Catching Up: Bags and More Bags

The last few projects on my list were bags so it seems fitting to put them all in the same post. Plus I just wanted to get them over with so I can focus on the next big project, Christmas.  So here goes.

First up is this purse.  Some may notice it bears a great resemblance to a certain lace covered purse I made years ago (see It All Started with Goodwill).  There is a good reason for this.  A certain individual I know really likes my white lacey purse and sort of requested one just like it except for a few differences.  I figure it would make a excellent gift, maybe.

Second up is this pretty purple tote bag.  I have been badly in need of a new everyday bag as my old one was about to kick the bucket.

I used some pretty fabrics I got from SAS (see The Biggest Craft Haul Ever) and trimmed it with the same lace as the purse which also came from SAS.

At first glance it may seem like a normal tote bag, but if you look on the sides you can see a zipper.

Two zippers running all around.  These are what make this bag truly special.  Because when unzipped…

…The bag is much bigger with nearly twice the capacity. That’s right, it’s a convertible bag.

I’ve found that on some days I carry considerably more stuff than others, so much so that my old bag was being overly stuffed.  Plus on my “lighter” days, my bag seemed needlessly huge.  Having a convertible bag solves this problem.  It goes small when I travel light, and grows larger when I carry more.  Much more in fact, it can hold noticeably more than my old bag.

Another problem I had with my old bag was trying to find things in it.  With a big bag full of stuff it can be easy to lose important things in the void.  This bag solves that problem thanks to the many pockets on the inside.  Perfect places to stash my wallet, phone, lotion, pens, compacts, tiny notebooks, etc..

And there is a larger pocket for things like my tablet and such.  The lining of the bag is actually made of vinyl to make it easy to clean.  I frequently carry food or water bottles and other things that may spill.

My third bag project is a little pouch made to match the tote bag.  It has lace along the zipper and some lace for a handle to make it both pretty and easy to grab and go.

Of course it is lined with vinyl too for easy clean up and actually has a vinyl divider inside.  One side I use for makeup and the other side I use for other supplies like cough drops and tissues.  Basically things that would be handy to toss together in any purse or bag.

Here’s the updated list:

• Purse
• Bag
• Mini-bag
• Dress
• Vest
• Fleece

Six down and out.  Now time to get started on Christmas. That list will be up by tomorrow for sure.  Look forward to it.