Bags...bags...

 Cross-body bag all finished!  I started making this one with just an idea in mind, no pattern.
I started out with the front/back of the bag, then made the sides (4 dc's wide) attaching the metal square-rings for the strap.  I then added a top flap to cover the zippered top (just rows of sc's edged with sc's) and made a lining out of blue minky fabric.  Adding the owl with a few stitches and it's done!  The last Christmas gift made!

Inside the flap, zippered lining

I've been making a lot of zippered makeup bags.  

This Seattle print fabric is one of my favorites!  It showcases highlights of the area so brightly!

 

Bits & Bobs into a girls bag!

Awhile back I found this pattern for a cute hooked Hearts Afghan and pulled out my red yarn, creating one of the squares.  I knew that I didn't want to create a full-sized blanket out of the pattern, so I tucked the square aside until the "right project" popped into my mind.  So yesterday I pulled out all my bits & bobs of yarn colors and tackled that "right project"! 
 I made a fully-lined with a zipper and everything bag for our youngest niece!

 The ubber cuteness almost got to me ;)  

but I love how cheery and bright it turned out!

My Girls Hooked Bag Tutorial O' Sorts:
I took my red heart square, sl st my red yarn into the bottom corner (red puffy heart/right side up!) hook 1 row sc, 4 rows dc, 1 row sc. (This is the base rows of the bottom of the bag).  Next continue on hooking the back of the bag with 30 rows of hdc's.  (When near the end I count to make sure the front and back are even!)

There you have it, a front/base/back of the bag.  

I started this in the evening thus the darker photos, but you can get the idea! 

 

Next I picked out a cornflower blue shade to create the bag strap. 

I created it 4 dc's wide and 24 inches long.

 

Now to attach the strap to the bag.  

I knew that I wanted the bubblegum pink as a trim 

so I used this as my yarn to piece it together.   

SLST into the bottom corner of the base, then sc around

 (4 sc's for the base bottom, adding an extra 2 sc's in each of the corners, and continuing up the side of the bag front.)  

Once you are at the top corner, 

continue with sc's across the top of the bag.

 

Continue down the other side, attaching the strap 

and making sure you don't have the handle twisted!  

I pinned it to the base bottom of the opposite side

 so I knew exactly where it would meet at the top right of the bag.
Keep attaching the handle to the bag with sc's around, 

up the other side of the handle and back of bag.  

SLST to beginning sc. 

 Next I created a zipper placket for the top of the bag.  

SLST your color onto the top corner, sc in same sp.  

Then hdc around in each stitch, with 4 hdc's in each end.  

It ends up looking like a long rectangle box.  

Now do any trims or designs to your bag that you would like.  Doing it now keeps all the ends inside the bag 

and not a hassle later after your lining is inside!  

I took white yarn and created cross-stitch pattern around the heart. 

And a row of slst border around the heart in lavender. I also took a sky blue and trimmed the handle with sc's.

This is what it looks like when finished:

 

Now you have a nice placket to attach your zipper to, 

making it all pretty and hidden! 

 Next take out your lining material.  

I used basic white cotton and a large white zipper.

 Make this as you would any bag or bag lining.  
(There are lots of tutorials out there if you need help! Some day I promise I will get to making a tut on a basic bags!)

 So just remember, you want the inside of this bag lining to be "pretty seams" and the outside is okay showing  seam ends as it will be inside the hooked bag.
 I squared off the bottoms of the lining, and added my label to the inside of the zipper lining.

Next slide your lining inside of the hooked bag and pin in place.  Hand sew it to the top of the blue rows of hdc's all the way around, giving it some extra attention at each end.  Make sure you keep your hdc's below the zipper line so it won't get stuck inside the zipper when using!

 

 Next add on any trims you would like.  

I made a basic flower and added a hooked heart to it's center.

 

 And all done!  I love how cutsie and girly it turned out!

Repurposed Wool Scarf

Today's project...re-purposing a wool scarf 

that I picked up at our local Antique Store. 

It was obvious that it had been washed before, 

but I loved how soft it was and the colors really caught my eye.

It seemed perfect to create into a small cross-body bag.  

The Celtic knot button fell off of a bookmark that my MIL Debbie 

gave me years ago that I have held onto...

and now found the perfect spot for it! 

Lined with a recycled tshirt of my hubby's.  

A great recycle project!
I turned it into a bag in 1 1/2 hours! 

I cut it out by laying both ends of the scarf right-side together, the tassel edges lined up.  Cut the length I wished for the bag.  

Then I cut a small piece to create the front pocket out of.  

The remaining I laid flat, folded in two, cut in half, and cut those in half again.  I trimmed these pieces into 2" wide and used 3 of them to sew together (creating a long strip) for the strap.  Folded & pressed both sided in, then sewed along both sides.  Strap done!  

I laid the pocket piece on top of a piece of tshirt, cutting out them both out on the mat so they are the same sizes. I used the last piece of strips (from the strap pieces) and trimmed the top of the pocket piece with it. Then I lined with interfacing and attached to the front of the bag.   

Next lay out the back of the bag piece on top of 2 pieces of t-shirt material, and cut out the lining.  Interfaced those. 

Attach the zipper to each side as you would any bag.  Remembering to slide in your strap ends on each side.

Next I folded the bag so the right sides were together, tucking the strap out of the way along with the lining.  I wanted the tassel ends to be part of the bag, so I stitched the bottom of the bag with right sides out, instead of the usual way.  Next I pulled the bag back so it was right sides together and readied to sew along the edges all around, but carefully tucked the edges at the bottom of the bag where the tassels are inside a bit more.  Make sense?  

It was a little tricky, but I liked how it turned out!  Sew the rest just like any bag, leaving your opening the in lining for turning.   Turn it right side out and, press, and sew that opening closed.  

Then I glued a metal Celtic button that I had from a bookmark onto the front of the pocket.  I considered making it a real button, with buttonhole, but this wasn't  a typical button so I just glued it on.

There, a cute bag all finished!