A Buttercup Bag for Eleanor

Since I’ve been on such a bag kick lately, my friend Hilary asked me to make a bag for her daughter Eleanor as a Christmas present.  I’ve got plenty of scraps from past projects – it’s just a matter of finding the right pattern and picking out the color scheme.  I happened up on the Buttercup Bag pattern Made by Rae For and for some reason I seem to have a ton of pink scraps….

The printable patten is easily pieced together and I quickly cut out all of the pieces.  I made a few quick modifications: First, I shortened the strap on the bag.  The pattern calls for a 20″ strap but since I’m making this bag for four year old, I decided to cut it down to 16″.  I also decided to interface the pieces to give the bag a bit more body.  Amy Butler’s obsession with interfacing everything has clearly rubbed off on to me.

Hilary requested I add an extra special detail to the bag – an appliqued E!  Just in case the bright pink doesn’t put Norman (Eleanor’s little brother) off the notion of stealing it.  So I pleated the bag and attached the top before placing the initial in the right hand corner of the bag.  I used a capital E in the Bank Gothic font about 200pt size.

I attached ultra hold heat and bond to the back of the red fabric before I cut it out and once I decided on the placement, I pressed it down with the iron.  I then went back over and stitched the letter down with red thread.  I think it provides a very sophisticated detail for the little lady purse.

Once the E was in place, I assembled the two exterior pieces together and moved on to the lining.  I put the snap in place, about 1 ” down from top of the lining and installed the pocket as indicated in the directions.

I sewed the lining pieces together and clipped the curves a bit before turning the lining right side out.  I decided to turn the bag through an opening in the top rather than the lining because I’m too lazy for hand stitching.

At this point, I decided to attach the strap to the lining rather than finishing it on the bag exterior.  I folded the long sides in, pressed and folded the strap in half then edge stitched both long sides.  I attached the strap to the ends of the lining and pushed the whole assembly into the exterior shell.

I stitched around the top, leaving an opening for turning.  I turned the bag pushing out all the curves and tucking the fabric at the opening in.  I then edge stitched around to finish the top and close up the opening.  Magic – it’s done!  I can’t wait to send it off to Hilary.

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