Gifts Are For Giving
September 14, 2007
One of my dearest friends celebrated a major birthday recently. I’ve known Eryn almost since moving to Atlanta and hate that I don’t get to see her more often. I’m fortunate that she loves me anyway!
She’s a graphic designer by trade and an artist, to boot, so I knew I’d have to make her something special to mark the occasion. A few months back, she mentioned that she was planning to get a messenger bag so she could start taking the train to work. In another conversation, she said she’d love a little something made from manga fabric.
Here’s the what I came up with:
The exterior fabric is by Alexander Henry and called Princess Dragon. I used a small gold floral on white for the interior with some solid orange accents. The pattern is self drafted. I can’t remember what the overall dimensions are but I made it large enough to accommodate an issue of Real Simple plus other things.
The interior has a nice, big pocket that can hold three pens, plus two larger objects. I actually made a few special accessories for the bag.
I bought a small planner at Target and made a case to hold it (left), plus a key fob and a sunglasses case. What’s not pictured is a purse-sized tissue holder.
Nice little key strap inside for holding the fob. I kind of winged it on the fob and used canvas as interfacing for it. Also winged it on the planner case. The sunglasses case, however, is based on a pattern and tutorial from Betz White.
The bag exterior is interfaced with canvas while I used flannel to interface the lining. In both cases, I just basted the interfacing to the fabric before assembling. The strap and tabs are interfaced with canvas. I really like the feel of this bag. I’ve never interfaced the lining before and I really think it was necessary for a bag with such a heavy exterior interfacing. I added a doubled-over Peltex panel to the bottom to give it a little dimension and stitched in the ditch to keep it in place. (I also managed to ruin my iron with the Peltex because I am, in fact, incapable of owning an iron for more than 10 months.)
Happy birthday, sweetie! I hope you enjoy your new bag!
Wow, Mary! This is soooooooooo awesome! And so many intricate details that we wouldn’t even know about if you didn’t show us! Love it! I loved all the accessories you made too. I’m sure Eryn (adding to list of future baby names lol) will love it
so awesome mary! i absolutely love that bag! and all the things to go in it!
That is amazing. The love is in the details. I’m a little dizzy from the thought of all the interlinings, I want to make a messenger bag too but I’m a little intimidated by bag making but am preparing myself to work on it in the near future.
I think the bag looks fantastic.
Oh…it’s so wonderful! I love messenger bags, and the manga is too cute! She’s going to love to carry that to work every day!
I love it. It all came together perfectly, what a nice gift! And again I am impressed with your photography skills, your pictures look great!
Very nice Mary. You are becoming quite the bag lady!
It is sOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Lovely! Awesome. My favorite part is all of the little matching accessories, though. How thoughtful
That is sooo cool! The extras just make it amazing and its the coolest bag to take to work and make the commute brighter!!
What a great bag! So glad to find your blog. I think I have a little craft ADD, too. Nice to know I am not the only one.
Sounds like the PERFECT gift! And so cute, too! Isn’t that the nice thing about creating - its something that no one else has and is perfect for her. Grea job.
I love messenger bags and yours looks perfect. I use one for book scouting and thrifting. They hold everything and I can swing them around my back while looking under tables and they don’t strain my shoulder. I love the fabric you used.
What a great bag! I am sure she will love it. The accessories are wonderful.
It is beautiful! Thanks for stopping by! Your lil girl is too sweet!
This is really adorable! I love Joel Dewberry fabrics.
That fabric is so cute! And your daughter is super sweet too! And then there’s your photography! LOVE IT!