Friday, April 13, 2012

Granny Chic Messenger Bag


It is so lovely outside, even though it has been drizzling and its a little on the chilly side.  The trees are blooming and the bulbs have pushed through the soil.  The pastel petals from the trees have fallen like bits of confetti and are littering the streets and sidewalks and the winds are swirling them gently.   All of this pastel beauty has inspired me to make something springy.  This weather, with its light rain, is the perfectly cozy kind that makes you want to snuggle warmly in your house and create.
I was blessed to be gifted with about a truckload of fabric samples from a very kind designer, Don Brady, who is my friend.  One day when I was in his studio I mentioned that if he ever wanted to get rid of the samples I would love to take them off his hands.  Well, he showed up at my door with about 12 garbage sacks full of prizes.  It was better than Christmas!  I had fun sorting through them and dreaming up what I could do with all of them.
A few weeks ago I bought the tenth issue of the British crafting magazine, Mollie Makes.  There was an article and a pattern for making these darling messenger bags designed by, Jane Hughes. The bags were constructed of sweet, vintage fabrics and trims.  She used old curtain and fabric from vintage dresses and such.  I fell instantly in love with them.

Hmmm, I thought, these would be perfect for a springy project and I could use my fabric samples, vintage fabrics, and stash of vintage and new trims!  So I worked up a pattern, ironed the fabrics I was going to use, and set to cutting them out. 
The messenger bag sewed up so quickly and easily.
This would be a great project for a beginning seamstress, since the photos in the article were awesome and the directions were clear and concise. 
Now I am going to dump out my old purse and clean out the gum wrappers and receipts that have been lurking in the bottom.  I can’t wait to fill my new messenger bag with all the girly stuff I need. Now I am all set with a new spring bag!

This was fun posting on the blog (after a few errors and losing my original posting, somehow). Wishing you happy art, crafting, and love from, Cheryl Tempest Burton.



12 comments:

  1. Beautiful post Cheryl! I have been thinking about you- I hope all is well! If it makes you feel better I lost my original post too! I was pretty cross :-)
    xo

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    1. Thanks so much Lorraine, I loved your post. Your creations are beautiful. I am going to make some of those!

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  2. Love this post Cheryl! I too have been thinking of you & hope you are doing well! I've lost 2 (count em, 2) mostly done drafts. Urgh!
    Xo, but I'm unsure I can post Mon. after your beautiful post! Lol

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    1. Thanks so much Shannon. It stinks to lose all your work. I think we will get the hang of it sooner or maybe, later... If you need any help, call me. It will be the blind leading the blind. Ha ha.

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  3. I LOVE your bags :)) What beautiful fabrics!

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  4. If I sewed I would be in heaven with your stacks on wonderful fabrics, "sew" since I can't I am in LOVE with such a beautiful door photo with your bag creations! Paper tag so fun, great job!

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    1. Thanks so much. The door came from France and they lead into my bedroom. When we built our house I had to splurge on it. When I saw it on the internet I drooled and whined to my husband until he caved in!

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    2. It's nice to know that YOU own those beautiful French doors...a little whine, drooling, lay on floor tantrums are first resort always!

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  5. What a beautiful princess! I love your bags and I need a neighbor like you! :) And....I lost my original post twice! lol xo

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    1. Thanks so much, Diana. It seems that everyone who has posted so far has lost their originals. Cross your fingers it won't happen to anyone next time. Yikes...I took me a whole day to do it. Taking the photos, editing the photos, writing the copy and then trying to put it together on the site twice.

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  6. Looks beautiful Cheryl... I haven't seen you in a long time...

    Amanda

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