Iron Craft Challenge #19 - Spring Flower Bag

This week is the contest to find out who will be the Iron Crafter for Spring. Since Susi and I run the contest we are not eligible to win but, I still wanted to make something for the Spring theme (I haven't missed a week yet so, I wanted to keep up the pace). I'd pinned the pattern for the Buttercup Bag from Made by Rae a couple days ago and thought done in a floral fabric it would be a perfect spring purse.

It's a really simple pattern to whip up and the directions are well written. I, of course, made it a little tricker on myself and decided to add some piping between the top and body of the bag. I followed this great tutorial from BurdaStyle which made sewing the piping in easy but, added to the sewing time with the hand basting and all. Still, I'm glad I did it because that pop of color adds so much to the finished bag plus, I learned a new skill.

For the lining of the bag I chose a solid red but did the pocket, sized perfectly to fit an iphone, in the same fabric as the outside of the bag.

Other than adding the piping, I changed a few other things in the pattern...

1. I put a little cardboard between the layers of the magnet clasp to make it sturdier. This was suggested on the clasp instructions.

2. I made the strap twice as long as what the pattern called for as I wanted it to be able to be worn slung across the chest. It is still almost too short for that, I think if I had followed the pattern length it would have been super short on me even just over the shoulder.
3. I also made the strap differently. She had you press all the edges of the strap over 1/4 inch, fold it in half and then sew it shut. I just folded it in half, right sides together, sewed the long side and one short side then turned it right side out. I pressed the final short side in and then top-stitched all along all four sides. (As I said I liked the pattern a lot but, felt the instructions for the strap were a little weak especially when it came to where to sew it on & how to. I looked at a lot of different people's pictures of the bag on Flickr to figure it out.)
4. I left the button flap trim off all together. I felt like with the red piping it really didn't need it.

I can see myself making this bag again, perhaps even in the bigger size (that pattern is available for purchase). Next time though I think I'll do it in a heaver outer fabric, I saw a really cute one made of corduroy even.

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