I have been coveting my friend's Vera Bradley bags for a while now. I just can't seem to bring myself to pay that for a bag though, so when I got a sewing machine I thought it would make a fabulous second project for my beautiful machine. It has LOTS of pockets. I am really really happy with the way it turned out. I'm also madly in love with the fabric. I think a matching wallet is going to follow quite soon. Sorry..I think my blue jeans made it into a few of the pictures, ignore that --Oh and my Momma helped me!

Edit: I almost forgot! I have to share the insanity with all you understanding craftster folk! So, I was really excited about getting this bag done. All I had left was the strap and the seam finishing. So I am ironing interfacing onto my second attempt at the strap (first time was a seam estimation mistake) and I'm talking to my grandma while I stand at the ironing board (NEVER talk while ironing interfacing) and what did I do? I laid the iron on the sticky side of the interfacing, thus making a sticky nasty mess of my mother's iron. In case any of you are wondering, goo gone will NOT take interfacing glue off but a paste made with baking soda WILL (elbow grease involved). I had to share that awesome piece of crafting humiliation.

Ridiculously embarrassing update: I mentioned in a reply post that I am working on a second one of these for my bestie for her birthday. Well I got sick to crap of the pins with the flat metal heads because they made my fingers hurt so bad from trying to pin bias tape through three layers of pre quilted fabric. Right..so I get smart and go get the kind with the little balls on top. Go me..finger problem solved. I had asked my mom when I started the first ones if I could iron with pins in the fabric and she said I could so I did and it was great..yeah..well not with plastic heads on your pins. The pre-med-top-of-the-class girl melted the heads off her pins. Thought ya'll might appreciate a laugh. (Oh but I kept my wits about me and quickly got it off while the iron was hot onto a rag towel. THANK YOU THANK YOU for that tip  )

Action Shot For Size


And one With the Flap Up


Flap and Strap Detail


Back (my first ever zipper!) pocket


Front Pocket Detail


Inside


Inside Pockets


As promised, here is the second bag. I made this one for a friend for her birthday. It didn't turn out as tidy as the first one because apparently I don't quite cut or sew as straight when I am sick. My mum finished it off for me as I have been banned from the sewing machine after my surgery to avoid pain killer related injuries Also no action shots on this one as I refuse to stand in front of the camera in my post-surgical stupor. Enjoy!

Okay, so this is my very first sewing project ever! I started it with one of those ridiculous hand-held sewing "machines" and it broke less than halfway through. Then I got my very first real sewing machine for my birthday (which by the way I am sooo proud of). So I finished it off with the new (real) machine. I have never made anything before so I would really appreciate comments and suggestions! It is a little floppier than I might have liked because I did not use any interfacing. I still love my fabric though! Pictures now in the actual post instead of a link!! Yay!

Front of the purse

Back

Inside/lining (one tiny little pocket sewn by hand because I was being impatient when my hand-held machine broke)
Comments? Suggestions?