bags, bags, bags

i have been sewing lots of gifts lately. i recently finished these three bags that were given to a good friend and my two aunts. it is really a pattern for a diaper bag from the book simple sewing for baby by lotta jansdotter. the bag can be used for anything of course. i was thinking it is the perfect size for someone without kids to take to the beach. if they were taking kids with them this bag would be much too small. the finished size is 12 inches tall and 16.5 inches wide. it has two nice pockets on the front for easy to grab items. i used canvas for all three. i ended up lining all of them to make them a bit more sturdy. this really made the fabric hard to sew when i attached the straps. it was too thick. i don't really have the right sewing machine for heavy duty fabrics. i love the finished bag though. my sisters have already requested one for themselves.

i sewed a matching coin purse for the blue one. this is a pattern from bend-the-rules sewing by amy karol. it was pretty easy to make but requires you to hand sew the lining. it was a fun little bag to sew, but i think it would have looked better if i embellished it with a ribbon bow or something cute on the front. my mom wants one so i think i will try another and experiment a little.