Mini Messenger bag

This bag was actually inspired by one that another Crafty Mama made.  I asked permission if I could copy here. She was cleaver enough to make her own pattern.  I have never made one of these so I followed a tutorial my mmmcrafts and just changed the dimensions to suit a little person.

The little person was a 5yo from Tylers kinder. Little girls are quite easy to sew for, or hard as the possibilities are quite broad. This is all pending whether their parent can sew, as the bar is raised higher if they can. I only found out on Thursday that she is having her party on the Friday.

So starting out, choosing the embroidery... I bought Love Chirps by Huups.  Did you know that there is an English button so you don't have to try and interpret the German... I know now! And also when you get sent the file, you get sent them in many different format... yup I found this out after a couple of frantic emails!

So I am getting ready for the embroidery... the fabric doesn't fit in the hoop! I am not up with using Filmoplast so I had to cut out a new front panel!
And then of course when I went half way through the embroidery realised that the fabric was the wrong way around. Really I meant it! Its a feature... anyway...

Then its all done, figured out the middle and cut the front panel. It is in the middle, but still doesn't look it. So I added another embroidery to try and balance it... did it work?

So lining time. The lining was cut out wrong (my fault) luckily I had some of my favourite dot fabric and cut it out in that.

Then I made the base too wide, so the bag is shorter, and the front panel is too big. So I had to tuck it over the back more, making the embroidery be closer to the top. I put the "love" at the bottom to make it look more even.

And the back panel was not as straight as I wanted it to be, so I popped on some ribbon to hide my shonky sewing. I like the end result!

I am so glad that I am stubborn and persisted.

So it is a rather easy project... I just cant seem to get it right.  But no-one would know.  The child's grandmother is a sewer and she was really impressed.

I have written all this to show my trials and topsy turvy journey for making this simple messenger bag.  I will make it again, and in fact think I will make it for the little girl who is turning 6 at the beginning of September.  At least this time I might have more than 1 nights notice!