I’ve been using my current handbag pretty much every day for the last three years, and it was looking pretty crappy to be honest. Not to mention my very tired and grubby wallet that’s been on the go for even longer.
I am legitimately ashamed
A quick trip down the road to The Village Haberdashery, where I picked up some of this gorgeous canvas with neon yellow blobs:
I am a sucker for neon
As well as some Kona Highlight (the closest thing to neon yellow I could find), black Essex Yarn Dyed linen, a fat quarter of black and cream canvas, and a spool of neon yellow thread.
The Have-it-all Wallet pattern is a winner as far as I’m concerned. Exactly the right number of card pockets, a zippy bit for coins, and loads of other pockets for notes and assorted crap. Done and done.
The handbag, however, was slightly less straightforward. I own about a million handbag patterns (it’s an illness), but none of them quite fit the bill. They were either too small, too big, were cross-body style, didn’t open the way I wanted, or didn’t quite fulfil some other random and highly specific requirement. I’m picky, what can I say?
Then I remembered that I love my Super Tote for Big Days Out when I need to take a whole load of crap with me. It’s got everything going for it design-wise, it just happens to be a bit on the massive side. Simple enough, then, to chop it down by three inches and make something that’s perfect for day-to-day use.
OMG – neon topstitching!
Instead of making fabric handles, I used some rolled leather handles that I’ve had stashed for ages. I like the slightly more formal look they give.
behold the innards!
And it matches the wallet. The jury’s out on whether that’s spectacularly fashion forward or spectacularly pathetic. From a mental health perspective, I’m sticking with the former.
Well as you are an internationally renowned trend-setter, obvs it’s the former.
love the YELLO
well, of course 😉
Looks great, for a moment I thought you had used David Essex yard!
bwahahahahahaha!
Love a splash of neon! Fashion forward daarling!
*mwah*
Those are brilliant! Love the fabric choice too.
Has a sort of pac-man vibe to it! Love it x
Must make both! Neon is spectacular and so refined the way you use it!….. off to find patterns and sewing mojo now school is back and grands are away.
Gorgeous bag and top-notch neon topstitching against the weave of the linen – love it! X
Now I have bag envy. I may have to make another one to get over it….
why do my bags never look like that? Not attempted a wallet yet but now I have a list with Tilly Rosa shirt dress, new hand bag with matching wallet on it. Inspiring.
Wonder if you have any tips for sway back alterations to patterns ….seems to be bit of a recurrent fitting issue for me and not really found any good solutions.
I always have to do a sway back alteration too! I usually take a horizontal wedge out of the lower back, tapering to nothing at the side seam. Quick and dirty!
Thanks Charlotte. I think I overcomplicate it. Going to try that next!
what are the measurements of your bag with the neon yellow ? inches please, I am from America, you have a different way with words I say!! Refreshing tho. Thanks
Just a lovely bag and wallet combination. Matching makes my heart sing, so it must be fashion-forward. (I only today found your blog, am loving the 2012 “Pervalong” fractured paper-pieced quilt. Wish I could see your finished quilt with all that lovely perle-cotton hand quilting.