Purse Week

It's that time of year again--Purse Week!  The blog Lemon Squeezy Home does a Purse Week each year where people can enter with bags they have sewn and win prizes.  I think I've joined each year.  This year my real motivation was to make a new purse for myself.  My son was recently pottytrained and so now I have both kids carry a backpack with their sippies and other stuff.  So I needed a smaller purse!  I have only a few things that I carry in a purse: my wallet, kindle, phone, keys, checkbook, pen, and hand sanitizer.

 

 

I took my machine to the shop on Monday and they told me it would take 5 days to work on.  I got out my old machine, which is slow and clunky and can't really sew a straight line, and managed to make this purse.  The next day I was shocked when they called me and said my machine was done, so I hurried out to get it, because I couldn't handle sewing on my old machine for any more projects!

 This fabric is a gorgeous embroidered wool blend, and sadly I am at the tail end of it.  I didn't even have quite enough for the gusset. The front has a pocket for my keys and phone.  The back has a zippered pocket for my kindle.

 The inside has a small zipper pocket for chapstick or any other small things. 

 And because I have kind of sloped shoulder and purses slide right off at the most inconvenient times, I made a crossbody strap.  I had to knot the top because it's too long, so I'll probably end up shortening it, but I just haven't done that yet.

 The purse ended up being really cute and really comfy to carry around.  It's just a smidgeon too small, so I have to work hard to get everything in it.  Because I also considered this purse a prototype for a new design for my shop, I decided to keep going and make another one.  This one is three inches wider but the same height.  My husband thinks it's a little too wide, but I actually like it.  I do intend to have the gusset go all the way around for the next one I make.  I decided to use the woven style that I use for many of my clutches in order to transfer it from a fun purse to something unique.

 I really love the handle--it's faux leather and slightly adjustable.

 It also has everything the other purse does--front slip pocket, back zipper pocket, inside zipper pocket, and a recessed zipper to look extra nice. 

I'll definitely be making more of these!  I think I only need to make a few adjustments to make them perfect.

So I think the teal one will be my first entry, and for my second I think I'll use one of my clutches.  I'm still debating, but I think it will be this one: