April 21, 2016

Bag of the Month Club - February's Window Shopper's Tote by Sewing With Mrs H



Well, I decided to post about my April Bag of the Month but realized I hadn't posted about February yet. (I still haven't made March ). So let me show you Miss February.  It is the Window Shopper's Tote by Samantha at Sewing Patterns by Mrs H. You have to belong to the Bag of the Month Club to receive this pattern now.  It is not too late to join.  You will receive the first four patterns that have been released and May and June patterns as they are released on the first of that month.  Beginning July 1, the designers can release the individual patterns for sale on their own sites.  I'll tell you how to get more info at the bottom of the post.




This is one large bag.  It measures 15" W x 16" H x 2 1/2" D. The fabric should look familiar.  It is a second colorway of the Kinetic Triangles by Windham Fabrics.  I used this same fabric in a different color in my post yesterday. I combined it with a turquoise faux leather.  The front of the bag has a large slip pocket.  The directions called for the pocket to be pleated at the bottom, but I liked the look of a flat pocket instead.

The back of the bag looks almost identical, except the slip pocket is the width of the entire bag.  I added piping to the top of the pockets to give them more definition.  As you can see, there are handles, but what you can't see is that there is a removeable, adjustable crossbody strap, too.

 On the inside, there is a zipper closure below the handles to keep everything in. There are two slip pockets and a zippered pocket on one side of the lining and two larger slip pockets on the other side.  The lining fabric is also from Windham Fabrics that I have in several colors called Swirl by Whistler. This one is navy and turquoise and the picture doesn't do it justice.


The pattern was great and easy to follow.  You can find out more about the Bag of the Month Club here.




April 19, 2016

Set To Go Cosmetic Set by Uniquely Michelle






I had the pleasure to test a new pattern from Michelle at Uniquely Michelle, The Set To Go Cosmetic Set.


As you can see, this is a two piece set, a pouch and a case. The strap on the pouch can be hooked through the loop on the case so that they can be carried as one. Let's look at each of these pieces individually.



The pouch measures 9 1/2" W x 7"H x 2 1/2" D. With boxed corners, it is plenty roomy. What I really love is the inside. The interior lining is covered with a layer of clear vinyl to make it easy to wipe out when needed and so that you can still see the beautiful lining.  There are 2 clear vinyl slip pockets inside as well.


It is hard to see the vinyl, but trust me, it is there.  I used a combination from Windham Fabric's Kinetic line, Triangles and Zig Zags in purple. I combined them with a polka dot I had in my stash.

The case is a little smaller and measures 7 3/4" W x 5 3/4" H x 2 1/2" D.


The lining in the case is covered with a layer of clear vinyl.  There is only one slip pocket in the interior.


 I really love this set.  It was fun to make and is so practical with the vinyl layer. Even if you have not sewn with vinyl before, there are tips throughout the pattern that will make it a breeze for you.

If you have never made one of Michelle's patterns, you should know that they are very thorough, concise and easy to follow. They are full of pictures to help you every step of the way. You can get her patterns at her Craftsy page here or on Etsy here.

To see more fabric combinations for this set, go to Michelle's blog here.