As you may know, we moved twice last year and that put a dent in my sewing (and blogging.)  Drat!  But Tina’s on the Strand invited me to be the Featured Artist for Artwalk last fall and I was determined to keep my commitment so I managed to sew a dozen fall purses which never made it into the blog.  I dearly love the plushness of fall fabric, velvets, vegan leather, faux fur, and tapestry combined with fringe, full tassels, and dazzling embellishments like lush flowers and beautiful beading.  So for those of you who follow this blog for sewing inspiration, I now present to you:

A Gallery of My Fall Collection:

 

BEADS OF A FEATHER

A pattern I love from Ali Foster, this tapestry bag was embellished with dripping beads and feathers.  The handle is from Studio Mio and SO easy to apply.

FRINGE BENEFITS

Fringe Benefits is a Cindy Taylor Oates design, created from tapestry fabric,  accented with faux fur adjustable straps, trimmed with tassels from Interior Fabrics and 12 inch chainette fringe from Mood.

MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN

Honestly, I don’t remember where I purchased this gorgeous textured, embroidered fabric but I’d like to find it again.  The pattern was a modified version of an Abbey Lane pattern called Lucille.  I added the gold braided piping, then attached a plush flower and dotted leather handles.  Almost all my handles are from Studio Mio.

AUTUMN GARDEN

This sweet bag was a combination of patterns from books and YouTube.  I experimented with the round dotted brown handles which paired so well with the autumn floral linen fabric called Ballad Bouquet.

CASABLANCA

Linen floral and a zebra print fashioned into a Cindy Taylor Oates bag, embellished with golden loop fringe and ruby red beading.

KEYS TO PARIS

This is one of my all time favorite bags and sold very quickly.  The pattern is actually from the quilting world, called Pasadena, from “A Quilter’s Dream.”  Normally sewn with cotton fabrics, I instead substituted a vintage crushed flock velvet from Etsy with alternating copper and silver fabric that had a soft texture.  I added a purchased bamboo handle, plus a large flower and sparkly keys from Miss Rose Sister Violet.

COWGIRL CHIC

A fun messenger style bag, Cowgirl Chic sports faux leather fabrics from Cowgirls and Lace in Dripping Springs, Texas.  The lady who purchased this bag said it reminded her of her mother’s real cowhide purse many years ago.

TINSELTOWN

I named this bag Tinseltown because it is glamorous!  It shimmers with a velvet textured silver fabric, complemented by black velvet (my fall favorite) and an amazing tassel trim from Cowgirls and Lace.

GIDDY-UP!

Giddy-Up! is similar to Fringe Benefits but fashioned from faux leather, fringe and tassels.  The exterior features a faux leather boot which I designed and appliqued to the pocket.

SAFARI SPLENDOR

This is a huge purse with twelve, yes twelve pockets–six exterior, six interior.  The exterior is created from an embroidered faux leather, paired with a sturdy textured leopard print.  The tie is a dark chocolate velvet with a fine gold etched thread throughout.  The pattern is, again, from the quilting world, and is called My Favorite Bag from Kati Cupcake Pattern Company.  Not an easy bag to make because instead of making it from soft cotton fabrics, I chose to use sturdier fall fabrics.  And that’s a pain when grommets are involved…

MOROCCAN DREAM

Such a joy to construct.  This is another pattern from Abbey Lane.  I modified it by using a vintage French ribbon down the middle instead of gathered fabric.  I happened to have the perfect size ribbon from an antique shop in Los Angeles so I was able to apply it here, along with a sturdy, yet softly textured black velour, fancy tassels, and a braided handle made from a drapery tie-back. 🙂

LOTUS BLOSSOM

Lotus blossom is an Amy Barickman pattern called the Rachel Bag.  The back side is a heavily textured black fabric with a zipper down the middle for accessing the purse.  A unique silhouette makes for a very charming bag. 🙂

Knowing I would be featured in the fall Artwalk show was the impetus for creating twelve purses beginning mid-summer.  This was actually a wonderful opportunity to sew up a storm in that newly styled loft sewing room.  I’m still enjoying my brightly lit sewing room with the brilliant colors, brick walls, and fabulous views!