Birdie Sling - Pattern Review

This weekend, my cousin and I stayed up to the wee hours sewing for ourselves. I tell you...it felt great! We drank pots and pots of tea, had MeTV's awesome Saturday night lineup as background noise, and laughed and sewed all night long. What did we make? Gorgeous purses!

After an exhaustive Pinterest idea search, we settled on Amy Butler's Birdie Sling. A trip to the fabric store (or two...ugh) later we were set to sew. Well, sewing after we cut out the pattern pieces for a couple hours. Wow, there is a lot of interfacing to cut for this bag (two different kinds even). Not something I would skimp on in this case either. This is a very large purse and I think it would be too heavy to support it's shape without that extra support.

This pattern has a lot of nice details like pleats and gussets. And I do think it's those little things that make this bag as cute as it is. It is seriously adorable. And now that I've been carrying it for a few days, I'm head-over-heels with the single large strap and large inside pockets.

My interior pocket panel on the left, my cousin's on the right.

As always, Amy Butler's written instructions are bulletproof. This is my third time using one of her patterns (gumdrop pillows and Frenchy Bag) and I would make another in a heartbeat.

I'm such a fan of the written sewing instructions from contemporary designers, I like them a lot more than the traditional ones from companies like Butterick and Simplicity. Patterns by folks like Amy Butler anticipate what is going to trip me up...and add extra illustration or instruction at that point. I really appreciate that, it makes those moments real learning opportunities.

Another great idea is to tackle a new pattern with a friend. My cousin and I broke up the work of pinning, sewing, and pressing between the two of us and the work just clipped along so nicely.

My fabric choices for the exterior were an Anna Maria Horner (from my stash) and Julianna Horner (Ana's daughter) from JoAnne. How weird is that mother-daughter combo? Completely unplanned. I lined the inside with a random calico I got from JoAnne as well. Again...why am I so surprised when I find things I like at that store??

Buying way more than I needed! Couldn't resist.

I don't wear such busy patterns on my clothes (usually)...but I do like my accessories to pack a little more punch. And this one looks like a big pop of happiness.

–Cassandra

Loved and Abandoned

The feeling of spring is getting into my bones. I'm dreaming of flowers, open windows, and all the lush green that ushers in the summer. Oddly, this spring fever that compels me to start cleaning or planning my window boxes also drives me to finish current projects that are lingering. Last week I finished up some pajamas for the boys that had been sitting in pieces and picked up the shawl that I hadn't touched since October. It feels great to be checking tasks off my list.


You may vaguely remember (about a year ago) I started working on a design for a knitting notions case. Begun with such gusto, it's shocking to me how I had set it to the side to start new projects. Maybe it was the construction details that got complicated or my fear of failure. Who knows? Anyway, I picked it back up and it is done.

This notions case is padded with batting (it feels so soft), has pockets for stitch markers and scissors, padded felt area for sharp needles and a place to secure darning needles. My vision was to have it be a machine-sewn piece but with enough hand-details that it looks a bit rustic. I was really excited to find the buttons that actually look "woodsy" at JoAnne Fabrics.

I am generally happy (80%) with the way it turned out. However, there are some definite tweaks I want to make before the pattern is written up for distribution. One of which is an original design for the embroidery on the front (I wasn't really doing that myself back then) and another is roomier pockets with a place for a small tape measure.

I'm a big fan of that button.

This process of revisiting something I started a year ago is so eye-opening. With every stitch I sew or knit...I have been learning. So slowly that I never even knew it was happening. I have better solutions for techniques I thought were a good idea last January. Wow, kinda awesome. This old dog learns new tricks. I'm excited to share this design really soon.

–Cassandra