My new purse

I found this red fabric at a sidewalk sale at a local discount store. It was about 1/2 a yard of brocade for only $.10!!! I snatched it up and put it in my stash for a future project. It's hard for me to decide what fabric to use on different projects. All along I thought that red brocade would become a clutch of some sort but I realized that was not going to happen. Clutch purses are not my thing. So I found this pattern, the April bag, on Sew Mama Sew last year but never could figure out what fabric to use.

Fast forward to January 2010 and I have just started to take about my wedding dress to use the fabric. It's not satin but more of a jacquard fabric and it's a cream color. I wanted to make things from this fabric to give to my girls as keepsakes. But I also wanted something for me. I decided the cream and the red brocade looked great together and got to work. Here is the finished product!


This bag measures about 15 inches long X 13 inches wide. This is truly a bag that took only about 1 hour, very little ironing and cutting. The only interfacing needed was for the handles. Even that was pieced together from scraps since these handles are one big loop. I always do my straps a bit different. I double the amount called for, iron in half then fold the outside to the center fold, and top stitch down both sides. No turning tiny tubes of fabric and my straps are very durable.

You can see the cream lining the purse. I have received so many compliments on this bag. I am proud to show it off.