My New Tote Bag!

You know I've been flitting about from craft to craft and so today's post is about another new obsession! I recently mentioned that I would like to try making handbags (real ones!). I confess to having a penchant for lovely bags. I had read the blog of the talented Lisa Lam, checked out her website and read several reviews of her new book before ordering it (I like to be thorough..lol!) and so, inspired, I delved into my fabric stash.

My old sewing machine came out of retirement, was dusted down, oiled and set to work for the first time in years. At this point I should mention that there has always been a love/hate relationship with my sewing machine. I love to sew and it hates to oblige! Quite often it wins and I just sit and sew by hand! Not so on this occasion - it purred away without a snarl and I was able to produce...this!

It's only a tote bag but I absolutely love it and I'm sure I'll be trying out some of the more complex designs from the book in the future.

It seems a good way of using up some of the fabric I have so I also made a couple of smaller tote bags for my friend's grand-daughters for them to take with them to their first ever visit to Miniatura. The picture on the front came from a Christmas card I'd held onto. The design is Snowy Houses and the artist is Sally Swannell.

For anyone wanting to try making bags I can highly recommend Lisa Lam's book, 'The Bag Making Bible: The Complete Guide to Sewing and Customizing Your Own Unique Bags'