Baggy Lady

Hello. Looking through my posts it has been a looooooooooooooong time that I did a show and tell of something I have made. So ta da here is something that I have never made before, a bag.

I bought a lovely bag before I started my costume course and it was my faithful friend all through those two years. But alas it was looking a tad scruffy and the zips had broken and it made me sad. Yet I could not throw it out, instead I gave it a make over!

I downloaded the Anna Boho Bag pattern from Burdastyle and taped it all together. I had some fabric from a sale in a textile shop in Welly, called D Alexander (which is were I got my material for my major work corset, amazing textile shop!) and I thought they would work well together.

Close up of the old bag fabric, can you see why I did not want to put it in the landfill to un-perish, so pretty.

I cut out the largest section and found that it was too small for the base of the Anna Boho Bag pattern. I decided to just put a big ole box pleat in the middle of the floral material I was using as the bags main body.

I cut up my ole bag and was able to reuse the strap and 95% of the existing outer material, yay! I used an old plastic folder to reinforce the bag bottom and some waterproof material from my stash for the lining.

I then I sewed it all up, the instructions are ok and I found it that it went together really easily. Because I had my own strap I did not make the fabric one from the pattern and made loops instead.

I used extra strong thread that you use to sew jeans material with. I then made the draw string tops using thick chunky cord and toggles from my stash.

My old bag material is used on the base of the bag and the corners, I think it complements the material I used well. You can see my box pleat in the middle.

I love the pockets on this bag, very handy for mobile and keys without endless rummaging!

Here is the final result in all its glory!

I did add the tassels from the pattern but they just looked a bit naff as my ole bag material is plastic vinyl erm they looked cheap so I took them off. I love it! The inside does not have any pockets but the pockets on the outside are great for me as I tend to lose small things in bags no matter how good the pockets are inside the bag.

I rated this pattern and one of my friends already wants one!

xx