classes and I was so impressed I had to sew one myself!

I ordered a couple of kits from U-Handbag and this was my first attempt:

I was thrilled with this as it was really easy! Lisa Lam's instructions and easy to follow although I did amend it a little so that I could quilt the purse. This is the 'Carton Clutch' kit which includes all the bits and pieces needed to make two purses except the fabric glue which I also bought from U-Handbag.. I bought the refill kit (without fabrics) because I have enough fabric to make about a million of these! Glueing the purse into the frame was far less tricky than I'd imagined.

I found several tutorials on how to draft your own pattern for purse frames and followed Guthrie and Garni's instructions to make the pattern for this simple one which is so quick and easy to make and uses very little fabric:

They could get seriously addictive!

I also found I could order 'Flex Frames' from one of my wholesale suppliers so adapted these instructions from Make.Life.Beautiful. to stitch a specs case in some gorgeous linen from my stash.

Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas this year!

Earlier this week I finished a little bag decorated with a stencil design. 

I used a stencil by Crafters Workshop and some beautiful Stewart Gill 'Byzantia' fabric paints. It was fun and quick to do and the paint has a lovely shine. I used some Osnaberg fabric I dyed with a little Dylon machine dye in grey as the main fabric. I free motion quilted round the flowers very simply.

The bag pattern is from a book I bought recently:

The bag sits beautifully on it's base. It measures 12" across and 13" to the top of the handle when standing up and it's just the right size to hold my knitting or other small project:

I'm planning to make another larger version and next time I'll place the stencilling a little higher up.

I will be back soon but for now:

Happy Stitching!

Hazel x