July 16, 2009

Buttercup Bag

My sweet sister-in-law sent me a gift certificate for the Heather Bailey shop and I chose some bright and cheery fabrics, one of which I used to make a Buttercup Bag.....


It's a great, relatively small handbag with lovely pleats, an interior pocket and a magnetic snap.


There's enough room in there for all my essentials, i.e. wallet, keys, GPS (I don't drive anywhere without it, I'm very directionally challenged), gum, etc.



Buttercup Bag Pattern Review


Pattern: Buttercup Bag by Rae Hoekstra (PDF)

Pattern Rating: 4/5

Cost: Free! However, purchasing the pattern gives you a limited commercial license to sell bags that you make, and also a pattern for a larger version of this bag.

Fabric: Pop Garden (Zag Stripe-red) by Heather Bailey

Yardage: 2 fat quarters

Skills:
Joining seams
Inserting a magnetic snap
Creating pleats
Turning
Topstitching

Notes:

-
Instructions are at times brisk so you just have to do what you think is right, probably because it was written with the assumption that one has some experience. I was able to figure things out based on my limited experience.
- In some cases the pattern didn't specify the seam allowance but the rest are
1/4" so I went with that.
-I did not add the button flap and buttons because a) I got lazy!, and b) I'm pleased with the way it looks without them.
-The snap was super easy to add, using a small square of fusible interfacing for reinforcement as the pattern suggested, and following the directions on the back of the snap package.



-One little correction to the pattern: step#14 says to 'Turn lining inside out', but it's already inside out from step 13. You need to turn the outer inside out in order to place it into the lining with right sides together.

Modifications:


-I read that the bag could be a bit flimsy so, seeing as I just learned how to add sew-in interfacing when making the Dewdrop Handbag, I went crazy and lined the whole thing, exterior, interior and strap. I was a bit worried about how the interfacing might affect the pleats but I found it easy to pin the interfacing to the exterior fabric, then measure, pin, press and sew the pleats through the two layers at the same time.

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1 comment:

  1. What an adorable bag! It is so tidy and sweet looking. I think you were right to go with the snap. Looks like it helps keep that trim, stiffer appearance, as no doubt, so does the interfacing.
    happy sewing,
    Shelagh

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