I don’t just quilt; I sew all manner of things and one I really like is making bags.

Before my trip to Miami last month, I had just finished THREE tshirt quilts in three weeks. I needed a break, so I dug out a yard of some fabric I bought waiting for something special, decided a bag was a great way to showcase it and cut it up using the Ethel pattern.

Yay for solids in my stash that co-ordinate.

While I did finish it in time for my trip, I didn’t take it because my laptop doesn’t fit in it, so I used a different bag.

After I got back, I used another Swoon pattern, the Rosie cross body bag, to make this one from a gorgeous border print. With careful cutting I was able to use the accent pieces from one section of the print and the rest for the floral sections. Everyone who sees it says I did such a great job in matching fabrics. This tickles me since it was one piece of fabric!

In the picture, the bag is not yet finished. I used webbing for handles, grabbed from an older laptop bag I made we rarely used. I was also not happy with the lining and how it fit. I have persistent issues where the lining winds up baggy, so I turned the back wrong side out again, slimmed the lining seams down by 1/8″ for both, flipped it back right way round, and FINALLY I could press it and the lining lays smooth inside. The opening is still open so I can add a magnetic snap when it finally comes in the mail. The bag really needs a way to close the flap.

Even though the Rosie bag is not quite finished (needs some fasteners) I continued on and made matching wallets for both bags, using the wallet trio pattern from Sew Sweetness.

Let me tell you – there are barely enough scraps from either fabric to do anything other than put in a scrap quilt. Since I had loads of the border print and it was in my stash for ages, I also cut out a Vivian travel bag in the largest size. It is… large. I haven’t started it yet, though. I just have all the pieces cut, the directions printed and everything in a bag waiting.

I must say, I have really stepped up my bag making game. With each one they get better and I’m learning more about what interfacings I like. I cleaned my sewing room yesterday, found a couple of early bags I made and started taking them apart to rework. They are just too floppy now.