Gabby , April Bag of the Month Club, by Emmaline Bags

I know I have posted the Bag of the Month Club bags out of order, but I have a good reason this time.  I wanted to complete two April bags before I finished this post.  This is Gabby, the April Bag, and I love this pattern from Janelle at Emmaline Bags.  Because I waited so long to post this bag, the January - June Bag of the Month Club is over and this pattern is now available to everyone.  You can get it here.

The first Gabby I made was from casual fabric.  I fell in love with this Serengheti fabric and I matched it with this caramel colored faux leather.  The front of the bag features a  bit of "handmade" bling from Emmaline Bags.

The back of the bag features a zippered pocket and the top of the bag has a zippered closure.

The other Gabby I made is a little dressier and I made it from a great cotton fabric that I found at JoAnn's paired with a black faux leather.

Isn't the side of the bag cute? 

Inside the Gabby are more pockets.  There is a zippered pocket and a slip pocket divided into two compartments.

The bag is the perfect size.  It measures 12" W x 9" H x 3" D. This pattern is so clear, concise and easy to follow. I see many more of these in my life.

Isobel Grab & Go from Liz of Moments

Liz, from Moments, and I have tested designer bag patterns together for some time.  I have always admired the bags that she has made and her use of faux leather. Now that she is a designer, I have to say I am so impressed with the bags she is now designing.  They are unique in how they look and so creative in how they are put together.  I was excited to test her newest pattern, Isobel Grab & Go.

I had silver faux leather that I was wanting to use and thought this would be a great bag to use it on.  I combined it with a dark grey faux leather accent and white and grey cotton lining.  The zippered front is actually an outside pocket and the trim that you see is a wrap around slip pocket.  Here you can see the pocket wrap around the back.

The strap is adjustable with the buckle and eyelets  Here is a close up look.

There are several more pleated pockets in the interior.

Isobel measures 11" H x 10" W x 3" D.  It is large enough to hold an IPad.  The top of the bag is closed with a zipper.

Isobel is rated as an advanced pattern, but if you take your time and read and follow the directions, it is doable.  I would not pick it as my first bag to make but, if you have made bags for a while, don't be afraid.  Moments patterns are very well written with lots of pictures.  Liz includes directions for using faux leather but this bag can be made from fabric as well.

You can get the pattern for Isobel on Craftsy here.

June Bag of the Month...Lunar Bags...from Chris W Designs

I was excited to test another bag from Chris W Designs.  This time it is from her Lunar Collection for the Bag of the Month Club.  This is the last release for this year's club and I will tell you, it is the biggest ever.
Christine designed travel bags in three different sizes and also added a pocket addendum to allow you to personalize the pockets in your bag.

I chose to do the Full Moon which is the large size.  And large it is!  This is the largest bag I have ever made at 24"W x 17"H x 10" D.

This is the front of the bag.  There is a pocket between the straps that is closed.  The pattern calls for a half moon magnetic clip but since I did not have that available, I used a regular magnetic snap. This bag has handles and an adjustable shoulder strap That you can see in the next picture showing the back of the bag.

If you look closely at the picture above, you can see a luggage strap.  This allows you to slide this bag over the handle of a piece of wheeled luggage to make sure it does not fall off.  If you prefer, you can close the bottom to have an additional slip pocket.

The two side pockets are great for shoes or water bottles.

 

Inside is a large zipper pocket but there is plenty of room to add more pockets on the other side.

A few words of advice.  Christine writes very thorough patterns.  There are many pictures throughout to increase the understanding of the pattern.  Many people get flustered by the number of pages.  This one is 73 pages, but, remember that includes instructions for all three sizes, pattern pieces for all three sizes, labels, and a text only section for those that want to print only the directions.  This is an advanced sewing pattern.  That being said, don't choose this as your first go at bag making. However, if you have been making bags for some time, maybe it is time to stretch.  For me, the most difficult part of this bag is the size of it. My RA was not happy with me! This isn't a bag that you will make in a day or two.  Take it step by step.  Enjoy the process. In the end, you will have a beautiful bag that others won't believe you made.

This pattern is available this month only for the Bag of the Month Club members.  It will be available to all others starting July 1.

The other two sizes available are the Half Moon (medium) that is 18"W x 14"H x 7"D and the Quarter Moon (small) that is 14"W x 11 1/2"H x 6"D.

Leona Knot Strap Hobo Bag Sling Tote by Delinda Boutique

Here is a new bag pattern from Maria of Delinda Boutique called the Leona Hobo Bag. This bag is perfect for a person that loves the slouchiness of a true hobo.

I tested this bag for Maria a while ago and used a faux leather that was very soft and thin so it would maintain that slouch and combined it with a cotton/polyester blend in a pink and brown plaid that I used for the flat piping, underside of the strap and the lining.

Leona is a large hobo.  It is 18" wide at the widest and 12" wide at the narrowest. It is 13" high and 6 1/2" deep so it will hold everything that you will need. The straps are tied onto the hardware for a unique look. You may want to adjust the length of the strap if you like a longer strap.

The inside of the bag has one large slip pocket that is pleated on one side.  I did mine differently from the pattern by using a double layer of fabric rather than single layer.  It would be easy to add additional pockets inside or a zipper pocket outside if that is what you desire.

The Leona Hobo is a quick sew.  You can buy the pattern on Craftsy here.

Eve by Moments

I have tested bag patterns for many independent designers which I really love doing.  By my side was Liz, testing for many of those same designers. Now, guess who is designing bag patterns? Yes, Liz, from Moments. I have been excited to be one of her testers through her first two releases, Up, Up & Away Passport Wallet and The Fine and Dandy Pouch. But now, she has released her first handbag pattern in two styles.  Introducing Eve...

The first version of Eve is one with a flap.  I made mine from two different faux leathers with quilting cotton for the interior.

If you have been wanting to try faux leather, this could be the pattern for you.  Liz gives lots of tips throughout for sewing with faux leather. The bag can be made with cottons as well. The back mimics the front design.

Liz includes patterns for a faux leather overlay for the inside zipper.

I love the linings in Liz's bags.  She uses a special technique to keep them fitted and snug to the bag.

The second version I did was with a zipper top instead of the flap.  It is made from upholstery fabric, faux leather and cotton for the interior. These three fabrics are from three different places, purchased at three different times.  It amazes me sometimes when things just match.  My explanation of that is that I must just tend to migrate to certain shades of colors that I love.

You will really enjoy making this one.  The pattern is clear and concise with many pictures along the way.  You can purchase the pattern here on craftsy.  Can't wait for the next pattern from Moments.