Large Retreat Bags in Blue Patchwork

I have made Retreat Bags before, both large and small and have added my own changes to the bags. I bought a dozen or so frames last year  from Emmaline bags for the large size, but these bags look just as nice without a frame too, they just look different. So I thought I would show you the look both with a frame and without a frame. The frame is the last thing that gets inserted into a bag, so if you prefer without a frame, just don't add it.

I made these two Retreat Bags by sewing strips together and then quilting the bag front and back. I added handles and pockets and a frame to the bag too. The basic bag is a free pattern from Emmaline Bags, which looks like a Dopp bag (with the frame), but I like to add handles and pockets to make it even nicer looking and more useful.

I used foam stabilizer to help the bag keep it's shape too. Some rings and rivets add to the look and function of the bag as well.

Using blues from my scraps bag of blue fabrics, I pulled out strips of all widths to sew together. This is the front side of the bag with the frame inserted.

Here is the same front side without the frame inserted. It looks wider at the top, but I like this look too.

Side view with no frame.

Back of bag without the frame.

Inside divided slip pocket.

Bag with the frame shows how wide it can open up. Like a nice big box.

Inside zippered pocket.

Without the frame, the bag still opens up nice and wide, but doesn't retain that box look.

Front of bag with the frame. The sides fold down and the zipper pulls don't stick out as much with the frame.

Here are the 2 bags I made. The bag on the right without the frame and the bag on the left with the frame so you can see the difference side-by-side.

Here they both are with frames inserted.

I made this second bag with blues and touches of green and aqua too. Here with the frame inserted into the bag.

Without the frame here.

The back of the bag without the frame.

Side of the bag without the frame.

Inside divided slip pocket.

Inside zipper pocket.

Bag wide open with the frame.

Bag wide open without the frame.

Do you have a preference for the bag with the frame or without the frame? I love them both! But when I use up all the frames I have, I will continue to make these bags without a frame. I make the small size without a frame because I didn't buy frames in small. 

I have added pockets to the front and back of the retreat bags I made before, but because these are patchwork, I didn't want to cover up the patchwork on these. I like to vary how I make these bags by adding pockets, straps, frames or not, and more. That way all of my bags are truly a one-of-a-kind bag.

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Cross Body Arabesque Bag in Blues

I made another Arabesque Bag (with a lot of my own modifications, or hacks as they are called) at 90% and this time I turned it into a cross body style bag. It can still be worn over the shoulder or adjusted to fit across the body. I am using this bag and it has been working out really well. Making this at 90% of the size is a good size for me as it's a bit smaller, but not too small. The 80% size I also make is a smaller bag, which a lot of woman love, but I need a bit more space for myself. I will be using this bag all day at the upcoming Fiber Arts Fiesta, so it will be nice to have a bag I can wear across my body and have my hands free to check out items at the vendor booths or take photos of quilts and knits and more.

I made another one in a cross body at 90% in browns that is for sale in my Etsy Shop. I will be making more of the cross body style and the shoulder style in all 3 sizes as this is a great style bag and sells well.

Inside is a slip pocket and a pen pocket and plenty of room for my sunglasses, reading glasses, wallet, coin purse and strawberry shopping bag (underneath).

The bag closes with a zipper.

I quilted the bag. I use a foam stabilizer, which gives the bag a nice feel and stands up nicely to keep the shape of the bag.

Bag is full of my belongings.

Back of bag where I added a zippered pocket. This is my own hack as the pattern has no exterior pockets at all, so I have been adding a zippered pocket to the back on all my Arabesque's that I make.

This bag has SOLD.

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Enlarged Clematis Bag in Blues

I made a large version of the Clematis Bag using blue fabrics and I quilted it in a wavy design. (Blue Calla pattern) I recently came across some leather skirts from a thrift store and bought them to deconstruct so I could use the leather as accents in some bags I make. I decided to make the bottom of this bag in black leather. The strap and tabs are cotton fabric. If I used leather for the straps, I would have needed to piece too many pieces together to make it long enough, so decided to only accent the bottom of the bag in leather.

The leather is soft and easy to sew. I will be adding leather accents to some bags and wallets here and there.

This Clematis Bag is a nice medium sized bag measuring approximately 13" wide x 9" tall x 3" deep at the widest part. Features a zippered closure on top of the bag, a zippered interior pocket as well as an interior slip pocket. The strap is adjustable, allowing you to wear it long across your body or shorten it as a shoulder bag. As always, I add a beaded zipper pull with a charm that I make to the zippered pocket and I added a charm to the main closure zipper pull, since the pull is already long on this zipper.

Inside is a zippered pocket with a beaded zipper pull and a slip pocket.

Side view with charm on zipper pull.

Back view.

This Clematis bag is for sale for $35 + shipping. Email me if you are interested in purchasing this bag. This bag sold on 4/22/18
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