Purse-aholics Anonymous

I am embarrassed to admit how many purses and bags I have.  It's ridiculous, really.  On the positive side, most come from thrift stores and garage sales so it's not like I have a fortune wrapped up into these things.  Still, despite the massive collection, The Perfect Purse has eluded me all these years.  You know, the one that's not too big and not too small, with the handle length that hits just so, and with pockets in all the right places? 

"It doesn't exist!" you say!  "It's a myth, like Bigfoot and Loch Ness!" 

Ahhh....but it does exist, my friends. 

The Purse Quest started last year.  In crafting my own purse, there have been lots of trials and many more errors.  Someday I'll take pictures of all the attempts so you can point and laugh, but this time, I think I got a few things right.

I made the smaller one first, thinking it would be perfect.  It was an eensy-weensy bit too small to comfortably fit my wallet into, so I passed it on to my daughter and made the larger version last weekend.  Fabrics used are Michael Miller's Lava Light, Anna Maria Horner's Garden Party, and Melissa Averinos' Sugar Snap (lining).  There are scraps of others that I can't remember. 

Now for the details that make this creation part of the elite Perfect Purse Club:  Zipper pocket inside for the small things, a large magnetic pocket outside for the larger things, zipper closure across the top (dontcha just hate it when you toss your purse onto the car seat next to you and it tips over and everything falls out?  Early lesson learned: always seal the whole thing shut with a zipper.) and - this is the big one - a single, adjustable strap.  Cute strap adjusters are impossible to find in a craft store.  Save yourself the trouble and go to Goodwill.  Hit the belt rack, and buy a few belt buckles.  If you can find the adjustable ones without the middle tong, super!  Otherwise you can remove the tong later with pliers (or your husband can go at it with a metal cutter, like my crazy man did.  It worked though).

My purse was inspired by the Piping & Stripe(ing) bag here.  I liked her use of piping and borrowed that idea, but I made the whole thing smaller, changed the handle placements, used one strap instead of two, made the strap adjustable, added a zipper at top, added an interior pocket, and made the whole base wider by including a graduated gusset that goes around the bottom and halfway up each side.  Oh, and I skipped the chevron stripe bit and used a solid piece of fabric instead.   If you're new to pursemaking, her tutorial is great!