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[garnet21.livejournal.com]

Hello again everyone! Just thought I would share my latest adventures in making purses.....At this rate, I'm going to have a closet full of purses and no money to put in them. ;) Anyway, as always, thanks for lookin!

 

My cell phone is posing with all the purses (except the Luau purse, they wouldn't pose together in the picture...) to show the scale.

Finally! I reworked my pattern from the "stumpy bag" and got a much more proportional bag now. This one is now my mom's...lucky lady!

This one is the same striped design, but much smaller.

Yaaay for mod flowers! I like this one! This is stretchy fabric from Hancock Fabrics.

Mmmmm, citrus! Also my mom's...this tasty fabric comes from Walmart actually! (They had limes and other fruity things as well.)

Wooo, luau. This flippin' sweet tropical print came from Hancock Fabrics as well, and the handles came from Jo-Ann Fabrics.

These bags all use the same basic "Jordy" style pattern, but in different sizes, obviously. :) Someday I'll be brave enough to branch out, but it's just a really good basic pattern.

I just thought I would share some of my little discoveries if anyone is interested. I read some tutorials that said to use interfacing for the outer fabric, which I do. But for some of the later bags, I also interfaced the lining, which really helps it stand up. Also, there's this really stiff non-fusible interfacing called "Ultra Firm" that kicks the scrawny tail of any fusible out there. The citrus fabric is really flimsy cotton and with that stuff stitched to it, you'd think it was heavy-weight canvas. I just used featherweight fusible to stiffen the lining. For fabrics that don't need as much stiffening or awkward shapes, the lady at Hancock recommended "Craft-bond." It also rules. But seriously, try the non-fusible. I've always avoided it because fusible is faster. But this stuff is amazing, it's worth the extra few minutes it takes to sew it in. I just stitched it on with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Wow, that was a long silly ramble about interfacing. Hope it is slightly helpful, otherwise, I shall carry the Purse of Shame tomorrow. ;) Take care all, and thanks for looking!