Do you remember this purse?

     I showed it to you in my October 2009 blog, Be Productive.  In that blog I

encouraged you to keep a record of your sewing projects so that you could see

just how much you are accomplishing.  Have you done this?  Are you impressed

with what you have been able to do over the years?

     Here is another purse I made recently, using this Fancy Swirl in the 5.5 x 5.5

inch size.  The fabric for this purse is poplin.  (I had used doe suede for the first

purse; although I still like the rich look of the doe suede, I believe that the

flatter surface of the poplin lets the embroidery stand out more.)

       Both purses are 7" wide by 7" high by 3" deep with a zipper at the top.  Tabs

with D-rings are attached at both ends of the zipper and a shoulder strap is attached

to the  D-rings.  Once the purse is finished it is easy to attach one end of the strap

to a D-ring and then try on the purse to decide the length for the strap before

attaching the other end.

     The instructions, available here, include a pattern for this size of purse and

instructions for drafting other sizes.  They also include a section on adding pockets

to the lining.  Here is a picture of the lining panels with pockets attached.

     After I made the sample lining with pockets for adding photographs to my

instructions, I decided to use the lining for a pouch.  I used my Contour Cut-out

alphabet for the lettering.  The size I used is a little bigger than the smaller size

available at Ann the Gran.  I happened to have the design on my flash drive.  When I

want to do a project, I want to do it NOW, so I used what was at hand.  The same design

arranged in Contour Cut-Outs 35 would be 75 mm high rather than 80 mm.  It would still

look very nice on a small pouch like this one.  The pouch is 5 1/2" wide by 4" high by

2" deep.

     Omitting the strap turns the purse into a pouch.  I did keep the tabs because they

make opening and closing the pouch easier; they give me something to grasp.  How about

a lingerie bag for your suitcase?  Or a pouch for your GPS device and power cord?  For

this use I would attach a wrist strap to one D-ring and put a plain tab at the other

end of the zipper.  What other uses can you think of for a purse or pouch like this?