So my dress is coming along… SO close to being done. I guess I could say that it is done, Ben pointed out that it probably would photograph fine in the state that it is right now, but I want to put the finishing touches on before I show it (like fine tuning the bodice fit and adding a hook closure on top)

I didn’t get around to this post yesterday because I was furiously working away at the dress 🙂 So without further ado, my buttercup bag. This is the first bag I’ve ever made from a pattern. I’ve made a lot of bags before, but never following any sort of rules and they’ve always been fairly homemade looking. I figured it was time to follow some step by step instructions to see how you were REALLY supposed to put a bag together, you know, the right steps and techniques to come out with a finished and professional looking product. This one has a magnetic snap closure (ooh fancy) and a bunch of pretty pleats, plus a handy pocket on the inside (just the right size for my cell phone) and full lining. It’s the amazing (and free!) buttercup bag pattern from made by rae (the same lovely blog that provided the pattern for the itty bitty baby dress I made Amelia and Charlotte around 6 or 7 months ago). Overall I’m very pleased with how it turned out. I would make a few changes next time (like how the handle attaches and maybe a flap closure instead of the snap on the inside) but for a first go I think it’s fabulous.

What do you think?

One word of caution – at least in my experience (and maybe it’s just something about my printer/computer setup) the pdf for this pattern is a bit cursed … or possessed … or something along those lines. I had more trouble printing out the pattern than I did sewing the actual purse. First I couldn’t get it to download (I ended up having to right click save it and it took over 10 minutes) and then when I opened it up and tried to print, it would crash my printer (boo). I tested printing a few other pdfs and they all worked fine so I was getting very frustrated. Ben ended up suggesting (such a genius) that I open the pdf in photoshop so it would rasterize (and no longer be said cursed pdf) and print from there. It worked like a charm.