My new purse.

It was about time I made myself a new purse. I went for a black and white design this time, and made it big enough to fit in a good book, but small enough not to be annoying.

To add a little color, I gave it a red polka dot lining:

I proceeded like I did with this purse. Again, I did not take pictures during the process, but I can describe it:

• Decide in the size yo´d like to have.
• Cut three rectangles in this size, plus some sewing allowance, out of the fabric you´d like to have on the outside. If you want the flap to look fancy, you can piece this rectangle together out of several pieces, or embellish the piece you intend to take for the front. Do it now. Not after assembling the whole thing, that´s a lot harder. And messier. 
• Cut three more rectangles for your lining. You should now have 6 rectangles of the same size :)
• Cut one long strip of fabric that´s the width of how wide you and your bag to be (mine is about 10 centimetres) and the length of both sides plus the bottom of your main rectangles. Do I make sense? I hope so. 
• Sew your outer bag - right side on right side. 
• Sew your lining bag - right side on right side.
• Now comes the complicated part, but stay with me - you´ll make it. Turn your outer bag insige out. Put your lining bad (in my case the red dotted fabric) inside the outer bag, both right sides facing each other again. Take pins to secure where they belong together - the flap goes to the flap, etc. 
• Sew around everything. Leave a small opening for turning. 
• Turn. Iron. 
• Handsew the last small opening shut. You´ve almost got a bag!
• You´re only missing the shoulder strip! Cut out a long, long strip that fits around you when you attach it to the bag. Make it twice as wide as you want it to be. 
• Fold it lengthwise. Iron it. 
• Sew 
• it shut. Take a security pin to turn it inside out. 
• Fold in the ends and add it to your bag.

It might sound complicated, but it´s totally doable. I came up with it myself, I´m pretty proud of it, but that also means it can´t be too difficult. Also, Eva makes them, too, since she´s been nine. It´s that simple.

Music to go with it?

A good, old, easy-going classic, to keep you calm and happy in case the thread on your sewing machine keeps tangling :)