Burda Style For people who sew

Description

I decided that I needed a large tote bag to carry around my enormous load of marking. I didn’t feel like drafting my own pattern at the time so I settled on the Charlie Bag. It was my first time using a pattern from this site. It went together very well and I didn’t even follow the instructions!

Hah!

My decision not to follow the instructions explains my wonderful design feature at the top of the handles. The instructions will tell you how to attach the lining properly. I didn’t. I came to a point in stitching where I could not turn the handles inside out! I just cut them open and stitched the handles together. I wrapped a piece of my suede around the joined handles. It made the bag look even more stylish! I also topstitched the side seams for a more professional looking finish. My machine handled it okay because the material was really soft and a breeze to handle. I wanted the bag to have some dimension but I didn’t want it to look too boxy so I knotted the very corner of the bag on the inside. This resulted in a soft gathering effect which I love.

I also added some charms from an old bracelet (brass ring) and a top (brass heart) to a strip of real suede and tied it around one handle. The bag looks a bit dirty in the photos because…well.. it is :-)! I couldn’t wait until I got batteries for my camera to wear it. I have been wearing it and getting compliments religiously for the past 2 weeks.

Material Notes

Charlie bag pattern
1.5 yards camel coloured faux suede
1 yard orange floral quilting cotton for lining
1 8 inch zipper
charms
leather strip

Difficulty

Novice

Categories

Season

Spring, Summer

For

Women

Garment Type

Accessories

Style

Bohemian, Casual, Romantic

Material

Leather/Fur