Project - Three Handbags for the Girls - Gracie Inspired

We headed out to San Diego for my youngest daughter, Elysia's, college graduation and Mary thought it would be nice to make all of my three daughters a purse.

After some searching on the internet, I found the Gracie Handbag design by Lazy Girl and decided to give it a whirl.  So off we went to the fabric store where we found some of the material and the rest came from the local Habitat store.

Instead of sewing the handles to the front of the bag, I left open the four attach points when sewing the lining to the face and before turning the bags right sides out.  I then measured and inserted the handles prior to doing the top stitching.  I think it made for much more finished bag.

Magnetic closures were used on all three bags.

The bags called for an acrylic insert in the bottom, but I just cut some 1/8" plywood I had and inserted that.

This design features inside corners that drove me nuts until I found this article on cipping inside corners and this video.  Great tutorials!

I learned a lot through the process of making each bag and by the time I finished wanted to go back and remake the first two.  Time ran out and the girls loved them.  I think I'm the only one who noticed.

Here they are in the order that I made them:

Dominique's bag got a quilted front and a large button

which accented the circles in the fabric pattern.

Danielle's bag got a pleated front.  The pleats were actually the reverse side of the corduroy

fabric seen in the closure flap.  I ran out of material and had to piece the handles.

This pattern was a nightmare to figure out.

Elysia's (the graduate) bag got a tighter pleat.

All the bags got a similar lining with pockets.  I made a sleeve in the bottom of the bag

to accommodate the plywood.