Mt. Fuji Comes Alive on Our Gracie Handbag Design
by admin — 8 Comments » Lazies, Please allow me to introduce you to the first post in our ‘Show Us Your Lazy’ gallery. From time to time, we will showcase projects made by Lazies using our designs. Let’s get started!
Today we are featuring ‘Mt. Fuji and Cherry Blossoms’ Gracie Handbag (#LGD118) made by Sarah Ann Smith.
Here’s Sarah to tell us about her Lazy creation:
‘For eons I have wanted to make this lovely tote bag. I made the Mt. Fuji and Cherry Blossoms panels for the center front and back of the project in September or October, but life and a zillion other things got in the way. I’d been promising myself I would finish the bag when all the other “chores” were done. So this past week I FINISHED the bag!
I made both sides the same, using the same view of Fuji.
The only difference is in the blossoms and branches. Here are close-up pictures of the front and back:
I modified the pattern a bit to make the tab wider and shorter for a seamless design match hidden amongst the branches and blossoms. I still need to add a magnetic snap under the flap. And here is a picture of the flap, opened:
I like that you can see my quilting under the flap. Joan’s pattern is wonderfully simple and quick. I made it a bit more complicated by doing up a fancy center panel, quilting it, then quilting the entire outside of the bag. I outline quilted the bamboo in the batik with a wonderful variegated Rainbows thread from Superior Threads, I used #847 Fucshia Fusion.
I LOVED the Bag-E-Bottom (the name, too!), a slightly spendy but really nice plexiglas insert that keeps the bottom crisp and nicely formed, helping the bag look good once you start filling it.’
Here’s Sarah in front of her journal pages on display at the International Quilt Festival in Houston recently. Thank you Sarah for sharing your wonderful Gracie Handbag with us. Keep up with Sarah at her blog ‘Art and Quilting in Camden’.
Joan
Lazy Girl Designs
Images courtesy of Sarah Ann Smith.
There’s a little Lazy in all of us!
Share your Lazy with us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LazyGirlDesigns/
Thanks Joan for sharing my Lazy with all your readers, and for making such wonderful patterns! I know this may be my first Lazy, but it won’t be my last! Now…back to sewing! Cheers, Sarah
Oh Sarah your lovely bag brings back so many memories of my climb up (half way) Mt Fuji. What a wonderful idea & you have my creative jucies flowing. What beautiful work you do & you compliment Joan’s patterns so well & of course when you are tired of carrying that bag around (like that will happen!) I think it would look wonderful on my shoulder!!!!
Penny
Sarah Ann:
Your bag is amazing! I think you will have trouble carrying it anywhere because so many people will stop you so they can look at it. If you walked into my quilt shop, staff and customers alike would go crazy for it. Thanks for shring with the whole lazy world!
Janet
Calico Gals
Fayetteville, NY
Sarah Ann,
Such a beautiful and inspiring bag. Your work is just incredible as I’ve just spent an hour admiring your work from your blog. I love your “Trees” Fiber Art For a Cause piece and the story of the loved ones that inspired it. So glad to have found your work and I wish I could take your classes!
Elaine Gentry
Houston, TX
I love that purse, you have done some increbibly wonderful work there.
Youir work is lovely , I love that pattern
Marlenwe
I would very much like to make purses for my mother and myself. We both have degenerative disk disease in our neck and shoulders so the purse would have to smallish. We can not carry shoulder bags. The bag would need to hold a billfold, sunglasses and keys, a few tissues, pen and paper and not much more as we have to keep them light weight. Which pattern would you suggest?
– – – – –
Hi Gena,
Veronica and Chloe are smaller sized handbags which might be worth considering. Also, consider the Sassy Bag worn across the chest from one shoulder to the opposite hip, thus spreading the weight of the bag/contents across your body rather than hanging from the shoulder.
You can see all of our bag designs here:
http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/bags.php
Joan
Pingback: Lazy Girl | Blog » Super Giveaway: Gracie Pattern and Stiff Stuff Interfacing