Buggin'

Here's how it usually goes down. Someone asks me for something simple in an odd fabric or two, or with added features, or something that makes it stand out. I make it and deliver it. Then everybody wants one. Hence my frame purse making frenzy while some of you may have been sewing handbags last week. That plain old makeup bag I made in pickle fabric? It got noticed, and I got an order for another one in ladybug fabric. I thought this was going to plop through the mail slot over the weekend, but the postie let me down and I had to make this up last night as there was a bit of a deadline with this one and I wanted it out of the way (good thing I got it done, as tonight I've got a headache and my next few evenings are iffy for sewing).

Anyway, it came out really cute--the pics aren't great as I took them on my phone. At work. Because I forgot to take some last night.

I have every color of zipper imaginable, except the ones I need, harharhar, so I had to pick up a few at Walmart (thankfully they had the color I needed). I usually use YKK brand zippers, and it's very easy to take the pull off and replace it with a larger one. With this one (Coats and Clark brand) that wasn't happening, so I couldn't do my usual zip pull tab. I frantically searched for ribbon or trim or something to use, and thankfully I managed to find this red and white ribbon that had been eluding me in a box of random junk (which is good, because I would have used it all previously and had none for this).

I've been super well-behaved at using up things in my stash. I did have to order a fat quarter of the ladybugs, but I used every square inch. I didn't think about the lining, though. Luckily, I had the without-a-doubt most perfect coordinating lining for this one--

It's red--my phone camera is making it look pink. It's so reminiscent of the ladybugs on the outside that they seemed made for each other. Sometimes when I find a perfect lining I practically wriggle with excitement until the customer opens it and sees it. They usually don't share my glee as I'm a fabric geek and most people aren't....

My favorite thing about this bag is that you can make it in any size you want just by sketching out a simple pattern. A few people commented on the pickle bag post that they would like a tutorial, and I promise I will get that together for you in the near future.

But for now I must head to bed before this headache splits my skull in two. Ewww, gross.