Flashback to 1969...

Last post, I told you about my hippy, bohemian, "starshine" project.  I had recently seen a M'liss Rae Hawley bag pattern (Fat Quarter Gypsy Bag) that intrigued me.  I wanted something similar but also different.  The FQGB is a pretty simple bag - no lining, no pockets and the handles tie together which I think would be really uncomfortable - especially considering the size of her bag.  I decided to start digging around in my batik scraps and see what I could throw together.  This is the result

I made my bag much smaller than the Gypsy bag.  (I still think the bag is bigger than it needs to be!)  I also used some "ShapeFlex" in the bag so that it wouldn't be so floppy.  I made extra long handles so that it can be worn cross body.  My handles are stitched together and then the seams are pulled to the inside of the casing.  I also put a series of inside pockets front and back.  This bag is really very close in size to my Weekender bag and I know I could get darned close to everything I would need for a weekend in this one.  Someone asked what I would charge for a bag like this and I had to tell her that I honestly could not charge enough!  Cutting and piecing the outside of the bag took so much time.  I just knew I needed to see what it would look like and I am fairly happy with it.  If I were to make it again, I would skip the elastic on the sides, gather everything together and sew out a complete seam on either side.

Actually, the more I look at the photos, the more ideas I am getting.  Wonder how many more batik scraps I actually have...