A New Bag

I've been in need of a new bag to carry.

One of the perks of having a sewing room with a great 

fabric stash is that you can whip up little items like this on a whim.

I knew the kind of bag I wanted.

One that would easily allow me to find things

without having to dig to China.

One that was able to showcase some of my favorite fabrics.

One that was stylin'.

One of my blogging heros/friends is Melissa Peda

of 100 Billion Stars.

I've mentioned her a few times on my blog.

She has been such an inspiration to me through the years.

If you don't follow her, I highly suggest you start.

She blogged about a bag she had just designed,

and when I saw it,

I knew that was exactly the bag I was looking for.

Let me introduce you to Melissa's pattern, the Happy Handbag.

Melissa is such a huge fan of bold, fun print such as Amy Butler and Jane Sassaman,

She works her magic with creating designs and projects showcasing the focal points of the fabric.

I don't have a lot of those types of prints in my stash, but I knew

if I looked in my collection of Kate Spain I would find a perfect mix for this bag.

For the exterior print I used Serenade and for the interior, I used Verna.

It was a marriage made in heaven.

This bag is the perfect size to hold all that you want,

but not more than you need.

I can get carried away putting everything but the kitchen sink in my bags,

so I knew I needed to have a size limit.

This holds the perfect amount of zippy pouches.

(all received from my sewing friends, so I can carry them with me wherever I go and look slightly organized)

The pocket is just the right size to hold my cell phone and checkbook.

I've already had two request from my mom and sister to make them each one.

I have some fun ideas for them which include some paper piecing.

What I love about Melissa's patterns is they are great 'as is', or you can

use them as a foundation to build your own creative spin.

Melissa is truly inspiring and is all about helping us bring out that

creative spirit that lies dormant in a lot of us.

(speaking of myself here)

I hope you go over to Melissa's blog for a dose of inspiration,

not only with fabric, but also with yarn.  You won't be disappointed!

And just for a fun shot,

my dogs, Sam & Sadie.

These girls had to pose while I was taking pictures of my bag.

Enjoy your day and happy bag making!

xoxo

Cindy