It's a Quilt, It's a Purse...

It's a quilted purse!!!

The purse I am currently using is really a tote bag. I made it two years ago and it's a sad, floppy affair. The colors are awesome: black on the outside with a bright pink on the inside. However, the pockets are so large and bulky that they get in the way more often than they actually help hold things. And I can never find my cell phone in time when it starts ringing. So, I figured it was time for a new purse. A real purse. One with bells and whistles.

The idea of using scraps to make the purse came to me one night when I should have been in bed, but was instead trying desperately to convince a cranky baby to go to sleep and let me do the same. The mind visits funny places when it is sleep deprived. Anyway, the idea stuck and I thought it was a fabulous one: using up scraps is great because it helps to make my sewing room neater by reducing the clutter and I don't have to spend any money to make this great purse since I already have the materials!

I gave myself a zippered pocket to hold all those things that fly around my purse and I can never find. It is currently holding a wallet, a business card holder I bought from Three Green Apples, a chapstick and a pen (I made sure the top was on!). And look over on the other side at that snazzy cell-phone pocket! It even has a little velcro clasp to keep the phone from falling out accidentally. With all these added features it has become apparent to me just how low maintenance I am. The only thing that is actually in the main portion of the purse is a pad I use to write grocery lists. In addition to the organizational features, I put in a magnetic snap to keep things in the purse and to keep pickpockets out. I also covered a piece of cardboard with fabric and placed it at the bottom of the purse to give it a nice, sturdy bottom.

By the way, the business card holder is empty because I still don't have business cards. I'm hoping that innocent bystanders with notice my groovy purse and ask me about it, giving me the perfect opportunity to pull out a business card and tell them that, yes, I make these purses and other fabulous quilted items! This plan will backfire entirely if I don't have business cards.

Since i have a nice, new purse I decided that I needed a matching wallet to go with it. My current wallet is just too big and I want a smaller version. I found this super-easy pattern for a wallet here on Crafster.org. The wallet holds all my essential cards and fits in my zippered pocket with room to spare! I feel so coordinated.