Are the words "handmade" and "sophisticated" an oxymoron?

Poor neglected blog!
I'll have to make a point of stopping in more often.

Tonight I have been searching for a purse pattern so I can make a friend a bag for her birthday.
The odd fact here is that when you go to a department store and buy a bag, it's usually leather, and it's usually plain black or plain brown.
Why then, when bags are sewn from a pattern, are they so often wild prints with that not-in-a-good-way handmade look?

I don't want a cutesie bag (though, to be honest, I am using a fabric with beagles all over it).
I don't want soft sides, but I want reinforced details as found on the leather bags I usually carry.
I don't want quilt blocks on my tote, or faux fur, or a teeny tiny paper sack of a bag.

There are a lot of indie designers out there with great patterns, but they're sometimes hard to find.
Purse Patterns (dot com) has 1100 ideas to browse through.

I think my best options for a sophisticated take on handmade might be The Cosmo Bag

or the Classic Messenger Bag


Hmmm....maybe a yoga bag would make a fun gift!

Though Carol's Executive Tote is seemingly more of a simplistic style that I'm trying to get away from, there is something about this design that I find quite pleasing, and I think it would work really well with the fabric I have chosen


Another option is to sacrifice a favorite bag and make a pattern from it, which I may do as well.
I will post my results when I finish the bag.

Patterns

My mom and I attended the annual San Diego Quilt Show today.
Normally I love cruising the vendors and buying new gadgets, fabric, and patterns, but my purse was recently stolen, so my bank account is frozen until all can be ironed out on Monday (long story).
So (gack!) I wasn't able to buy anything.

What I did instead, was take note of new patterns I hadn't seen, so I can buy them in the future.
What I love about quilt shows is getting exposed to indie companies that I might not find elsewhere.

I love this handmade lunch box by Quilts Illustrated, called Desk Deli.The tote has little pockets inside for silverware and icepacks, and includes the pattern for a fabric napkin.
Several online shops also sell the pattern, including Henrietta's Handbags.

Fort Street Market Bag, by Yoyomama Designs seems like a fun pattern.
I can't find a website, but see if your local quilt shop carries this brand.
You may be able to buy one on ebay also (currently seller Quilt Taffy has several available).

Heart to Hand sells some amazing purse patterns, often involving needle punching and wool felt.
Check out the website.

Lazy Girl Designs has some new patterns along with their other classics.

Bandanas!

One of three designs of bandana purses, sold by Out West Fashions.

Bandana backpack, pattern for sale at Birch Street Clothing.

Backpack by Janine King Designs (etsy)

Dotted Dream Purse

Free pattern download by Ottobre.

Paper Purse Pattern

This super cute paper purse is available for download, courtesy of Meggie Cat.
By all means, use the free pattern, but please stop by her blog
(or anyone else's where you get a pattern or even an idea)
and give her a thank you :).
Courtesy and feedback are really gestures we all should remember.

Mischievous Gnome Messenger Bag Pattern

I aim to keep people informed about sewing pattern companies that may not yet be in your radar.
This cute bag pattern is by Montessori by Hand.
She also has an amazing apron pattern.

Zippered Purse Pattern

This little bag pattern is in the current (summer 2007) issue of
Quilts and More magazine (Better Homes and Gardens Creative Collection).

This *might*, ahem, be a good pattern for you to use for a future theme.
Just sayin'...

Pattern inspiration

Along with vintage patterns, of course there are lots of new patterns on the market for bags.
There aren't any beach bags, per se, but I want to mention a company Melly & Me, out of Australia (sisters Melanie and Rosalie have several commercial bag patterns available. I already mentioned Rosalie's patterns in an earlier post).
They also have an etsy shop.

Here's a bag one of their blog readers, Cathy of Miss Marzie, made from their 'Sunshine' pattern out of tea towels--isn't it incredible?


Another reader, Lisa of Pink Lemonade Boutique. made this gorgeous scrappy log cabin bag using the tutorial on the Melly & Me site.


Their newest pattern is called 'Sherbet'

More current pattern ideas

Another current pattern designer of fabric bags that people in the US may not be familiar with is Rosalie Quinlan.

The Australian creates doll and quilt patterns as well as some unique fabric bag patterns like Pink Lemonade:


And Nellie's Sewing Tote:


Google her name for the few places able to sell her items (and check ebay too).

Inspiration from current patterns

My focus with sewing patterns is usually with vintage, but that is certainly not all I own.
Current patterns offer an abundance of variations and inspirations.

One of the reasons I subscribe to Joann's Fabrics newsletter is to receive the bi-weekly 40% off coupon, and the notification of which pattern brand is going to be on sale.
Perhaps McCalls, Simplicity, or Butterick will be $1.99 each (sometimes 99 cents each).
Or, my favorite is when Vogue is discounted to $5. Now that's special.

And even without a discount, don't forget Burda, New Look, Kwik Sew, or The Green Pepper.


I can't even begin to tell you the quantity of patterns I own.
Let's say hundreds and leave it at that.

So this is all to remind you to start sewing your tea towel if you haven't already.

If you're still stumped for ideas, I've got a ton of links to tutorials on the sidebar of this blog.
Please take advantage of them.

And don't forget the indie companies--some of the best patterns out there are the mom-and-pop brands.
Amy Butler has some amazing designs.
So does Indygo Junction,
and Favorite Things (including a couple of kick ass carpet bags).
Also, Rainbow-Splash has several fun bag designs.

Quilters might enjoy patchwork designs like
Rumbleford and Humbug bags by McKenna Linn (Nancy Restuccia) at Make-it-Easy.

Sandy's Grab Bag is by Sandy Corbin, but I can't find a direct link to a website.

The bag is reversible, and uses 1-1/2 to 2 yards of fabric.

Ditto (to not finding a website) with Mary Ann Sheppard's "star attraction" purse.
This bag is an older design, but I believe the pattern is still available for purchase.

Ask your local quilt shop or fabric store if they can order these patterns for you, if you're interested.
I find a lot of these unique patterns at quilt shows.

I've received a few images of your finished projects, but it looks as if most of you will be making me work into the wee hours at the last hour.
Shoot, I haven't even finished my own bag yet!
So let's all get started.