Bagmaking: The Window Shopper Tote - February BOTM 2016 by Mrs H

I knew when Samantha  said we were going to need a big print for her Bag of the Month  club bag, that I wanted to use this Frida print.

However I didn't actually own it already, so I had to go buy it. Gosh Alexander Henry ain't cheap

This bag has two outer pockets. A full width one on the back (although to be honest you can use it either way around) and a pouch on the front. This required serious fussy cutting to match up the patterns:

Urk! All that wasted fabric! (I also still needed to cut a gusset and a strap at this point) I do keep my scraps though so it won't get binned. There is also enough left to make a handbag. A small one :) 

So lets cut to the chase. Summary: Easy pattern to follow. No issues at all. Made gusset an inch wider. Used headliner to pad it out nicely. Bobs yer uncle! One huge tote finito.

In which I make a Della Wallet - with Vinyl :)

Due to ongoing dramas with British Gas, I had to take the day off work yesterday (my 5th day off for BG visits since 29th December - and I need to take another next week!)

I took the opportunity to make this - its a sort of cross between a purse and a clutch (it has a wrist strap) and its made with a vinyl exterior.

Vinyl is hard to work with. This particular stuff is very thin though so I figured I'd give it a shot. 

Unfortunately what I didn't know is that it can crease, which is exactly what happened in the finishing stages when I was turning it all right side out. I am still working out how to remedy that without melting it!

The inside is very busy! There are credit card slots (8) note/voucher slots and also two zipped pockets which would easily fit a phone.

It fastens with magnetic snaps to a band on the outside.

Fingers crossed I can get those creases out!