Sew Powerful Purses #10 & #11 (for 2023)

These cute foxes that I appliquéd onto the purse flaps are a Crafter's Edge die cut. I had a couple of fabrics with trees on them and at first I thought of making large quilt blocks with the foxes, but I thought the fox would be better featured on a purse flap and I am so glad I made these on the purses instead. I actually have a few more purses that I am working on now with these foxes too, only some of the fox fabric is different.

There was only enough of the tree fabric to use for the flap and the front and back of the purses, so I used a gray fabric for the gusset and tops of the lining pockets.

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The Ruffled Runaway Bag from ChrisW Designs

ChrisW Designs newest pattern release is The Ruffled Runaway. It's a smallish tote style bag that features a large slip pocket on both the front and the back of the bag, plus 2 side pockets as well. Those ruffled handles are so sweet! Add piping or not on the large front slip pockets. You can also add a grommet at each side and clip on a cross body strap if you want the option of wearing it across your body. I thought it was perfect just like this without the cross body strap, so I didn't add one.

The bag measures 11" wide x 8" high x 3" deep.

(There is discount code for the pattern at the end of this blog posting, good for 3 days only).

Here is my version:

Made with 3 batik cotton fabrics. The main sunflower print batik and the turquoise accent fabric, plus the inside lining is also a batik fabric. I do love batiks!

I quilted the bottom base of the bag even though the instructions didn't call for doing this. Christine does have us quilt some bag bottoms and I added a double layer of heavy interfacing that is non fusible, so I felt quilting it would hold it all together better.

A slightly recessed zipper closure. I added a button on the zipper tab.

Back side of the bag is the same as the front with a large slip pocket. The piping is an optional feature to add.

I love sunflowers and I have/had several pieces of this sunflower batik print in many different colorways. I guess I was thinking of Spring when I chose these colors to use. Love those side pockets too. That's 4 pockets outside and one zipper pocket inside, for a total of 5 pockets on this bag.

Top view.

The batik lining fabric and zipper pocket.

The other side has no pocket and I didn't think it was needed as there are so many outside pockets.

Side pocket and depth of bag shown here.

15% off discount now through Sunday February 5 Australia Eastern Time, using code: runaway15 Go HERE to purchase the PDF.

Sign up for Christine's newsletter to be the first to hear about newly released patterns and also receive a bit larger of a discount (20%) on newly released patterns as well. The form is located on the right side of her website.

This was a fun and fast sew and so cute! 

And be sure to check out all the tester's versions of The Ruffled Runaway too on Christine's blog here.

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Sew Powerful Purse #8 (for 2023)

Oops, yesterday I posted purse #9 and forgot to post and share purse #8, so here it is now. I rarely use a plain fabric for the flap as I tend to use scraps and get creative, but in order for the giraffes in this fabric to be seen it needed to stay as one piece of fabric. But I do have some scraps leftover that will find it's way into a future purse flap as the colors in this purse are great even if you wouldn't see the giraffes in a smaller scrap piece.

I picked up the giraffe print at a freebie table from one of my groups and knew it would make a perfect purse flap for Sew Powerful! I just love these colorful giraffes! There wasn't enough of the giraffe fabric to make the body of the purse, but I did have another perfect fabric to go with the giraffe print. The purple background with the colorful polka dots went so well with the colorful giraffe print! 

The plain flap with just the giraffe print.

Didn't have enough of this fabric to add a back pocket. I am sure one girl will love this purse and I hope she loves giraffes too!

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Sew Powerful Purse #9 (for 2023)

I love wonky and I made this Happy Scrappy Flappy wonky log cabin block in batik fabric for the flap of this purse for the Sew Powerful Purse Project. The body of the purse is also batik fabrics.

Back with added slip pocket.

Happy Scrappy Sewing!

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Sew Powerful Purse #7

Denim lovers, denim jean lovers & upcycle lovers, here is a purse I created by upcycling some denim jeans. I was experimenting and trying some new things on this denim flap. I sewed the denim scraps and quilted each section down, which really helped flatten those thick seams at the same time. I wanted to try adding a few belt loops on the flap as a different embellishment. I also threaded a wide ribbon that has metallic threads on it through the belt loops. I then added rivets through the belt loops and ribbon to hold it all in place so the ribbon would slide around. I like the result. Kind of Shabby Chic would you say? (Donating this to Sew Powerful of course).

Happy Scrappy Denim Flappy. With ribbon, rivets, a couple of buttons and it's quilted too.

Back side I added a slip jean pocket that I first appliquéd a heart to.

Lining view.

Side view with added rivet.

Have a Happy Scrappy Sewing Day, week, month, and/or year!

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Sew Powerful Purse #6

Hello Selvage lovers, here is my next purse that I made to donate to the Sew Powerful Purse Project using selvages. I love using selvages and have already sewn about 10 more purse flaps using selvages laying them out in different design patterns, so I just need to pick a fabric for the body and lining and cut them out and stitch them up later.

This purse flap started by cutting a hexagon in the fabric of African women (that was donated to me) and then I sewed the selvage pieces around the hexagon. I upcycled denim blue jeans for the purse body.

When I have a bit more fabric on the selvage it allows me to add a few buttons as embellishments and mimics the dots on the selvage edge. Since a lot of the selvage strips were given to me, sometimes there just isn't even enough fabric left to even sew it down. So if you want to use selvages to make something of your own, leave at least 1/2" of the fabric part + the selvage itself showing, but better yet cut it a bit larger up to 1" of fabric showing is ideal as you can always trim it down if you desire later. 

Side view showing gusset.

Inside I used a solid blue fabric.

An added denim slip pocket I sewed on the back, but I added the heart appliqué first. A sweet surprise on the back of the purse for the girl who receives this one.

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Sew Powerful Purse #5

Another Happy Scrappy Flappy Sew Powerful Purse completed. 

Happy Scrappy Flappy as I like to call my scrappy purse flaps. I use the exterior body fabric on the flap and the lining fabric too and then I add other scraps of fabrics that work well with these 2 fabrics.

Lining and front slip pocket.

I added a slip pocket on the back of the purse.

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