The Convertible Bag

A New Bag of the Month Pattern

You can join this bag of the month club... for 6 new and exciting bag patterns
at Sew Sweetness blog

Since I love to make purses and bags, I signed up, last December, to get into this fun club at Sew Sweetness . We get a  new bag pattern each  month, for 6 months.  These bags are designed by 6 super talented and creative bag pattern designers.   

March's Designer is  one of my favorites... Samantha  from At Home With Mrs H

Samantha from Sewing Patterns with Mrs. H. is a Welsh pattern designer with a group of pretty yet practical bags in her pattern library. She also sells the perfect hardware to go along with her bags.

The Bag:   The Convertible Bag  

The Convertible Bag pattern   by Samantha  of Sewing Patterns by Mrs H

 
I love the bold and contemporary fabrics that Samantha used in her bag.  The solid pink color is actually a front pocket!

And have you noticed the cool hardware she incorporates into this slim and sophisticated messenger bag?

There are swivel clips on the handle strap, which is an adjustable across- the- body handle strap, and  on the front flap.... there's a thumb catch!  (There's a pocket hiding underneath it!)

Hardware Note:   I was able to get my hardware:

Swivel clips - 1 "  JoAnn Fabric  in the store

3/4 " D rings    JoAnn Fabric     4 in a pack in the store

Thumb Catch   Michelle Pattens   (several sizes available)

Triglide buckle- 1 "  Michelle Patterns

Samantha also sells them in super convenient hardware kit , at her Etsy shop... for about $20 including shipping to the US.  

Stabilizer for outer bag:   Annie's Soft and Stable   I got it at Annie's

So here is my Convertible Bag...

The Convertible Bag     Susie's Sunroom

Fabric:  Swallow  in Teal     Bungalow  by Joel Dewberry
              Zigtone Grass    Bungalow by Joel Dewbery

The colors are actually more teal in person....   I love this fabric!!

Finished size:   11 1/2 " tall x 10 " wide x 2 1/2 " deep

The back side   has  a zippered outside pocket.
There is a strap tunnel above the zipper.... for converting the bag into a back pack!

Inside of the back zippered pocket

The front with the large slip pocket

Side view  of The Convertible Bag    Susie's Sunroom

There are pockets galore in this bag.... inside a zippered pocket and a big slip pocket!

There's room for a tablet or Ipad,  and still room for more!!

Opening up the flap

A selfie of my hand , reaching easily into the back outer zippered pocket

My observations:

•  Samantha's directions are clear and easy to understand, with lots of pictures
• The Annie's Soft and Stable gives it a nice stiffness, and it "stands" alone.
• It has Pockets !  Pockets!  Pockets!     and Pockets!!   4 of them in all.  
• the  Outer pockets are very convenient for easy access!
• It has a cool Thumb Catch fastener!
• It has the across-the-body adjustable strap, and it is skinny!
• It can hold a tablet (mine is an Asus) and you'd never even notice that! There's still room for regular "purse stuff", too!
• It can turn into a backpack style bag in a minute!

I am pretty sure this won't be the last Convertible Bag that you'll see on my blog...

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linked up to:   Can I Get a Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict   and
                      TGIFF  @  Sew Giving  and
                       Sew Darn Crafty @ Sew Many Ways

Poppies for Purse Palooza 2013

This weekend, I had the pleasure of sewing a tote bag for a friend .  She saw one of my tote bags when I visited her, and said, "That's the bag that I want you to make for me!"
"That bag" happened to be an Anita Vacation Tote bag, with a few extra "add-ons" that I made for myself. 
Let me tell you about it...

Pattern:  Anita Vacation Tote     PDF Pattern by eamylove  at Amy Made That!
This is a versatile tote pattern~  that can be made to look very sophisticated and used as a purse.. or used as  a carry-all on a vacation... or  a carry -on in a plane.

The Anita Vacation Tote    pdf pattern   available on Craftsy

an Anita Vacation Tote    made by  Susie last year 

Fabrics:  Poppy Love -   poppies,  black with dots, and zig zag  by Lisa Audit  for Wilmington Prints
              Quilters Linen -  rust   by Robert Kaufman
               Pellon Fusible Fleece  987FF

Dimensions:  final bag      13 inches wide   (10 inches at the bottom)
                                    13 inches high
                                     6 inches deep   
                                     Straps at 29 1/2 inches long

Original features :      magnetic snap closure
                               inner zippered pocket  8 1/2 inches wide
                               inner strip pocket (13 1/2 inches across)
                                long straps in 2 different fabrics

Extras for customizing:    made it with  2 magnetic snaps for closing
                                    added a second inner zippered pocket
                                    made 2 slip pockets on  inside  7 1/2 inches by 7 1/2 inches
                                    added outer pockets:  front 13 inches wide by 10 inches high and
                                                                  back  divided into 2 pockets    7  wide  by 10 inches high
                                    added "R"  monogram  2 inch high
                                        

The custom tote:

Anita Vacation Tote    customized

The back side    with 2 out pockets

The huge front pocket.... great for a magazine.  Monogram R

Inside view....   a zippered pocket and a slip pocket on each side

Inner pockets...  have more of the  poppy fabric to enjoy

These bags are really fun to make, and Amy has provided excellent  step by step directions in the pdf pattern.  {The pattern calls for one zippered pocket and one row of pockets on the opposite side.  So you don't have to be intimidated if this is your first zippered pocket bag that you make.} 
My friend will  be using her bag as purse, and I know she will love all of the pockets, and especially  the  inner zippered pockets for securing her wallet and phone.

Anita Vacation Tote 

I will be linking up this tote purse  in Purse Palooza 2013,  over at Sew Sweetness.  Sara organized purse pattern reviews through all of October.   The bags that are being shared at  Sew Sweetness  are really beautiful and amazing!

I'm off to my sewing room!

...and linking up at  Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts