After spending time prepping the pieces for my new bag, I couldn’t let it sit! Over two days I found the time to put it together and completely love it!
It’s huge – measuring 17″ across the bottom. My plan with this bag, is to take me through The Sewing Summit weekend, with anything important in it with me! It is large enough to hold my laptop, more likely I will carry my iPad as it is lighter, any lists, papers whatever I need; I plan to have with me in this bag! Thankfully there are lots of pockets to keep me organized too!
Both the front and back have the scoop pocket, one with a phone pocket too, and two large zipper pockets inside. As it is so large, I opted to have both the interior pockets with zippers, so that I could keep some things hidden/safe.
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The Sweet Harmony Handbag & Tote pattern has lots of fabric/interfacing/notions needed. Makes sense – it’s a big bag, and it can stand up on it’s own! The pattern pieces were well labeled, and easy to cut out. Depending on the type of fabric you use, you will need more or less interfacing. After cutting out the pieces, and adding the interfacings, the bag went together simply!
I label this is an intermediate pattern; in the final stages there’s some tricky curves, and new skills, like piping and possibly zippers, and because the wordings can be a challenge to decipher. As with any pattern, they encourage you to read through all the directions first, but a lot won’t make sense until you are working through the steps with the pieces in hand. The diagrams in this pattern were clear and concise, which is a great help too! When in doubt – talk it out – even if that means talking to yourself!
I loved how the handle is attached, and all the basting made adding the pockets – simple! Not always the case in bags! I also love that both the handbag and tote have their own pattern pieces, so if I decide to make the smaller version, I can without compromising the larger pattern pieces.
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In the end I’m super happy with this pattern and my finished bag! However, I need to put the sewing machine away for a few days, while my kids head back to school, and I get back in the hang of rushing everyone out the door each morning. Tomorrow is the big day, and my girls are excited for school! Owen is even excited to have his sisters gone for the day, and me to himself – I’ll let you know if that’s really the case, after a couple weeks!
Happy Sewing ~ Amy
oh, i love this, amy! the outside fabric looks so good with the amy prints!
Hi Amy,
Wow…love it! Thanks for the wonderful description of the pattern; think this is one for me as well.
Have a lovely day!
Oh, I love your bag! I wish I could do bags but I always wreck them and I’ve decided they are not to be mine to tackle “this year”. Maybe next year. Despite all the great handmade patterns for the Sewing Summit, sigh, I’ll be without a new bag. I’ve just packed up all my sewing items for a move next week and promised myself, again, that next year is soon enough to try a bag again. lol
I don’t know how I screw them up, directions are usually clear, but I do.
Yours is great! The colors are just right. Thanks for sharing and now I will know you when I see you at the Summit from your bag! You’ll know me because I’ll be the one with a plastic Wallyworld bag for my stuff! hehe
Oh%2C%20I%20love%20your%20bag!%20I%20wish%20I%20could%20do%20bags%20but%20I%20always%20wreck%20them%20and%20I’ve%20decided%20they%20are%20not%20to%20be%20mine%20to%20tackle%20%22this%20year%22.%20%20Maybe%20next%20year.%20%20Despite%20all%20the%20great%20handmade%20patterns%20for%20the%20Sewing%20Summit%2C%20sigh%2C%20I’ll%20be%20without%20a%20new%20bag.%20%20I’ve%20just%20packed%20up%20all%20my%20sewing%20items%20for%20a%20move%20next%20week%20and%20promised%20myself%2C%20again%2C%20that%20next%20year%20is%20soon%20enough%20to%20try%20a%20bag%20again.%20lol
I%20don’t%20know%20how%20I%20screw%20them%20up%2C%20directions%20are%20usually%20clear%2C%20but%20I%20do.%20
Yours%20is%20great!%20The%20colors%20are%20just%20right.%20%20Thanks%20for%20sharing%20and%20now%20I%20will%20know%20you%20when%20I%20see%20you%20at%20the%20Summit%20from%20your%20bag!%20%20You’ll%20know%20me%20because%20I’ll%20be%20the%20one%20with%20a%20plastic%20Wallyworld%20bag%20for%20my%20stuff!%20hehe
that second comment is weird. sorry about that
Great review! I love lots of pockets, too.
I love it!!! And I love big bags…my purses always seem to need a tad bit more room and thats with one kid…I can’t imagine what size bag I would need with four ;)
Very cute bag! It makes me want to make one! :)
So happy you finished it and wrote about it. I’m looking for a diaper bag and I think this will be a good alternative to the plastic store ones that I detest.
You new bag is just wonderful! I love it! My Mother would like a big bag for winter, this is it! Thank you so much for sharing. Enjoy your new bag made by you-just for you.
Looks great, Amy!
Beautiful bag!
What a great bag!!! I need a new one and this may just do the job during football season. I wish I could see it in person at the Sewing Summit…hopefully next year. Here is to an easy going and uneventful first-day-of-school morning (unlike ours!). Smiles~Beth
I love how understated you made it… it will go with everything, but still have a great pop of color from the lining!
Hi Amy, this bag almost makes me want to break out my sewing machine and try this bag. Very cute. I should probably take a class to make a bag or buy a bag… But, very cool and congrats on your book.
Lynn
Your tote is gorgeous! I just made the handbag version of this pattern and loved it as well. It took forEVER to prep but the sewing went so quickly and you just can’t argue with the results!
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