Reversible Tie Handle Bag

I found the pattern for this bag at Joann. It is a Barbara Huber Design. Published by QuiltWoman.com.  She calls it a Knot Handle Reversible Tote.
It is roomy and so easy to sew. I made two of them in one day.
The one above and directly below is made from an old pair of my son's jeans and a remnant piece I had in my stash. I did some decorative stitching on the denim side to add a little creative touch.

I used two pieces from my stash to make the other one. My mom had sent me a big box of random pieces a few years ago and I have been slowly using them up in different projects.

I think these totes would be great for a beach tote, or as a purse for a hip young (or old) woman. These totes give you a chance to use up some odd pieces of fabric. It's like getting 2 bags for the effort of one.

Evelyn Handbag

The Evelyn Handbag is sewn from a pattern designed by ChrisW Designs at http://www.chriswdesigns.com.

The fabric is from the Hobby Lobby clearance bin. This is the most structured bag I have made to this point. It has feet and a hard bottom insert.
The directions provided with this pattern were great. Very easy to follow, and the pictures helped immensely.
The back zipper pocket installation was especially well described and I will use those directions to install other zipper pockets on other bags.

The inside pockets are great for carrying all the little necessities of life that are carried in all women's purses.

 
 

The side pockets have elastic and are the perfect size for an iPhone or other smart phone.

Some ideas for variations using this basic pattern have been bouncing around in my head, but I have to make a couple of bags as gifts for some dear friends, so those ideas will have to wait. 

Custom Designed Handbag

Craftsy is the greatest! Participating in their online course platform is so convenient and fun. Once you purchase the class, it is yours forever and you can go back to it again and again. This is the 3rd class from Craftsy that I have participated in, and I plan to participate in many more.
The class is called Design Your Own Handbag and the instructor is Brett Bara.

I decided to purchase the class because I love purses, and I enjoy making my own. 
This handbag is the best I have ever made. I am very proud of how it turned out. The hardware makes it look professionally made. 
My inspiration was the beautiful home decor fabric I found the the clearance bin at Hobby Lobby. I found the faux leather in the same bin.
The actual sewing of the bag was simple and only took about 2 hours. The hardware is a different story. 
The hardware was ordered from Pacific Trimming and was by far the most expensive part of the project. It took most of an afternoon to install the hardware. 
The time invested was well worth it!