Sew Powerful Purse #107 (2025)

I found one more flap I had made with the hand embroidered herb in a pot. This one must have been hiding in the bag of flaps I had made 😄. All done now.

I used crayon to color the pot and the leaves. A few added buttons. I sprayed with Scotch Guard to help keep it clean.

I used upcycled denim jeans for the purse body.

Made a back pocket.

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Sew Powerful Purse #106 (2025)

I wanted to experiment with cutting curved pieces by stacking some 5-inch charm squares and cutting them into curved pieces. Then I arranged the different fabrics and curves onto a foundation fabric, tacking them with a bit of glue. I then stitched the curves using decorative machine stitches. I pieced some scraps of fabrics at the top and bottom corners to bring it up to the rectangle size needed for the flap. It was a fun experiment and I will try it again someday, but I think I will use prints that are less busy so you can see the decorative stitching a bit better. These were batik charm squares in Christmas prints.

I ran out of the You Look Beautiful labels, so I got a stamp that I can stamp onto fabric scraps to sew on instead. It's a lot cheaper doing that 😉.

Pocket on the back. This black and white print is a light canvas material.
Donating this to Sew Powerful Purse Project.

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Serendipity Hip Cross Body Bag (Updated PDF from ChrisW Designs)

Christine of ChrisW Designs (CWD) has updated the Serendipity Hip bag and wrote a whole new pdf and video too! I tested the first Serendipity Hip bag for Christine many years ago and had made several of them too. I tested the new updated version and can tell you it looks about the same, but has some updated ways it is sewn and a few changes making this bag easy to sew. It is a very popular pattern for CWD, so updating it was great!

The pdf pattern is on sale too and no code is needed. If you did purchase the original pdf pattern, you will receive this updated pdf version for free! 

Here is what Christine says about the new update Serendipity Hip:

Updates include a new top zipper installation method, better front zipper pocket construction, increased phone pocket size, optional Kam Snap to close the front pocket assembly, and the Strap Tabs have been relocated. The card pocket assembly has also been updated. If you have previously bought this pattern, you can receive the new version FREE! If it is a recent purchase, the files in your account will have updated. Alternatively, it may be in your old account HERE. If it is in neither account or has been purchased on Etsy or a different venue, please email me with your proof of purchase and I will email you the new files".

Even after I tested this, Christine made a few changes from feedback from some of the testers, so my bag has the strap connectors placed one on the front and one on the back, whereas they are both on the back now. You can watch the trailer video of Chris showing the Serendipity Hip and explaining the features and showing all the tester versions on her link at the end of Christine's page where you buy the pdf and read about the pattern here.

The finished bag measures approximately 8" wide x 10" high x 1 3/4" deep.

I used cotton fabric for my test bag. I love that print fabric and only had a small amount left, so I used it along with a purple Grunge accent fabric. I used the Grunge fabric above the zipper pocket too, whereas you can use the main fabric there if you desire.

Side view showing the bag depth.

Back side.

Looking down into the slip pocket and the phone pocket behind the zipper pocket on the front.

Inside has 4 card pockets and each pocket can hold a couple of cards if you want.

Empty card pockets.

A zipper pocket is located across from the card pockets.

Front zipper pocket.

The bag has a curved zipper main closure to keep contents secure.

The bottom view.

So there you have it. This is a popular style and size bag for carrying a few essentials. It can be made in all fabric like I did or in vinyl or cork or maybe just an accent bottom in vinyl or cork. So many combinations to choose from. Please do watch the video trailer to see how fabric choices from all us testers do make this sweet bag look so very different.

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Sew Powerful Purses #104-105 (2025)

Last 2 purses for now until I can sew up some more 😉. These, as the others I posted recently use the quilt blocks I got from a free table at a quilt group. Used upcycled denim for the purse bodies too.

Each block set differently on flap.

Front pockets.

Back pockets. 

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Sew Powerful Purses #101-103 (2025)

3 more purses using the quilt blocks I got from someone giving them away at a quilt group. Denim jeans upcycled for the purses bodies too on these.

Donating to Sew Powerful Purse Project.

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Sew Powerful Purses #98-100 (2025)

Over a year ago I saw a stack of quilt blocks on the free table at a quilt group and I grabbed them knowing they would make great looking purse flaps. I have made a few into purses before, but am sewing the rest into purses now. Some had light backgrounds and some had dark backgrounds. When creating the flaps, some I placed with the points of the star vertically and some I placed the opposite direction, as you can see in the photo below. The placement gives the blocks a different look. I have a few more to make with these blocks and each one uses different fabrics for the stars. I made the purse bodies out of upcycled denim jeans.

Donating these to Sew Powerful Purse Project.

Quilt blocks plus added fabric to create the flaps. I set one of the blocks differently from the other 2 quilt blocks. Do you have a preference in the placement of the block?

One front denim jeans pocket provides 2 extra pockets on the front. The other 2 purses I cut the denim jeans out of the leg section to make the front pocket.

On all 3 purses, I left the denim jeans pockets on when I cut the back piece, resulting in instant back pockets.

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Sew Powerful Purses #95-97 (2025)

3 more purses with fabric scrappy flaps covered in tulle and quilted. I find these fun to make and I like throwing in snippets of mesh, yarn, iridescent organza pieces and a few buttons on top.

Donating these to Sew Powerful Purse Project.

I had a donation of this pretty home dec fabric that I used for the purse bodies. I made these and a few more purses with this blue print fabric.

Pockets added on the backs of all 3 purses.

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Flip & Fill Fabric Baskets

 I tested these cute baskets for Around the Bobbin Patterns. I love that these baskets can fold flat when not in use. You just flip them to make them flat and then flip them back to fill them up, hence the name Flip & Fill.

I made these using 2 fabrics and I alternated the medium size fabric by using the dark purple print as the interior and the light print for the exterior, whereas the small and large sizes have the dark purple exterior and lighter interior print. These stand up because of the foam stabilizer used, but easily fold flat when not in use.

Scroll to the end for the discount code of 25% off the pattern.

They stack nicely too.

I used 2 fabrics for all 3 sizes.

Small, Medium & Large baskets.

All 3 folded flat for storage.

All 3 baskets. S-M-L

Size large is 8-inches square.

Size medium is 6-inches square.

Size small is 4-inches square.

Be sure and grab your Flip & Fill Basket pattern now while they are on sale for 25% off.  Use code New25  for 25% off Friday May 16- Sunday May 18. These make great gifts in any size. They would be fabulous for travel too when you need a place to put your small belongings in while in the hotel room and then flip and flatten them back into the suitcase when you pack up to leave.

I have been using my medium Flip & Fill Basket to put some sewing tools in while I am sewing outside on the patio now that the weather is warm. I love hearing the birds singing and splashing in the birdbath 😄while I sew.

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Dino Buddies (Steggie & Andy)

Another cute pattern from Around the Bobbin, featuring Steggie & Andy, a couple of Dino Buddies. The flannel Loveys with silicone teething rings for babies are so cute! A soft flannel (or use minky fabric) to cuddle while baby teethes on the silicone ring. This is the 5th set of Lovey Teethers I have tested for Lisa from Around the Bobbin. They sew up quickly, use a small amount of fabric and make great baby gifts! Check them all out at Around the Bobbin. 

Dino Buddies pattern is on sale Friday May 16 - Sunday May 18 for 25% off the pattern with code: NEW25, so you might want to grab the pattern now while it's are on sale. Silicone rings are included in the pattern (you can also buy silicone rings separately as well if you want to make several).

Soft flannel lovey with silicone teething ring. Can be made out of minky fabric too. 

This is Andy. Andy is approximately 9" high x 7" wide.

This is Steggie. 

Steggie is approximately 4-1/2" high x 9-1/2" wide.

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Sew Powerful Purses #92-94 (2025)

These purse flaps are the ultimate in using small fabric scraps. Made by using all sorts of small bits of fabrics and fusing to a foundation fabric, layering with tulle and quilting to hold all the pieces together. I have done these before without tulle and heavily quilted them, which also works well. I have tulle in various colors, but they don't show up well in the photos. The purse on the right is a gold printed tulle, so you can see the print part, but not the tulle in the photo. These are so satisfying to make and use up scraps that normal people would have thrown away 😁. I especially like using scraps of cotton batik fabrics. 

Scrappy flaps using tiny scrap pieces with tulle over the top and quilted. The purse on right has a metallic gold print on the tulle.

2 blue print purses with home dec fabric and one upcycled denim jeans purse.

Back pockets.

Donating these to Sew Powerful.

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