SEW – Denim Handbag

DENIM HANDBAG with CROCHET EMBELLISHMENT

History:My first set of sewing lessons are not so fruitful; it’s probably because i thought i know more than i know and messed up a lot… So for my second set i tried to take things easy and ended up with couple of useful things.
Size:
Pattern: The pattern is from a Japanese Embroidery Book “KYUUTO! JAPANESE CRAFTS WOOLLY EMBROIDERY” (to be exact) that i found at the library (I picked the book solely by the cover :)). The original is done in felt with embroidered flowers in the front.
Notes:
I thought of using a doily as embellishment (I think i saw something like that somewhere on flickr) but i was concerned about the time to crochet a doily (ofcourse choosing a doily pattern itself is so tough) and with the ideas from Jaishree and friends i choosed to do flowers.

The flowers are crocheted out of wrosted weight cotton yarn in natural colorway. The stems are a row of single crochet over a length of chain. Couple of wooden beads finished the whole setup. I somehow managed to stitch them onto the bag front (i think i used back stitch) If there is tute or vedio for whip-stitching the crocheted stuff on to a cloth i would like to know….. probably couple of pics might help me.

The pattern given in the book is not of true size and had to be enlarged … I enlarged the pattern manually by squares method (similar to you find in kids books). Then there is cutting, basting(I have to baste by hand before sewing with the machine), sewing.

I added the magnetic snaps for the closure and a small pocket inside. I added the snaps right after i cut the peices…I think i should have done them just before i sew up the lining on the inside. To sew the tight curve in the front with the magnetic snaps on the way… i had to use the zipper foot.

Since i ironed on the whole interface onto the denim cloth.. i didnt feel like throwing out the extra pieces… so they became small pouches (toned down version of Amy Karol’s Artsy Clutch).

Learnt a couple of lining methods and also learnt that i should take sewing slowing…

Time: A couple of weeks as i attend the sewing class only once a week.

I like how things turned out and they will all be coming out with me this weekend.

Oh!!! i almost forgot… The original has a running stitch round the armhole in the front (I am not sure you guys got it). Should i do in the white yarn or should i leave as it is….