My "Sophie" Bag - in Winter guise

Hoorah!  I've finished something this week........... honestly I'm so slow at making things.  Actually that's come out sounding wrong.  I'm not so slow at the making, rather than being pathetic at sitting down to concentrate to start with.  Once in my sewing chair, I can whizz through an item in no time.
So many diversions.  Twitter - you have a lot to answer for!

Here we are anyway...... let me introduce my ever-popular "Sophie" bag in her new Winter guise.  This version is in a beautifully soft 100% wool plaid in a bright zingy cerise/forest green/deep grey combo.  I fell in love with the fabric as soon as I saw it.  Didn't love the price quite so much - by golly, but wool is expensive!  Couldn't resist it though, I'm a sucker for cerise, and the funky plaid was calling my name.  Didn't realise until I started flicking through some magazines that plaid seems to be "in" this season - I'm not a follower of fashion at all.  (more a follower of anything I can fit into).

I've lined the bag with cerise corduroy, and there's a big room pocket inside.  I've gone across the edge of the tuck line with a feature ribbed ribbon all the way around for a touch of brightness, and used the same in the centre of the fob.  The bag is interlined with 4 layers of fleece.  This gives the bag a lovely puffy appearance, whilst being lightweight and ensuring it keeps it's form well.  In the photo there is nothing in the bag, and yet it still hangs beautifully.

The handles are strong and sturdy, and very comfortable to hold.  The length is just right to wear over a shoulder, or drape across a bent arm.  It's also not too long that I can't walk along without worrying about it trailing on the ground.

I love making this bag.  I've made so many since my original design, that I can now cut one out without referring to anything.  As with all my Cajame Originals, I never make the same colourway twice.  I'm keeping this one as it is so me!  I've added a gathered flower rosette with a corduroy covered button as the centre (as I've only just discovered that I really enjoy making them).  With the last little scrap remaining from my half metre of precious wool I managed to squeeze in a little tie to dangle from the fob.

And at some point, I WILL get the pattern down in PDF form for download!

I will always be pleased to make up this bag as a custom order - in any colourway whatsoever.  It works equally well in quilting cottons, upholstery fabrics, or in this case suit-grade dressmaking fabric.  I simply adjust the weight of the interlining to suit, and ensure the bag has sufficient substance to hang properly.

Did you notice the mitts I'm wearing?

No........? 

Shame on you, it's only taken me two years to finish them! (admittedly I found them in the bottom of my work-basket half-finished - which is very much the story of my life).  Let's take a closer peek;

These cosy lilac wrist-warmers are the result of an argument between my husband, a cashmere jumper and the washing machine.  No guesses as to who won!  The jumper that emerged would have fitted a four year old.  However, all was not lost!  I used the body to make a peg bag, and cut off the sleeves to make these therefore wasting nothing at all.  I simply turned the top of the sleeve over to make an asymmetric cuff.  Next I cut a small slit next to the seam line to make thumb holes - and then went all the way around the edges in blanket stitch using a double thickness of a pretty variegated wool sock yarn.  Ever one to fiddle about with things, I added some little wool knots, and tied on a selection of vintage buttons in random places.  I'm yet to decide what to do with these.  Do I keep them or put them in my Folksy shop?  Would anyone want them I wonder?...... I know they're a bit quirky.

I think I'll finish today's post by including a couple of recent photos. 

 I absolutely love this coat (I'm a huge fan of all things Goth), but it's the sort of thing that looks jolly peculiar in Cornwall.  I hardly ever have the opportunity to wear it, but grabbed the chance to don it when we went to see Vampire Rocks in Truro last week.  What a fab show it was..... do go along if you see it at a theatre near you.  If you love rock music, you'll love the show.

And here I am with my precious little Phoebe.  Shame she moved.... but it was the only pic half decent of me.

So there we are for today.  My latest make, and the latest me.