Off The Wall Friday - The Wet Uptown Girl Purse and the Nude Dog Walker

I spent a goodly amount of my time this week either in meetings or working on that Uptown Girl Purse.  I really love the thing!

Go to Nina Marie's Creations to see some people who really did some great leaps on their pieces.  Check them out!

I used some of the vintage houndstooth fabric from Cousin Karen's mom, Aunt Evelyn.  And it is incredible!  The pattern is from McCalls Quilting Nov/Dec 2010 Magazine.  I found a black leather purse at the Purple Cow Resale Shop for $1 and used the handles and strap for that.  In the bottom I put two pieces of foam board in a sleeve.  They did not add pockets, and I think if I did this again, I would add some pockets.

Anne, I can show you how to put pockets in the lining, easy and very convenient to have in there.

The pleats made the outside look like a schoolgirl skirt!  Too funny!  They were easy to create.  Not a lot of trouble, I don't like stuff with trouble.  I get into enough trouble on my own.  Like, when I was making the sleeve for the foam board, I put one piece in and promptly dropped into the dog's water bowl that they never drink out of (they prefer the toilet). And everything was pretty wet for a while.

I recommend it if you want a classy tote for your classy quilting stuff.

The Nude Dog Walker did not get much play this week.  But I did find a nice pencil that erases with a fabric eraser to draw in the quilting lines.  It is a graphite marking pencil by Dritz and the eraser is sort of like those gum erasers we used in grammar school.

I plan on working on it a bit today since the weather took a turn for the cold.  We woke to 42 degrees this morning!

In May?  In South Louisiana?  Really?  That Nude there is just about shivering!

Uptown Girl Completed

Whew!  I finished the Uptown Girl Purse today.

Outside shell

What took the longest was the idea I had about buying a purse at the Purple Cow for $1 and using the handles on this one.  It was a great idea but I broke two needles going through the Pleather.  It finally worked but I had to do one stitch at a time!

Inside lining

AND.....while I was putting the foamboard in the sleeve to use in the bottom of the bag, I dropped it right into the dog's water!  So it was a bit soggy when it went into the bottom of the finished bag.

Handles From Purple Cow

The pattern is in the McCall's Quilting Magazine from Nov/Dec 2010 and is by Jenn Chritiansen of the City Quilter   I guess the one in New York.

Finished Uptown Girl Bag

I would have done some things differently, but it was not difficult at all.  The pleats were easy to do actually, even though they make it look like a lot
of a deal.  And there are 4 pages of instructions but they are
mostly pictures.  The pictures really helped, but I am used to making bags and purses and am accustomed to garment sewing.

That, however, did not stop

Close handles on bag

Inside bag, it is big

me from failing to remember my ruler is 6 inches wide NOT 6
1/2 inches wide when I cut the bottom of the bag and lining out.  Needless to say, I had to back track, rip and take up half an inch on each side of the bag.

That houndstooth check makes it
look elegantly professional!

The purse had two short handles  rather than the longer handles to hook over your shoulder.  But it did have an extra piece that you could loop over the shoulder.  I put it on but am not sure it will stay.  Here it is hanging from the door knob by that longer handle.

I like it.  I also think it will make a good vet's bag for some certain cousin.  However, I really like it and it may not make it to her.  I will let you know.

Love that combination of black and white and orange polka dots!

This is a winner!